CONNECTICUT
The Connecticut River touches four states, but only gives its name to one. Settlers from Boston established Hartford on the riverbank in 1635, ultimately creating the first fully articulated constitution in the American colonies. Three years later, more Bostonians pitched their tents on Long Island Sound and created New Haven, where a small school moved in 1716 and blossomed into Yale University. Harnessing the river for power, Connecticut inventors proved some of the country’s most ingenious entrepreneurs. But Connecticut is as beautiful as it is industrious, as American artists demonstrated a century ago when they painted the upland woods and the green and gold marshes of Long Island Sound.
1. Hartford
As the state capital, Hartford has many grand buildings and institutions, from the Victorian-Gothic Connecticut State Capitol in Bushnell Park to the public art museum, Wadsworth Atheneum , founded in 1842. Hartford was also a hotbed of 19th-century publishing and writing. The Mark Twain House , where America’s greatest yarn-spinner and frontier humorist enjoyed a later life of middle-class comfort, and the Gothic-Revival-style Harriet Beecher Stowe Center next door underscore the city’s literary prominence. Smell the roses – more than 800 varieties of them – in Elizabeth Park , whose rose garden was created in 1904.
State Capitol, Hartford
Roses in Elizabeth Park, Hartford
2. New Haven
Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History • 170 Whitney Ave • 203 432 5050
• open 10am–5pm Tue–Sat, noon–5pm Sun • adm •
www.yale.edu/peabody
Since the Collegiate School moved to town in 1716, town and gown have been inextricably linked in New Haven. Collections at the Yale University Art Museums and the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History put larger cities to shame. The town’s culinary legacy includes the legendary pizzas of Frank Pepe .
Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven
3. Wethersfield
The epitome of Colonial and Federal style, the center of Old Wethersfield has a genteel grace that belies its early history as a frontier community beleaguered by Indian attacks. The distinctive architecture lining the community’s broad streets and the weathered headstones of its cemetery make Old Wethersfield a great destination for Colonial history buffs.
4. Quiet Corner
The unassuming nickname for Connecticut’s northeastern corner suggests that little of excitement has happened here since General Israel Putnam killed the last wolf in the state and made it safe for sheep-farming. In truth, this area of bucolic repose is dotted with the homes of former country squires, including the flamboyant Roseland Cottage Bowen House . The region is often overlooked, but antiques hunters always stop in Putnam .
Roseland Cottage, Quiet Corner
5. New London and Groton
The deepwater port at the mouth of the Thames River – Groton on the east side, New London on the west – lies roughly halfway between Boston and New York. It was a key base of operations for the American Navy during the Revolution; nowadays, ocean cruise ships call here. The massive shipyards of Electric Boat, builder of nuclear-powered submarines, lie in Groton. Explore the Submarine Force Museum , home of the world’s first nuclear-powered sub, the USS Nautilus .
6. Lower Connecticut River
Connecticut River Museum • 67 Main St, Essex • 860 767 8269
• open 10am–5pm Tue–Sun (late May–early Sep daily) • adm •
www.ctrivermuseum.org
Designated as a “last great place” by the Nature Conservancy, the lower reaches of the Connecticut River, from East Haddam to Lyme, have a magical beauty that captivates artists and sustains fish and wildlife, including large numbers of bald eagles in the winter. See how the American Impressionists captured the scene at the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, and explore the rich history and fascinating ecology of the region at the Connecticut River Museum in Essex.
7. Gold Coast
The communities that lie along the New Haven commuter rail line from Greenwich north to Norwalk are the wealthiest in Connecticut – hence the nickname “Gold Coast.” When residents want to shop, they head to Greenwich, where boutiques cater to hedge fund millionaires. To dine or to party, they usually make a beeline for South Norwalk, where a bustling bar and restaurant scene has taken hold.
8. Midcoast Beaches
The great shield of Long Island shelters the sandy shoreline between New Haven Harbor and the mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Lyme . Protected from storms and erosion, the barrier beaches feature soft sand and gentle surf. Many private beach communities are located here, but so are the main state-owned beaches, which include the 2-mile (3-km) strand at Hammonasset Beach State Park . Communities like Branford and Clinton live for the sweet but brief summer. Shops are often seasonal.
9. Litchfield Hills
Stretching west from the Connecticut River to the New York border, the Litchfield Hills are Connecticut’s proper, manicured mountains. Model 18th- and 19th-century communities of white houses and white churches cluster around tidy town greens. In spring, waterfalls roar off the hillsides and you’ll find hardy fishermen wading cold mountain brooks to cast flies for trout. In summer, the smell of newly mown lawns and the sweet scents of perennial flower gardens perfume the air (for further details see Litchfield Hills, Connecticut ).
Waterfall, Litchfield Hills
10. Mystic and Stonington
Small seafaring ports of the eastern Connecticut coast, Stonington and Mystic diverged when the latter developed as a tourism center. Quieter Stonington, 4 miles (6.5 km) away, retains all the hallmarks of a 19th-century fishing and shipping port, and is dotted with upscale boutiques, cheery cafés, and bars where fishermen and antiques dealers drink side by side.
The port of Mystic
AMISTAD AND FREEDOM
In July 1839, African slaves aboard the schooner Amistad revolted and were taken into custody at New Haven. Two years of legal battles ensued in New Haven and Hartford, but the slaves won their freedom. Several memorials stand in Connecticut, and a replica ship makes New Haven its home port.
A DRIVING TOUR FROM TALL SHIPS TO SUBMARINES
Morning
Begin the day by exploring the picturesque fishing and erstwhile shipping village of Stonington . Many a tall ship for whaling and overseas trade was constructed along the Mystic River here. To get more of a feel for those maritime days, drive downriver 4 miles (6.5 km) to the village of Mystic (which is half in Groton, half in Stonington). Spend the rest of the morning exploring the vessels and the re-created village of Mystic Seaport . Make sure you tour the Charles W Morgan , the last surviving wooden whaling ship.
Afternoon
Pick up some slices from Mystic Pizza (56 W Main St) and follow Rte 1 west through the coastal plain to the Submarine Force Museum ). This is where the American nuclear-powered submarine program unfolded after World War II. Tour the first vessel (the USS Nautilus ) and try your hand at the simulated controls of a complex modern submarine. Just across the Thames River lies the historic town of New London , where you can continue your maritime-themed tour at the Custom House Maritime Museum (150 Bank St), which also offers visitors lighthouse tours and boat trips.
Gardens and House Museums
1. Roseland Cottage Bowen House
556 Rte 169, Woodstock • 860 928 4074
• Open Jun–mid Oct: Wed–Sun • Adm •
www.historicnewengland.org
This pink, Gothic-style cottage was the summer getaway for the wealthy Bowen family of New York.
2. Bush-Holley Historic Site
39 Strickland Rd, Cos Cob • 203 869 6899
• Open Wed–Sun (Jan–Feb: Sat–Sun) • Adm by guided tour •
www.hstg.org
This interesting museum pinpoints two revolutions in Cos Cob: the political upheaval of the 1770s and the artistic ferment of American Impressionism, 125 years later.
Bush-Holley Historic Site
3. Bartlett Arboretum
151 Brookdale Rd, Stamford • 203 322 6971
• Open daily •
www.bartlettarboretum.org
Woodlands, wetlands, meadows, and formal gardens make a living museum of 850 specimen trees.
4. Florence Griswold Museum
96 Lyme St, Old Lyme • 860 434 5542
• Closed Mon • Adm •
www.florencegriswoldmuseum.org
View the history of American Impressionism at this former rooming house, where artist-boarders painted more than 40 panels on the walls.
5. Elizabeth Park Rose Gardens
Prospect Ave, Hartford • Open daily •
www.elizabethparkct.org
In June, plants burst into bloom here, the US’s oldest municipal rose garden.
6. Hill-Stead Museum
35 Mountain Rd, Farmington • 860 677 4787
• Closed Mon • Adm •
www.hillstead.org
This hilltop estate is an aristocratic world of privilege and elegance.
7. Glebe House Museum & Gertrude Jekyll Garden
49 Hollow Rd, Woodbury • 203 263 2855
• Open May–Oct: Wed–Sun • Adm •
www.glebehousemuseum.org
This 1750 home has the only US garden created by famed British designer Gertrude Jekyll.
8. Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum
295 West Ave, Norwalk • 203 838 9799
• Open Apr–Jan: Wed–Sun • Adm •
www.lockwoodmathewsmansion.com
Decorative excesses abound at this estate, built for a wealthy banker and railroad tycoon.
9. Harriet Beecher Stowe Center
77 Forest St, Hartford • 860 522 9258
• Open daily (Jan–Mar: closed Tue) • Adm •
www.harrietbeecherstowecenter.org
Stowe, author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin , moved here, her last home, in 1873.
10. Bellamy-Ferriday House & Garden
9 Main St N, Bethlehem • 203 266 7596
• Open May–Sep: Fri–Mon; Oct: Sat–Sun • Adm •
www.ctlandmarks.org
Built for a legendary preacher in the 18th century, the final owner was a civil rights activist.
Children’s Activities
1. Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo
1875 Noble Ave, Bridgeport • 203 394 6565
• Open daily • Adm •
www.beardsleyzoo.org
Siberian tigers are the top cats at this 300-animal zoo. Also spy on the wolves from the observation area.
2. International Skating Center of Connecticut
1375 Hopmeadow St, Simsbury • 860 651 5400
• Call for public skating hours • Adm •
www.isccskate.com
Many Olympic skaters train at this top ice rink that allows public skating.
3. Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk
10 N Water St, Norwalk • 203 852 0700
• Open daily • Adm •
www.maritimeaquarium.org
This aquatic center highlights the creatures in its own backyard, like harbor seals and sand tiger sharks.
4. UConn Animal Barns and Dairy Bar
University of Connecticut, Storrs
Animal barn • 860 486 2023
Dairy bar • 860 486 2634
• Open daily
Watch the cows being milked, then head to the dairy bar for freshly made farm ice cream.
5. Mashantucket Pequot Museum
110 Pequot Trail, Mashantucket • 800 411 9671
• Open Wed–Sat • Adm •
www.pequotmuseum.org
This museum recounts the area’s history from the perspective of its pre-colonial inhabitants.
6. Ocean Beach Park
98 Neptune Ave, New London • 860 447 3031
• Open late May–early Sep • Adm •
www.ocean-beach-park.com
Kids’ paradise with a waterslide, beach, miniature golf, and rides.
7. The Dinosaur Place
1650 Rte 85, Montville • 860 443 4367
• Park open Apr–Nov, store year-round • Adm •
www.thedinosaurplace.com
Every child loves a dinosaur, and over 40 life-sized concrete dinosaurs wait to be discovered here, along nature trails through lush woodlands.
8. Essex Steam Train and Riverboat
1 Railroad Ave, Essex • 860 767 0103
or 800 377 3987
• Open May–Oct, Dec • Adm •
www.essexsteamtrain.com
Take the throttle in a diesel-train simulator, before riding a vintage train and a riverboat along the Connecticut River.
9. New England Air Museum
36 Perimeter Rd, Bradley International Airport, Windsor Locks • 860 623 3305
• Open daily • Adm •
www.neam.org
It’s hard to tell if dads or kids get more out of the 65 aircraft and 200 or so engines that are on show here.
Aircraft, New England Air Museum
10. Children’s Museum
950 Trout Brook Dr, W Hartford • 203 231 2824
• Open Tue–Sun (Jul–Aug: daily) • Adm •
www.thechildrensmuseumct.org
Featuring a planetarium, a wildlife sanctuary, and a wide variety of interactive exhibits, this museum delights and educates kids of all ages.
Fine Dining
1. Oyster Club
13 Water St, Mystic • 860 415 9266
• Closed Mon–Thu L • $$
Restaurant and raw bar that specializes in fresh seafood. The menu showcases the produce of local farmers and fishermen.
2. Union League Café
1032 Chapel St, New Haven • 203 562 4299
• Closed Sat L, Sun • $$$
The French chef-owner of Union League brings the hearty, market-driven cuisine of a Parisian brasserie to the sophisticated streets of New Haven near Yale University.
3. Max Downtown
City Place, 185 Asylum St, Hartford • 860 522 2530
• Closed Sat & Sun L • $$
Tasty beef ranges from petite steak au poivre to giant porterhouse at this bustling urban chophouse.
4. Cottage Restaurant and Café
427 Farmington Ave, Plainville • 860 793 8888
• Closed Sat L, Sun, Mon • $$
Years in New Orleans gave the New American cooking of the chef-owner a Cajun accent. Gourmet cuisine at budget prices – and her bartender brother mixes a mean cocktail.
5. 85 Main
85 Main St, Putnam • 860 928 1660
• $$
Sample the superb seafood in either the cozy dining room or the blue-and-white tiled bar.
6. Hopkins Inn
22 Hopkins Rd, New Preston • 860 868 7295
• Open B, L, D Tue–Sun (Jan–late Mar: Tue–Sat) • $$
The menu is laden with Austrian fare such as schnitzel and sweetbreads. The wine selection follows suit.
7. Good News Café
694 Main St S, Woodbury • 203 266 4663
• Closed Tue • $$
The chef-owner insists on only local, sustainable, organic products, but her food is never precious, just delicious.
8. Match
98 Washington St, S Norwalk • 203 852 1088
• Closed L • $$
Sparkling seafood dishes, inventive seasonal American fare, and rich desserts are a perfect match to the hippest bar on SoNo’s restaurant row.
9. Bar Americain
1 Mohegan Sun Blvd, Uncasville • 860 862 8000
• Closed L • $$$
Glitzy environs and expertly executed French and American classics from acclaimed celebrity chef, Bobby Flay.
10. Harbour House Restaurant
Inn at Mystic, 3 Williams Ave, Mystic • 860 536 8140
• Closed L Mon–Fri • $$
Classic seafood, wood-fired pizzas, a great raw bar, and craft beer make this waterfront dining room a local favorite. Juicy steaks also help.
Great views from Harbour House
Casual Dining
1. Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana
157 Wooster St, New Haven • 203 865 5762
• $
The thin-crust pizza at this no-frills joint open since 1925 has an almost cult following among Yale students. White clam pizza (no tomato sauce) is among the most popular.
2. O’Rourke’s Diner
728 Main St, Middletown • 860 346 6101
• Open 5am–2pm Sun–Thu, 5am–9pm Fri–Sat • $
At this classic diner, dating from the mid-1940s, some of the best food comes fresh off the grill.
3. Rawley’s Drive-In
1886 Post Rd, Rte 1, Fairfield • 203 259 9023
• Open 11am–6:30pm Mon–Sat • $
When customers stand in line for 20 minutes, it’s clear a restaurant is doing something right. It’s the hot dogs that keep them coming back for more.
4. The Cookhouse
31 Danbury Rd, New Milford • 860 355 4111
• $
Wood-smoked barbecued meat is nearly a religion here. Top sellers are slow-roasted beef brisket, pork back ribs, and Carolina-style pulled pork.
5. Captain Scott’s Lobster Dock
80 Hamilton St, New London • 860 439 1741
• Open Apr–mid-Oct: 11am–9pm daily • Closed mid-Oct–Mar • $
Known for its hot lobster rolls with butter and lobster salad, this seafood shack on a working harbor has an authenticity few can match.
6. Mystic Pizza
56 W Main St, Mystic • 860 536 3700
• $
A Julia Roberts movie made this pizza-and-pasta joint famous, but diners keep returning for the “secret recipe” tomato sauce that’s generously slathered on the pizzas.
Pizza lovers at Mystic Pizza
7. Shady Glen
840 E Middle Turnpike, Manchester • 860 649 4245
• Open B, L, D daily • $
The homemade ice cream is great, but it’s the cheeseburgers that are really the top stars here.
8. Blackie’s Hot Dog Stand
2200 Waterbury Rd, Cheshire • 203 699 1819
• Closed Fri • $
Since 1928, Blackie’s has offered hot dogs with or without homemade spicy pepper relish, birch beer on tap, and chocolate milk.
9. Rein’s
435 Hartford Turnpike, Vernon • 860 875 1344
• $
This central Connecticut spotmakes better Jewish deli food, including latkes, than most of New York, and is just a quick stop off highway I-84.
10. West Street Grill
43 West St, Litchfield • 860 567 3885
• $$
Casual lunches are a big hit here, especially the burgers and the pulled short-rib beef sandwich.
Cafés and Bars
1. Max’s Oyster Bar
964 Farmington Ave, West Hartford • 860 236 6299
• Closed Sun L; open Sun brunch •
www.maxrestaurantgroup.com
Showmanlike presentation of the raw-bar offerings sets the tone for this polished, dressy seafood joint.
Stylish interiors at Max’s Oyster Bar
2. City Steam Brewery Cafe
942 Main St, Hartford
Great beers brewed on site, super competent waitstaff, and good casual American grub make this restaurant, in a landmark building, a delight. It even has a comedy club.
3. Toad’s Place
300 York St, New Haven
One of the state’s biggest dance floors and a sound system that could rock a stadium make Toad’s the dance venue on a Saturday night.
4. Pastorale Bistro & Bar
223 Main St, Salisbury •
www.pastoralebistro.com
Lauded for its French bistro classics made with locally grown ingredients, this bistro and boîte in a 1760 Colonial house boasts a sophisticated list of cocktails and a good wine cellar.
5. Water Street Café
143 Water St, Stonington
Locals favor Water Street for great oysters at the raw bar, chilled white wine, and live guitar music, but don’t overlook lively dishes like the lobster spring rolls or warm duck salad.
6. @ the Corner
3 West St, Litchfield
This hip bakery (formerly The Blue Bakery) makes cakes piled with frosting and pies bursting with fillings. It also serves good coffee and espresso, and a selection of soups, sandwiches, and salads.
7. MacDuff’s Public House
99 Railroad Ave, Greenwich
There’s a certain amount of tartan posturing in the decor of this sophisticated Scottish-themed pub. European soccer games often dominate the TV over the bar.
8. The Loft Martini Lounge
97 Washington St, S Norwalk
Connecticut’s best martinis are all you really need to know about The Loft, which is so named for the people-watching mezzanine up a wrought-iron staircase.
9. The Cask Republic
179 Crown St, New Haven
Craft beer is taken seriously here, with more than 40 taps active at a time. The long lists of Scotch and Bourbon are augmented by local crafts spirits. The menu includes charcuterie, burgers, and desserts.
10. Wine Bar at the Griswold Inn
36 Main St, Essex
Mature cheeses and tapas-style platters can be matched with at least 50 wines at this intimate bar, where maritime art adorns the walls.
Places to Shop
1. “The Avenue,” Greenwich
Greenwich is the “platinum” town on Connecticut’s Gold Coast, and Greenwich Avenue is packed with luxury boutiques that will feather the finest nest.
2. Guilford Art Center
411 Church St, Guilford
The town green bustles each July with a juried exhibition of fine crafts. But this center promotes crafts year-round, with classes and a shop full of unique hand-crafted items.
3. Woodbury Pewter
860 Main St S, Woodbury
You could well discover the perfect candlestick, bowl, or teapot at a discounted price at the factory outlet of this family-owned company, which was founded in 1952.
4. The Shops at Mohegan Sun
1 Mohegan Sun Blvd, Uncasville
Visitors who strike it rich at the gaming tables and slot machines will find plenty to tempt them to splash out on in the upscale shops of this casino complex.
Casino shopping at Mohegan Sun
5. Stamford
United House Wrecking • 535 Hope St, Stamford
Interior decorators scour the immense United House Wrecking for architectural salvage, lawn ornaments, or unusual furniture and accessories. If you’re not driving a van, other shops in town stock smaller collectibles.
6. Olde Mistick Village
Coogan Blvd, Mystic
Lush gardens, a duck pond, and a waterwheel accent this quaint complex not far from Mystic Seaport . There’s even an old-fashioned general store.
7. The Silo Store
44 Upland Rd, New Milford
Musician Skitch Henderson and his wife left their farm to a trust. The couple loved fine food; the shop (in the farm’s silo) features gourmet cookware and hosts cooking classes.
8. Chapel St, New Haven
Chapel Street skirts the edge of the Yale campus with shops catering to faculty and students alike. Look for designer clothing boutiques and bookstore cafés.
9. Putnam
Antiques Marketplace • 109 Main St
Setting up the Antiques Marketplace in an ex-department store breathed new life into this former mill town. If you can’t find your collectible there, check the town’s smaller shops.
10. Clinton Crossing Premium Outlets
20-A Killingworth Turnpike, Clinton
Get up to 65 per cent off designer wear at over 70 stores, including DKNY, Calvin Klein, Kenneth Cole, and outlets for Saks Fifth Avenue and Barneys New York.