When I Went: July 2010
Was That the Best Time of Year to Go? I went during July, which was a terrible time to go. Not many people in upstate New York have central air conditioning. They just sleep with the windows open. So every night we would sit in the humidity with fans on everywhere.
Why I Went There: I went there to surprise my grandparents for my grandfather’s 80th birthday. They had a party for him, and I showed up before the party started and surprised them. They haven’t seen me since I was 12 years old and didn’t even recognize me.
Who Went With Me? My mother arrived to New York a few days prior, which completely threw everyone off.
We Stayed Here: We stayed at my grandmother’s house. I don’t even think Norwich has any hotels, since it is such a small town.
You Won’t Want to Miss: Believe it or not, the town is pretty amazing. It is the typical small town with tons of amazing antique shops, vintage shops, candy stores, outdoor markets, etc. They also always seem to have some sort of festival going on.
Eat Here: The Blue Bird
Play Here: I highly suggest any of the shops there.
If I Went Again: I would stay longer. It’s always hard to leave family when you haven’t seen them in so long.
How Did You Get There From Dallas? I flew American Airlines and connected in Pennsylvania.
Other Tips For Fellow Travelers: I know this doesn’t sound like a typical vacation, but it was such an awesome time for me. I live so far away from my family, and it’s hard to go 10 years without seeing them. Also, the look on my grandmother’s face when she saw me was worth the long day of travel. She got very emotional and was so appreciative that I made the trip there. Did I mention it was my first time to travel alone? That was stressful.
