Why Middletown, CT is the greatest city on Earth

I’ve lived in Middletown, Connecticut my entire life, but until I left for college I didn’t truly understand what a gem of a city it is. Despite the name, Middletown is actually a city in, you guessed it, the middle of CT. But, it’s also home to Wesleyan University, one of the most liberal of the liberal arts colleges in the country, and some of the greatest humans you will ever encounter.

Advantages of the college town reputation

Middletown, as any native can assure you, boasts the greatest array of hole-in-the-wall restaurants in the world, thanks to our artsy college residents. My family and I practically live in Brew Bakers, the adorable coffee shop on Main Street. With its live acoustic music on Sunday mornings and delicious jasmine tea, I feel like I’m in a Woody Allen film every time I enter. But, if you’re feeling a little more edgy, Klekolo World Coffee on Court Street is the place to be. Always open late, it’s the best spot in town for exotic coffee mixes and the best cover bands you never knew you needed. Aside from food options, Wesleyan also gave rise to an indie, secondhand bookstore, a family-owned knitting supply shop, and a shop that literally just sells artisan olive oil.

The perfect New England scenery

Being in the heart of Connecticut, Middletown has the most picturesque fall foliage imaginable. My mid-autumn traipses through the Wadsworth State Park trails lead me to believe that there is no better place to raise a family. I mean, is there anything that epitomizes fall in New England more than picking your own pumpkins at Lyman Orchards?

Neighboring towns too

When you’re a little sad that Dari Serve in Durham, one short drive over to the next town, is closing at the beginning of the fall, you know it means the Durham Fair is coming. If you didn’t attend the Durham Fair each year of your childhood, and then try to sneak some alcohol in as a teenager, you didn’t really grow up in Middletown. All the Durham residents knew that it wasn’t truly them that ran that fair, but the posh Middletown families in their L.L.Bean boots and Patagonias.

Public vs. private school

Whether you went through the Middletown public school system and attended the gigantic Middletown High School, or attended one of the three other high schools in Middletown – Mercy, Xavier, or Vinyl Tech, you knew more people in Middletown than you could imagine. Even the non-residents who attended any of these schools were honorary Middletown kids due to the huge number of Middletown residents they knew. The Middletown High kids always begrudgingly accepted the private school ones from Mercy and Xavier, while the private school kids acted like they didn’t secretly like the public school ones more than they were ever willing to admit. It’s safe to say one has their pick of high schools to attend in Middletown.

Best spot for summer jobs

It doesn’t matter if you were a private or public school Middletown kid, you all knew someone who worked for Middletown Recreation as either a counselor at one of the city’s day camps, or as a lifeguard at our public pool or lake. Those places are like Middletown cults, especially with the lifeguards. Speaking from experience, Middletown’s lifeguards are like a gang of lifesavers. Aside from the fact that they almost all go to UConn, they have all known each other since childhood, hang out together outside of work, and some even date each other. Middletown has the best summer job options and, therefore, the best way to create amazing summer memories.

Small town feel

Even though Middletown is home to almost 50,000 residents, it still feels oddly small. Through work, school, or recreational Middletown activities, it feels as though every resident knows each other, or at least every Sicilian is related to each other. You’re bound to run into someone you know, or someone’s cousin, at Stop & Shop, the St. Sebastian’s Church Feast, or Mondo Pizzeria (because everyone seems to work there too).

Let’s talk more about food

Whether you’d like to attribute it to Middletown’s artsy college vibe, or chock it up to a deep, innate acceptance of all cultures, there is no denying we have an amazing array of nationalities represented via their food. On Main Street alone there is Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, traditional American, Irish, Mexican, and Indian. I swear you never need to leave Middletown to become culturally well-versed.

Sports too

It’s New England, of course we’re big on sports, but we’re not just talking football. How about Middletown High’s uncanny knack for prodigious swimmers? But let’s not forget those childhood trips we all took to watch the New Britain Rock Cats play, or should I say the Hartford Yard Goats. Aside from local sports there’s also the Pats/Giants and Yankees/Red Sox divide. Being right between Boston and New York City, the team rivalry is a hot topic.

No, we don’t associate with Portland and Durham

Do we have friends from those towns? Yes, of course. Would we ever admit it? No, are you kidding? Durham is only acceptable to frequent as a means to get to Hammonasset, Dari Serve, or Perk on Main. Portland, well, let’s just say its only redeeming quality is Dairy Queen. This isn’t to say we don’t all have some of our best friends from these towns, but Middletown kids typically like to stick with their kind. We have a lot of town pride.

Location talk

Being in the middle of Connecticut, Middletown is in a prime spot to get to anything and any place that matters. Within two hours, baring traffic, you can be in the heart of Manhattan, perusing the quaint stores in Newport, or kicking it with the Celtics in Boston. We also have a lovely view of the Connecticut River, which plays an active role in so many Middletown activities and affairs, from Middletown High’s crew practices, to our environmental/global warming awareness conventions.

I love Middletown, and to be honest, I don’t know many people who don’t. We all share those same teen angst thoughts of rebellion, and how we can’t wait to get out of our hometown, but now that I’ve seen life outside of Middletown I can truly appreciate what a special place it is. Filled with diversity and genuine people, I love my hometown. Is there anything more Mtown than strolling along the train tracks, enjoying our annual Fourth of July festivities, Vecchitto’s Italian Ice in hand, saying “Hi” to every familiar face and receiving a wave and a smile in return?

Middletown, you’re the perfect combination of small town meets big city and I really can’t wait to head back home.