The 2nd Annual Leaf Peeping Road Trip 🍁
📅 Date: Saturday, October 11, 2025
🌧 Rain Date: Saturday, October 18, 2025
📍 Meeting Place: Fodor Farm, 328 Flax Hill Road, Norwalk, CT 06854
🕘 Arrival / Check‑in Time: 9:00 AM
🚗 Departure: Lead car rolls out at 9:30 AM sharp
📍 Route: We'll drive the full length of Historic Route 7 in Connecticut, ending in a town near the Massachusetts border. This portion takes about 2 hours.
📍 Planned Destination & Stops:
North Canaan, CT (12pm arrival) 30‑minute break
Details to come!
Then to Kent, CT. Kent Barns. (1pm arrival)
1:15 PM – 2:00 PM
Stop at Kent Barns / Wilson’s Bakery & Cafe during that time
enjoy nearly a dozen shops in Kent’s downtown and surrounding area.
Final stop: Brookfield, CT, from ~2:30 PM to 3:00 PM
Details to come!
Leaf-peepers are encouraged to make the trip their own — there are many scenic pull-offs, vistas, historic sites, small farms, and local gems along the way. No need to stay on the "schedule" or make all of thee stops!
🗺️ Detailed Day Plan & Highlights
Time: 9:00am
Meet at Fodor Farm, Norwalk
Arrivals, check‑in, greetings
9:30am
Departure
Caravan begins northward along Route 7
12pm
North Canaan
30‑minute break — stretch, restrooms, snacks, coffee
1:15pm – 2:00pm
Kent, CT
Visit Kent Barns / Wilson’s, explore downtown shops & cafés
2:30pm – 3:00pm
Brookfield, CT
Final group stop before dispersal or return
Because this is a casual “drive & discover” trip, timings are approximate and may shift slightly depending on pace, traffic, and how much time people want to spend at stops.
☕ Coffee & Refreshment Suggestions Along the Way
Here are some good places (or options) to stop for coffee, treats, or quick bites, especially near planned stops:
Ilse Coffee Roasters (North Canaan, CT) — a specialty coffee roaster / café in a converted garage space on Railroad Street. A lovely local spot for quality coffee. Dunkin’ (North Canaan, CT, 3 E Main St) — reliable chain option for coffee, donuts, etc.
Wilson’s Bakery & Cafe / Kent Barns (Kent, CT) — in Kent’s downtown, a good stop for coffee, bakery items, and connection with the local shops. Kent Barns
Kent Coffee & Chocolate (8 S Main St, Kent, CT) — serves coffee, teas, sweets, bakery items — good complement to your Kent stop.
The Café in Brookfield (802 Federal Rd #1, Brookfield, CT) — a local café offering breakfast, lunch, coffee & teas.
These stops should give participants flexibility to refresh, snack, or relax as needed.
⚡ EV Corridor Note
Just as before, it's worth noting that Historic Route 7 is designated as an EV Corridor (i.e. part of the national highway network equipped with Level 3 DC fast-charging stations at regular intervals). Live Green Connecticut wrote the EV designation application and provided it to CT DOT for submission to the Federal Highway Administration for approval. EV corridors help make long-distance travel in electric vehicles more practical and reduces range anxiety. All vehicle types are welcome — this designation simply adds a layer of confidence for EV drivers.
Please observe all traffic rules. All participants take full responsibility for themselves, their actions and their vehicles.
Also check out other Trips & Adventurous Activities in Norwalk, Meetups in Norwalk.
