Top Things to do in Connecticut
Top Hotels in Connecticut
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What to do and see in Connecticut, United States: The Best Things to do Good for Kids
Connecticut is a study in attraction and contrast. In one small state, you’ll find miles of sandy oceanfront shoreline, acres of forested hiking trails, and world-class museums, art and theater. Here family-friendly adventure parks and aquariums are just minutes from dynamic casino resorts and quaint, historic small towns — offering experiences that range from culinary to cultural, luxurious to laid-back. It’s the perfect place to unwind and recharge, all at the same time.
Restaurants in Connecticut
1. Bruce Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 197 reviews
Explore Art and Science at the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, Connecticut. The Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm;; closed Mondays and major holidays. Closed Christmas Eve, Monday,12-24-18, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, Monday, 12-31-18, and New Year's Day. Tuesdays are free, all other days are "Pay as You Wish," with a $10 suggested donation.
Reviewed By ArthurG121 - Scarsdale, United States
We have visited the Bruce Museum Numerous times over the last few years. When we heard that they had reopened, we decided to plan our visit. As a result of the Pandemic of 2020, you must reserve in advance by going to their website And picking a specific tine you’d like to arrive. They are limiting the number of guests to twenty five people per time slot. The Bruce Museum is small however they had three very interesting exhibits. They are in the process of planning and building an entirely new and much larger museum on their property. There are many reasons to plan a visit. They are located in a beautiful part of Greenwich and you’ll want to allow time to stroll to the water as well as to walk on Greenwich Avenue. The museum staff is made up of people who live their jobs and more importantly, the Bruce Museum’s organization values them too. During the months that the museum was closed, they didn’t furlough any of their staff. Not even their security guards. Everyone was kept on and received their full salaries. When I heard this from one of the security guards, I decided that we had to become members to support this wonderful institution!
2. Mystic Seaport Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,309 reviews
Mystic Seaport Museum is the nation's leading maritime museum. Founded in 1929, the Museum is home to four National Historic Landmark vessels, including the Charles W. Morgan, America's oldest commercial ship and the last wooden whaleship in the world. The Museum's grounds cover 19 acres on the Mystic River in Mystic, CT and include a recreated 19th-century coastal village, a working shipyard, formal exhibit halls, and state-of-the-art artifact storage facilities. Mystic Seaport Museum is located one mile south of Exit 90 off I-95 in Mystic, CT.
3. Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 403 reviews
Pequot Museum, located in an ancient cedar forest minutes away from Foxwoods Resort Casino, is the largest Native American museum in the world. REOPENING MAY 19TH!!
Reviewed By GregK1239 - Contoocook, United States
We went here for the first time on our recent trip to Foxwoods. We were all very impressed with the size and scope of the museum. The exhibits were all top quality, and the recreated village is spectacular. I would definitely recommend spending a few hours here if you are in the area.
4. Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 295 reviews
Seasonal fun awaits you at the Stamford Museum & Nature Center. The 118-acre property is home to Heckscher Farm, an 18-acre working farm; Overbrook Nature Center; the Bendel Mansion, with changing exhibitions and pieces from the Museum’s permanent collection; an otter pond; Nature’s Playground; the Stamford Observatory; Animal Embassy; and more than 80 acres of hiking trails. The Wheels in the Woods Trail provides a universally accessible nature trail. Come discover, learn, and enjoy!
Reviewed By kzsull01 - Windsor, United States
My husband and I visited the Stamford Museum and Nature Center in Stamford Connecticut on Monday, April 19th, 2021. We found out about this museum because it is part of the CT Art Trail Passport Booklet, making it a good value. We visited primarily to see the Special Exhibit ‘Global Garden: Resonant Beauty, A Solo Exhibition of Orchid Paintings by Patricia Laspino’, which was excellent, being very inspirational. We were very impressed with this exhibit and feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to see it, since it is only on view until April 25th. I give this museum an excellent rating because of this exhibit. However, after it is over, I am not certain what will be on view at the museum because there is a gap of time between when this exhibit ends and when the next exhibit begins on May 21st, and the museum does not appear to have a permanent exhibit always on view. I provide more details about this exhibit in the Special Exhibit section of this write-up. The museum is located inside the Bendel Mansion, which has large rooms with nice architecture inside, but no rooms were set-up with furnishings depicting how it looked as a mansion. The one issue we had with our visit was finding the museum from the farm parking lot. The directions say to park in the Heckscher Farm parking lot and not in the museum parking lot at this time. The museum is not close or even in view from the farm parking lot. We were provided with 2 maps as we entered the grounds, one in black and white the other a Trail Map. The museum is not very distinctively marked on the map that is in black and white, it just blended in with everything else. The Trail Map had it designated in red. Nevertheless, it took a while to find the museum from the Hechscher Farm parking lot. We were glad the weather was very nice because if it had been rainy or cold out, the walk from the parking lot to the museum wouldn’t have been very nice, in particular because it is hilly. So wear comfortable shoes. However, there was plenty of free parking in the Heckscher Parking Lot at the time of our visit. It just wasn’t convenient to the museum. Special Exhibit: ‘Global Garden: Resonant Beauty, A Solo Exhibition of Orchid Paintings by Patricia Laspino’: The paintings in this exhibit were both beautiful and impressive and together with the write-ups depicted a great mixture of art, culture, history, science, nature and addressed the impacts of Climate Change and Global Warming on various species of orchids as well as other types of flowers, including peonies. Each painting had a write-up with a title, flower facts, including specie of orchid or flower, bird (if applicable), native range (where each orchid grows) and artist notes. The artist notes were definitely quite interesting and educational and depicted specific features and characteristics about each orchid, including historic and scientific information, growth patterns, and the stories and experiences that the artist had with the flower. This exhibit is truly amazing!! I never knew that there were so many diverse species of orchids from all over the world. The paintings and associated write-ups within this exhibit nicely reflect the many years of research studies that the artist put into their creation, effectively addressing the flowers and paintings from the perspective of their beauty, diversity, preservation and stewardship. It is definitely apparent that the artist was influenced by several artists, including Georgia O’Keeffe, as well as her botanist background. This exhibit was very well done and worth seeing. The Heckscher Farm, Gardens, River Otter, Nature Center and Much More: It was a nice walk through the farm, both to and from the museum. There was a nice variety of animals, to see and take pictures of that were all well-kept and had plenty of room to move about. The animals included chickens, goats, sheep, pigs, horses, cows and much more. The grounds and surrounding landscape were also scenic and nicely maintained. We particularly enjoyed the River Otter, who didn’t come out until we opened the gate to where you could view him. Interesting information about River Otters, their environment, including their habitat and diet, was on display. The Overbrook Nature Center and Gift Shop had taxidermy artifacts representing animals from the area on display, with educational write-ups as well as snakes and a rock collection. Interesting information about the seasons, bird migrations and the Atlantic Flyway were also on display. The vegetable gardens were not in bloom at the time of our visit but did have garlic and leaves to strawberry plants sprouting up. These gardens, which are planted with over 50 varieties of fruits and vegetables, including dozens of heirloom varieties, would be nice to see later in the season. The farm, which has an interesting history, is definitely great for families with young children but could also be enjoyed by adults. Picnic tables were available on the grounds making it nice for a family picnic. There were a variety of different trails, which we did not have an opportunity to take based on the amount of time we had available to us at the time of our visit. One that we missed, which would have been interesting to see, was the Sculpture Trail that appears to be relatively close to the museum based on the map in black and white. Our visit took about an hour and 20 minutes, with an emphasis on viewing the Special Exhibit in the museum, but included the areas mentioned above going to and from the museum. It is great that this museum has been able to remain open with a wide range of hours during the pandemic and that we didn’t need timed tickets, giving a lot of flexibility in terms of the time of our arrival. The only issue we had with our visit was that we were not able to park close to the museum.
5. The Mark Twain House & Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,622 reviews
The Mark Twain House & Museum, a National Historic Landmark in Hartford, Connecticut, was the home of America's greatest author, Samuel Clemens (a.k.a. Mark Twain) and his family from 1874 to 1891. It is also where Twain lived when he wrote his most important works, including Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Prince and The Pauper and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. A stunning example of Picturesque Gothic architecture, the 25-room home features a dramatic grand hall, a lush glass conservatory, a grand library and the handsome billiard room where Twain wrote his famous books. The Webster Bank Museum Center at The Mark Twain House & Museum offers visitors an opportunity to learn more about Mark Twain, his family, the historic house, and the author's legacy. This state-of-the-art facility houses our ticket desk; the Aetna Gallery with a permanent exhibition on Twain's life and work; a rotating exhibition hall, The Hartford Financial Services Theatre, showing a Ken Burns mini-documentary on Twain; classroom space; the lecture hall-style Lincoln Financial Auditorium; The Mark Twain Store; entertaining spaces like the soaring Hal Holbrook and the sunny second floor cafe/patio area.
Reviewed By christinerH1415MU
Located right in Hartford, but tucked away in it's own little area, the Mark Twain house is a must see if you are in the area. It's available only by prebooked tour, and they do book up ahead of time so purchase tickets before driving out there. The cost of an adult ticket is $20, which seemed a little pricey until we were on the tour, and it quickly became apparent the price is worth it. Our tour guide Brendan was phenomenal, his knowledge of the history of both Mark Twain and the house itself was unmatched. The house is rich in history and was very advanced for its time, including having one of the first residential telephones which is still there today. The tour takes about 60-90 minutes, and then plan an extra 20-30 for time at the museum and gift shop.
6. Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 563 reviews
This museum has a diverse collection ranging from Indian artifacts to Egyptian art to a large bird collection.
Reviewed By joannebY8878ZI - Blairstown, United States
From dinosaurs to beautiful minerals to dioramas to a wonderful Discovery Room (where kids can watch ants work, observe stick bugs and newly hatched butterflies, work on puzzles and do other fun activities), this museum is designed to entertain children and visitors of all ages. Exhibits promote the study of natural history, conservation and the love of science. The museum is a manageable size, and we had a wonderful time with our young grandsons. Don't delay your visit--the museum is closing at the end of the year for renovations!
7. Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 573 reviews
The first public art museum in the United States features 50,000 pieces ranging from ancient to contemporary, the largest collection of Hudson River School paintings in the world, an impressive array of Pilgrim-era furnishings and European and American art.
Reviewed By kzsull01 - Windsor, United States
My husband and I have visited the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Hartford, Connecticut, multiple times, most recently on Sunday, April 18th, 2021. This museum, which is definitely worth visiting, is highly recommended and a great value, being free at the time of our visit and I believe will be free until sometime in July, based on what I read in the newspaper. The way this write-up is structured is that I first provide ‘General Information About Our Visit’ including Some Minor Issues. Then I talk about the Special Exhibits and then the Permanent Collection, in particular, the parts of the Permanent Collection that we enjoy the most. General Information About Our Visit Including Some Minor Issues: The museum has a great mixture of various types of artwork, addressing art from multiple perspectives, including cultural, historical and political, depending upon what is applicable. Our primary focus this time was on the multiple special exhibits, especially, ‘Paul Manship: Ancient Made Modern’. We also enjoyed the permanent collection, in particular, the Hudson River School/Landscape paintings, which are all very beautiful, as well as the other paintings/artwork that I mention later in this write-up. All the art throughout this museum is nicely curated with very good write-ups providing excellent supporting background information with great details, including time period of the artwork and cultural, historical and political impact. . We always enjoy this museum and hope that you have the opportunity to enjoy it as well. We only wish we had more time to see all this museum has to offer, which definitely is quite a bit!! We thank the museum for offering free admission at this point in time. It is definitely a great value. However, we can’t wait until when the museum starts to be open for more days a week and not just for their reduced hours. In addition, we would like more flexibility in terms of the time we arrive at the museum, than with needing to have timed tickets. Our visit to the museum took about an hour and a half, based on the amount of time available to us. However, it could easily have taken more than four hours to really see and absorb all the artwork that was on display. We parked on the street on the side of the Hartford Public Library for this visit. This parking was free on Sunday there, and was a short walk to and from the museum. There was also validated parking for a $3 flat rate for museum visitors with ticket validation based on the museum’s website, which is the Preferred Parking, located at the Connecticut Convention Center Garage. 100 Columbus Boulevard, Hartford CT, 06109. The website provides directions to this parking. Some Minor Issues: Although the museum provides a good map, we often go to the museum to view the Special Exhibits, but they are usually hard to find due to the way the museum is laid out. So I bring a list of the exhibits with me to the museum and ask for directions to each Special Exhibit as we enter the museum. However, it would be helpful for the museum to provide a list of the Special Exhibits as you enter the museum along with the directions to each. That way you won’t miss any of the current Special Exhibits and you will know where they are located. The other thing that we have experienced is that it was not easy to navigate from gallery to galley, based on how the museum is laid out and how the traffic flow is being controlled due to COVID-19. You feel like you are going in circles and you have to go up and down from the same floor multiple times to get to different galleries on it. It is definitely more walking than expected or even necessary. Special Exhibits: ‘Paul Manship: Ancient Made Modern’’: This exhibit is well done and is located on the third floor, 3R of the Avery Building, based on my notes. It is nicely laid out with a lot of space between the various pieces on display. Paul Manship’s approach to his artwork is interesting, unique, and nicely depicted throughout the exhibit where he modernized mythology by introducing a distant sense of motion to his sculpture and emphasizing surface detail. He blended styles from diverse places and time periods into a ‘mixed style”. He melded antiquity with modernism with his classical and ancient sources giving an allure of antiquity in the modern urban life experience, in particular in New York, where he provided cultural inspiration through his famous pieces of artwork in Rockefeller Center and the Bronx Zoo. . He blended iconography from multiple sources adding complexity to their meaning and storylines using different sources both distant and immediate. Native American Imagery reflected on the complicated representation of Indigenous people at the turn of the 20th century by non-Native artists. His imagery of ‘Indian and Pronghorn Antelope’, depicts the mythical idea prevalent in American visual culture, but also challenges it by referencing other cultures, blending native imagery with visuals from Greek and Egyptian sources. This definitely was an interesting approach!! The ‘Discovery, Change, and Innovation: Major Events in Manship’s Era’ provided an interesting timeline and good context. We recommend this exhibit, including reading the write-ups that provide good background information. ‘Todd Gray/MATRIX 185’: This is a very unique exhibit, located on the first floor off of Avery Court. It addresses the enduring impact of European colonialism, slavery and the American diaspora through photography using imagery of African people and landscapes with European imperial gardens and monuments and constellation images taken with the Hubble Telescope. The concept of the exhibit, which uses a collage of photographs to take us on a complex journey across time and space about history, identity and politics through Africa, Europe and the cosmos, is definitely thought-provoking, interesting and unique, but not really our type of art. We definitely had to read the write-up about this exhibit to understand what it represents. ‘The Dance on the Volcano: German Expressionism at the Wadsworth Atheneum’: This exhibit is located off of the Great Hall on the first floor of the Morgan Building near the Antiquity to the Renaissance Section of the museum. It depicts a timeframe of daring themes in art, using strong colors, flattened forms and distorted perspectives, artwork tied to Expressionism. Although this exhibit was relatively small it was interesting from the perspective of its historical significance, including Georg Tappert’s Geisha-Revue , which memorializes the feverish artist life in Berlin, Germany on the brink of World War I. . ‘A Love of Wood: Chaim Gross’s I Love My Baby’: This was the last day for this exhibit which was small with a very unique wood-carving. It had interesting write-ups providing good context to what was on display. On-Going Exhibits: ‘Design in the American Home, 1650 to 1850’: This exhibit is located on the first floor off of Avery Court. We have seen this exhibit multiple times in the past and have always enjoyed it. On display is beautiful well restored/preserved furniture, always worth seeing. The exhibit is like a walk back through time. The write-ups provide great historical context and are quite educational. . Permanent Collection – The Parts We Enjoy the Most: During our visit, as we have done in the past, we also enjoyed the permanent exhibits. The European and American paintings displayed in Salon Style in the Great Hall on the first floor of the Morgan Building, off of Avery Court, are beautiful and always nice to see. Also, off the Great Hall, is the Antiquity to the Renaissance Section of the museum, which includes: East Asian Antiquities, Egyptian, Greek and Roman artwork and, Medieval and Renaissance Europe artwork. The artwork in this section is nicely laid out, quite interesting, and very nicely preserved, being very impressive with historical significance. The write-ups within these exhibits are very educational and make you feel like you are taking a nice walk back through ancient time. These write-ups include: ‘Arts of China: the Qing Dynasty’; ‘Renaissance Art’; ‘Medieval Art’; ‘Early Christian and Byzantine Art’; ‘Living in the Ancient World’; and ‘Greek Colonization and Trade’. Before we leave the first floor of the Morgan Building we also like to take a look into the Victorian ‘Goodwin Parlor’, which is beautifully furnished. We always enjoy seeing the very exquisite Hudson River School landscape paintings located on Level 3 of the Avery Building in the American Art Section of the museum which has pieces from the time period of 1700s – 1950. The Hudson River School paintings include multiple impressive landscape paintings by world-renowned artists who followed the unique Hudson River School approach, which has always been one of our favorites. Also in this section of American Art is Early American and Late 19th Century Art and Design, which we enjoy. The second floor of the Avery Building includes the impressive Samuel Colt Collection as well as the Wetmore Parlor in the American Decorative Arts Section of the Museum, which has pieces from the 1600s – 1865. The second Floor of the Morgan Building includes European Art including the interesting and unique Cabinet of Art and Curiosity as well as the large collection of Baroque Art from multiple time periods and art tied to the French Revolution and Neoclassical, Romanticism, Impressionist and Post-Impressionist movements. . Again, we recommend this museum and hope that you have the opportunity to enjoy it as much as we have for a great mixture of various types of artwork.
8. Elizabeth Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 418 reviews
This walkers' haven, with several gardens along its wildflower trail, a lovely pond and sports and concert facilities, is best known for its magnificent rose garden, with 800 varieties of roses.
Reviewed By Waterfallz
This is a beautiful park with lovely pond and famous Rose Gardens; also Heirloom Rose Garden and stunning Shade Gardens, Tulip Gardens, Perennial Garden, Iris Garden, Herb Garden and more.The accreditation of Elizabeth Park's Kim Arboretum occurred in 2019. Wedding ceremonies in the Rose Garden and other gardens are frequent. The Pond House Restaurant has (seasonal) outdoor seating options as well as indoor seating year round. Food is very good; decor is eclectic - something for everyone - and reasonably priced. There is also a lovely wedding/event venue in the building. There are well-used walking trails, green houses, a playground and more.
9. The Submarine Force Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 874 reviews
The home of the world's first nuclear submarine has several other exhibits on the history of submarines.
Reviewed By peterf192 - Groton, United States
I really should have reviewed this site a long time ago. I am a retired submarine sailor. This museum, which includes a chance to tour the USS Nautilus, which was America's first nuclear submarine is a GREAT chance to see and feel a comprehensive example and memorial to the submarines and submarine sailors of rhe U.S. of A.!
10. Rainmaker Statue
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 183 reviews
A 12-foot statue in the Foxwoods Town Square that displays the history of the Pequot tribe.
Reviewed By vacations4u
There are lots of things to see and visit when at Foxwoods and although I miss the show that use to take place at this statue it is certainly beautiful when lit at night. Check it out and see for yourself.
