How to plan a close-to-home honeymoon in Connecticut

Nothing says romance more than watching a sunset with your loved one. And why not do so from a special vantage point when you stay in the Lighthouse Suite at the Saybrook Point Resort & Marina. There you can unplug and connect with nature and each other in a unique space. Relax on your balcony overlooking Long Island Sound and Connecticut River as you watch the mega yachts floating by, or cuddle by a roaring fire. Take a dip in the year-round indoor saltwater pool, grab crafted cocktails at the Marina Bar or the Choo Choo Lounge, and dine at the award-winning Fresh Salt, where seasonal ingredients are always on the menu. 2 Bridge St., Old Saybrook, 860-395-2000

Winvian Farm

For a one-of-a-kind experience, head to Winvian Farm in northwest Connecticut. Nestled in the woods of a 113-acre estate are 18 themed cottages that blend the traditional with the whimsical in what’s described as Norman Rockwell meets Alice in Wonderland. 

Enjoy a childhood fantasy with your loved one in the Treehouse. Suspended 35 feet up, your secluded views of the fall leaves will make you feel like you and your new spouse are the only people in the world. Cozy up by reading poetry together in the Library cottage, with its book-lined mezzanine. Have cocktails in the cockpit when you stay in the Helicopter, a restored 1968 Sikorsky Sea King. Or request Charter Oak, a spacious barn featuring a massive, live tree in the bedroom and a bathroom in a silo. Each has a fireplace, radiant-heated floors, screened-in porch, twin rainfall steam shower and oversize hot tub fit for two. 

Have gourmet meals — with ingredients grown on site — sent to your lover’s nest, or enjoy them in the 1700s farmhouse. Decompress with a pink Himalayan salt scrub or Thai massage in the spa; soak in the aromatherapy tub and finish in the infrared sauna.

Sign up for chocolate-making or wine-tasting classes and wind down by spending a romantic evening under the stars by the fire pit; s’mores ingredients provided. 155 Alain White Road, Morris, 860-567-9600

Delamar Greenwich Harbor

For a dreamy stay on the water with old-world charm, head to the Delamar Greenwich Harbor. Book a package that comes complete with round-trip chauffeured transportation in one of the owner’s classic luxury cars. You can even borrow a vintage 1937 Packard, have the chefs pack a picnic lunch and take a leaf-peeping drive around the area. Or enjoy a seaside interlude aboard one of their rare, private yachts. Later, indulge in a relaxing couples massage at the spa. Watch the waves from your balcony with a glass of bubbly before being transported to the Côte d’Azur with a five-course feast at l’escale restaurant’s (note: it is lower case) waterfront terrace. 500 Steamboat Road, Greenwich, 203-661-9800

The Whaler’s Inn

Hit the coast with an escape to the adult’s-only Hoxie House, one of several historic buildings that make up Mystic’s Whaler’s Inn. You’ll find deluxe king and queen guestrooms with gas fireplaces, air-jet soaking tubs and picturesque views of the Mystic River and Bascule Bridge. 

And if that wasn’t enough, there are freshly baked cookies each afternoon and even a place to charge your Tesla at this boutique property in the heart of Mystic. Spend the days learning some maritime history, and your nights at this haven away from home. 20 E. Main St., Mystic, 860-536-1506

Mayflower Inn & Spa

After the pressure of planning a wedding, you might need some R and R down time together at the Mayflower Inn & Spa in Washington. Feel your stress melt away at the deluxe spa with one of their signature restorative treatments, a relaxing meditation class, detox smoothie and a healthy meal from the spa menu. 

Explore the local boutiques and vineyards nearby and then retreat to your countryside hideaway steeped in luxury and comfort. Let the wellness team set up your bathroom for the ultimate soak experience in your deep tub to relax and reset. Rooms come complete with gas fireplaces and four poster beds. Truly live like royalty in the King Suite, which has its own mahogany-paneled library. 118 Woodbury Road, Route 47, Washington, 866-217-0869

Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club

If the beach is calling, head to nearby Cape Cod and the historic country estate that is home to the Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club in Brewster, Mass., with a backdrop of sea, sand and sunsets.

For a secluded escape, stay in a one-bedroom villa on the beach where the waterside bar serves its signature cranberry mojito. During low tide, take an outdoor yoga class or a peaceful walk along the miles of famed Brewster Tidal Flats. Rent bikes to pedal along the Cape Cod Rail Trail or play 18 holes onsite on the Cape’s only Nicklaus Design golf course. They have tennis and pickleball courts and indoor and outdoor swimming pools, too.

Dine in the English-inspired Bayzo’s Pub or outdoors on the Ocean Terrace under heat lamps, where you’ll enjoy coastal cuisine, including oysters, lobster rolls and clam chowder. And if you crave even more seafood, have lobster quiche at a cozy breakfast by a roaring fire in the Mansion with a bread basket filled with cranberry scones and cranberry butter (more local treats). In winter, get snug inside their intimate heated igloos at the Frost Bar, with a hot toddy, while stargazing overlooking Cape Cod Bay. Ocean Edge, 2907 Main St., Brewster, Mass., 508-896-9000

Weekapaug Inn

For a quintessential New England experience, stay at the historic Weekapaug Inn, on the Rhode Island shoreline, where nature is on the menu. For honeymoon privacy, book one of the three Fenway Suites, designed as private retreats. Each has a furnished deck, deep soaking tub and panoramic views of Quonochontaug Pond.

Perched on a peninsula between two salt ponds, the landscape is ideal for exploration and nature walks, bird watching and stargazing. A resident naturalist helps guests discover and engage with the setting and plan local adventures.

Enjoy an excursion to a barrier beach with the culinary team, a lobster boil, complete with the inn’s famous clam chowder, or head to the restaurant for fine farm-to-table dining with fresh, locally sourced seasonal ingredients. 

For pet lovers, the inn welcomes your dog with treats and a toy. And no need to pack the right outer gear for exploring; the hotel partners with Hunter to offer a variety of boots and outerwear from their Borrowing Closet. 25 Spray Rock Road, Westerly, R.I., 855-679-2995