Guilford: 93 miles NE of New York City; Madison: 98 miles NE of New York City; Old Saybrook: 110 miles NE of New York City

Usually ignored by vacationers anxious to get on to Essex and Mystic and the casinos, the stretch of coast between New Haven and the Connecticut River, known simply as the Shoreline, has its gentle pleasures, enough to justify a short detour for lunch, a walk on a beach, a spell of shopping, or even a proper British high tea (in Madison). When lodgings are difficult to find at the better-known destinations, the Shoreline's inns and resorts are logical alternatives within easy driving distance.