This artisanal bakery is located on West Putnam Avenue and it offers the most delicious gluten free cakes and cookies. Take a snack and have a quick coffee here before you start the busy travel day ahead of you.

Use this parking lot. The Stirling Memorial Library is located just a few steps away from here.

Sterling Memorial Library in New Haven, Connecticut, was built in 1930. It has a gothic architectural style, and it was designed by an architect, who is also a Yale alumnus. The building resembles the cathedrals in Europe with its dramatic nave. It has sixteen floors of stacks, while all the reading rooms are placed on the ground floor.
Sterling Memorial Library makes a great Insta-worthy shot, so stop for a few minutes, admire the architecture and take some photos here before you continue your journey.

This interesting castle sits atop a hill above the Connecticut River. It was built in the beginning of 20th century and the masonry craftsmanship is admirable. The park has some great spots for taking pictures with a magnificent view in the background. Mr. Gillette had designed this mansion castle mostly by himself and would be very pleased to see that people are visiting this structure he put so much effort in. The mansion with 24 rooms offer great vistas.

The Griswold Inn is the oldest operating inn in America, and its unique atmosphere is a reason alone to visit this place and have lunch. They offer delicious plates in a historic ambiance. You can have fish tacos here while learning and experiencing the early American history. It's a must stop when you are in Essex, Connecticut.

If you're going to visit the Niantic Boardwalk, you can park your car here.

Take a stroll along this peaceful boardwalk and take in the blue ocean views and fresh breeze. You'll re-energize while you stretch your legs in this quiet and peaceful part of town.
Greet the sunbathers on the beach while you pass them by. It's a wide boardwalk with plenty of benches to seize the beautiful scenery of Niantic Bay and take cool photos. It's a great spot to take a walk after a hearty lunch. You may even hear some live music if the weather allows. Note that sometimes the next activity closes earlier, so you may have to walk at an accelerated pace to enjoy the Aquarium to the fullest.

Stop by this unique and interactive aquarium and have a fun time visiting the beluga whales. Mystic Aquarium also has sea lions and African penguins, in addition to a dinosaur exhibit.
You'll lose track of time while you watch the unique, marvelous sea creatures and discover interesting facts about sea life. There is also a part of the exhibit, where you can touch the sharks while they swim away.

The Flying Horse Carousel in Watch Hill, Rhode Island, is a national historic landmark, which was originally built in 1876. It was part of a traveling carnival until 1879, and it has been in Watch Hill ever since.
Enjoy the ride on the nostalgic merry-go-round and admire the craftsmanship of the horses, which were carved from single blocks of wood. It is the oldest carousel in US that has horses hanging from chains. You'll have a childhood nostalgia here before continuing your journey.

After an hour of driving, park your car here and go out to explore downtown Providence, Rhode Island, which is famous for its murals.

Downtown Providence, Rhode Island, is a lively town with a river passing through it. It has so much to offer, but the most interesting thing to see here are the murals on empty walls of the downtown. There are many more murals around Providence, but you'll need almost 2 days to explore them all.
Take a walk in the downtown area and take pictures of these brightly colored artworks, which were supported by the Avenue Concept Organization. The murals mostly concentrated around the Fountain Street and Empire Street.

After a full day of exploring, it's time to refuel. Have an early dinner at this Eastern-Mediterranean eatery and relax before your drive to Boston. The pizzas and Rhode Island style calamari at this restaurant are loved by the locals, but the gorgonzola stuffed dates wrapped in bacon are to die for!
You'll have a slightly longer than an hour drive to Boston, Massachusetts, so stock up on your energy and if you happen to sit at an outside table, do some people watching.