Connecticut - 50 Great Things To Do in Connecticut in Hartford/Central

Beautiful Oasis in the City

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Bushnell Park on Trinity Street in Hartford is a wonderful public sanctuary that merits a full-day visit. The park is home to a carousel that dates from 1914 – the golden age of these structures that combine artistry, magic, and simple fun. For people who love the artistry of nature, Bushnell Park is an urban arboretum of rare and native trees. Visitors can pick up a brochure and take a self-guided walk of magnificent trees from many parts of the world. The park also has beautiful fountains, statues, a pond, and a performance pavilion. The park offers free tours of the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Arch and hosts many public events. Open: May to mid-October. Phone: 860-232-6710.

Big News for Science Guys and Gals

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Fly to Mars. Forecast a blizzard. Test your own inventions. Harvest solar energy. Control your brainwaves. Construct wind turbines. 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. 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. Open year-round. Phone: 860-SCIENCE

City Stampede

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Bushnell Park on Trinity Street in Hartford is a wonderful public sanctuary that merits a full-day visit. The park is home to a carousel that dates from 1914 – the golden age of these structures that combine artistry, magic, and simple fun. Created by Russian immigrant craftsmen, the carousel is notable for the horses’ flamboyant faces and real horsehair tails. Besides the 48 horses, there are two lovers chariots, 800 twinkling lights, and a Wurlitzer band organ. A dollar will buy you a three-and-a-half minute ride of dreams. Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The carousel is open May to mid-October.

Colts and Quilts in Connecticut History

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Detailed exhibits on important facets of Connecticut history man be found at the Museum of Connecticut History at 231 Capitol Avenue in Hartford. The museum focuses on Connecticut's government, military, and industrial history. Among the many interesting exhibits are the Mitchelson Coin Collection, showing American coins from the 17th-century to the present; the Colt Firearm Collection, from a business that helped make Connecticut a major center of firearms manufacturing throughout the 19th and 20th centuries; the Freedom Trail Quilt Collection; and an explanation of the history of Connecticut’s Charter Oak. Open daily except Sundays. Phone: 860-757-6535.

Look for the Dahlias, Too

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Known throughout the world for its magnificent large rose garden, comprising about 15,000 bushes, Elizabeth Park at the corner of Prospect and Asylum avenues in Hartford encompasses 102 acres and boasts many garden areas, pathways, greenhouses, lawns, a picnic grove, a pond and recreation areas. Garden lovers are wise to keep an eye on the park’s website for special events like the annual Rose Show, garden tours, and live music.

Meow! At Home Plate

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For baseball fans, three seasons of the year belong to America’s national sport, and even on vacation it is wise to keep your sights set on the nearest ballpark. Besides, who could resist a team called the New Britain Rock Cats? This minor league team, the AA affiliate of the Minnesota Twins plays at a new facility, the New Britain Stadium in Willow Brook Park in New Britain. Picnic pavilion skybox rentals, field box rentals, reserved seats, general admission seats.

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.

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.

Desserts by David

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David Glass went to Paris to further his studies in art history but took a slight detour after a mind-blowing meal at Archestrate. Quickly changing professions, Glass worked as a chef in restaurants around the world. Now, he is committed to making the most delicious desserts in the world. You can draw your own conclusions on this commitment at public tastings, held every Friday and Saturday at the David Glass factory at 1280 Blue Hills Avenue in Bloomfield. A partial list of Glass cakes includes Pumpkin Cheesecake, Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake, Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake, Caramel Apple Cheesecake, and Almond and Lemon Curd Crunch Cake. Dessert lovers shouldn’t miss this chance. Phone: 860-769-5570 (no reservation required).

Great Theater at Goodspeed

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This historic Victorian theater overlooking the Connecticut River is a beauty, and that is just that start. Home to the original productions of “Man of La Mancha,” “Shenandoah,” and “Annie,” and recipient of two special Tony Awards for outstanding achievement in the musical theater, Goodspeed Opera House at 6 Main Street in East Haddam is world renowned as the home of the American musical. The work is professional, quick, and wonderfully entertaining. On tap for the 2010 season are “Carnival,” “Radio Girl,” “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” and “James and the Giant Peach.” Productions from April to November,

Home Decorating Is Easy and Unique
With Accents of Folk Art

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Visit the Ten Thousand Villages store at 967C Farmington Avenue in West Hartford to browse and purchase beautiful folk art, ceramics, textiles, baskets, jewelry, wall hangings and wall art, pillows, rugs, mirrors, vases, incense, candleholders, and furniture handmade by artists in developing parts of the world. Each product reflects the traditions and cultures of its maker. Enjoy the international music, smell the aroma of gourmet coffee, and taste the luxuriously rich chocolate. Your fair trade purchase of handmade jewelry, home decor and gifts helps improve the lives of thousands of artisans in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. Phone: 860-233-5470.