Halfway between Boston and New York, Old Saybrook, Conn., sparkles in summer. Nearly every main road eventually turns a corner to reveal shimmering views over the Connecticut River or Long Island Sound. Walk, run, or bicycle along the water; hit the beach or put in a kayak at one of the sheltered coves; dine at a seafood shack or an upscale restaurant; and finish the day with an outdoor concert or live theater at the venue named for the town’s most celebrated resident, the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, better known as “The Kate.”

With a commanding presence at the mouth of the Connecticut River, Saybrook Point Inn & Spa (2 Bridge St., 860-395-2000, www.saybrook.com, $239-$639) offers lodging, dining, indoor and outdoor pools, a full-service spa, and a marina with access to both the river and the sound. Decor in the 82 guest rooms combines country and coastal for an elegant but not fussy look. The inn’s newest accommodation, Three Stories, is a renovated eight-room home built in 1892 that can sleep up to 16 comfortably. Breakfasts at Fresh Salt, the onsite restaurant, are bountiful, and yes, there’s a container of sel de mer from France on every table. The Deacon Timothy Pratt Bed & Breakfast (325 Main St., 860-395-1229, www.pratthouse.net, $125-$220) is perfectly situated for exploring Old Saybrook’s historic center. The 1746 center chimney Colonial, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has original wide-board floors, hand-hewn beams, and a beehive oven. Each guestroom has a fireplace, and all but one have whirlpool tubs.

DINE

Start your day with a “captaincino,” an organic frozen frappe with a mere 80 calories, from Ashlawn Farm at Old Saybrook Cafe (455 Boston Post Road, 860-339-5663, www.farmcoffee.com), an outpost of the original shop in Lyme. The family-run operation, which opened in November, roasts beans from Africa, Central America, and Asia. Muffins, cookies, and pastries are all baked on site. You can get your lobster roll hot or cold at Johnny Ad’s (910 Boston Post Road, www.johnnyads.com, $3.25-$28), a seafood shack on busy Route 1 that has been packing in customers for more than 50 years. But if what you really crave is a lobster dog, head for Jack Rabbit’s Burgers Wings and Things (254 Main St., 860-510-0048, $3.50-$22). The signature sandwich can be wrapped in soy nori sheets, combined with chili mayo and hot peppers, or topped with caramelized apples and seared foie gras (called the “Escoffier” treatment). Jack’s is also renowned for gourmet burgers, wings, and its “magic” dipping sauce. The Red Hen (286 Main St., 860-388-8818, www.redhenrestaurant.com, dinner $18.50-$29) is a cozy restaurant with a small but creative menu and a good selection of craft beers. Cacio e pepe was a delicious peppery homemade linguine topped with a poached egg, arugula, and prosciutto. We also loved the fried lemon slices that came with the calamari appetizer.


DURING THE DAY

Fort Saybrook Monument Park (College Street, www.ctmonuments.net/2010/01/fort-saybrook-monument-park-old-saybook), on Saybrook Point between North Cove and South Cove, relates the town’s history through a series of storyboards on the site of a historic fort. From Saybrook Point, walk, run, or bicycle across the causeway and turn left into the borough of Fenwick. Here stately homes of early Hartford insurance barons look out over Long Island Sound and the Connecticut River. The historical 9-hole Fenwick Golf Club (580 Maple Ave., 860-388-3499), dating from 1896, is open to the public. Continue along Route 154 to Harvey’s Beach (860-395-3152, $10 car weekdays, $15 weekends, $2 walk-ons), a popular spot for watching the sunset. A kayak trail runs between North and South coves, including a short stretch on the Connecticut; rent kayaks from Oyster River Kayak at Maynard’s Farm Market (1057 Boston Post Road, 860-918-2598, www.maynardsfarmmarket.com, $18-$22/hour, $45-$55/day). To learn more about the area’s rich history, pick up a map for a self-guided walking tour of the downtown or a 10-mile scenic loop ride at the Chamber of Commerce office (1 Main St., 860-388-3266, www.oldsay

brookchamber.com). The General William Hart House (350 Main St., 860-395-1635, www.saybrookhistory.org), with its Colonial period garden, is open Saturday and Sunday afternoons through Aug. 31.


AFTER DARK

The Back Porch restaurant features live music five nights a week. Ellen Albanese for the boston globe/Ellen Albanese

Better known as “The Kate,” the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center (300 Main St., 860-510-0473, www.thekate.org) is in a historic building on Main Street that originally opened in 1911. Along with an eclectic program of music, theater, film, dance, and comedy, the center hosts a small museum celebrating the life of its namesake. Wednesday night concerts on the Town Green (Main Street and Old Boston Post Road, 860-395-3152, www.oldsaybrookrec

.com, donations welcome) continue through Aug. 20, from

7 to 8 p.m. Featured performers are Black and White (classic rock) on Aug. 6, Dan Stevens (blues) on Aug. 13, and Late for Dinner (classics) on Aug. 20. There’s live music five nights a week at The Back Porch restaurant (142 Ferry Road, 860-510-0282, www.backporcholdsaybrook.com, $10-$30) with indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the river.


Ellen Albanese can be reached at ellen.albanese@gmail.com.