An egret wades in the salt marsh right next to the Branford train station.

I regret to say that the train does not drop you off in walking distance of a Thimble Island cruise, though five miles from the station by bicycle may be doable, and if so, is recommended. . . because islands are neat and because this is where to find the Thimble Island Ocean Farm which offers a shellfish and seaweed CSA program. You’d be standing there basically just staring at water, but there’s nothing wrong with that.

What, then, is there left to do in Branford?

You can see Stony Creek Brewery from the train station.

Well, you can see it once you exit the station onto Maple Street. From there, it’s (according to Google) a seven-minute walk, which could be sped up if not for the kind of long wait for the pedestrian light at Maple Street and Indian Neck Avenue.

If you do have a bike, there are many racks near the building’s entrance. There you’ll also find a small bike repair station.

(All other breweries, what are you doing to invite your patrons — most of whom will be imbibing — to use transportation that is unlikely to seriously injure or kill others?)

dock boat parking stony creek brewery branford connecticut

They also provide parking for those arriving by water, and this is the best way to arrive in terms of proximity to the food and beer; there’s an outdoor bar, so you can choose — if arriving by boat — to never go indoors.

When it comes to beer, I’ll only drink sour beers (and whatever Corona is classified as) so don’t ask me any questions about IPAs. Or any beer questions. What I know is that I liked this passionfruit/guava/orange beer. You might not. We don’t all have to like the same things. They have cider and wine on the menu too.

Regardless, if you do nothing else, sitting outside and watching the people and egrets fish while listening to live music. . . it feels like summer.

I can appreciate a place designed to be enjoyed with a group or solo. If my “go away” vibes failed, I had a ready “leave me alone, I’m watching this bird” line for anyone dumb enough to approach me.

If you’re more social or actually like games, there’s cornhole and a bocce outside. Inside, some kind of table game that was not air hockey or I would’ve known what it was. There’s a photo booth. My indoor time was minimal, so I wish I could say more. Were Covid not still around, I would’ve definitely spent time inside where it was air conditioned.

But I don’t sit still for long, so I went wandering off to see what I could see in a few hours in Branford.

I knew there was a Coastal Access Site or two within 15 walking minutes walking of the brewery, so I went ambling down the road, getting another view of the Branford River from the narrow sidewalk on a bridge. This is the kind of place where sidewalks are missing at times, so be ready for that.

The Branford River Gateway Marsh Viewing Area is exactly what it sounds like. You’re not fishing or hiking, just viewing.

Nearby is a tiny park created as a memorial to a local 10-year old who drowned in 2017. There are several Adirondack chairs in the shade near the permanent shrine.

Branford Point, south of the station (also, south of the brewery, if that’s your point of reference now) is a place to look at older buildings.

I could try to fake knowing what any of these architectural styles are, but there’s only so much I can care about.

I like siding that looks like mermaid tails.
I like bright colors on houses.
I like shady porches.
I like nature reclaiming buildings.

And I like when people install solar panels.

If you continue down Harbor Street to the end there’s a town park and beach — another opportunity to walk in and enjoy hot sand and cold water. This is one mile from the train station; the 204 bus can take you most of the way, reducing a 22 minute walk to one that’s less than three.

What else?
Boats.
Boats galore!

Branford really requires a bicycle or multiple trips or sitting in one spot for a few hours. I want to write a “how not to see Branford” piece, but I fear they won’t let me set foot in their town again if I do, so I’m omitting my juicy mistakes and will let you fill in the details with your imagination.

If you are able to bike, you can follow the Shoreline Greenway Trail which includes the Branford Trolley Trail. There are walking trails easier to reach by bike than on foot.

What about food? There should be at least one or two food trucks at the brewery. Nellie’s has seafood. There’s a convenience store at the corner of Harbor and Maple Street. Everything else is a bit further out; pack a granola bar if you’re prone to getting hangry.

As beautiful as the views along Shore Line East are, you have to ask whose damn idea it was to put rail straight through a flood zone; then, you have to ask whose damn idea it was and is to continue building in ecologically sensitive areas. The problem with questions is that once you start, you continue on: would we have such problems if we relied more on rail than on trucking? If people didn’t move to areas with no public transportation? If we could handle complex concepts like preserving sensitive areas while building multi-family housing in other more suitable locations? Is anyone entertaining the idea of taking underused surface lots by eminent domain for housing?

Or, instead of having this awareness, you can simply watch an egret dine as you wait for the next train back to New Haven.

To visit: take Shore Line East to Branford; you can board SLE at either New Haven’s Union or State Street train stations. Branford is a place where bringing your bike on board would be worth it. Track assignments are posted on paper rather than a digital board at the station.

The CTtransit 204 runs weekdays near the station, and can take you — slowly — back to New Haven if you decide train service is too infrequent.