Salisbury, Connecticut

Jumpfest at Satre Hill.

in Connecticut, Salisbury is where Litchfield County meets the Berkshires and New York State. It’s home to two prep schools, but also wild and mountainous black bear habitat. Salisbury has a small-town feel, with full-time and part-time residents whose lives often take them into Manhattan, just a little over two hours by car. It is also reachable by rail from Wassaic, only 20 minutes away. Who, upon seeing a little place with a “For Sale” sign on a well-kept lawn, wouldn’t feel a little tug?

Salisbury is a welcoming town, whether or not you own real estate there. It thrives on the mixture of people it attracts, from celebrities (Meryl Streep has lived there for years) to the shaggy hikers who come down a half a mile off the Appalachian Trail to pick up supplies at LaBonne’s Market. Begin with a walk down Main Street and follow your nose to Sweet William’s Bakery, famous for pies, pastries, and cookies. Right across the street is the General Store, which also doubles as the town’s pharmacy. Around the corner is browser-friendly Johnnycake Books, specializing in rare and collectible volumes. Go a little further and you’ll soon be on the Railroad Ramble, Salisbury’s scenic Rail Trail.

Outdoor activities draw many people to the area. If you can hike half a mile—uphill, that is (the hike is listed as ”moderate to strenuous”)—pluck up your courage and try the trail to Lion’s Head for spectacular views over the surrounding countryside. The trailhead is only a mile out of town on Bunker Hill Road (there’s a parking lot marked “Hiker Parking” where the road comes to an end); the road begins at the Salisbury Town Hall in the center of town.

There are six lakes, with names like Wononscopomuc, Washinee, Washining, and Wononpakook (brush up on your Algonquian before you visit). Deep, beautiful 348-acre Wononscopomuc (also known as Lakeville Lake, in very plain English) is the site of the well-run public beach, known as the Salisbury Town Grove. You may not want to swim in the winter, but the Grove has an attractive clubhouse that you can rent for lakeside weddings or other events.

A landmark in Salisbury is Lime Rock Park. Lime Rock is one of Salisbury’s “hamlets,” but don’t look for thatched cottages. Since 1956 the 1.5-mile track at Lime Rock Park has been a mainstay on the American racing circuit; it’s also where amateur drivers can drive and dream and (if they qualify) compete. The 2022 season will likely open on Memorial Day weekend with the Trans Am Classic and end with the 40th annual Historic Festival on Labor Day weekend.

But perhaps you took the advice of The New York Times and travelled to Salisbury simply to dine at The White Hart Inn on dishes prepared by celebrated British chef Annie Wayte. The inn houses Provisions, a stylish café and sandwich spot open every day starting at 7 a.m. For sit-down dining, you have your choice of the casual Tap Room and its outdoor patio, the Garden Room and the elegant Dining Room, all open for dinner Thursday through Monday starting at 5 p.m. And all serving what the restaurant characterizes as “elevated British-inspired comfort food” that highlights seasonal ingredients sourced from nearby farms. The food is both exotic and local—a good reflection of the town itself. To the southwest, in the Lakeville section of town, lie art galleries, a gas station (good to know), Visionary Computers for Apple afficionados, The Hotchkiss School, one of the premier independent boarding schools in the country, and a surprising number of good restaurants for such a small community, including The Boathouse for casual food and sushi, Black Rabbit Bar & Grille (a good place to hang out), Mizza’s for Italian, Deano’s (purported to have the best New York-style pizza for miles around), Picante’s South West Mexican Grill and The Woodlands for fine dining in a comfortable setting.

The main event of the winter season in Salisbury is Jumpfest, scheduled for February 11 to 13, 2022. Ski-jumping was the original extreme sport, and Salisbury’s Satre Hill has a long history as a jumper’s proving ground; the Salisbury Winter Sports Association has been promoting the sport for more than 90 years. SWSA volunteers provide training to area jumpers from the age of six, and some grow up to be competitors at meets in New England and New York: Jumpfest is one such competition, and the three-day event climaxes with the Eastern U.S. Ski Jumping Championships. Jumpfest is a spectator event, too, with food, beverages, and bonfires all three days, and a “human dog-sled race” after target-jumping under the lights on the opening Friday.