Today’s mission was to get from Falmouth to Southampton on Long Island, hopping across the Sound on the Cross Sound Ferry from New London to Orient Point. As always, we could have done it quickly on the highway — but where’s the fun in that? Instead, it turned into a day of diners, murder houses, coastal roads and a glorious sunset sailing.
First stop: breakfast. And not just any breakfast — a proper American 1950s diner. The moment we pulled into the car park at Betsy’s Diner, with its red neon signage urging us to “Eat Heavy”, chrome walls and rock ’n’ roll soundtrack, we knew we were in for the real deal. It reminded us instantly of Iggy’s Diner in Carthage, Missouri.
We were shown to a booth complete with tabletop jukebox, ordered bottomless coffees and settled in. Deb went for fluffy American pancakes with crispy bacon and maple syrup, while I opted for eggs-over-easy with bacon, sausage, hash browns and an obligatory pancake on the side. Calories don’t count on holiday — and especially not in diners like this.
Bellies full and spirits high, we topped up the fuel and hit the road for our first big stop of the day.
Stopping at the Lizzie Borden House, Fall River
There’s no way we were passing through Fall River without stopping at the Lizzie Borden House — a place my wife has wanted to visit for as long as I’ve known her. If there’s murder, macabre history or serial-killer lore involved, she’s there for it.
Lizzie Borden took an axe
And gave her mother forty whacks
When she saw what she had done
She gave her father forty-one.
Who Was Lizzie Borden?
In 1892, Lizzie Borden was accused of brutally murdering her father and stepmother in their Fall River home. Despite widespread belief in her guilt, she was acquitted — and the case became one of America’s most notorious unsolved murders. The house is now a museum and B&B, preserved almost exactly as it was at the time of the killings.
We didn’t go inside for a full tour, but we visited the shop, browsed the exhibits, soaked up the grim atmosphere and bought the usual assortment of stickers, magnets and a truly questionable “axe murderer” Christmas decoration. A quick visit, but definitely worth the detour.
Rhode Island, Connecticut and the Beautiful Town of Mystic
From Fall River we dropped onto the smaller coastal roads, weaving through Rhode Island and over a patchwork of waterways, inlets and wooden bridges before crossing into Connecticut. Another couple of states ticked off the list.
Next major stop: Mystic. Originally on our itinerary simply because of its name, we expected something touristy and overly themed — maybe something resembling Salem. How wrong we were. Mystic was lovely.
- Free roadside parking
- Unique independent shops
- Welcoming cafés
- Beautiful waterfront views
The Mystic River Bascule Bridge
Built in 1922, this iconic drawbridge uses giant concrete counterweights to lift the road deck vertically, allowing boats to pass underneath. It opens hourly in summer and is one of the few remaining functioning bascule bridges in New England. Watching it lift is a proper bit of old mechanical theatre.
We spent a good couple of hours exploring, picking up Christmas presents and souvenirs. At Sift Bake Shop we had a peanut-butter cookie sandwich, a mushroom quiche and excellent coffee. After checking ferry times, we bought our tickets online and continued our journey.
Noank, Groton and the Thames River
Our next stop was Noank, a quiet coastal community with a small beach, lovely houses and a relaxed atmosphere. From there we drove around to Groton on the (other) Thames River. We perched on some rocks and watched the Cross Sound Ferries glide back and forth while sitting in the warm September sunshine.
Cross Sound Ferry: New London to Orient Point
We’d booked the 5 p.m. sailing, so after a short drive we arrived at the ferry terminal in New London. Boarding was smooth and we were soon parked in the hull and up on deck for the 1 hour 20 crossing.
As the sun began to set, the temperature on deck dropped sharply, so we ducked inside for the final stretch. Disembarking at Orient Point was quick and easy and then we were on the final leg: driving to Southampton in the dark.
Arriving in Southampton — Chaos in the Dark
Southampton is dark. Very dark. And when your hotel is hidden behind a hedge, on a street the sat-nav can’t quite comprehend, it becomes a nighttime treasure hunt.
After driving round in circles we gave up, parked on the main street and walked. Eventually we found Harpoon House — a supposedly upscale boutique guesthouse — hidden behind a giant hedge with the car park around the corner on an entirely different road.
The reception desk was unmanned with a “Call this number” sign. The number didn’t work. We tried again. Then texted. Eventually someone picked up, strolled over and let us in. Not exactly the warm Hamptons welcome we’d imagined.
Dinner in Southampton — and a Room Full of Characters
Food options at 9 p.m. were limited but expensive, so we settled on an Italian restaurant. Service was… slow. After a 15-minute wait to be seated we nearly left for Walgreens, but they called us over at the last second.
“Would you like wine?”
“No thanks, have you got any beers?”
The waiter’s face said everything.
The pasta was lovely, but the clientele were straight out of a TV show. Every conversation was being broadcast loudly across the restaurant:
- “Oh yes, it was only a small party — just 200 of his closest friends!”
- “Let me tell you which famous golfer I have in my phone…”
It took all my willpower not to show him my own contacts list — which includes members of the Royal Family, actors and the world’s number one golfer — but Deb talked me out of it.
After paying, we wandered back to Harpoon House slightly disappointed with our first taste of The Hamptons. But tomorrow is a new day, and we planned to explore properly with fresh eyes.
Day 13 – A Day on Martha’s Vineyard: Jaws, Gingerbread Houses and a Green Mini
Day 15 – Exploring The Hamptons: Montauk, Sag Harbor and Dune Road Mansions
