Fly to Mars. Forecast a blizzard. Test your own inventions. Harvest solar energy. Become a work of art. Control your brainwaves. Construct wind turbines. Diagnose sports injuries. Live in 4D. This is a list of experiments you can learn and try at the brand-new Connecticut Science Center on Columbus Boulevard in Hartford. The new center opens in June 2009. A visit to the Center is a high-impact learning experience in a green, clean, bright, and stimulating environment. Adults and children alike will find entertainment and educational value in hands-on, engaging, and exciting exhibits and programs that emphasize current science and science you can use every day. A new science museum! Don’t miss it. Phone: 860-SCIENCE

Coffeehouse Concerts and Lots More Fun
Are in Store at this Nature Center

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Located on Lang Road in Windsor, Northwest Park & Nature Center is a 473-acre multi-recreational facility with an interpretive nature center, 12 miles of trails, maple sugaring, a Coffee House Concert Series, gift shop, and more. Among the annual events are a Country Fair, a pancake breakfast, and maple sugaring demonstrations. Ongoing fun on your own schedule can include hiking, bicycling, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. This is a place where the whole family can enjoy various outdoorsy activities (or even shopping), suitable for every age and taste. Phone: 860-285-1886

Copernican Observatory <br>Will Bring Stars to Your Eyes Copernican Observatory
Will Bring Stars to Your Eyes

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Stargazers, pay attention. The Copernican Observatory & Planetarium on Stanley Street is on the grounds of Central Connecticut State University in New Britain is home to one of the largest public telescopes in the United States and it hosts special programs for the public throughout year. For planetarium shows, seating is first come, first served. The planetarium is located in Copernicus Hall and there is convenient parking in the Copernicus garage. Phone: 860-832-3399

Covered Bridge Is the Hidden Jewel
in This Serene Forest

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Comstock Covered Bridge in East Hampton, one of Connecticut’s last remaining covered bridges, crosses the Salmon River and is limited to pedestrian traffic. The bridge is located within the Salmon River State Forest , which covers over 6,000 acres in Hebron, Colchester, East Hampton, and Marlborough. The forest includes the Airline Trail, which follows an old railroad bed and features the 137-foot-high Lyman Viaduct, providing a wonderful view of the Dickenson Creek valley; a handicap accessible fly-fishing area; and a letterbox hike. The hike is less than a quarter of a mile on easy terrain. There is a solitary grave on this forest – a memorial to a soldier. The gravestone is weathering away, but you can still see the soldier’s name, the date, cause of death, and his age. Phone: 295-9523

One Tower and a 1,200-Square-Mile View

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Walking a one-mile trail through beautiful woods is an easy price to pay for a visit to Heublein Tower, which sits atop Talcott Mountain, a long, precipitous wooded ledge at Talcott Mountain State Park in Bloomfield. The 1,000-foot high promontory provides splendid views of Connecticut, Mount Monadnock in New Hampshire, the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, and Long Island Sound to the south. Hikers and birdwatchers may encounter a variety of wildlife and May brings out many wildflowers among the rocks. Seasonal hours vary. Call the State Parks Division at 860-424-3200 for the most current information.

Trail of Inventiveness

Here is a great day trip or multiple day trip for a family that is fascinated with inventiveness. Connecticut boasts an “Inventors Alley,” with stops at places where creativity flourished. The following places, if taken in order, begin at the New Haven area, and continue northward toward Hartford and then west into Litchfield. Start at the New Haven Green, where, in 1920, Yale students tossed empty pie plates from Mrs. Frisbie Pie, and invented the Frisbee. At Louis’ Lunch, in New Haven, enjoy a burger at the place where the hamburger was first made. Moving on, in the town of Hamden, visit the Eli Whitney Museum, honoring the inventor of the cotton gin. In the town of Cheshire, visit Lock 12, one of Farmington Canal’s original locks. The site includes a museum of the history of the waterway. In the town of Terryville, stop at the Lock Museum, devoted to locks that come on doors and safes. In nearby Bristol, visit the American Clock and Watch Museum. You’ll learn the history of Connecticut clockmaking and see 1,400 clocks and watches. In Hartford, stop at the Museum of Connecticut History to see the Colt Firearms Collection. Finish your tour in Manchester at the Cheney Homestead (1785), the birthplace of the brothers who founded the silk industry.

Twain's House Delights <br>With Its Architectural Whimsey Twain's House Delights
With Its Architectural Whimsey

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Even if you are not stunned by the thought that this is where Mark Twain wrote his stories about Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn, and their adventures, you will be captivated by the Mark Twain House & Museum on Farmington Avenue in Hartford, where Twain lived with his family from 1874 to 1891. This elegant Victorian mansion, with interiors by Louis Comfort Tiffany, charms visitors with its whimsy and unpredictability. Simply put, the house is fun to the eye and pleasing to the soul. The Museum Center features a gift shop, cafe, and exhibition galleries. Phone: 860-247-0998

Wadsworth Is a Jewel on the State Art Trail

Here is a project that can keep you busy year-round: explore the 15 world-class museums and historic sites that comprise the Connecticut Art Trail. The trail meanders among historic sites, bucolic farms, art studios and artists' houses to grand and modern art museums in vibrant downtowns. The trail includes a feature called Trail Getaways that presents recommended itineraries along with helpful suggestions for nearby places to visit and dine. In the Hartford / Central region, the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Hartford.