Connecticut - Children & Families

Connecticut College Arboretum
270 Mohegan Avenue
New London, CT  06320  
Phone: 860-439-5020
Email: arbor@conncoll.edu

Connecticut College Arboretum's 750 acres include the college campus, plant collections, natural areas, and managed areas. Its three major plants collections for public enjoyment are the Campus Landscape with 120 acres of trees and shrubs from around the world; the Native Plant collection, with 20 acres of woody plants and wildflowers indigenous to North America with a pond, and walking trails; Caroline Black Garden with an exquisite display of diverse woody plants in a garden setting. Open every day from sunrise to sunset. Free public guided tours every Sunday afternoon May - October at 2 p.m. Call 860-439-5060 for more information. Private group tours can be arranged upon request.

Mystic Seaport
75 Greenmanville Avenue
Mystic, CT  06355-0990  
Phone: 860-572-5315
Toll-Free: 888-973-2767
Email: info@mysticseaport.org

Open: Daily April through October, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and November through March, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Closed Christmas Day.

Mystic Seaport – The Museum of America and the Sea – encourages every child to discover their connection to the sea. Kids of all ages roll up their sleeves and find out what keeps a boat above water in our new interactive exhibit, How Boats Float. The Discovery Barn gives older children hands-on experience with nautical knots, signal flags and more, while the Children’s Museum encourages younger sailors to explore a lobster boat, cook in the galley and swab the decks. Help set a tall ship’s sails, participate in a traditional “dead horse” sailor’s ceremony and create nautical crafts at Inspiration Station.

Ocean Beach Park
1225 Ocean Avenue
New London, CT  06320  
Toll-Free: 1-800-510-SAND (7263)
Email: BCGOBP@aol.com

New England's Finest Beach and Boardwalk

There’s family fun and more at Ocean Beach Park. New this year is our Splash Park for kids under 8. For more water fun we have the ocean, of course, an Olympic-size swimming pool and triple waterslide. Our award-winning lifeguard staff is on duty for your safety. For more fun we have rides, mini-golf, and a Family Fun Center with a video arcade. Kids can enjoy our playground and adults can work out in the health club. The nature walk and observation deck let you enjoy our natural beauty. When all the activity makes you hungry you can choose from our full-service restaurant, a food court, or ice cream stands. Ocean Beach Park can also accommodate picnics and corporate events. Our nightly entertainment schedule includes Classic Car Cruises on Mondays; kids movies on the beach Tuesday and Thursday; live magic on Wednesday; live bands on Friday; and family entertainment on Saturdays.

The Dinosaur Place
1650 Route 85
Montville, CT  06370  
Phone: 860-443-4367

Join us at the “The Dinosaur Place” for an adventure of the prehistoric kind! Visit the indoor Activity Center and check out geodes- volcanic formations that are million of years old! Choose one for us to cut open and be the first to see inside this ancient gas bubble! Children of all ages enjoy digging for gems and crystals, panning for “gold” and excavating a dinosaur skeleton.

Spend the day enjoying Outdoor Adventure! Over 25 life-sized dinosaurs can be found along 1 mile of easy walking trails. Visit the “What am I?” touch and learn stations and romp in Monty’s Playground. Bring sunscreen and flip-flops and enjoy New England’s largest SPLASHPAD®! Monty’s SPLASHPAD® is a zero-depth, fully automated interactive aquatic play system that consists of over 30 dinosaur-themed features designed to stimulate and cool off children of all ages. Changing rooms available. Picnic areas, snack bar and ice cream shop on site. Visit our website for hours, rates, and directions.