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Connecticut attractions include sea history, roller coasters, dinosaurs, and more

Connecticut > State > Things to Do and See > Attractions

Connecticut attractions offer an wide variety of great things to do during your CT vacation. Learn about Connecticut’s ship building history at the Mystic Seaport in Mystic, discover the fossilized tracks of dinosaurs at Dinosaur State Park in Rocky Hill, experience the thrill of the Wooden Warrior award-winning roller coaster at Quassy Amusement Park in Middlebury, and enjoy the only steam train to riverboat Connecticut in the entire country at the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat in Essex. The number and variety of family activities is legendary!

Attractions in Connecticut
Excursion Train 500x250 - Essex Steam Train & Riverboat - Essex, CT
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. Please check our website regularly for 2020 schedules and updates.
Big Fish 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

Go fishing or go in search of seals, or eagles, aboard this fast, comfortable excursion boat

Looking to reel in a striper, fish for fluke or go after a bluefish with diamond jigs? Or maybe you want to get up close to seals or check out eagles from a vantage point on the water. Or, you just want to relax on board a great boat while watching the sun set. Any and all of these activities are possible when you book with Blackhawk Sportfishing out of Niantic, Conn. On this fast, impeccably maintained boat, an experienced captain and crew will make sure your fishing trip or nature cruise is unforgettable. The boat’s galley serves hot dogs, hamburgers, snacks and sodas, and coolers are welcome. Kids of all ages are also welcome and might even get a chance to honk the horn!
Turner Bay 4th Floor - Yale Center for British Art - New Haven, CT - Photo Credit Richard Caspole
Yale Center for British Art

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

Masterworks by artists who lives & worked in Britain on display at YCBA

The museum houses the largest collection of British art outside of the United Kingdom - Among them are paintings by Joshua Reynolds, Thomas Gainsborough, John Constable and J. M. W. Turner. The YCBA is also home to sculptures, drawings and watercolors, prints, rare books and manuscripts from the Elizabethan era onward. A vast array of activities for children and adults are available free of charge, including concerts and gallery talks, introductory tours, and sketching sessions for all levels. Find refreshments at the neighboring Atticus Bookstore and Cafe or, in season, on the patio at Harvest Wine Bar and Restaurant.
Penguin Habitat 500x250 - Mystic Aquarium - Mystic, CT
Mystic Aquarium

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

A whale of a great time awaits you at this engaging, educational aquarium

You’ll have a whale of a time at Mystic Aquarium. Visitors can observe seals and sea lions in indoor and outdoor habitats and touch white-spotted bamboo sharks and yellow stingrays. Don’t forget to stop by the Arctic Coast to see Beluga whales as they glide by in the largest outdoor beluga whale habitat in the U.S! Check out animal encounter programs that allow you to see an African penguin up close – or paint with a seal! Walk through the main gallery to learn about the importance of conservation or see dinosaurs come to life at Jurassic Giants, including two 4D theaters and frog and reptile habitats. Pizza, snacks, salads, and wine are available at the Saltwater Cafe in the outdoor plaza.
Old Sturbridge Village - More than a Museum!
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Cruising off Mouse - Argia Mystic Cruises - Mystic, CT
Argia Mystic Cruises

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

Sail Away!

Discover islands, lighthouses and the beauty of sailing as you bask in the sun and salt air aboard the traditional schooner, Argia. This unique trip aboard one of the last sailing ships in New England offers you an ideal way to see the quaint maritime village of Mystic CT and its beautiful shoreline. Step aboard for a journey into the past. Depart from Mystic's historic Bascule Bridge, a national historic landmark, and sail down the Mystic River. Morgan Point Lighthouse and the quaint fishing village of Noank greet you at the river’s mouth, followed by islands and peaceful sailing. Pack a picnic and a bottle of wine (or order snacks from us when you book) to make this excursion truly memorable.

May 1st through mid-October, choose a day or sunset sail aboard ARGIA!
Aug 2020 Image - IT Rope Adventures at Jordan's Furniture - New Haven, CT
IT Adventure Ropes Course

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

Get your heart rate going on the world’s largest indoor ropes course

There’s a thrill-a-minute adventure waiting for you inside Jordan’s Furniture: the it Adventure Ropes Course, the largest indoor ropes course on the planet. Securely connected at all times in your full-body harness and sling line, you’ll climb, scramble over and through over 100 obstacles and challenges, including bridges, zig-zag swinging beams, cargo nets and crisscross angle rope ladders. You’ll also do some soaring, over a liquid fireworks water show from one end of the course to the other, with zip rails that sit at heights up to 56 feet. For kids under 48 inches tall, there’s a specially designed Little It course, with platforms less than three feet from the ground and adult chaperones close by to help out if needed.
Atractions Outdoor Adventure - The Dinosaur Place at Nature's Art Village - Oakdale CT
The Dinosaur Place at Nature's Art Village

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

Splash Pad, dino maze, obstacle tower and playground all part of this adventure village

A day full of fun and adventure awaits everyone at The Dinosaur Place at Nature’s Art Village, a 60-acre activity-filled park that features over 50 life-sized dinosaurs on 1.5 miles of nature trails. There’s also a dino-themed maze, where your only escape is sliding through the mouth of a T-rex, a Splash Pad with over 30 dino-themed features including water cannons and dumping buckets, a playground with the newest play technology including a three-dimensional climbing web that swings and vibrates, and Copper Creek Mini Golf. At T-rex Tower, you can slide down a super-slick slide and swing on a zip line. Shopping experiences include an antiques marketplace, fossil shop, mineral shop and toy shop.
Goat Kids - Beardsley Zoo - Bridgeport, CT
Beardsley Zoo

1875 Noble Avenue Bridgeport, CT, 06610 Phone: 203-394-6565

It’s all about animal magnetism at this friendly, expansive zoo

Who doesn’t want to spend a day at the zoo? And at the Beardsley Zoo, there is so much to see and do. Check out everything from boa constrictors to bison, from the two-toed sloth to the Siberian tiger, at this zoo, where endangered and threatened species are front and center but where variety rules. There’s the Madagascar hissing cockroach, for example, if you think small. Want something a bit bigger? Check out the Siberian tiger or the giant anteater. You can rent a stroller, grab lunch at the Peacock Cafe and go for a spin on the zoo’s colorful carousel. Check out a full slate of events and activities designed for kids of all ages.
The Essex Steam Train & Riverboat -Train & Boat Excursions through the Connecticut River Valley - with all the bells & whistles!
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Mashantucket Museum and research Center
Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center

110 Pequot Trail Mashantucket, CT, 06338 Phone: 800-411-9671

Permanent exhibits on the Native and natural history of southern New England include a cool descent into a glacial crevasse from 18,000 years ago. Walk through a 1550 Pequot Village. Interactive computer programs, films providing additional information and interpretation of the exhibits. Two research libraries, one for children. Museum store and restaurant. Hours: Wednesday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; last admission at 4 p.m. Admission: Adults, $15; seniors, $13; children age 6-15, $10; under 6 free. Information: www.pequotmuseum.org.
Visit New Haven

28 Orange Street North Haven, CT, 06473 Phone: 203-777-8550

A restaurant renaissance has made Greater New Haven a most exciting culinary destination. And then there's Yale University: with its medieval courtyards and stunning buildings -- from Gothic revival to acclaimed modernism. Can you name another area this size with world-class museums, theater and music? There are town greens to rival any in New England and preserved historic homes in even the smallest village. And alongside every town green are tiny boutiques and eclectic shops as well as superb bookstores. Now add the outdoors for long: sandy shores, nature preserves, centuries-old orchards, rocky hikes.
Central CT Regional Tourism District

One Constitution Plaza Hartford, CT, 06103 Phone: 860-787-9640

Since 1974, the Central CT Regional Tourism District has marketed and promoted the Hartford region as a convention and meeting destination. We provide complimentary services to all convention and meeting planners. We can assist you in finding a meeting facility, provide promotional literature and much more. For more information, please call us at (860)787-9640.
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