If you’re a fan of the show Gilmore Girls, then you may be wondering what the inside scoop is when it comes to all things Stars Hollow, the idyllic Connecticut town that acts as the heart of the series. And great news, I can tell you all about it!
I’ve been to the real Stars Hollow in Connecticut, as well as other towns in the area that have a similar vibe. And, as a long-time fan of the show, I did some digging to find out where the creator’s inspiration actually came from, combed through all the rumors, and have lots of great info to share with you.
So with that, let’s get started!
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Can You Actually Visit Stars Hollow?
Well, kind of. First thing’s first – Stars Hollow is a fictional town that was created for Gilmore Girls, and doesn’t actually exist. Which, you likely already know if you’re a fan of the show.
However, the show’s creator, Amy Sherman-Palladino, has talked about her stay in a small Connecticut town while writing the pilot for the series, so it’s widely thought that Stars Hollow was inspired by the town where she stayed during this time, and has even talked about how much she loved it there in interviews.
Where Was Gilmore Girls Filmed?
Despite taking place in Connecticut, the show was filmed at Warner Bros Studios in California. So, sorry, folks! All the New England vibes were meticulously created on a studio set in California.
What Inspired Stars Hollow?
It all started with a show idea that Sherman-Palladino pitched to a network about a single mom and her daughter, whose relationship was more akin to best friends, as opposed to parent and child. But, as Sherman-Palladino has said in interviews, she had nothing more than this one idea when she pitched it. No details about where the show would take place, the general timeframe, the characters, or the storylines.
She further explained in interviews that the networks wanted a scrip ASAP, so to get inspired, she booked a stay at the Mayflower Inn & Spa in the quaint town of Washington, CT, and it was there that everything fell into place.
So, Where Can You Find The Real Stars Hollow?
While Sherman-Palladino has never come right out and said that Stars Hollow was based on Washington Depot, it’s the home of the Mayflower Inn & Spa, so people have assumed over the years that this is the real Stars Hollow. She’s also stated in interviews that she fell in love with all the small-town charm during this time, including the sense of community, and how everyone seemed to know one another.
Other factors also point to Washington Depot being the real Stars Hollow, like the prominent Town Hall, the charming bookstore, the quaint cafés, the prep school, and the cute little market. This small town is packed with New England charm, and all the ingredients are there.
So, for all intents and purposes, Washington Depot, CT is widely-regarded as the town that inspired Stars Hollow for the show. However, some have said that Sherman-Palladino used inspiration from other towns nearby, including New Milford, Kent, and Litchfield, and that Stars Hollow is a mash-up of all these lovely places.
Having visited all these towns in northwest Connecticut, I also personally agree that Sherman-Palladino pulled bits of inspiration from these towns, but used Washington Depot as the primary inspiration for the show. I’ll get more into why in a bit, but for now, let me give you the inside scoop on what it’s like to visit Washington Depot, CT, where you can find the real Stars Hollow.
A Look At Washington Depot, CT – The Real Stars Hollow
Washington Depot is a village inside the town of Washington, which is located in the western region of Connecticut. This small village has a population of just over 2,300, and is loaded with quaint New England scenery.
In the village, you’ll find all the elements of Stars Hollow from the show, including:
✓ A town hall, which happens to be backdropped by the beautiful mountains
✓ Green spaces for gathering (but sadly no gazebo)
✓ The Hickory Stick Bookshop
✓ Washington Food Market, which feels very much like Doose’s
✓ Cozy cafés
✓ A few cute shops
✓ A prep school that is said to have inspired Chilton
✓ Beautiful colonial-style homes, tree-lined streets, and traditional white-steepled churches
For those who identify with Rory’s character, and really any book-lover, the Hickory Stick Bookshop is such a treat to visit (although, I always love a good book store, so I may be biased 😉). Hickory Stick has been a staple in the village for over 70 years, and it has all the makings of a great bookshop – it’s not too big, but also not too crammed together, and feels very welcoming. They also have a little Gilmore Girls section, which is fun to peruse.
There are a few different cafés to visit while in town, too, including The Po Café, Marty’s, and The Pantry. None of them feel much like Luke’s Diner, but they all have their own appeal making them each worth a visit.
The Po Café is the only one situated in a different section of town that you’ll need to drive to (or walk on the main road for just under a mile). It overlooks a beautiful green space, white church, trees, and gorgeous homes in a residential and quiet part of town. To me, this felt most like Luke’s because it had more of a quirky vibe, and you’ll find coffee, breakfast, sandwiches, and baked goods here. It’s definitely more of a café than a diner, but it also wasn’t too hard to picture Luke Danes behind the counter. Just know that it’s not too similar to Luke’s from the show.
Before or after your visit to The Po Café, I recommend walking around the side streets on that side of town to admire all the beautiful houses. This area is so lovely for a casual stroll, especially on a beautiful autumn day when all the foliage is changing colors.
Next up is Marty’s, which is another café that felt more modern/cozy farmhouse than chaotic diner, but definitely in a good way, of course! This one is right next to the bookshop where most everything else in town is, and you’ll also find classic café fare here.
Behind Marty’s is The Pantry, which is a mix of country shop and café that serves delicious baked goods, too. This one is also worth a stop, and the baked goods I got were so good, but definitely did not feel like Luke’s.
Also behind Marty’s, I stumbled upon a garage that looked like it could have belonged to Gypsy herself. While it’s now home to the Eckert Fine Art Gallery, part of me wonders if Sherman-Palladino was inspired to create Gypsy because of this garage.
Across the street from this cluster of shops, you’ll find the town hall and Washington Food Market. Stepping inside the food market, I definitely felt all the Doose’s Market vibes, and it was much cuter than I was expecting. It is just a basic food market, of course, but the simplicity, combined with a few cute touches around the store made me feel like Sherman-Palladino definitely used it has inspiration for Doose’s.
While in this part of town, there’s also the lovely Five Janes shop, which sells apparel and accessories. But for fans of the show, there’s usually some really great Stars Hollow pieces available, too, so be sure to scope those out! They also sell some Washington, CT themed things, so you can have the best of both words while shopping here 😉
And of course, the inn where Sherman-Palladino stayed during her visit was the inspiration for the Dragonfly Inn on the show. The Mayflower Inn & Spa is a real place that you can stay at, but keep in mind, this is one of the most expensive hotels in New England! However, if your budget doesn’t allow you to book a stay here, you can still visit by making a lunch reservation at their Garden Room, which is open to the public (keep in mind that reservations are required, so plan ahead).
Quick Links To The Mayflower Inn & Spa:
→ Click here to take a closer look at the inn & check availability
→ Click here to make a dining reservation at the Garden Room
I also love the beautiful Hidden Valley Preserve in Washington, which is home to the Henry David Thoreau Footbridge, and about 20 miles of trails through serene woods. One of my favorite things to do in this region of Connecticut is walking the trails of this preserve, and find the woods here so peaceful and relaxing. The bridge also offers nice views of the Shepaug River.
One thing I loved seeing while in Washington Depot is newspaper boxes for the local paper, The Washington Eagle. I could very much picture Rory working for this paper as an after school job (I know that’s not a storyline on the show, but still!). It also just reaffirmed how important community is to this town, as it’s not often that you find small towns with their own newspapers anymore.
Lastly, the The Frederick Gunn School could easily have been Sherman-Palladino’s inspiration for Chilton. While the school’s architecture isn’t a dead-ringer for Chilton, you’ll find some similarities, and this just perfectly rounds out the list of reasons why Washington Depot is likely to be the real Stars Hollow.
So, Is Washington Depot Worth Visiting For Stars Hollow Vibes?
In my opinion – it’s absolutely worth visiting, whether you’re a Gilmore Girls fan or not. Although, it’s a good idea to adjust your expectations, and know what to expect before your visit.
Before my first visit to Washington Depot, I had actually seen online that most people were disappointed by their own experiences, and that the village wasn’t as Stars Hollow-esque as they expected, especially after having visited some of the other quaint towns nearby.
Washington Depot isn’t entirely walkable, as the village’s attractions are split into two sections, which are just under a mile from each other. There’s also not a ton to do once you’re there, and some people have expressed disappointment that there’s no gazebo on the town’s green spaces, which was an iconic emblem of the show.
That said, I think these are the biggest reasons that Washington Depot, to me, was most like Stars Hollow of all the other towns I’ll talk about later in this post. It’s a true residential town centered around a small, tight-knit community that just so happens to also have a few reliable and wonderful cafés and shops. It’s a no-fuss town that’s also wrapped up in a beautifully charming bow, but doesn’t necessarily cater to tourism because the focus seems to be on the residents. That’s just my opinion as an outsider looking in, of course.
But I think that feels more Stars Hollow to me, don’t ya think? 😉
What it likely all boils down to is your expectations. Stars Hollow was created by Sherman-Palladino as a sort of Hallmark-esque destination to bring you all the cozy feels, and to serve as the backdrop of a beautifully written and crafted show. She cherry-picked the best things from small-town life, and created one magical, but fictional place. No real destination can live up to that.
If you go to Washington Depot expecting to feel like you’re on the Gilmore Girls set, you’ll probably be disappointed because the town was designed to feel idyllic. However, if you visit with an appreciation for authentic, small-town life and New England charm, then I think you’ll absolutely love your visit.
A Few Tips For Your Visit to Washington Depot, CT
→ Cell service there is limited to non-existent. At best, I had 1-2 bars of LTE while there, but most of the time, no signal at all. You’ll want to offline Google Maps to your phone to make sure you can find your way back.
→ Since the town is quite small, you only need a few hours for your visit at most (perhaps a bit longer if you walk the trails at Hidden Valley Preserve). You don’t need to plan an entire day here, unless you want to stay at the Mayflower Inn & Spa, of course, which is a real treat!
→ There is a good amount of parking in the main section of town, where you’ll find the bookshop, Marty’s, Town Hall, and The Pantry. The lot by the Town Hall is rather large, so you shouldn’t have any issues finding a place to park. Parking up by The Po Café is more limited.
→ Support the local businesses while there. The town does see an influx of visitors because of its ties to Gilmore Girls, so it’s always nice to support the local economy. Whether than means you buy a new book at Hickory Stick, or a coffee at The Po Café, it will go a long way!
More Nearby Towns That Feel Like Stars Hollow
So, now that I’ve talked about Washington Depot and all its Gilmore Girls charm, let’s get into more towns nearby that are worth a visit, and also feel a bit like Stars Hollow. These towns are located in northwest Connecticut, and are all 30 minutes or less from Washington Depot.
New Milford
Many people seem to agree that New Milford is the town in this region that most closely resembles Stars Hollow, and I both agree and disagree. The main part of town is centered around the spacious Town Green, which is home to an absolutely perfect gazebo that definitely feels like it was taken right out of the Gilmore Girls set.
One either side of the Town Green, you’ll find rows of shops, restaurants, and cafés, as well as churches and beautiful trees for a small-town New England atmosphere.
While I love visiting New Milford, I personally don’t feel strong Stars Hollow vibes here. Beyond the gazebo, town green, and charming shops, this area of town actually felt very – busy and loud. While Washington Depot also has a main road that runs through it, I didn’t find the traffic to be all that distracting, and it felt more homey to me. However, in New Milford, I had the constant stimulation of trucks and cars driving by, and lots of street noise. It took away from the quaint Stars Hollow feel for me. But that’s just my opinion, of course.
New Milford’s town center area near the gazebo also isn’t too residential. I couldn’t picture Lorelei and Rory walking from their house to Luke’s while visiting, which I could do in Washington Depot. There’s also a larger, commercial side to New Milford once you leave this part of town center, which does subtract from its Stars Hollow vibes a bit.
That said, New Milford is most definitely worth visiting, and I do find it incredibly charming, just maybe not as quaint as Stars Hollow feels on the show. When you’re not comparing it to Stars Hollow, though, it’s definitely one of my favorite places to visit in Connecticut!
Since it’s the town closest to Washington Depot at only 15 minutes away, it’s very easy to pop on over for a visit. The Town Green and gazebo is the perfect place to snap a photo if you’re a fan of the show, and the local shops and eateries are all really fun to visit. That’s actually one added bonus to New Milford – it definitely has more shops to pop into than Washington Depot.
A few highlights from New Milford:
→ The Hunt Antique Shop, which has a sign out front that said, “We’re way nicer than Mrs. Kim!”
→ River & Rail Café for coffee and lunch, which is too modern to feel like Luke’s, but serves great drinks!
→ B.D Provisions, which roasts their own coffee beans, and they also have a fantastic selection of candies, snacks, and a few housewares.
→ Grassroots Ice Cream for wonderful, well .. ice cream 😊
→ The local parks, including Lover’s Leap State Park, Harrybrooke, and Lyn Deming.
Good To Know About New Milford: Connecticut has two towns, Milford and New Milford. The one I’m referring to in this post is New Milford. The other one is also very charming and fun to visit, but it’s closer to the coast, and about an hour from New Milford 😉
Litchfield
My favorite town to actually stay in when visiting northwest Connecticut is Litchfield, which is about 20 minutes from Washington Depot. I find that it has a great mix of things to do, a charming town center with a town green, great restaurants, and the fantastic Litchfield Inn for a cozy New England getaway.
And while I know that Emily and Richard Gilmore live in Hartford on the show, I can always picture them living in Litchfield when I visit since it has an upscale vibe with beautiful houses.
Because it has a slightly more affluent feel than the rest of the towns on this list, I wouldn’t say that it’s a dead-ringer for Stars Hollow. But, it’s got such charming and idyllic streets to explore that it definitely brings a lot of Star Hollow vibes, making it more than worth a visit.
The one downside to Litchfield is that the main road runs right along the town green, which makes this area loud with cars, trucks, and general street noise – maybe even moreso than New Milford. So that’s something to keep in mind. However, the lovely shops and eateries along West and South Streets in that area are postcard-worthy, and the scenery feels similar to Stars Hollow in many ways.
A few highlights of things to check out in Litchfield:
→ The town green, as mentioned, and the shops along West and South Streets. Keep walking past the Post Office on South Street for some beautiful houses and relaxing village walk.
→ The White Memorial Conservation Center, which is home to over 40 miles of trails and nature walks, with the Little Pond Boardwalk trail being one of my favorites.
→ Also visit the trails at Topsmead State Forest.
→ Grab a coffee and/or lunch at Arethusa A Mono, a cute little cafe featuring dairy from their farm (including awesome ice cream right across the street at their dairy shop). This is technically located in bantam, the next town over, but it’s literally a few minutes from downtown Litchfield.
Book A Stay At The Litchfield Inn For Stars Hollow Vibes!
→ While The Litchfield Inn isn’t exactly like the Dragonfly from the show, it’s a more affordable option than the Mayflower. This is almost always where I stay when I visit this region of Connecticut. The inn is incredibly cozy and upscale, while homey at the same time, and offers classic and themed rooms for different budgets.
Kent
Lastly in this region of the state, Kent also has some nice Gilmore Girls atmosphere that’s definitely worth checking out. It’s got a wonderful mix of rural scenery, a quaint downtown area, parks, and covered bridges. Basically, all the makings of a stand-out New England town.
In many ways, I found this to be the closest to Stars Hollow, next to Washington Depot of course, because of the more relaxed atmosphere in a combined countryside/small town package. If it had a distinct town green with a gazebo, it would be even closer. However, while it may not be an exact replica of Stars Hollow, it’s such a wonderful destination to visit while in the area.
A few things that stand out in Kent that bring the Stars Hollow atmosphere to life are:
✓ The red train station building, home to Kent Pharmacy, which feels similar to Miss Patty’s barn in some ways.
✓ The House of Books shop, which could easily be visualized on the Gilmore Girls set.
✓ 45 On Main, which wasn’t much like Luke’s Diner, but definitely felt like a town hub, of sorts.
Kent just under 30 minutes from Washington Depot, so it’s definitely worth a drive over to see what you think for yourself 😉
A few other highlights around Kent that are worth checking out:
→ Kent Falls State Park, which has a covered bridge and Connecticut’s tallest waterfall.
→ Stroll around Kent Greenhouse & Gardens, which has impressive greenery arches leading to the shop’s doors, and lots of great little housewares to shop from inside.
→ The trails at the Kent Land Trust, but also be sure to shop from their awesome selection of produce they have available, which is grown on a farm on their land. I could very much picture Jackson running this area, taking lots of pride in all the amazing produce 😉
Other Connecticut Towns That Give Major Stars Hollow Vibes
If you want to venture outside of northwest Connecticut to find even more Stars Hollow towns, here are the ones I recommend checking out after having traveled quite a bit all over the state.
Guilford
Guilford is easily one of my favorite small towns in Connecticut. Sitting along the central coast of the state, its town center is anchored by an idyllic town green, which is then bordered by historic houses and wonderful shops/cafés. If Sherman-Palladino hadn’t identified Washington Depot as her destination while writing the pilot, I would’ve bet money that she used Guilford as inspiration for Stars Hollow.
Some awesome things to check out while in Guilford:
→ All the cute shops downtown, including Cilantro, Breakwater Books, and The Village Chocolatier.
→ The Guilford Lobster Pound for a quintessential New England dining experience.
→ If you’re visiting in the fall season, definitely swing by Strawberry Hollow and Bishop’s Orchards.
Essex
Another idyllic town in Connecticut is Chester, which definitely has some Stars Hollow vibes. Its anchored by a charming town center with great little shops and eateries, and also has a lovely park right off Main Street with a gazebo.
While here, I also really like to just walk around the side streets to admire all the beautiful houses, and this area is especially cozy in the fall season when all the leaves change color.
Psst! I have an entire guide on things to do in Essex, CT, if you need more info 😉
Chester
Very close to Essex is Chester, and you guys, this town is such a gem in Connecticut. For being so small, they pack in a lot to check out. And while there’s no town green to liken Chester to Stars Hollow, the sense of small-town community and all the charming scenery make it feel very Gilmore Girls-esque.
Psst! I have an entire guide on things to do in Chester, CT, if you need more info 😉
More posts you may enjoy:
- Summer In Connecticut: Where To Go & Things To Do
- Best Things To Do In Mystic, CT
- The Perfect New England Fall Foliage Road Trip
- Fun Things To Do In Niantic, CT
- Best Things To Do In Old Saybrook, CT
That’s A Wrap On Where To Find The Real Stars Hollow
And there you have it! All my insight into where you can find the real Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls, and more places where you can get all the Stars Hollow vibes throughout Connecticut. Whether you want to go right to the source and spend some time in Washington Depot, or take a little road trip to see all the towns, I’m confident you’ll get your fill of Stars Hollow during your visit. Happy planning!
