Great Things To Do in Connecticut includes off-the-beaten-track fun

Connecticut > State > Things to Do and See > 50 Great Things To Do in Connecticut

Connecticut is packed with great things to on a getaway for families, kids, or just adults, like scenic shoreline and country drives, antique shopping, world-class museums, historic sites, pretty walks, and plenty of activities and attractions for your vacation adventure. Phone ahead or check the attraction's website before visiting, especially for outdoor activities.

Yale Center for British Art

1080 Chapel Street New Haven, CT, 06510 Phone: 203-432-2800 Toll-Free: 877-274-8278

The best of British art in a celebrated edifice

The YCBA houses the largest collection of British art outside the United Kingdom, encompassing works in a range of media from the Elizabethan period to the present day. It offers exhibitions and programs year-round, including lectures, concerts, films, symposia, tours, and family events. The building, opened in 1977, is the last to be designed by acclaimed American architect Louis I. Kahn and it is near many of New Haven’s best restaurants, shops, and cultural destinations. Museum Hours: Tues–Sat, 10am–5pm; Sun, Noon–5pm. Museum Shop hours: Mon–Sat, 10am–5pm; Sun, Noon–5pm. Free and open to the public.

Essex Steam Train & Riverboat

One Railroad Avenue Essex, CT, 06426 Phone: 860-767-0103 Toll-Free: 800-377-3987

A Connecticut River adventure by train and boat

Gather family and friends for a sightseeing adventure aboard the only steam train and riverboat connection in the United States! This 2½-hour narrated journey explores the nature and beauty of the Connecticut River Valley, designated as one of “the last great places on Earth” by The Nature Conservancy. View historic sites such as Gillette Castle and the Goodspeed Opera House. Excursions begin and end at the historic 1892 Essex station. Rain or shine.

Harriet Beecher Stowe Center

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

Visit and tour the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center – and leave inspired

If you are looking for an interactive and educational experience that will inspire you to consider what you can do to make the world better, get yourself to the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center, where guides not only show you how the author of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” lived in the 19th century but will encourage conversation about the issues of her day and of the modern day. So, you will look at the restored rooms of the Victorian Gothic cottage as well as talk about slavery, the role of women and other issues. The collections in the center, a National Historic Landmark, include letters, photos, memorabilia, paintings, drawings and the dining room table where the abolitionist and activist wrote the most famous of her 30 books.

Stepping Stones Museum for Children

Mathews Park - 303 West Avenue Norwalk, CT, 06850 Phone: 203-899-0606

Stepping Stones Museum makes the whole world look fresh

At Stepping Stones Museum for Children in Norwalk, Conn., we create an environment that inspires lifelong learning. Our museum offers engaging and educational exhibits with indoor AND outdoor experiences that give children, families and educators twice the space to discover, learn, and grow. Our Energy Lab includes hands-on exhibits that teach how the sun, the wind, the force of water, and the burning of fossil fuels produce energy. Tot Town is an imaginative world shrunk down to toddler level. Our Build It! exhibit lets children explore architectural design and construction. We've got tools they can use to pretend to finish walls, paint with brushes and rollers, apply carpeting, and more. After a visit, youngsters will see their world in a whole different way.

An Actors' Carol - December 13-22, 2019 at Ivoryton Playhouse. Click here to reserve your tickets.

Bruce Museum

One Museum Drive Greenwich, CT, 06830 Phone: 203-869-0376

Eclectic collections to be found in the rooms of this Greenwich museum

The Bruce Museum, sitting high on a hill overlooking Greenwich Harbor, is both elegant and accessible. Its impressive collections of paintings (including fine representatives of Cos Cob impressionism), sculpture, drawings, prints and photos, French art glass and pottery and decorative arts would wow any art-lover. History exhibits include one on American World War I posters. But then there is the science side, featuring exhibits on the natural world and environmental history, which means you might wander from a display of astonishingly colorful minerals to display cases with bird specimens. At the museum’s Seaside Center, there’s a marine touch tank for curious youngsters and a host of family activities. A dozen new exhibits a year insure there’s always something new to see.

Railroad Museum of New England

242 East Main Street Thomaston, CT, 06787 Phone: 860-283-7245

The past comes alive at this museum that honors the region’s railroad history

Take a trip into the past at the Railroad Museum of New England – and do it in the comfort of a vintage passenger car, part of a diesel-led train excursion through valleys and woods, past dramatic rock cuts and over the scenic Thomaston Dam. In addition to educational exhibits, the museum offers exciting opportunities to explore a variety of locomotives, passenger and freight cars and cabooses, representing the best of the region’s rich railroading history. Popular train trips include scenic excursions, chocolate tours that include a visit to a chocolate factory, spirit-tasting tours and trips that celebrate the holidays, from the Easter Bunny Express to the Pumpkin Patch train to the magical Northern Lights Limited and Santa Express.

Ocean Beach Park

1225 Ocean Avenue New London, CT, 06320 Phone: 860-447-3031 Toll-Free: 800-510-7263

Oh, the fun things you can do at this seaside park

Some things you can do at Ocean Beach Park: Enjoy a pristine sugar-sand beach. Take the kids to an old-fashioned amusement park on the boardwalk with a carousel and tiny trains (and the Scrambler for older “kids”). Play mini-golf. Swim in an Olympic-size pool. Work out in a health club. Go down a triple waterslide. Grab ice cream, a burger, clam fritters – or a cocktail. Play Skee-Ball in the arcade. Watch a free beach-blanket movie, catch a band or a magic show. Go on a nature walk. You can even have a wedding ceremony and reception overlooking Long Island Sound, in a gourmet banquet facility – or right on the beach.
Parking fees (includes park admission): Weekends $23, Weekdays $17, Weeknights after 6pm $8, Fireworks Evenings $10. Seasonal parking passes available. Walk-in Admission $6.

Mystic Aquarium

55 Coogan Boulevard Mystic, CT, 06355 Phone: 860-572-5955

Discover the area’s top tourist destination

From hands-on interaction with the likes of sharks, stingrays and reptiles to interactive exhibits that make learning about the ocean planet so much fun and even exclusive opportunities to meet animals up-close, it’s no wonder Mystic Aquarium is amongst the most popular destinations in New England. Explore indoor and outdoor exhibits where thousands of animals including whales, penguins, frogs, fish and more act as ambassadors for their wild counterparts. Learn how you can help protect our ocean planet at one of the daily trainer talks and be sure to experience a complimentary sea lion show. Plus, encounter animatronic dinosaurs that practically come to life in ‘Jurassic Giants’! Enjoy special events, activities and more throughout the year that make Mystic Aquarium a destination worth revisiting often. SEA more at MysticAquarium.org.

Foxwoods HighFlyer

350 Trolley Lane Blvd. Mashantucket, CT, 06338 Phone: 860-312-3597

Ride the skies in a zipline tour that begins on this casino’s rooftop

At Foxwoods Resort Casino, there are all types of adventures to be had, including one that begins on the rooftop! From the top of 32-story Fox Tower, 350 feet off the ground, you can embark on a zipline trip that takes you, at speeds of up to nearly 60 mph, through the Connecticut air and over the treetops to the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center, about a mile away. You can head back to the casino on a shuttle that leaves every 15 minutes. (A viewing shuttle leaves the casino every 15 minutes for friends and family who just want to watch.)

Connecticut River Museum

67 Main Street, Steamboat Dock Essex, CT, 06426 Phone: 860-767-8269

Lots to see, but even more to do, at this river museum on Essex Harbor

Learn about the Connecticut River – or sail on it! – when you visit the Connecticut River Museum, on park-like grounds overlooking scenic and historic Essex Harbor. There’s plenty to see, from models of yachts, nautical paintings and history exhibits to the tools used in early fishing, hunting and trapping to a vertical, three-floor river mural that goes up a staircase. And there’s the model of the Turtle, the Revolutionary War submarine. But there’s also so much to do: rent a canoe, kayak or paddleboard and paddle the river’s coves right outside the museum’s doorsteps, go on a winter wildlife eagle cruise to see bald eagles, or cruise aboard the Onrust, a replica of a 1614 Dutch sailing ship.

The Spa at Norwich Inn

607 West Thames Street Norwich, CT, 06360 Phone: 860-425-3500 Toll-Free: 800-275-4772

Pampering as high art

Get away for the day, overnight or to celebrate something festive. This shrine to relaxation is set in a historic Inn in bucolic surroundings. 42 country acres hold perennial gardens, spring-fed ponds, century-old oak trees, a reflecting pool and an oversized deck welcome you to the spa and inspires a sigh. Thirty-seven treatment rooms offer sauna, steam, hot tub, salon, plus signature services from facials and massage to hand and foot therapies, and even tarot card readings. There’s a fitness center and indoor pool and activities to enhance your health and stimulate the senses. Enjoy special packages including Day Spa and Overnight Spa to Rejuvenation and Personal Escape Packages available on Sunday nights of holiday weekends at a small upcharge.

Harbor View - Stonington Borough Merchants - Stonington, CT

Stonington Borough Connecticut

Go fishing, climb up to the top of a lighthouse, or sit back and watch the sun set

Dotting a mile-long peninsula, this charming seaside village welcomes visitors with a variety of activities from kayaking and paddleboarding to reenactments of the 1814 Battle of Stonington to great shopping and dining. Visit beautiful DuBois Beach at the tip of the peninsula, enjoy a picnic or concert on the lawn of the Old Lighthouse Museum (where you can climb the steps for a fabulous view after exploring maritime artifacts) or tour the Capt. Nathaniel B. Palmer House, once home to the discoverer of Antarctica. At Dodge Paddock, walk around a salt marsh meadow with ocean views; or take a short nature walk along the harbor with amazing views; go sport fishing; or just enjoy a spectacular sunset over the harbor.

The Dinosaur Place at Nature's Art Village

1650 Hartford-New London Tpke. (Rt. 85) Oakdale, CT, 06370 Phone: 860-443-4367

Big fun at The Dinosaur Place!

The Dinosaur Place at Nature's Art Village offers a 60 acre outdoor adventure park with over 40 life-sized dinosaurs spread among a mile and a half of pristine nature trails. Children will love getting lost in the a”MAZE”asaurus and playing on Monty’s playground featuring the SpaceNet, a 15 foot tall three-dimensional swinging, vibrating, climbing web. During the summer, cool off in New England’s largest SplashPad. Indoor adventures await in Discovery Depot at Nature’s Art Village where guests can dig for gems, pan for “gold” and unearth dinosaur bones. Bring a picnic or enjoy great food at the Cobalt Café and other locations. Plan an indoor or outdoor birthday party, scout, school or recreational group outing.

Bluefish Girls 500x250 - Black Hawk Party Boat - Niantic, CT

Black Hawk Sportfishing

Sailing from the Niantic Bay Marina Niantic, CT, 06357 Phone: 860-448-3662 Toll-Free: 800-382-2824

Spend a special day or evening on the water

Board a great party boat with an experienced skipper and fish for striped bass, bluefish, porgies, sea bass, blackfish and other delicious food from the sea. Serious fisherman sail on the "Captain's Choice," trips scheduled for the best fishing time and circumstances. Enjoy a night bass trip with no crowds or tangles or a special seal watch, sunset, fireworks and/or nature cruise with science field trips also on the menu. Plan a private day charter of 15 or more and night charters of 12 for your next party or celebration. You can bring your own gear or rent rod and reel. New to fishing? The experienced crew will ensure you have a great day on the water. But do bring your lunch. Then catch your dinner. Reservations are not required and the parking is free.

The Spa of Essex

63 South Main Street Essex, CT, 06426 Phone: 860-767-7796

Royal pampering washes aches away

You will be treated like royalty at the Spa at Essex, where experts perform seemingly magical therapies and treatments on sore muscles, tired skin and drooping spirits. When you enter the property, you are greeted with warmth and bundled into comfortable robes and overstuffed chairs (including chairs for two) while you wait for treatments like massage, facials, manicures and pedicures, makeup and more. Innovation treatments bright aging or troubled skin. Couples, mothers-to-be, and gentlemen can enjoy refreshing and energizing treatments for their particular needs. Customers exclaim over the cleanliness of the indoor and outdoor spaces, which include a sunny patio with a fountain. Specials like the flower facial and the South Seas body treatment with tan will bring you back over and over.

Ivoryton Playhouse

103 Main Street Ivoryton, CT, 06442 Phone: 860-767-7318

A full roster for great theater for 2018

The Ivoryton Playhouse is a unique theatre with a rich cultural history. Built in 1911, the Ivoryton Playhouse is the oldest, continuously running, self-supporting summer theater in the nation. Some of the great names of from the stage and screen have appeared at Ivoryton Playhouse including Katharine Hepburn, Marlon Brando, Groucho Marx and Tallulah Bankhead. Today, the Ivoryton Playhouse produces a year-round, professional season of award winning musicals, comedies and dramas as well as summer children’s theatre and many special events.

Mark Twain House & Museum

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

Come and explore the beautiful home of America’s favorite author which was featured in 1000 Places To See Before You Die. Take guided tours through Mark Twain’s historical home, visit his personal library, the children’s rooms, the servants’ wing and his famous Billiard Room where he wrote The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Enjoy informative exhibitions and documentaries held in the Museum Center, visit the museum store to discover one of a kind treasures, or grab a relaxed lunch in our Nook Farm Nook cafe. House tours run daily beginning at 9:30 A.M. with the last tour leaving at 4:30 P.M., while the Museum Center is open for self-guided visitation during regular hours.

Photo for Great Things 500x250 - IT Adventures - New Haven, CT

IT Adventure Ropes Course

40 Sargent Drive New Haven, CT, 06511 Phone: 203-812-9981

World’s largest indoor ropes course now in New Haven

Explore over 100 rope elements on the 4 level It ropes courses that stand 5 stories high. Choose your own path and go at your own pace through each level on both courses. Then soar down each of the Zip It zip lines for a self-guided zip experience over 48-feet in the air! The zip lines stretch 180-feet long between the It ropes courses for your extra daring challenge. To exit the course, go on the Jump It for the ultimate free‑fall sensation as you are comfortably lowered to the ground from 48’ in the air. Kids under 48” tall can experience a ropes course just like the larger It attraction at a more comfortable height on the little it attraction. Participants can also continue the adventure on 4 climbing activities that challenge participants to climb over 29’ high on wobbly beams and twisted structures.

Historic Wethersfield

So much to see and do, indoors and out, in this historic town

Outdoor enthusiasts, history buffs, shoppers and nature-lovers will all enjoy the charms and attractions of historic Wethersfield. Open historic homes range from Puritan times, through the Revolution (including the home where Washington and Rochambeau planned the Yorktown campaign) to the early 20th century. The town also has 644 acres of parkland for hiking, biking, canoeing, fishing, skateboarding and swimming, among other pursuits, as well as a nature center. Main Street offers eclectic shops and galleries, and the town hosts several festivals and events, including arts and crafts fairs, a corn festival and weekly farmers’ markets. Take the country’s oldest continuously operating ferry, marvel at the giant trees in the Broad Street Green, enjoy a movie night or a town tour by lantern.

Connecticut Wine Trail

26 reasons to cheer

Did you know the Connecticut Wine Trail is one of the most scenic and fastest growing wine regions in the country? Each of the 26 wineries and vineyards offers an unrivalled taste of Connecticut-grown grapes and true New England winemaking. More travelers today are looking for an authentic down-on-the- farm experience that Connecticut’s Wine Trail offers in abundance – along with an almost unlimited range of fine wines. Born in microclimates, taste and savor the distinct differences in each varietal. Along the way, you’ll meet dedicated farmers, passionate winemakers, and the beautiful places kept that way by people who care.

Bishop's Orchards

1355 Boston Post Road Guilford, CT, 06437 Phone: 203-453-2338

Pick your own activity from corn mazes to wine tastings at family farm, orchard

Take your pick of activities at Bishop’s Orchards, a family farm whose roots go back 140 years. Peruse farm-based and other local products (go for the cider) at the delicious farm market or pick your own produce, from berries, peaches and pears in the summer to apples and pumpkins in the fall. Kids will love the Little Red Barn & Pumpkin Patch, with tractor and train rides, a hay tunnel and face-painting. Adults will love wine tastings and tours at the winery. And everyone will want to take a crack at the corn maze. End your day with some Fly Fishing Fudge ice cream at the famous creamery stand. Special events include a Halloween Parade and Paint and Sip sessions.

Argia Mystic Cruises

12 Steamboat Wharf Mystic, CT, 06355 Phone: 860-536-0416

Explore New England's coast aboard a romantic sailing ship

Return to the romantic Age of Sail aboard the 81-foot schooner Argia. She is a US Coast Guard-inspected vessel and one of the last sailing ships in New England. We're docked in Mystic, Conn., and sail in Fishers Island Sound, a calm, protected body of water, from May 1st to mid-October. Bask in the sun on our spacious wooden deck while we explore the seafaring village of Mystic, the surrounding islands, and historic lighthouses. Pass through the Mystic River Drawbridge, which opens for the Argia with every cruise. We offer complimentary snacks and lemonade, but feel free to bring your own picnic and beverages as well. Wine and beer are permitted. Enjoy a half-day cruise, or experience the romance of the sea at twilight with a sunset cruise.

Masterpieces of Cartoon Art in Greenwich

Starting January 26, 2019, the Bruce Museum at 1 Museum Drive in Greenwich will display more than 100 original works of cartoon art, including comic strips, comic books, editorial cartoons, magazine cartoons, caricature, illustration and animation. The artwork is on loan from The Ohio State University Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum. The pieces on display will include an early editorial cartoon by the legendary political cartoonist Thomas Nast, a spectacular Prince Valiant Sunday page by Hal Foster, and a witty New Yorker gag by Peter Arno, as well as classic Peanuts, Doonesbury, and Calvin and Hobbes comic strips. Pictured here is Prince Valiant by Hal Foster 1951 © King Features Syndicate, Inc. Open daily except Mondays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Kate, in Spirit

The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center – or “The Kate” -- at 300 Main Street in Old Saybrook is a performing arts organization located in an historic theater and town hall. Opened in 1911 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the building has been renovated and now includes a 250-seat theater and a small museum honoring Katharine Hepburn, Old Saybrook’s most celebrated resident. The building has just turned 99 and, like good wine, it has improved with age. Trained docents lead tours and fill you in on its rich history as they guide you through Old Saybrook’s crown jewel. The theater itself offer offers programming for all ages and tastes. 877-503-1286.

Get a Taste of New Haven

Gather with friends to soak in the tastes, sights, and sounds of New Haven. On Taste of New Haven themed food and drink tours, guides lead guests through the buzzing city and into its finest eateries, with fun stops at cultural spots along the way. Tours are food-themed (New Haven pizza, sushi) or neighborhood-based (Canal Quarter, Wooster Square), and timed to warm you up for a night at the theater. Tours run year-round for 1.5-4 hours in rain or shine, and your departure point is revealed when you register. 888-975-8664.

Lounge in an Onyx Mountain

In the heart of the lavish Mohegan Sun is Wombi Rock, a jagged sculpture of onyx and alabaster formed into a three-story mountain with intimate seating areas tucked among it nooks and crannies, all beneath a star-studded dome of sky. Projected on the dome above is changing fiber-optic displays of the sun, moon and stars. At the top, overlooking the gaming floors, is the Vista Lounge, an oh-so-divine bar and perch to see and be seen. Great fun to sit in this crystal nest, enjoy a drink, and watch the casino turn below.

Arboretum Is a Portal to Nature

Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens at 151 Brookdale Road in Stamford welcomes people every day from dawn to dusk to explore 12 gardens and many trails (with your dog, if you like), and to enjoy champion trees, gardens, wildflower meadows, red maple wetlands and boardwalks, and woodland walking trails. The arboretum’s Silver Center hosts art displays and summer concerts. Come for botany classes and doggy happy hours. Events, classes and concerts. Trail map. 203- 322-6971

General Store in Salisbury Is a Browser’s Delight

Located in Northwest Connecticut, Salisbury General Store and Pharmacy at 20 Main Street in Salisbury is one of those purely delightful stores with merchandise far beyond what the name might imply. Located in the gateway to the Berkshire Mountains, the store welcomes visitors, tourists, hikers, and shoppers looking for gifts. The store stocks specialty soaps and spa products, unique gifts, toys, crafts, cards and party goods, wooden kitchenware like cutting boards, and textile arts. The store features the work of local artisans. Hiking supplies too! 860-435-9388.

For Late-Night Camaraderie, Try the Owl Shop

The Owl Shop at 268 College Street in New Haven has a long pedigree. It was opened in 1934 on Wall Street as a bookstore by Greek immigrants. The proprietor was also mixing his own tobacco blends, for sale. A second store opened on College Street in 1937. Today, this history has created a convivial cigar lounge and coffee bar frequented by Yale and New Haven people for relaxation and camaraderie. You can buy light snacks and enjoy live jazz on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. Happy hour, needless to say, happens nightly. Open daily, past midnight. 203-624-3250.

Arrive, Then Drive! Or Jump!

Supercharged, at 1 Sachatello Industrial Drive in Montville is well-named. At this 110,000-square-foot indoor karting and trampoline park, electric-powered karts speed around an indoor multi-level track. Two tracks offer challenges for all ages and skill levels. All drivers be at least 58 inches tall, and be able to operate the vehicle safely. There is no minimum age requirement. At the 8,000-square-foot, multi-angled trampoline park, everyone can jump for fun or tension relief or just because it feels good. Dream up games of dodgeball, airbag play and basketball. Open daily. 860-444-7700

Visit the Giant World Through Its Animals

Plan to bring your young ones – or adults with a love of exotic animals – to Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo at 1875 Noble Avenue in Bridgeport. One of the state’s top family attractions, the zoo displays 300 animals: condors, tigers, ocelots, wolves, a giant anteater and a golden lion tamarin. The zoo is open daily and the carousel is open Thursday through Sunday. Feed your brood at the Peacock Café then go on for further explorations. Special areas include a tropical rainforest, an aviary, and a New England farmyard. This is a great activity for bad-weather days. Zoo is open daily, year-round. 203-394-6565

Asteroids Are Just the Opening Act at Leitner Observatory

Leitner Family Observatory and Planetarium at Yale University opened in 2009 to the delight of star lovers and planet chasers in New England. Located at 355 Prospect Street, the observatory and planetarium are open to the general public on Tuesday and Sunday nights. The shows will include a live presentation highlighting planets and constellations visible in the night sky, as projected onto the planetarium's 30-foot dome, followed by Passport to the Universe, a digitally projected tour through the solar system, galaxy and beyond. Shows last approximately 35-40 minutes and, weather permitting; telescopes will be set up for observing afterwards. 203-285-8840.

Beaver Brook Farm Makes Cool Cheeses, Warm Sweaters

Beaver Brook Farm at 139 Beaver Brook Road in Lyme, originally a dairy farm, produces wool, yarn, woolen clothes, cheeses and dairy products, sold at a farm store on the property and at farmers markets. People are invited to visit the farm store for its many cheeses, yogurt, gelato, and raw milk. People who knit will love the woolen yarns and people who love to keep warm will go for the farm’s blankets, sweaters, and warm hospitality. The farm owners welcome visitors and invite you to phone ahead with questions. 860-434-2843.

Tons of Books Along a Beautiful Shore

At three different but nearby locations in the lovely seaside town of Niantic, the Book Barn runs with the motto Because More is Better. This used book emporium, located at 41 West Main Street with two other locations, is stuffed with books (the main building, is, indeed, a barn). Fortunately, books are grouped by genres, so you don't need to shuffle through 350,000 volumes to find something for your taste. The Barn buys and sells books, and it is open daily. 860 739-5715

Find Food Adventure with New Haven Food & Drink Tours

Most of us know that New Haven is famous for its original and authentic pizza, but there is so much more for your palate to enjoy there. Taste of New Haven Food & Drink Tours hosts culinary walking culinary tours of this delightful, historic city. Experienced tour guides lead guests on tours with names and themes like Theater District, Canal Quarter, Goatville, Wooster Square, Pizza and Pints Bike, New Haven Symphony, Latin American Tapas, Pizza Lovers, Live To Eat, Theater District, Latin American Tapas, and On 9. Tours usually last 3 to 4 hours, although the Pizza Lovers Tour and the Pizza & Pints Bike Tour are 6 to 7 hours. Gift certificate available for a unique present. You also may book a private tour! Call and check the website for 203-710-3710.

A Bookstore With a Serious Love of Reading

R.J. Julia Booksellers at 768 Boston Post Road in Madison opened two decades ago as an independent bookstore whose mission was, and is, to be a place where words matter and where writers meet readers. The store hosts more than 200 events a year. Authors from all over the country visit the store to inspire, educate, and entertain. A knowledgeable staff, opinionated book selections with shelf-talker tags help book lovers find books that are just right for them. Open daily, Phone: 203-245-3959.

Ten thousand Villages in Connecticut with VisitNewEngland.com

Ten Thousand Villages Brings the World to You

Visit the Ten Thousand Villages store at 967C Farmington Avenue in West Hartford to browse and purchase folk art, ceramics, textiles, baskets, jewelry, wall hangings, pillows, rugs, mirrors, vases, incense, candleholders, and furniture handmade by artists in the developing world. Enjoy international music, the aroma of gourmet coffee, and rich chocolate. Your fair trade purchase helps improve the lives of thousands of artisans in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. 860-233-5470.

Absolute Bliss: A Day Along the Wine Trail

Connecticut’s mild climate makes the state a fruitful place for growing grapes, and the state’s wine-making industry has bloomed in the past three decades. A delightful way to sample Connecticut vintages is to take a drive along the Connecticut Wine Trail , a route that bypasses 15 vineyards (and some beautiful countryside). The trail consists of two sections, in the eastern and the western parts of the state. Blue highway signs mark the trail and the state produces a colorful brochure. Connecticut's wineries produce a wide variety of wines, ciders, and fruit wines. All the wineries have tasting rooms and all offer at least one tour daily. Many host festive special events. Call ahead for tour schedules. 860-267-1399.

Institute for American Indian Studies Washington CT

American Indian Museum Presents Authentic History

Located just off Route 199 in the town of Washington, the Institute for American Indian Studies museum and educational center focuses on the indigenous peoples of northwestern Connecticut. Changing exhibits highlight Native American culture from across America, while permanent exhibits focus on American Indian living traditions of the northeast. Outdoor exhibits include a replicated Algonkian Village and simulated archeological site. The Museum Gift Shop offers Native American jewelry, crafts, pottery, books and more. Open year-round. 860-868-0518.

Come Visit Connecticut’s Beautiful Barns

You don’t need to be a photographer or painter to appreciate the beauty of farm barns. These icons of farming life have caught the attention of Connecticut historians, who created a Connecticut Barn Trail. Use the trail and its maps to explore this beautiful countryside at your own pace. The trail has seven routes that highlight barns at farms and farm stands, orchards, wineries, and historic sites. 203-562-6312.

Craftsmanship in the Shadow of the Berkshires

During the past 21 years, Heron American Craft Gallery at 16 Main Street in Kent has become a destination for people who are searching out the dynamic, ever changing work of American crafts. This shop presents an explosion of color, wit, and whimsy in the form of unusual playthings, ceramics, jewelry, glass work, sculpture, rugs, and clothing. This shop in the foothills of the Berkshires honors the spirit of handmade goods. Open daily. 860-927-4804.

Heaven for Record Hounds

Records never totally went away, and for some music fans who claim the vinyl sound is pristine, record purchases are resurging. They are doing it with the help of stores that never lost the faith. Most are small, tucked-away oases for create-diggers who know their music. Connecticut is well-endowed, as follows: Willimantic Records at 744 Main Street in Willimantic; Integrity ‘N Music at 506 Silas Deane Hwy. in Wethersfield; The Telegraph at 19 Golden Street in New London; Merle’s Record Rack at 307 Rackbrook Road in Orange (opened in 1962!); Mystic Disc at 10 Steamboat Wharf in Mystic; Redscroll Records at 24 N. Colony Road in Wallingford; Gerosa Records at 246 Federal Road in Brookfield; Replay Records at 2586 Whitney Avenue in Hamden.

It’s a National Park – Under Water

What is a marine national monument? It is a national park – think Yellowstone or Acadia – under water. Mystic Aquarium opened in mid-2017 the new Our Blue Park exhibit that is a photographic journey of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument in the Atlantic, off the coast of New England. With three underwater canyons and four seamounts, the monument is a biodiversity hot spot. Most of us will never see this national park face-to-face, but the Aquarium offers the next-best option in glorious giant photos.

Cider Milled by the Sixth Generation

A visit to B. F. Clyde's Cider Mill at 1129 North Stonington Road in Mystic is like stepping back in time. This cider mill, built in 1881, is now being operated by the sixth generation of the Clyde family. It calls itself the only steam-powered cider mill in the United States. The season starts in September with hard ciders and apple wines, jams, jellies, local honey, maple syrup, and fudge. Also available in the fall are apples, apple pies, pumpkin bread, gourds, Indian corn, pumpkins, candy apples, kettle corn and apple cider donuts. Cider-making demonstrations are held weekends, 11 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m. Open daily, September through late December. Phone: 860-536-3354.

Knowledge. Experience. Teamwork. Street Smarts

Here’s an intriguing indoor activity for you and your smartest friends. Adventure Rooms at 282 Main Street Extension on Middletown offers a simple challenge: escape from a closed room in less than 60 minutes. You and your teammates will find yourselves in an unfamiliar environment, where you have to rely on common sense and each other to escape the room. You work together to gather objects, find clues, decipher codes, open locks and solve puzzles to find the key that will lead you to freedom. Are you part of the 30 percent who escape? Advance registration is required. Typical group is two to eight people and typical cost is $27 to $30. 860-358-9130.

Wadsworth Presents a Mixture of Art and Entertainment

The marvelous Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Hartford is a grand place to visit, particularly after the mid-decade overhall of the galleries. Permanent and changing exhibits are always worth a fresh visit. This museum leads the way in providing events and entertainments to showcase and enhance exhibits. These may include films, talks, live music, even Sunday brunches. There’s always something to enjoy. 860-278-2670.

Hop-Scotch Your Way Among CT’s Farmers Markets

Summer and fall in particular are the times for harvesting, cooking, and eating fresh produce grown right where you live. Connecticut has devised a Farmers Market Trail – including a very helpful trail map – that guides you to farmers markets, with all the details about days, times, locations, and products. These are places with live music, entertainments for kids, hand-made goods and gifts. The Trail map tells you where to find farm-to-table eateries, walking trails, art galleries, and historic sites. The map shows ATMs near markets.

Bees, Hawks, and Other Wild Sights

The Audubon Center at 613 Riversvile Road in Greenwich, CT, offers indoor and outdoor attractions and fun by people who are experts on nature and wildlife. The 295-acre sanctuary has miles of trails near a hardwood forest, fields, a lake, streams and ponds, stone walls, and homestead buildings. If the weather invites you indoors, the Kimberlin Nature Education Center building has Kiernan Hall Nature Art Gallery with its wildlife viewing window and honey bee hive exhibit, and a Nature Gift Store. 203-869-5272

Beautiful Oasis in the City

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.

Northwest Park & Nature Center in windsor CT

Year-Round Fun in Nature and a Coffeehouse, Too

Located on Lang Road in Windsor, Northwest Park & Nature Center is a 473-acre recreational facility that has the virtue of staying open and lively throughout the year. There is a nature center, 12 miles of trails to enjoy during the winter and summer, maple sugaring, a Coffee House Concert Series that brings live music to listeners, and more. Annual events include Country Fair, pancake breakfasts, maple sugaring demonstrations, owl prowls, holiday wreath-making workshop and other forms of fun for all ages. Nice outdoor activities for parents and kids. Phone: 860-285-1886

See the Insides and Hear the History of U.S. Submarines

Located in the home region of Electric Boat, builder of nuclear submarines, the Submarine Force Museum at 1 Crystal Lake Road in Groton, operated by the U.S. Navy, displays a giant collection of submarine artifacts, documents and photographs, depicting the entire history of the U.S. submarine force history. The "silent service" – you may be stunned to learn – begins with the “Turtle,” used in the Revolutionary War, continuing through to the Ohio- and Virginia-class submarines. The museum presents various fun scavenger hunts and self-guided tours. Truly fascinating! Open year-round, except for a week of maintenance in spring and fall (call ahead). 860-694-3174.

Griswold’s Maritime Art Shows Its History on Every Wall

The history of the Griswold Inn in the riverside town of Essex starts in the auspicious year of 1776, when a local ship builder began work on the Oliver Cromwell, Connecticut’s first warship in the Revolution. Essex became a hub of lodging and hospitality for shipyard workers, continuing through an era of steamboat traffic on the Connecticut River, followed by pleasure boating today. You can see this history on the Inn’s walls: prints by Currier & Ives and Endicott & Co.; ship’s portraits; and illustrations by Norman Rockwell. There is a collection of firearms from the War of 1812 and the Revolutionary War. And – yes – the food, drink, and hospitality are still going strong.

Stamford Museum and Nature Center Stamford CT

Family Fun on the Farm (Planetarium Included)

The folks who run Stamford Museum and Nature Center at 39 Scofieldtown Road Stamford have a genius gene for making farm life, the outdoors, nature and the sky a fascinating adventure for young children and families. The science and nature attraction is on a 118-acre site and it encompasses a working farm, hiking trails, picnic area, a playground, art galleries, and a planetarium with observatory and regularly scheduled events describing the heavens above. Many special seasonal events and things to do for families include maple harvest, Easter egg hunts, and fall activities. Property includes the Bendel Mansion & Galleries. Open all year, with hours change seasonally. Phone: 203-322-1646.

Comstock Covered Bridge in Salmon river State Forest ct

Covered Bridge Is the Hidden Jewel in This Serene Forest

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. 295-9523

Boothe Memorial Park and Museum Stratford ct

Boothe Memorial Park Is Entertaining All Year

Boothe Memorial Park & Museum on Main Street in Stratford sits on an idyllic, 32-acre site in the north end of Stratford by the Housatonic River, which was the estate of the Boothe family for many generations. There are many architecturally unique buildings and attractions on the grounds as well as a new, handicapped-accessible playground with two climbing walls. The annual Great Pumpkin Festival is a huge attraction in the fall, while outdoor concerts and Shakespearean plays beckon visitors in the spring and summer. Tours of the historic buildings are seasonal (May - October). The park is open and free of charge year round. 203-381-2046.

Treasures From the Past

With about 200 antiques dealers under one roof, the Stratford Antique Center on Honeyspot Road is a place where antiques buffs can become blissfully lost. The center is located off I-95 in Stratford and is locally known as the “big blue building.” It houses 16,500 square feet of antiques and collectibles. Browsers will enjoy the numerous dealer floor spaces and display cases, making this a great shopping attraction for anyone looking for things to do on an afternoon or weekend. 203-378-7754.

the shops at yale in new haven CT with VisitNewEngland.com

The Shops at Yale Are Just the Start of Your Exploration

With more than 50 unique boutiques and shops in Chapel Street Historic District and Broadway, Shops at Yale at 255 Crown Street in New Haven has the perfect mix of browsing, shopping, dining and people-watching to fill a weekend. The Shops at Yale are rich with boutiques alongside national retailers like Apple, J. Crew, and Urban Outfitters; bluestone sidewalks and beautifully restored architecture; award-winning restaurants and theaters; and world-renowned museums. Near at hand are public spaces that host lots of fun cultural events (one example among many is the sidewalk chalk art festival in August). Mix your pleasures with a visit to ancient beauty at the Yale Center for British Art, the Peabody Museum, Yale School of Architecture Gallery, and the historic Shubert Theater.

Garden Pottery With Antiquated Inspiration

The potter Guy Wolff is highly respected by people who love fine craftsmanship. Wolff says he is inspired by at 18th and 19th century English flowerpots and centuries old Asian vases. His pottery for use in the garden is sold and collected widely. He works and operates a showroom at a renovated 1740 house at 1249 Bantam Road, 1.1 miles west of Bantam on Route 202. 860-567-5577.

Historic Aircraft on Display at Air Museum

The New England Air Museum at 36 Perimeter Road at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks is New England’s largest aviation museum and one of Connecticut’s most interesting attractions. It houses more than 80 aircraft and an extensive collection of engines, instruments, aircraft parts, uniforms and personal memorabilia. Within this collection are the Sikorsky VS-44A; a B-29 Bomber; the Silas Brooks Balloon Basket (1870); the Bunce-Curtiss Pusher (1912); the Sikorsky S-39; and a Kaman K-225 helicopter. The museum hosts lots of special events, many of them welcoming to children. Open year-round. 860-623-3305.

Knotted Imagery from the Sea

For a sea-themed memento or a gift to take home from your Mystic vacation, a fun choice is the nautical decorations at Mystic Knotwork , with two locations in town, at 25 Cottrell Street and 2 Holmes Street. The origins of the store go back two generations, when the current owner’s grandfather opened Beaudoin's Rope Locker. Browse and buy gifts made of cotton rope: sailor bracelets, nautical hair ties and jewelry, décor accents and Christmas decorations, nautical notions for weddings. You’re not vacationing in Kansas anymore. 860-889-3793.

Connecticut's Chocolate Trails

Every scenic drive in Connecticut is just a little bit better when you travel with some tasty bites of fine chocolate.? Chocolate is an internationally adored food, and Connecticut's chocolatiers will show you why -- if you're not a chocaholic already! Connecticut's Chocolate Trails include lots of delectable treasures all over the state. From handmade holiday chocolates, to freshly-made exotic deliciousness, this list of chocolatiers is a must-taste New England tradition. Just follow the map!

For Motivation, Try the Sundae Drive

Connecticut’s Sundae Drive trail with an accompanying brochure and map sends you off on a tasteful adventure along some of the prettiest roads and vistas of the Mystic region of this lovely state.
The drive’s “Tasty Ten” hot spots of creamy flavor includes dairies and ice cream shops in Storrs, Pomfret, Mystic, Plainfield, Old Lyme, New London, Griswold, Salem, and Sterling. A winner for both adults and kids! Brochure and map.

Fairfield Southwest

Hartford Central

Litchfield Northwest

Mystic Eastern

New Haven South Central