Welcome to the bigroads.com travel guide to Connecticut! Hopefully this page and its information helps provide some inspiration and tips to help you plan your next trip to Connecticut.
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Connecticut is the most underrated state in New England.
The scenery isn't always dramatic, but there are pockets of beauty to found across the state. If you know where to look you can find dramatic waterfalls, great beaches, excellent museums, and many of the very best rail trails in New England. The state is also obsessed with "cheap eats", which includes some of the best mom-and-pop pizza, hot dog, and hamburger restaurants you'll find anywhere in the country.
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TOP 10 ATTRACTIONS IN CONNECTICUT
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Are you short on time or struggling to choose something to do or see in Connecticut? Here are my selections for the top 10 attractions or experiences in Connecticut, in no particular order:
✮ Stay at (or near) Mohegan Sun, one of the best resort casinos in the U.S. outside of Las Vegas; concerts/shows are great there too
✮ Visit Gillette Castle State Park and explore a stone castle that looks like a medieval fortress
✮ Cycle one of Connecticut's excellent rail trails (e.g. Farmington Canal Heritage Trail, Farmington River Trail, Airline State Park Trail, etc.)
✮ Visit the excellent Mystic Seaport Museum in Mystic
✮ See retired PEZ candy dispensers at the PEZ Visitor Center in Orange
✮ Go for a picnic and see a set of great waterfalls at Kent Falls State Park
✮ Head to Lake Compounce & Crocodile Cove, the oldest continuously operating amusement park in the United States
✮ Eat some of the best pizza you've ever had in New Haven
✮ Hit the beach at Hammonasset Beach State Park
✮ Visit the various museums of Yale University in New Haven
If I could select only one place to visit in Connecticut, I would choose Mystic. I would explore the following: Mystic Seaport Museum, Mystic Aquarium, Downtown Mystic, and Olde Mistick Village. You could also make a day trip north to either Foxwoods Resort Casino and/or Mohegan Sun Casino from there.
For a list of 10 great attractions in each U.S. state, click here.
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5-STAR ATTRACTIONS IN CONNECTICUT
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Connecticut isn't particularly well known for tourism, but the state does offer plenty of 5-star attractions. I actually think the state is underrated by most travelers, especially from a food perspective. For example, Connecticut has some of the best pizza and burgers in the entire country.
I believe each of these 5-star attractions should be on your Connecticut state bucket list since they are all noteworthy from a national perspective:
Northwestern Connecticut
✮ Campbell Falls State Park, Norfolk - beautiful waterfall on the border of CT & MA; very impressive in April/May when it usually flows strong
✮ Kent Falls State Park, Kent - one of the best waterfalls in CT; a great picnicking spot; visible from the western side of US-7
✮ Lime Rock Park, Lakeville - one of the best motorsport road racing venues in New England
✮ Whitewater rafting the Housatonic River - the best whitewater rafting in CT; Clark Outdoors is one guiding company that I can recommend
✮ Winvian - 18 luxury resort cottages, several of which are "themed"; one of the most exclusive getaway properties in New England
Southwestern Connecticut (including Bridgeport and Stamford)
✮ Adventure Park at the Discovery Museum, Bridgeport - one of the best aerial adventure parks in New England
✮ Cove Island, Stamford - the finest public park in Stamford; includes a nice beach; the beach parking cost is very expensive (esp. on weekends)
✮ Elephant's Trunk Flea Market, New Milford - the best weekly flea market I have found in New Englands thus far (open Sundays in season)
✮ Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich - upscale shopping district with several restaurants; the "Rodeo Drive of the East"
✮ Maritime Aquarium, Norwalk - one of two excellent aquariums in Connecticut
✮ Penuonnock River Trail - one of Connecticut's best rail trails; 13.6 miles one-way
✮ PEZ Visitor Center, Orange - museum of all things PEZ candy; it's awesome to see all the retired PEZ styles; many great photo-ops!
✮ Weir Farm National Historical Park, Wilton - peaceful art-focused property with hiking trails; celebrates a famous American painter
Central Connecticut (including Bristol, Hartford, Manchester, and New Haven)
✮ Adventure Park at Storrs, Storrs - one of the best aerial adventure parks in New England
✮ Air Line State Park Trail - one of the best rail trails in New England; 23 miles one-way
✮ American Clock and Watch Museum, Bristol - perhaps the finest museum of its kind
✮ Dinosaur State Park & Museum, Rocky Hill - one of the largest dinosaur track sites in the U.S
✮ Enders Falls, Granby - one of the best waterfalls in Connecticut; several waterfalls on site
✮ Essex Steam Train and Riverboat, Essex - take a combined train ride & riverboat ride through pretty countryside and small towns
✮ Farmington Canal Heritage Trail - one of the best rail trails in New England; 48 miles one-way and completely paved
✮ Farmington River Trail - one of the best rail trails in Connecticut; arcs off of the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail in Farmington & Simsbury
✮ Gillette Castle State Park, East Haddam - tour an eccentric medieval-style castle; beautiful views of the Connecticut River Valley
✮ Goodspeed Opera House, East Haddam - award-winning musical theatre; an "architectural gem"
✮ Hammonasset Beach State Park, Madison - perhaps the best beach in Connecticut
✮ Hill-Stead Museum, Farmington - Colonial Revival home and art museum; annual poetry festival
✮ Hop River State Park Trail - one of the best rail trails in Connecticut
✮ Lake Compounce & Crocodile Cove, Bristol - the oldest continuously operating amusement park in North America; largest water park in CT
✮ Mark Twain House & Museum, Hartford - site where many of Mark Twain's books were penned
✮ Mountain biking the Rockland Preserve, Madison - some of the best mountain biking in CT
✮ New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain - great medium-sized art museum
✮ New England Air Museum, Windsor Locks - three hangers full of historic aircraft
✮ New England Carousel Museum, Bristol - one of the best carousel museums in the U.S.
✮ PEZ Visitor Center, Orange - museum of all things PEZ candy; it's awesome to see all the retired PEZ styles; many great photo-ops!
✮ Pizza restaurants in New Haven - there's a pizza war happening here, and we all win (e.g. Sally's Apizza, Frank Pepe, etc.)
✮ Sleeping Giant State Park, Hamden - good hiking trails to an abandoned stone building and scenic views
✮ Southington Drive-In, Southington - classic drive-in movie theatre
✮ Studio 80 + Sculpture Grounds, Old Lyme - one of the best outdoor sculpture parks in New England
✮ XFinity Theatre, Hartford - one of the best outdoor music venues in the U.S. (my favorite in New England)
✮ Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford - the nation's oldest public art museum
✮ Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, New Haven - tons of fossils/skeletons and Native American artifacts
✮ Yale University, New Haven - beautiful gothic Ivy-league university campus
✮ Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven - great medium-sized art museum
Eastern Connecticut (including Mystic, New London, and Norwich)
✮ B. F. Clyde's Cider Mill, Mystic - Fall-only attraction that sells sweet cider, hard cider, wine, cider donuts, and many local goods
✮ Downtown Mystic - attractive downtown area with plenty of places to shop and eat
✮ Foxwoods Resort Casino, Mashantucket - one of the best casinos in New England (for some, it's their favorite)
✮ Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center, Mashantucket - the best Native American museum in New England
✮ Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville - one of the best indoor music venues in New England (it's my favorite); sits in the middle of a large casino
✮ Mohegan Sun Casino, Uncasville - my favorite casino in New England (some would say their favorite is Foxwoods in CT or Encore in MA)
✮ Mystic Aquarium, Mystic - one of two excellent aquariums in Connecticut
✮ Mystic Seaport Museum, Mystic - excellent maritime museum; costumed interpreters
✮ Submarine Force Museum, Groton - lots of submarine history, including seeing the world's first nuclear powered vessel
✮ SuperCharged Indoor Karting, Oakdale - impressive indoor go-karting venue
✮ Tree Trails Adventures Mystic, Mystic - excellent aerial adventure park
Are you aware of any other 5-star attractions in Connecticut? If so, please email me at gparsons66@hotmail.com.
For a list of 5-star attractions in neighboring states, click on any of these links:
MA |
NY |
RI
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BEST TOWNS & CITIES TO VISIT IN CONNECTICUT
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These towns and cities in Connecticut are generally regarded as the most interesting to travelers:
✮ Essex - a small town known for its historic buildings, harbor views, and tourist area with boutique shops
✮ Mystic - a small town known for its lively downtown and major tourist attractions (e.g. Mystic Aquarium and Mystic Seaport Museum)
✮ Simsbury - a small town known with an attractive downtown area; access to the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail rail trail and Talcott Mountain State Park
✮ Woodbury - a small town known as the "antique capital of Connecticut"; the town has many historic buildings
Click here if you'd like to see a complete list of towns and cities that I find interesting across the entire USA.
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WHAT IS CONNECTICUT FAMOUS FOR?
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Here are some things that Connecticut is famous or well known for:
✮ casinos
✮ hamburgers - some say hamburgers were invented in CT, but that's heavily contested
✮ insurance companies
✮ lighthouses
✮ nutmeg
✮ pizza
✮ rail trails
✮ rolling hills
Click here if you'd like to learn what other U.S. states are famous for.
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NATIONAL PARKS IN CONNECTICUT
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There are currently no national parks, national monuments, or national forests in Connecticut. There are a few other federally-managed parks and properties in Connecticut though, including:
National Wildlife Refuges
✮ Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge
National Historical Parks / Other National Parks
✮ Appalachian National Scenic Trail
✮ Coltsville National Historical Park
✮ New England National Scenic Trail
✮ Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail
✮ Weir Farm National Historical Park
For more information on Connecticut's national parks, visit the Connecticut page of the National Park Service. For an overview of all U.S. national parks, click here.
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STATE PARKS IN CONNECTICUT
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Connecticut has an enormous amount of state parks - more than 130! Many would agree that these represent Connecticut's finest state parks:
Flagship / Premier State Parks:
✮ Gillette Castle State Park, East Haddam - tour an eccentric medieval-style castle
✮ Hammonasset Beach State Park, Madison - visit one of the best beaches in Connecticut
✮ Kent Falls State Park, Kent - see one of the top waterfalls in CT; the park offers great picnicking; falls are visible from the west side of US-7
Other Notable State Parks:
✮ Air Line State Park Trail - excellent unpaved rail trail; there are two sections (southern section = 22 miles; northern section = 21 miles)
✮ Campbell Falls State Park - beautiful waterfall on the border of CT and MA; very impressive in April/May when it is usually flowing strong
✮ Devil's Hopyard State Park, East Haddam - scenic waterfall (one of CT's best) and miles of hiking trails; good camping
✮ Dinosaur State Park & Museum, Rocky Hill - one of the largest dinosaur track sites in the U.S.
✮ Rocky Neck State Park, East Lyme - good beaches, tidal river, salt marsh
✮ Sleeping Giant State Park, Hamden - good hiking trails up to an abandoned stone building and scenic views
To see my list of the top 100 state parks in the country, click here.
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BEST WATERFALLS IN CONNECTICUT
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Connecticut has a surprising number of natural waterfalls. Here is a list of the finest waterfalls in Connecticut:
Northwestern Connecticut
✮ Campbell Falls State Park, Norfolk - beautiful waterfall on the border of CT & MA; very impressive in April/May when it usually flows strong
✮ Dean's Ravine Falls, Canaan
✮ Kent Falls, Kent Falls State Park, Kent
Central Connecticut
✮ Buttermilk Falls, Plymouth
✮ Chapman Falls, Devil's Hopyard State Park, East Haddam
✮ Enders Falls, Enders State Forest, Granby
✮ Wadsworth Big Falls, Middlefield
For a listing of all known waterfalls in Connecticut, visit the World Waterfall Database or the Connecticut page of the New England Waterfalls website.
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BEST SCENIC DRIVES IN CONNECTICUT
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Here is a list of the best scenic drives in Connecticut:
✮ Litchfield Hills Scenic Drive - a 46-mile paved route from Litchfield to North Canaan via Warren, Kent, and Cornwall; mostly along US-7
For a list of great scenic drives in each U.S. state, click here.
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BEST RAIL TRAILS IN CONNECTICUT
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Here is a list of some of the best rail trails (or similar cycling paths) in Connecticut:
✮ Air Line State Park Trail
✮ Farmington Canal Heritage Trail
✮ Farmington River Trail
✮ Hop River State Park Trail
✮ Pequonnock River Trail
For detailed information on all known rail trails in Connecticut, visit the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy website.
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BEST AMUSEMENT PARKS IN CONNECTICUT
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Connecticut has only two notable amusement parks:
✮ Lake Compounce & Crocodile Cove, Bristol
✮ Quassy Amusement and Waterpark, Middlebury
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BEST MUSEUMS IN CONNECTICUT
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Connecticut has many excellent museums. Here is a list of many of the best museums in Connecticut:
Southwestern Connecticut (including Bridgeport and Stamford)
✮ Danbury Railway Museum, Danbury
✮ PEZ Visitor Center, Orange
Central Connecticut (including Bristol, Hartford, Manchester, and New Haven)
✮ American Clock & Watch Museum, Bristol
✮ Connecticut Science Center, Hartford
✮ Dinosaur State Park & Museum, Rocky Hill
✮ Gillette Castle State Park, East Haddam
✮ Hill-Stead Museum, Farmington
✮ Mark Twain House & Museum, Hartford
✮ New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain
✮ New England Air Museum, Windsor Locks
✮ New England Carousel Museum, Bristol
✮ PEZ Visitor Center, Orange
✮ Studio 80 + Sculpture Grounds, Old Lyme
✮ Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford
✮ Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, New Haven
✮ Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven
Eastern Connecticut (including Mystic, New London, and Norwich)
✮ Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center, Mashantucket
✮ Mystic Seaport Museum, Mystic
✮ Stepping Stones Museum for Children, Norwalk
✮ Submarine Force Library & Museum, Groton
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BEST DAY HIKES IN CONNECTICUT
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Connecticut has over 2,000 miles of hiking trails. While most trails meander up and down through tree-covered woods, there are some scenic views scattered across the state.
Here are some of the best day hikes in Connecticut:
✮ Bear Mountain Trail, Mount Riga State Park
✮ Kent Falls, Kent Falls State Park - hike a short but steep path that brings you to additional waterfalls you can't see from the picnic area
✮ Mount Frissell, Mount Washington State Forest - the southwest shoulder of this mountain is the highest point in Connecticut
✮ Ragged Mountain Memorial Preserve trails
✮ Sleeping Giant State Park trails
✮ Talcot Mountain State Park trails
The highpoint of Connecticut is the southwest shoulder of Mount Frissell (2,380'). A moderately challenging day hike is required to reach the high point and also the summit (which is actually just across the border in Massachusetts).
The Connecticut "Blue-Blazed Hiking Trails" system features over 800 miles of trails. I've probably hiked 50 miles of it, and it's been a pleasant, crowd-free experience every time.
While there are some views, this trail system is more about nice walks in the woods.
To find more hikes in Connecticut or to learn more about the hikes I've listed above, I recommend purchasing hiking guidebooks on Amazon (or from your local retailer). Another option is using alltrails.com, but you have to be very careful when using that website as its information is often wrong or incomplete. Published hiking guidebooks will likely always be significantly better than the information you find online.
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BEST BACKPACKING TRIPS IN CONNECTICUT
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Connecticut offers several good backpacking opportunities. Some of premier backpacking routes in Connecticut include:
✮ Appalachian Trail
✮ Mohawk Trail
✮ Natchaug State Forest trails
✮ Nipmuck Trail
✮ Pachaug State Forest trails
✮ Tunxis State Forest trails
The CT DEEP website has great information on backpacking opportunities in the state parks of Connecticut. There is also good information on the backpacking Connecticut's page of the New England Waterfalls website.
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CLASSIC OUTDOOR ADVENTURES IN CONNECTICUT
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Connecticut offers a few excellent adventures, including these classics:
✮ Backpacking the Appalachian Trail
✮ Backpacking the Nipmuck Trail
✮ Cycling the Air Line State Park Trail
✮ Cycling the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail
✮ Cycling the Farmington River Trail
✮ Cycling the Hop River State Park Trail
✮ Cycling the Pequonnock River Trail
✮ Day hiking some of the 800+ mile Connecticut "Blue-Blazed Hiking Trails" system
✮ Day hiking Bear Mountain
✮ Day hiking Mount Frissell
✮ Hot air ballooning in Woodstock
✮ Mountain biking the Case Mountain Recreational Area
✮ Mountain biking the Powder Ridge Mountain Park & Resort
✮ Mountain biking the Rockland Preserve Singletrack
✮ Paddle-boarding in Mystic
✮ Rock climbing Chatfield Hollow
✮ Rock climbing Ragged Mountain
✮ Sailing in Mystic
✮ Skydiving in Killingly
✮ Tubing the Farmington River
✮ Whitewater kayaking directly below the Great Falls of the Hoosatonic River
✮ Whitewater rafting the Housatonic River
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UNIQUE / SPECIALTY FOODS TO TRY IN CONNECTICUT
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Here are some unique / specialty foods to try while you are in Connecticut:
✮ hot dogs / deep fried dogs
✮ ice cream parlors
✮ new england clam chowder
✮ steamed cheeseburgers
✮ white clam pizza
For a list of unique foods and mom-and-pop type eateries and restaurants in Connecticut (or any other U.S. state), visit the Roadfood.com website.
For a list of unique foods to try in each of the 50 U.S. states, click here.
For a list of the top-rated beers to try in Connecticut (or any other U.S. state), visit the Beer Advocate website.
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OTHER KEY CONNECTICUT INFORMATION
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Here is some helpful key information about Connecticut:
State Capital:
Hartford
Major Airports:
Bradley International Airport (BDL) near Hartford; take note that you could also fly into NYC or Boston and then drive into Connecticut
Largest Cities:
Bridgeport (149,538), Stamford (138,036), New Haven (134,871), Hartford (120,310), Waterbury (115,211), Norwalk (92,300)
Primary U.S. Interstates:
I-84, I-91, I-95
State Highpoint:
Southwest shoulder of Mount Frissell (2,380'); a moderately challenging day hike is required; take note that the nearby summit of Mt. Frissell is actually over the border in Massachusetts
Professional Sports Teams:
WNBA: Connecticut Sun
Funny or Unique Town/City Names:
Happyland and Mianus
Take note that in general this travel guide intentionally excluded restaurants, lodging/hotels, breweries, wineries/vineyards, and certain other types of attractions (like arcades, ax-throwing, bowling alleys, and escape rooms). These types of places tend to come and go, and keeping up with that would be too challenging. I encourage you to use Google Maps, Tripadvisor, Yelp, and other travel sites that have reader reviews to find the latest and greatest places that I haven't covered here.
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Farmington Canal Heritage Trail, Connecticut
Sleeping Giant State Park tower, Connecticut
Enders Falls, Connecticut
views from a trail in Sleeping Giant State Park, Connecticut
Conny the Whale roadside attraction in West Hartford, Connecticut
Farmington Canal Heritage Trail, Connecticut
Old Drake Hill Flower Bridge in Simsbury, Connecticut
Kent Falls in Kent, Connecticut
In addition to the information found on my website, I personally recommend purchasing these road trip/travel-related guidebooks. Click on any book cover to read reviews and/or purchase these books on Amazon.com.
 
 
 
 
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MORE U.S. STATE TRAVEL GUIDES
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Did you enjoy this state travel guide? If so, here are links to more of my comprehensive U.S. state travel guides:
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As an Amazon Associates affiliate, this website contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase any products after clicking any Amazon.com link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. I only endorse products that I have personally used or those that come highly recommended by trusted peers.
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