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2 New England Spots Named Among The Coolest Venues

Author Jeff Gorra

Fifty Grande recently published a feature that detailed the coolest venues to see live music that you probably never heard of, and two New England spots made the list. “Some American venues have taken old spaces and turned them into truly unique places to watch live music: underground caves and sunny wineries, former salt mines and abandoned baseball parks, and more,” they explain.

New England certainly has no shortage of great places to catch a concert. This is especially true in the warmer weather months when the pavilions and shed amphitheaters are open. However, many of them are in the greater Boston area, or within 60 miles.

Connecticut and Vermont has some excellent venues. In fact, there are now numerous festivals that take place in each of state respectively (for example, Sound on Sound Festival in September). Furthermore, these are the two New England states that were named in Fifty Grande’s report on the coolest venues you’ve never heard of.

Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater – Bridgeport, CT

This 5,700 seat shed theater is located along the water right off Interstate 95. Their summer lineup has been very impressive. Big-name acts such as Darius Rucker, The Goo Goo Dolls, Queens of the Stone Age, and Rod Stewart have already performed there this season. Still to come, they have James Taylor (tonight 8/29), Jackson Browne (9/1), Noah Kahan (9/5), and Beck with Phoenix (9/6).

You can check out their full lineup here.

Stone Church – Brattleboro, VT

Head about two hours north and you will reach the next New England place named among the coolest venues to see live music in the country. “The winding main drag of picturesque Brattleboro, Vermont leads to this stately church that dates back to 1875,” Fifty Grande states. They are praised for how they kept or restored many elements to an old church. Though this venue gets more independent acts, the Martin Sexton and Courtney Barnett shows this fall are sure to be a hot ticket.

You can check out their full lineup here.

From Pizza To Guitars Here Are Your Best I-95 Stops From Boston To New York

There are roughly 220 miles and four and half hours between Boston and New York. On the drive south (or return trip North), it’s likely you’ll need to make a pit stop. Whether it’s to accommodate a bathroom request, grab a bite to eat or get a breath of air, we’ve compiled a list of the best stops along I-95 on the Boston to New York drive.

We’ll assume here that we are driving south. Therefore, your journey begins in Massachusetts. You’ll pull past Providence and a few exit signs for T.F. Green Airport before enduring the meat of the trip. That would be a good two-plus hours through Connecticut, where you will surely slow down at some point. Finally, after trekking through the Constitution State, you start to see the exit sign numbers get down to single digits. The empire state awaits.

This journey can seem like a grueling effort up and down I-95. In a bigger picture, a four-hour route between two major markets is not really that much. Just ask the Midwest. If you want to drive from Chicago to Minneapolis, you are looking at close to a seven-hour drive, with only one state in the way. Nonetheless, the 1-95 Boston to New York route can be grueling. Therefore, we put together a collection of different stops to help make it more enjoyable.

Of course, this exercise does not include kids screaming in the backseat that need an immediate stop. Perhaps that’s another list. Here, we will pinpoint some pleasing attractions you would have the time to stop for. However, we won’t stray too far off the exits. And while taking 12 hours to play blackjack at Foxwoods would be a blast, we will narrow in on relatively short stops only.

So, let’s hop in the car and find the best stops from Boston to New York along I-95.

*Note – we are not going in order of stops from north to south. We are listing in an overall ranking format.

  • #1 Frank Pepe's Pizza

    We’ll start with the best thing to stop for. Pizza. Frank Pepe’s is a legendary establishment in the New Haven pizza scene. The good news here is that you have choices. If the original New Haven spot is too far off the path (or has a long wait), there’s also a location in Fairfield, CT at Exit 24.

     

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    A post shared by Frank Pepe Pizzeria (@frankpepepizza)

  • #2 Hoxie Scenic Overlook Point

    If you need a moment of fresh air or to loosen up the legs, this scenic lookout point offers a nice view of the Mystic River. There’s comfortable parking space, and its an easy pull off or on to the interstate. It’s not uncommon to find people taking photographs here as well.

    A view of the Mystic River in CT. Hoxie overlook

  • #3 Cafe Tempo Coffee House

    Sure there are dozens of Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts right along the path, but pulling into Cafe Tempo Coffee House in Warwick, Rhode Island is well worth the wait. A homemade banana hazelnut iced coffee makes any slow-moving traffic situation more manageable.

  • #4 Milford Service Area Rest Stop

    After all that pizza and coffee somebody is going to need a bathroom. At mile-marker 41, via southbound access, you will find a rest stop in Milford CT that is a direct pull-off I-95. You can fill up on gas, or more food if you still feel like snacking. There are plenty of fast food and candy options at this stop.

    Blue rest Area sign off the highway, pointing to the exit

  • #5 Bay State Vintage Guitars

    This is applicable on your way out or into Massachusetts. Bay State Vintage Guitars is a family owned shop has some of the nicest custom and vintage guitars available. Each instrument on the wall tells a story and his a history that goes back well beyond what’s considered classic rock. They are located on Washington St. in Norwood.

  • #6 Colony Grill

    Hot oil pizza is a thing in Connecticut and it’s delicious. Colony Grill in Stamford is bound to have whatever game that is live playing on their TV’s. Their menu consists of pizza and drinks, so you know they take their pie seriously. Like Pepe’s, you have a few choices in addition to Stamford. Their Fairfield location is also a stone’s throw off I-95.

     

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    A post shared by Colony Grill (@colonygrill)

Jeff Gorra is a Boston-based writer who has been with Beasley Media Group since the beginning of 2023. He writes about restaurants and food, as well as sports and rock music. His experience also includes show hosting and in-depth creative writing in rock and reggae dub music. Jeff’s an avid surfer, New York Giants, and Pearl Jam fan, however, if you make unforgettable pizza, he is sure to find you.

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