KIds Trails in Hartford Connecticut include family fun & more

Carousel Museum of New England

95 Riverside Ave. (Route 72) Bristol, CT 06010 Phone: 860-585-5411

Open: April-November, Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, noon- 5 p.m.; December-March, Thursday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, noon-5 p.m. Closed major holidays

One of two branches of this unique museum. Exhibits feature antique carousel horses, miniature carousels, and a historic carving shop. Exhibits represent the finest pieces of antique carousel art in existence. This is a magical place kids and adults who love the old carousels. The museum contains one of the largest collections of antique carousel pieces in the country. Children and parents can explore the golden age of the carousel on their own or with tour guides. Hands-on craft activities for children. Gift shop. Admission: Adults, $5; seniors, $4.50, children age 4-14, $2.50

Dinosaur State Park

400 West St. Rocky Hill, CT 06067

This park contains a display of 500 early Jurassic fossil tracks made by dinosaurs about 200 million years ago. Exhibits include life-size dioramas of the Jurassic and Triassic periods. Surrounding the Exhibit Center are miles of nature trails and an arboretum. What kid wouldn’t grab a chance to walk where dinosaurs walked?

Harriet Beecher Stowe House

77 Forest Street Hartford, CT 06105 Phone: 860-522-9258

Open: Tours: Tuesday-Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Sunday, noon-4:30 p.m.; open on Mondays, Memorial Day to Columbus Day and December. Closed major holidays.

Her words changed the world with "Uncle Tom's Cabin," the groundbreaking anti-slavery novel (1852). Tour the Victorian Gothic home (1871), the Katharine Seymour Day House (1884), and the Victorian grounds and gardens. Stowe Visitor Center showcases exhibitions, museum shop. Admission: Adults, $8; seniors,$7; children age 4-12, $4.

Imagine Nation Children's Museum

1 Pleasant Street Bristol, CT 06010 Phone: 860-314-1400

Open: Call for schedule

This science museum for kids age 2 to 10 is packed with fun exhibits that allow children to dig into science projects and experiments of all kinds. Some activities that will fascinate children are the Sandsational Sand Pendulum; the Gravity Well; the Tuning Fork Table; a construction zone; Dolls of the World; and Waterplay. Admission: $4 per person.

Lake Compounce Family Theme Park

271 Enterprise Dr. Bristol, CT 06010 Phone: 860-583-3300

This longstanding family theme park categorizes its activities as: ‘thrills,’ ‘chills,’ ‘littles’ (for young children), and ‘entertainment.’ The rides Thunder ‘n’ Lightning, Boulder Dash, and Wild Cat speak for themselves. The water park offers water cannons, slides, and rafting. Scaled-down rides for little kids. Entertainment includes Western vaudeville, honky tonk, and urban acrobats.

New England Air Museum at Bradley International Airport

36 Perimeter Road Windsor Locks, CT 06096 Phone: 860-623-3305

Kids and families are encouraged to visit the museum’s three huge hangars with aircraft from all periods of aviation history. Besides the aircraft displays, the museum describes such topics as the Lafayette Escadrille, WWII combat gliders, the history of Sikorsky Aircraft, the Tuskegee Airmen, and airships. There are aviation-related arcade games for children.

Stanley Quarter Park

451 Blake Road New Britain, CT 06051 Phone: 860-826-3360

Children’s fishing pond, playground, jogging track, skate board park, sports fields, basketball courts, ice skating. Park is open year-round; rides are open mid-June to mid-August.

The Bushnell Park Carousel

Jewell Street at the Memorial Arch Bristol, CT 06010 Phone: 860-585-5411

Kids and adults both are entranced by this hand-carved carousel with 48 horses, two chariots, stained glass windows, mirrors reflecting 800 twinkling light bulbs, and a Wurlitzer band organ. Open May to October, Tuesday to Sunday; September and October, Thursday to Sunday. Call for seasonal changes in hours.

The Children’s Museum

950 Trout Brook Dr. West Hartford, CT 06119 Phone: 860-231-2830

Children age 12 and younger can discover the wonders of science and nature through unique exhibits, star shows in the planetarium, a wildlife sanctuary with more than 70 live animals; and a life-size kaleidoscope. Younger kids will enjoy the hands-on activities and older children can put their inner scientist to work.

The Children’s Museum

950 Trout Brook Drive West Hartford, CT 06119 Phone: 860-231-2824

Open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m.

The Children’s Museum provides rich learning experiences for children of all ages and their families. This science and nature museum has hands-on exhibits, more than 100 live animals, digital planetarium shows, and educational programs, the Wildlife Sanctuary and Roaring Brook Nature Center.

The Mark Twain House & Museum

351 Farmington Ave. Hartford, CT 06105 Phone: 860-247-0998

Open: Monday-Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5:30 p.m.; first Thursdays, 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m.; closed Tuesday from January-April; Closed January 1, Easter, Thanksgiving, December 24 and 25.

Elaborate Victorian (1874) mansion with rare interiors by Louis Comfort Tiffany (1881) was the author's home for 17 years (1874-1891). Nineteen furnished rooms including many of Twain's possessions. National Historic Landmark. The Museum Center features fine gift shop, cafe, Ken Burns' documentary, orientation and changing exhibition galleries, lectures and special programs. Admission: Adults, $12; seniors, $11; students age13-18, $10; children age 6-12, $8.