Cornwall is a town in Connecticut. It is comprised of many small parts from yesteryear, but today is generally divided into three parts, Cornwall Bridge, West Cornwall, and Cornwall Village. Cornwall Village is purely residential aside from two churches, the town hall, a library, and a post office. West Cornwall is the most commercial of the three and contains nearly all eating and shopping establishments. Cornwall Bridge is home to the only beds in town, a single restaurant, a general store, and a few other shops. Cornwall had a population of 1434 at the time of the 2000 census.
There is no public transportation to Cornwall. The only reliable way to Cornwall is by car. Nearby Amenia (New York) (20-25 minutes) has a Metro-North Railroad line running to and from New York City. By car, Cornwall is found on Routes 7 and 4. Route 7 is a small state highway stretching up and down the Eastern Coast. Route 4 is a Connecticut route running from the border with New York State east through Hartford.
There are three ways to get around Cornwall. You can drive, bike, or if you are feeling adventurous, you can take a canoe, kayak, or raft down the Housatonic River between West Cornwall and Cornwall Bridge.
West Cornwall contains the famed West Cornwall Covered Bridge. This is one of the most quaint and well known of Connecticut's covered bridges. It is barn red and crosses the Housatonic River. Nearby is the "commercial district" of West Cornwall including shops, restaurants, a general store, a video rental store, a post office, and plenty of nice country homes.
Be sure to take advantage of the Housatonic River. You can rent kayaks, canoes, and raft to float on down the river from Clarke Outdoors, located between Cornwall Bridge and West Cornwall on Rt. 7. They will drop you off and pick you up to bring you back to your car.
The Housatonic River in Cornwall is a fly-fishing hot spot. You can get set up to fly fish in Cornwall Bridge at Housatonic Outiftters.
The Mohawk Mountain Ski Area with 25 trails and 107 skiable acres is the largest ski area in the state. It is at 46 Great Hollow Road.
There is also a campground which might even be a good pairing with a day or two on the Appalachian Trail, which runs through Cornwall.
For shopping, West Cornwall is the place to go. There are several quaint clothing and gift shops. There is also a fine pottery shop.
Cornwall doesn't have many eating establishments, but all of them are located in West Cornwall.
Or try out Baird's General Store or the West Cornwall Market for deli sandwiches or to pick up something to make back at your hotel or campsite.
There isn't much nightlife in Cornwall. The one bar is locate south of Cornwall Bridge on Rt 7 at the Cornwall Inn, a nice country inn with pretty good food. Don't expect dancing or more than 10 people at the bar. There are bars in the neighboring towns of Sharon, Lakeville, Salisbury, and Kent. None of these towns can boast much of a nightlife however. Your best option may be stopping by the Cornwall Package Store, choosing from a selection of over 99 beers from around the world, taking a nice long hike, and setting up a campsite for the night.
There are three options for sleeping in Cornwall.
Getting out in Cornwall is all about enjoying the local scenery. Hiking on the Appalachian Trail, floating down the River, or fly fishing on the famed Housatonic River is the way to go.
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