Originally, Westbrook was part of the Saybrook Colony, which started in about 1635 as settlers tried to escape the oversight of King Charles I. The area was called Pochoug until 1810, when residents petitioned the Connecticut General Assembly to change the name to Westbrook, complaining that they could not spell and had trouble pronouncing the original area's name. Legislators agreed to the name change. The original settlers earned their living by fishing for shad.
David Bushnell built the world's first submarine in Westbrook in 1775. George Washington paid for Bushnell's ground-breaking work. The first submarine attack occurred on September 6, 1776, but the surprise attack on England's boat failed because the submarine's pilot had only 20 minutes of air.
James Lewis constructed a cabin on Grove Beach in 1870, and others soon followed, establishing this community's tourism industry. You will not want to miss driving across The Singing Bridge, which was constructed in 1923 by the American Bridge Company. This 127-foot Pratt through-truss bridge decking sounds like it is singing when cars drive across it. Another attraction that you will not want to miss is the Salt Meadow National Wildlife Refuge, established as the first national wildlife refuge in the state in 1972. The government established McKinney National Wildlife Refuge in 2005. When you get hungry, you can find many restaurants along Boston Post Road, including Cristy's Restaurant, Haywire Burger Bar, and Bill's Seafood Restaurant.
Westbrook Arts and Crafts Festival – This June festival on the Town Green features about 60 juried arts and crafts vendors and local produce.
Congregational Annual Church Fair – Featuring arts, crafts, food, and family games, this fair is held in August on the Town Green.
Westbrook Harvest Festival – Dress your dog up and bring it to this October festival, where it can win a prize. Other Halloween activities and attractions are available, including balloon artists and face painting at Westbrook Outlets.
Hammonasset Beach State Park is the largest state park in Connecticut along the Atlantic seacoast. Spend a day playing on the beach and swimming in the ocean. This park is also a great place to fish in the ocean without needing a boat. There are many terrific places to go hiking and biking.
Rocky Neck State Park near East Lyme is a terrific place to go fishing and crabbing. You can often spot ospreys, cranes, and herons while hiking along the nature trails. This state park is a great place to go boondocking, and water is available in the campground.
Head to the Connecticut Marine Headquarters to visit Ferry Landing State Park. This small state park offers a boardwalk where you can fish in the Atlantic Ocean, and it also can be a great place to go crabbing. Bring along your lawn chair and have fun bird-watching at this park.
When you are in Old Saybrook, be sure to stop at Fort Saybrook Memorial Park. This location is very near where the first military fort was built in Connecticut. Throughout the park, you will find boulders with memorial plaques on them telling about the fort and people who were instrumental in its construction. This is especially a beautiful place to visit in the spring because there are many cherry trees in its park-like setting.
It is easy to find terrific campgrounds near Westbrook, Connecticut, and you will want to see the castle at Gillette Castle State Park that William Hooker Gillette constructed. You may want to camp at Wolf's Den Family Campground, where you can fish, swim, and play family games. Witch Meadow Lake Family Campground is another outstanding choice because of its 14-acre pond where you can swim, fish, and float. You will also want to think about GrandView CampResort & Cottages, where you will love seeing the beautiful Connecticut countryside.
Motorhomes are divided into Class A, B, and C vehicles. On average expect to pay $185 per night for Class A, $149 per night for Class B and $179 per night for Class C. Towable RVs include 5th Wheel, Travel Trailers, Popups, and Toy Hauler. On average, in Westbrook, CT, the 5th Wheel trailer starts at $70 per night. Pricing for the Travel Trailer begins at $60 per night, and the Popup Trailer starts at $65 per night.
Do you need to be a certain age to rent an RV in Westbrook?Yes. The minimum age is 25 to be eligible to get an RV Rental in Westbrook from RVshare.
Does RVshare have emergency roadside assistance?Yes. Every RV rental booked through RVshare receives 24/7 emergency roadside assistance.
Does RVshare offer one way RV rentals in Westbrook?Yes. Prior to renting any RV, check with the owner since not all will offer this particular option.
