Nestled on the coast at New London, Connecticut, is a terrific place to lay down your head. The Lighthouse Inn is listed as an “Historic Hotel of America.” The grounds are lovely, as is the architecture. A magnificent curved wooden staircase winds its way from the lobby to the sleeping rooms upstairs.

Our accommodations were quite geerous by modern hotel standards, with a high four-poster bed topped with a lace canopy; two large windows overlooked the grounds. The bath was fully functioning in an old-fashioned kind of way. The entire effect was both charming and luxurious.

The in-house restaurant as well as the tavern gets rave reviews. Mystic, with all of its history, is less than 10 miles away. And the New London Harbor Light, though not open for tourists, keeps watch as you slumber.