Discover Groton: Trails, History, and Golf

Groton appeals to a range of interests: the Groton X-Town Trail passes through the town, the Avery-Copp House Museum focuses on the years 1890 to 1930, and Shennecossett Golf Course combines classic design with challenging play and views of the Thames River and Long Island Sound. There are also town-maintained trails at Copp Property and Pequot Woods, as well as an annual tree-planting event for Arbor Day. This range spans a route with a specified length, history, and golf, along with a recurring community event. If you’re looking for a vacation rental in Groton, you can start by considering which of these aspects you want to shape your trip most.

Trails Through the Town and Named Areas

The Groton X-Town Trail is six miles long and runs through the Town of Groton; it passes through several parks and protected areas, each with its own trail networks. The six miles refer to the one-way route and give you a specific distance to work with when planning. The trails at Copp Property and Pequot Woods, which the Town of Groton maintains, are separate from this route. This means a measured route through the town and town-maintained trails in two named areas offer different ways to find your bearings. If you want to spend time outdoors, this distinction helps you tell a clearly measured route apart from the individual trail areas.

History at the Avery-Copp House Museum

The Avery-Copp House Museum explores Groton’s history through the house and the surrounding community, with a focus on the years 1890 to 1930. This time period gives the subject a clear framework, while the house itself and the community provide two layers to the story. Tours of the Avery-Copp House take visitors through the rooms of its former residents, which are still filled with their original possessions. This brings together the local context and tangible objects in the house. If you prefer to explore history through a place and its rooms rather than an abstract overview, the museum offers a vivid way in.

Golf With Views of Two Bodies of Water

At Shennecossett Golf Course, the emphasis is different: classic design, challenging play, and views of the Thames River and Long Island Sound go hand in hand. The views add a scenic dimension to the setting for a round of golf. For golf enthusiasts, Groton offers another point of interest beyond the trail or house museum. This contrast can help you plan your stay around the experiences you’re actually looking for: play and views are at the heart of the golf course, while historic rooms and the period from 1890 to 1930 take center stage at the museum.

An Annual Arbor Day Event

The Town of Groton holds an annual tree-planting event for Arbor Day. This town event adds a recurring date on the calendar to the trails, museum, and golf. It’s especially relevant to your planning if you’d like to combine your visit with the event; if so, check the specific event dates before your trip. This is a different kind of travel decision than choosing between a trail, history, and golf: here, the calendar is the point of reference.

Discover more destinations: Old Lyme, North Stonington, Stonington, Uncasville, Waterford, East Lyme, Preston, Norwich.

For the broader travel overview: New London.