For the sake of nostalgia or some unusual fun for youngsters under age 50, try spending a foolish summer evening at an authentic drive-in theater. The Mansfield Drive-In Theatre at 228 Stafford Road in Mansfield (junction of route 31 and 32) was built in 1954 and it is the real McCoy. Doo-wop music greets patrons as they roll onto the property, threading their way among the speaker poles servicing three 55-by-110-foot screen. The place has it all: two movies nightly, a snack bar with plenty of junk food, people loading up the back of a pickup with a whole crew of movie buffs; and even a small playground. Movies cost $9 for adults and $5 for kids; with a bargain of $18 per carload on Wednesdays. Credit cards accepted. Perfect fun for a summer evening. (there’s a bonus: on Sundays, the adjacent property is a giant flea market). Phone: 860-423-4441.

They Call It the Silent Service

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There’s no getting around it: submarines are eerie and, to many of us, fascinating. At the USS Nautilus & Submarine Force Museum on Crystal Lake Road in Groton visitors can board the world's first nuclear-powered submarine and peer into the lives of the men who sail the ocean depths in their "sharks of steel." The museum recounts the development of the silent service from Bushnell's Turtle, used in the Revolutionary War, to modern submarines. Working periscopes, mini-theaters, gift shop. Hours of operation vary by season. Phone: 800-343-0079

Winery Offers the Best <br>of California and Connecticut Winery Offers the Best
of California and Connecticut

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Located in the beautiful small town of North Stonington, Jonathan Edwards Winery, at 74 Chester Maine Road, is situated on a 48-acre hilltop overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Jonathan Edwards creates premium California and Connecticut wines to highlight each coast’s climate. The two diverse product lines complement each other and allow guests to sample delicious wines that showcase what each area is known for. Wine lovers are welcome to stop in, taste the wines, tour the winery and vineyards, enjoy a picnic, and browse the gift shop for wine items and local treats. Each season in the vineyard has its own unique charm. Phone: 860-535-0202.

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First Nations

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The Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center, which is the world's largest Native American museum, offers experiences for young and old, from life-size dioramas that transport visitors into the past to changing exhibits and live performances of contemporary arts. Four acres of permanent exhibits depict 18,000 years of Native and natural history, while two libraries offer materials on the histories and cultures of all Native peoples of the continent. The museum is located on Pequot Trail in Ledyard, near the Foxwoods Resort and Casino. Phone: 800-411-9671

History of the Textile Mills in Willimantic

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The Windham Textile and History Museum , located in the former home of the American Thread Company at 411 Main Street in Willimantic,, preserves the history of the textile industry and how it affected the economy, culture, and lives of New England people from the 1800s to the present. Nineteenth century working conditions were often harsh in America’s mills. Later, advanced technological change and labor unrest roiled life in the textile mills. This museum displays the workplaces and the people whose lives centered upon the textiles of New England. Guided tours on Sunday at 2 p.m.; self-guided tours during hours of operation. Hours of Operation: Friday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; open Tuesdays, June through October. Phone: 860-377-7755.

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Art Trail Is Rich with Stops in Mystic Region

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 Mystic region, the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, the Lyman Allyn Art Museum in New London, the Slater Memorial Museum in Norwich, the William Benton Museum of Art in Mansfield/Storrs, the Hill-Stead Museum in Farmington, and the New Britain Museum of American Art in New Britain.

Artistic Ceramics in a Victorian Setting

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In Chester, 19th-century shops huddle the town's curved Main Street like a collection of gingerbread houses, home to art galleries, elegant shops and boutiques. One such shop, the aptly named Ceramica, peddles Renaissance-inspired Italian majolica ceramics, hand-painted by artisans in Tuscany and Umbria and amounting to an extraordinary collection of tableware and decorative accessories. Find the perfect Italian ceramic kitchen accessories. Other wonderful products include vases, lamps, wall plates, umbrella stands and more. Phone: 800-270-0900.

Atelier Is Open to Art Lovers

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Gilbert V. Boro is a sculptor, architect, educator, and international design consultant. He welcomes the public to visit him and watch him work at his Studio 80 + Sculpture Grounds on Lyme Street in Old Lyme. Born in New York City, Boro and has been involved in the arts since his boyhood. He has received two traveling fellowships and had numerous visiting teaching positions and has invested much of his time in nonprofit arts groups. Studio 80 is open to the public by appointment. Come and see the artist at work in his 3,500-square-foot custom-designed studio on four acres next to the Lieutenant River. Large and small scale works are on display. The Sculpture Grounds are open to the public Monday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Phone: 860-304-3359.

Beach, Boardwalk, Playground, Pool... This Place Has It All –

Ocean Beach Park in New London boasts Connecticut’s most beautiful beach – a half-mile crescent of sugar sand beach with an interesting shallow lagoon at the far end. Back at the center of the action is a spacious boardwalk, a nature trail, picnic area, playground, spray ground, a pool and waterslides, a gift shop, miniature golf, and plenty of classic, fun, summertime foods and beverages. At the amusement rides, young kids will enjoy old-time kiddy rides. Live music is scheduled many nights of the week. This is old-fashioned family beach fun of the highest caliber.

Beauty, History of Connecticut River
on Display at This Museum

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If you are drawn to the Connecticut River by the beauty of its unspoiled marshlands, the Connecticut River Museum on Main Street in Essex offers an exceptional vantage point in all seasons. From its docks you can see bald eagles, migratory birds, and a wide variety of waterfowl. The tidal wetlands that surround the Museum are an environmental treasure. The family-friendly exhibits are filled with art and artifacts that link the river’s stories to our lives today. Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Phone: 860-767-8269.

Borough of Dreams

New England is not short of beautiful villages, but Stonington Borough, on a small peninsula in the Fisher’s Island Sound, is special. A walk through its tight streets is a joy by itself. Colonial-era houses rich with fine architectural details and dripping with flowers from window boxes are packed cheek-to-cheek along Water and Main streets, where you can find many intriguing antique shops. A handful of well-used fishing boats cluster at the town docks, which thrum with music and flags and cheer during the annual Blessing of the Fleet. All you need here is the power to stroll, gaze, and enjoy.

Corn Maze Fun Awaits Day and Night

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A trip through a corn maze is a borderline-silly (Ok, maybe truly silly) farm adventure. The farmer has cut a maze, sometimes with a theme and loads of clues, into a giant cornfield, and people are welcome to muddle their way through. Corny? Maybe. For the timid or directionally challenged, mazes often offer easy escape exits. The corn maze at R-Farm on Tobacco Street in Lebanon also offers nighttime maze tours. Open September 24 through October 31, 2010; Monday - Friday, 3 - 6 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. Cost: $10. Phone: 860-303-2366.

Corn Maze With a Foodie Message

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This educational corn maze adventure at Quintessential Gardens at Fort Hill Farms on Quaddick Road in Thompson uses the theme of building awareness about the nature of food. After browsing the maze, guests are welcome to enjoy the calves and cows and 71 organically-grown gardens. Maze is open from August 22 through November 11, 2010. Cost: $10. Phone: 860-923-3439.

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Luck, Be a Lady Tonight

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This region of Connecticut is home to not one but two massive casinos owned and operated by Native American tribes: Foxwoods Resort Casino in Ledyard, operated by the Mashantucket Pequot tribe, and the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, operated by the Mohegan tribe. Gamblers can look forward to thousands of slot machines and hundreds of table games, but that is only part of the story. The rest includes fine dining, shopping, golf, live entertainment, professional sports, and plenty of excitement. Foxwoods: 860-312-4090. Mohegan Sun: 888-226-7711

Paintings Lighter Than Air

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Nicknamed the Home of American Impressionism, the Florence Griswold Museum, along the Lieutenant River in Old Lyme, exhibits colorful, lighter-than-air paintings from the Impressionist period. The museum includes a shop with the finest selection of art books on the Connecticut shoreline as well as posters, postcards, and notecards displaying some of the best-loved images in American art. Phone: 860-434-5542.