KIds Trails in New Haven Connecticut include family fun & more

Barker Character, Comic & Cartoon Museum

1188 Highland Ave. (Route 10) Cheshire, CT 06410 Phone: 203-699-3822

Open Saturdays 12-4pm

Over 80,000 items including toys and character collectibles from 1873 to present; Western, TV and advertising collectibles; cartoon memorabilia; official musuem for Celebriducks, the California Raisin and Gumby; sculpture gallery. Admission: Free.

Gillette Castle State Park and Mansion

67 River Road, off Route 82 East Haddam, CT 06423 Phone: 860-526-2336

One of the most remarkable parks in the state, Gillette Castle State Park features a mansion built in 1919 for actor William Gillette, who was famous for his role as Sherlock Holmes. Tours are given on days that the mansion is open (call for exact times). The park itself is set on the Connecticut River and features fishing areas, short hiking trails and picnic spots. The Castle is open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Memorial Day weekend through Columbus Day. Staff are available to assist with questions about the castle interior and its history. The grounds are open year round.

Shore Line Trolley Museum

17 River Street East Haven, CT 06512 Phone: 203-467-6927

Open: April, Sunday, 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; May and September-November, Saturday and Sunday, 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Memorial Day-Labor Day, daily, 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; late November-late December, Saturday and Sunday, 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Ride vintage streetcars through scenic woods and wetlands. View exhibits on the trolley era and tour the trolley collection. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Admission: Adults, $6; seniors, $5; children age 2-15, $3; under 2 free.