How to Make the Most of Bank Street

When most of us think of Bank Street in Downtown New London, we think bars, tattoo parlors, and the delicious Muddy Waters Cafe. Delightfully, the street is actually filled with many other great places to go! We have put together a list of places to check out. Whether you are bored on a Saturday or just need to get off campus and not think about work for a while, definitely explore these hidden treasures.

• New London Maritime Museum: This cute little gem has artifacts that are a testament to New London’s great days as a top notch port city in the 19th Century. Filled with old maps, whaling artifacts, and everything you’d want to know about New London’s ship building past, this place satisfies your need for an ~intellectual adventure~ and a beautiful view of the water.

• The Lazy Leopard: This hot new Thai place has some of the best food a Conn College student could order while away at school. They even have free delivery! With an adorable aesthetic that includes teal and orange walls and candle lit tables, the ambiance is not to be missed (and neither is the pad thai)! Whether you’re in the mood to dine in or eat out, this place should not be overlooked.

• Berry’s Ice Cream: Milkshake Mondays! ENOUGH SAID! But wait, there’s more! You can also get all of your favorite flavors of ice cream with all of your favorite toppings, every single day of the week, and it’s only 7 minutes from campus. Berry’s adorable, colorful shop gets you feeling like it’s summer all the time and whose day wouldn’t be made a little better with some yummy ice cream that’s cheaper than Cold Stone?

• Hygienic Art Gallery: Ewa Grochowska’s very creative work is at the exhibitions center at the Hygienic Art Gallery, and it’s stunning. Her ceramic potted plants are both aesthetically pleasing and part of New London’s ‘New Renaissance Exhibition.’ The gallery also features other local artist landscape portraits and has an espresso bar waiting right inside the front door. Next door, as we are sure some of you know, is the Hygienic Art Park, the perfect venue for New London’s small concerts (where X Ambassadors played last spring). Be sure to make your way there the next time there is a band playing for an alternative to typical Saturday nights.

• Expresiones: This art gallery, which promotes Latin American culture, hosts various social events, highlighting how the power of art can educate a larger community. Expresiones has co-hosted events with various institutions, including Connecticut College, where student artwork was used to open a discussion about the importance of community involvement in education. Expresiones is a great connection to the greater New London community and could help pull college students out of their Conn College ‘bubble’.

• Flavours of Life: Flavours of Life is a store dedicated to both sustainability and free trade. All the goods sold, from handmade rings to purses made of old tires to wooden salad tongs, are handmade from recycled goods. Free trade allows for more transparency when buying and selling goods from third world countries, striving to protect the rights of those who produce so they are not exploited by foreign buyers. This adorable store has affordable, stylish goods that could help any savvy shopper to responsibly update her or his wardrobe.

• Chaplin’s: For those of you looking for a classier dinner in an intimate setting, Chaplin’s is your place! With some great faroe island salmon, mussels, and key lime pie to top it off, a meal like this is hard to pass up. It’s a great place to go with your hungry parents looking for a good quality meal without driving over the bridge into Mystic.

• Sweeties: No matter what you are craving, Sweeties has a fix for you. With its breakfast sandwiches, baked goods made from scratch, and lunch specials, Sweeties will quickly become a favorite spot. Don’t be deceived by the name, because this cafe, which is run by a single couple, will not only satisfy your sweet tooth, but will also fill your stomach with some substantial yummies.

• downtown
• New London