As the river rat said to the mole in the classic tale Wind in the Willows, “There’s nothing — absolutely nothing — half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.” And if you agree, then Old Lyme is where you’ll want to come as often as possible from April to October, because here you can sail, row, paddle, or float just about anywhere on the Sound, along rivers, in local ponds and lakes, or through the tide-kissed marshland that defines this perfectly pleasing town. For front-row seats to some serious salt-seasoned beauty, start your weekend on Friday afternoon by checking into the The Old Lyme Inn where both the accommodations and dining are exceptional. Just down the street is the Florence Griswold Museum, with its captivating collection of Connecticut Impressionist artwork. Slip back to the lovely Old Lyme Inn for gourmet dinner fare and a good night’s sleep, but plan to awaken with the birds, because great things await you. A quick stop at Coffee’s Country Market will yield hot coffee and plenty of to-go breakfast selections. Then it’s off to explore the Sound and Griswold Point by way of White Sands Beach. A nice lunch at the charming Old Lyme Inn is the perfect prelude to an afternoon of browsing at the Lyme Art Association, as well as the wonderful galleries in town, all of which have a way of leading to either The Chocolate Shell or the Old Lyme Ice Cream Shoppe — a must for anyone with a sweet tooth. And in late afternoon, either paddle the lazy Lieutenant, put in at the Lord Cove Preserve or Uncas Pond up north a bit in Lyme, skim alongside the riverside park at the DEP station off Ferry Road, or treat yourself to a little pampering at Salon Pure on the Boston Post Road or the Vitality Spa & Wellness Center on Lyme Street. Top off the day with a freshly caught picnic style shore dinner at The Flanders Fish Market, just minutes away in East Lyme. On the way back, grab a cone at A.C. Petersen’s at Hallmark Drive-In, the new incarnation of Old Lyme’s beloved ice cream drive in — and the oldest in the state. Then it’s on to an evening of some of the best jazz in Connecticut at the Old Lyme Inn’s Side Door Jazz Club.

Expanded tour of Old Lyme