Connecticut is a great vacation destination for families. With loads of historical and cultural attractions, quaint towns, and plenty of outdoors activities, it’s a great state to vacation in. Come see what the five tourism regions, Eastern, Central, South central, Northwestern, and Southwestern, have to offer you!
Vacation Guide - RentalsExpress.com © 2008 Eastern Connecticut
The Eastern region of Connecticut has miles of shoreline with great little fishing towns to visit. The town of Mystic is one such place. Known for its years of seafaring lore, you can walk down its streets soaking in the ambiance or visit the Mystic Seaport. It is the nation’s leading maritime museum; a quintessential New England experience offering visitors a taste of our country’s seafaring past. In Mashantucket you will find Foxwoods, the world’s largest gaming facility. Offering its visitors three hotels, an entertainment showroom featuring entertainers and boxing matches, and over 6,500 slots, it’s a great resort for adults and families. If you are an antiques aficionado, take a trip to Putnam, home to the Putnam Antiques Market. More than 300 dealers showcase their merchandise on Main Street…there won’t be anything you can’t find! The town of Woodstock is home to a great historical site, the Roseland Cottage-Bowen House. It is a beautiful Gothic Revival summer home that hosted presidents Grant, Hayes, Harrison and McKinley for Fourth of July celebrations. It is also home to the oldest surviving bowling alley in the country. Lastly, you will not want to miss a trip to Canterbury where you will find the Prudence Crandall House Museum. This museum was New England’s first academy for Black women and pays tribute to one of the state’s greatest female heroes. | The Central Region
History buffs will find their ideal vacation in the Central region of the state. Whether its early colonial life, the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, or prehistoric New England you are interested in, you can find a historical site or museum to fit your every need. In New Britain you will find the New Britain Museum of American Art featuring Over 5,000 American works of art from 1740 to the present. The featured artists are constantly changing, so every trip can present you with something new. The capital city of Hartford has great attractions for the whole family. Visit the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center honoring the author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. This 1871 Victorian cottage is the former home of the acclaimed author. You can also visit the former home of Mark Twain. At The Mark Twain House and Museum you can enter 9 superbly furnished rooms including many of Twain\'s possessions and has exhibition galleries with constantly changing exhibits. In Hartford, you can also find the nations oldest public art museum, the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art. There are over 50,000 works of art spanning over 5,000 years. Fishermen visiting the region will want to see Old Saybrook and fish the Connecticut River connecting to the Long Island Sound. For rest and relaxation, visit Westbrook, home to the Water’s Edge Resort & Spa. This beachfront resort lies on Long Island Sound. With spa, sauna, fitness center, indoor and outdoor pools, private beach, tennis, and seasonal outdoor dining, this is a perfect place to get away and rejuvenate. | South Central Connecticut
South central Connecticut is home to beautiful shoreline and an Ivy-league school. New Haven, home to Yale University, is a cultural center for the state. Visit its many museums, including the Yale Center for British Art, the Yale University Art Gallery, the Shubert Performing Arts Center where South Pacific and My Fair Lady had their premiers, and the Peabody Museum of Natural History. In Madison you will find Connecticut’s longest shoreline beach at Hammonasset Beach State Park. The park offers a two-mile beach, facilities for swimming, camping, picnicking, saltwater fishing, scuba diving, hiking and boating, along with a nature center. Bird watchers will have to visit Milford and the Connecticut Audubon Coastal Center. It’s a bird sanctuary and wildlife refuge, found on Long Island Sound, and home to herons, ospreys, egrets and piping plovers. In Branford, you can take a cruise around the Thimble Islands, which, depending on who you ask, can number from 100 to 365. | The Northwest Region
The Northwestern region is an interesting mix of historical sites, out-of-the-ordinary museums, and great amusement parks. Travel to Bristol to spend the day at Lake Compounce Theme Park, the state’s biggest water park featuring Boulder Dash, voted the “world’s best wooden roller coaster”. It is also the home of the largest collections of antique carousel pieces in the country found at the Carousel Museum of New England. Arts and Crafts enthusiasts will want to make a day trip to Brookfield to shop at the Brookfield Craft Center, set in a restored colonial mill featuring top-of-the-line contemporary crafts. Middlebury is home to the Quassy Amusement Park featuring a carousel, boat rides, water attractions, and a petting zoo. The region is home to some rather interesting museums like the Danbury Railway Museum in Danbury, the American Clock & Watch Museum in Bristol, and the Golden Age of Trucking Museum in Middlebury. | Southwestern Connecticut
The life of Southwestern Connecticut is tied largely to the Long Island Sound. Many of its attractions focus on this tie to the water, although there are other sites to see and things to do. Visit the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk featuring an IMAX theatre. This interactive and educational aquarium explores marine life and the maritime culture of Connecticut relating to the Long Island Sound. While in town visit the Sheffield Island Lighthouse, built in 1868. Take a picturesque ride to the island to explore the four floors and 10 rooms found in this historic building. In Bridgeport you will find the Captain Cove Seaport. Located in historic Black Rock Harbor, the port features a great boardwalk along with charter fishing boats, dive boats, and harbor cruises. The Sherwood Island State Park in Westport is a great place to take the family for a day outing. Here you can spend the day at the beach with a great picnic area, fishing, scuba, and an interactive learning center. In Wilton, you will find the nation’s only national park focused on the fine arts where you can spend the day picnicking in the sun and finish it by learning about impressionistic art. The Weir Farm National Historic Site was the summer home and studio of impressionist J. Alden Weir. |
Visiting Connecticut is a great way to spend a vacation out of the way from bustling crowds. Whether you want to lounge on the shores of the Long Island Sound or learn more about our nation’s history, you won’t be disappointed with this vacation destination. |
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A Cozy Getaway
Old Saybrook is one of the oldest towns in Connecticut and among the earliest settlements in the United States. Located at the mouth of the Connecticut River, this small seafaring community is steeped in history. Scenic views and refreshing air attract visitors to Old Saybrook. This is a place for all seasons and you can enjoy a variety of pastimes here.
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