Essex travel guide

Essex Tourism | Essex Guide

You're Going to Love Essex

Essex is a must-see destination in Connecticut, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Consider staying at least one whole day in Essex to see all of its attractions.

Where to Eat in Essex

If you’re looking for affordable options, The Griswold Inn (36 Main St) and Los Charros Cantina (120 N Main St) are great picks.

When to visit Essex

Essex in January
Estimated hotel price
$161
1 night at 3-star hotel
Essex in January
Estimated hotel price
$161
1 night at 3-star hotel

How to Get to Essex

Plane

Although Essex doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Tweed-New Haven (HVN), which is located 26 miles from Essex. The shortest domestic flight to Essex departs from Greenville and takes around 1h 55m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Essex. The train journey from Essex to New York takes 1h 50m and costs around $10 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Boston, expect to pay about $21 for a 2h 19m trip.

Car

Another option to get to Essex is to pick up a car rental from New York, which is about 92 miles from Essex. You’ll find branches of Ace and Kyte, among others, in New York.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Essex using FlixBus or Bus. From New York, the bus ride to Essex takes 115 miles and will cost you around $17. From Boston, the ticket costs about $54 for a journey of 130 miles.

Plane

Although Essex doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Tweed-New Haven (HVN), which is located 26 miles from Essex. The shortest domestic flight to Essex departs from Greenville and takes around 1h 55m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Essex. The train journey from Essex to New York takes 1h 50m and costs around $10 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Boston, expect to pay about $21 for a 2h 19m trip.

Car

Another option to get to Essex is to pick up a car rental from New York, which is about 92 miles from Essex. You’ll find branches of Ace and Kyte, among others, in New York.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Essex using FlixBus or Bus. From New York, the bus ride to Essex takes 115 miles and will cost you around $17. From Boston, the ticket costs about $54 for a journey of 130 miles.

Airlines serving Essex

Lufthansa
Good (4,666 reviews)
KLM
Good (849 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,618 reviews)
Air France
Good (983 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,962 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,120 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,467 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,863 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (229 reviews)
Finnair
Good (871 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (5,654 reviews)
JetBlue
Good (1,606 reviews)
Frontier
Okay (1,352 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (773 reviews)
ANA
Excellent (477 reviews)
Aeromexico
Good (811 reviews)
Copa Airlines
Good (778 reviews)
American Airlines
Good (5,794 reviews)
Sun Country Air
Good (137 reviews)
Virgin Atlantic
Good (504 reviews)
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Where to stay in popular areas of Essex

Most booked hotels in Essex

Saybrook Point Resort & Marina
3 stars
Excellent (9, 349 reviews)
$404+
Water's Edge Resort & Spa
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, 435 reviews)
$328+
The Griswold Inn
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, 254 reviews)
$276+
Liberty Inn Old Saybrook
2 stars
Good (7.4, 227 reviews)
$91+
Pier Blue Inn Old Saybrook - Essex
2 stars
Good (7.3, 826 reviews)
$102+
Quality Inn Old Saybrook - Westbrook
2 stars
Good (7.3, 495 reviews)
$109+

Renting a car in Essex

Expect to pay $3.94 per gallon in Essex (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $47.24 and $62.99. The most frequently booked car type in Essex is Intermediate (Hyundai Elantra or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Toyota Corolla or similar) are, on average, 21% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Expect to pay $3.94 per gallon in Essex (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $47.24 and $62.99. The most frequently booked car type in Essex is Intermediate (Hyundai Elantra or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Toyota Corolla or similar) are, on average, 21% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.