Connecticut is the third-smallest state by area, but despite its small size, this New England gem is jam-packed with top tourist sites and enjoyable activities. You won't want for things to do while you're in the Nutmeg State, whether you favor bustling metropolis or smaller communities that are bursting with character.
For a peaceful day by the Long Island Sound, visit one of Connecticut's top beaches, window shop in Greenwich, see a glass house in New Canaan, or be inspired by the artwork on show at the Yale University Art Gallery. Connecticut has everything you could possibly want in terms of travel options.
Bring the kids along? They'll adore the amusement attractions at Lake Compounce, the artwork at Hartford's Wadsworth Atheneum, and the animals at Bridgeport's Connecticut Beardsley Zoo. What's best? Due to Connecticut's small size, it's simple to spend a long weekend exploring several locations.
With our list of the top tourist destinations in Connecticut, you can decide which to visit first.
1.The Mystic Seaport Museum
You'll understand why the Mystic Seaport Museum is regarded as one of Connecticut's top tourist destinations once you set foot on its expansive grounds. A real shipyard, a planetarium, a children's museum, a discovery barn, a recreation of a 19th-century seafaring hamlet, and a sizable collection of vintage boats are all included at this spectacular location.
The Charles W. Morgan, the last remaining wooden whale ship in existence, is the most well-known of these. Join us for an educational ride. You can see the crew's cramped bunks as well as the enormous vat where whale fat was converted to oil.
If you want to get out on the water, take a ride on one of the smaller passenger boats or hire a rowboat.
You should plan on spending at least two hours here because there is so much to see (but we advise spending longer). There are a few on-site restaurants you can pick from if you are hungry.
2. New Haven's Yale University Museums
A brilliant gem located in the heart of New Haven is Yale University. This Ivy League powerhouse elevates culture in this port town, despite some portions of the city leaving plenty to be desired (there are some seedy neighborhoods, so it's better to stick close to the university itself).
Off the main green, in a hidden location, is the Yale University Art Gallery. Here, among its more than 250,000 items, are masterpieces created by artists such as Monet, Degas, and Manet.
The Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Connecticut, is the place to go if you have a thirst for dinosaurs. The more than 14 million specimens and artefacts on display here include anything from fossils to meteorites to Babylonian carved stone divination tools.
With intriguing structures created by renowned architects like Frank O. Gehry and Eero Saarinen, the Yale campus itself is a popular destination for tourists. Each morning, free campus tours are provided by student guides, and the visitor center features historical exhibits and a video.
3. The Mystic Aquarium
The top aquarium in Connecticut is Mystic Aquarium. Beluga whales, a Stingray Touch Pool, a Sharks Touch Habitat, a Marsh Trek, and a Wildlife Rescue Center are among its stunning indoor and outdoor exhibits. Do you want to hold a starfish? These and many other activities are available in the Explore Long Island Sound exhibit.
You'll want to block out even more time for your stay because there are so many enjoyable extras available here. Visitors can schedule a Penguin Encounter, where they can get up close and personal with one of the most intriguing birds in the world, for an extra cost.
Alternately, select a one-on-one training session with a harbor seal, a feeding and painting session with stingrays, or a private training session with a sea lion.
The California Sea Lion Show is a must-see at the nearby Foxwoods Marine Center. You're in for a genuine treat with a fascinating family-friendly plot, costume changes, and original music.
Interacting with computer-generated animations in the Wild Arctic exhibitions is one of the entertaining attractions. You can interact online with a polar bear and a walrus here. Tyrannosaurus rex, stegosaurus, and other extinct animals can be found on an indoor dinosaur trail in the movie Jurassic Giants, which also has two 4D theaters.
4. East Haddam's Gillette Castle State Park
One of Connecticut's most distinctive tourist destinations is Gillette Castle. This medieval Gothic building was created in the early 20th century by stage actor William Gillette, who is credited with being the first to represent Sherlock Holmes. It contains secret tunnels, spying mirrors, and other intriguing and amusing features.
The 184-acre estate is well worth exploring, even though the 24-room castle is the main draw of this sight. If you arrange your visit for the height of the bright color show in October, the views from atop the imposing Seven Sisters are breathtaking. It is dotted with walking paths that have arched arches and wooden trestles.
If you rode the Chester-Hadlyme Ferry from Chester to the castle, you might have crossed the glistening Connecticut River that is below.
5. Norwalk's Maritime Aquarium
One of the top family-friendly attractions in Connecticut is the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk. In fact, this is the state's second-most popular family destination. Inside, visitors can stroke a jellyfish, handle a stingray, see river otters, and watch sharks feed.
The brand-new, 160,000-gallon seal display, which is home to five female harbor seals, is a must-see. With floor to ceiling windows on the first floor that look directly into the tank, from underwater, and from the second floor, visitors may observe the seals from three sides and two levels.
Visitors can take an instructive boat cruise on a 64-foot catamaran if the weather is cooperative. Select whether you want to embark on a marine life encounter, a sunset cruise, or a mission to spot seals or birds.
Make sure to watch a movie at the brand-new 4D theater when you get back to land.
6. Bridgeport's Beardsley Zoo in Connecticut
One of the most popular activities in Bridgeport is a trip to Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo, and with good reason. A gigantic anteater, alligators, sloths, and spider monkeys are among the many animals that may be seen there. It is both tiny and spacious enough to explore for a few hours.
The only zoo in Connecticut, this sanctuary for animal lovers is well-liked by parents who wish to give their kids the opportunity to interact with some of the cutest species in the world.
Children can explore a prairie dog enclosure through plastic tubes, have a colorful bird fall on them in the Walk-Through Aviary, witness an Amur leopard, spot a gator in Alligator Alley, and more.
When hunger strikes, the Peacock Café serves classic kid fare like chicken fingers and includes a take-home toy animal with each child's meal.
7. Bristol's Lake Compounce
Lovers of thrilling rides won't want to miss a visit to Lake Compounce, Connecticut's premier theme park. The oldest continually running amusement park in North America, this Bristol location has been in operation for 175 years. And wow, is it enjoyable to the max! Unquestionably, this is among the top family-friendly tourist sites in Connecticut.
One of the best wooden roller coasters in the world is Boulder Dash, and the 65-mph Phobia Phear Coaster will thrill (and perhaps frighten) every courageous rider. Before getting on these thrilling rides, we advise letting lunch digest.
There are rides available that are less exciting, so don't worry. All children (and adults) will enjoy the carousel, enormous ferris wheel, and Flying Elephant.
It's simple to cool off and carry on the enjoyment in a more refreshing way thanks to an on-site water park. Take a tube ride down Mammoth Falls, float down the river on Croc-O-Nile, or stroll around Bayou Bay. Because the ground is uneven and can get fairly warm in the summer, wear water-resistant shoes.
8. Hartford's Mark Twain House & Museum
When Olivia "Livy" Clemens and Samuel Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, moved into their newly constructed three-story Hartford mansion in 1874, it was at the pinnacle of late Victorian design.
A tour shows many of the writer's odd habits as well as some of its cutting-edge technological amenities (such as keeping kittens in the pockets of the billiard table). The inside of the house, which displays many of the exotic decorative influences of the time, was designed by several people, including Louis C. Tiffany.
While residing in this location, Clemens penned several of his most well-known works, including The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. A National Historic Landmark, the Victorian Gothic home. The restored home of Uncle Tom's Cabin author Harriet Beecher Stowe is next to the mansion. She lived in the Gothic Revival cottage from 1873 to 1896, and you can have a tour of it.
9. Hartford's Wadsworth Atheneum
The Wadsworth Atheneum, the nation's oldest free public museum, with more than 50,000 works of art housed in its Gothic-style structure. Its holdings of American arts, notably those by the Hudson River school, are particularly noteworthy. The collection of more than 5,000 American works of art includes sculptures by Alexander Calder, paintings by Georgia O'Keeffe and Andrew Wyeth, and portraits by John Singleton Copley.
The European collections include works by the Surrealists, Impressionists including Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Italian Baroque paintings. More than 7,000 objects, ranging from ancient glass and bronzes to ceramics from Meissen, Vincennes, and Sèvres, are included in the European Decorative Arts collection.
The affluent Victorian collectors who exhibited their valuables in cabinets without labels or organization served as the inspiration for the Cabinet of Art and Curiosity area. Digital touch screens provide information that would often be on labels in a contemporary museum. These collections combine artworks with natural history and other oddities.
10. New Canaan's Glass House
It's crucial to schedule your visit appropriately because The Glass House is a must-see sight in Connecticut. To guarantee entrance to this magnificent location, which is open to the public from mid-April to mid-November, you must purchase a ticket in advance.
The main draw is the translucent house, whose glass walls provide visitors within 360-degree vistas of the lush surroundings and shimmering pond that extend below. Philip Johnson, a well-known architect recognized for his cutting-edge ideas, constructed and lived in the home, which is complemented with a circular swimming pool, a brick guesthouse, a painting gallery, a pavilion in the pond, the Da Monsta building, and an intriguing sculpture gallery.
Cars are not allowed to drive to the site alone due to its isolated location in a New Canaan residential area. Visitors must instead go by car to the town's Glass House Visitor Center & Design Shop, located at 199 Elm Street. Visitors will then board a shuttle to the location from here.
11. Hammonasset Beach State Park,
Madison Beach lovers flock to Hammonasset Beach State Park's soft sand all year long, but in the summer, this picturesque shore is crowded. This is one of Connecticut's best state parks, and it also has one of the state's best beaches. You'll realize why as you put your toes into the serene Long Island Sound.
Hammonasset Beach is the longest beach in Connecticut, stretching over two miles, so even when it's crowded, there will be room for you to spread out your towel and raise your beach umbrella. On this Connecticut beach, there is more to do than just go to the beach. Canoeing, kayaking, swimming, SUPing, and fishing are all popular pastimes.
Along with visiting the spectacular Meigs Point Nature Center, visitors can stroll along the winding nature trails. If you don't want to leave so soon, grab a snack at one of the concession stands, use the restrooms, and reserve a campsite.
One of the greatest locations to camp in Connecticut is at Hammonasset Beach State Park Campground, which offers 558 sites, a volleyball court, a playground, restrooms, showers, and a ton of other amenities for visitors looking to spend the night at this popular destination.
12. The USS Nautilus and the Submarine Force Museum
The official submarine museum of the United States Navy is located in Groton along the Thames River and features exhibits, photos, and relics related to submarines. The opportunity to board and tour USS Nautilus, the first nuclear-powered submarine, is the main attraction for the majority of tourists.
They gain an understanding of what a submarine crew's daily activities were like here. Exhibits in other parts of the museum trace the history of underwater navigation starting with David Bushnell's Turtle, built in 1776.
In the auditorium of the museum, a 45-minute The early years of the Submarine Force through World War II are covered in A Century of Silent Service. The 20-minute movie "Forty-One for Freedom" in the Mini-Theater explores the development and purpose of the Navy's ballistic submarines during the Cold War.
13. Mashantucket's Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center
The Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center is a complex that is owned by the tribe and features displays on southern New England's natural history and Native American culture. The indoor exhibits showcase the development of Mashantucket Pequot life through dioramas, text panels, interactive computer programs, and a number of films.
Visitors will see a Pequot coastal town from the 16th century and see what it was like to live on a reservation from 1675 until the 1970s. As visitors learn more about the consequences of the previous ice age, they may experience the creaking ice and winds in a replica glacier crevasse from 18,000 years ago.
14. Windsor Locks' New England Air Museum
In addition to having more than 55 of its more than 100 aircraft on exhibit at any given time, the New England Aviation Museum in Windsor Locks also has a collection of airplane engines. The museum is spread out over three sizable hangars.
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Among the flying machines are helicopters, jets, WWII planes, amphibious aircraft, and two illustrious balloon baskets, one of which is the oldest surviving American-built aircraft. Silas Brooks, an aviator from Plymouth, Connecticut, constructed and piloted it in the 1860s.
The World War II glider pilots whose missions were among the riskiest of the war are shown in the exhibit Silent Wings.
15.Roseland Cottage in Woodstock
The vacation residence of Henry and Lucy Bowen and their young family, Roseland Cottage was also known as The Pink House due to its unusual color. Four U.S. presidents and other notable visitors were frequently entertained here by Bowen, a prosperous New York merchant.
With its steep roof, acutely pointed gables, and extensive ornamental fretwork under the eaves, the home is a superb illustration of the Gothic-Revival architectural style that was prominent in the mid-1840s. The interior is equally as lavishly designed in the Victorian style, with diamond-pane windows with stained glass inserts, pocket doors, patterned carpets, and wallcoverings that resembled tooled leather.
The oldest indoor bowling alley still in operation in the United States is located inside the carriage barn, and the home looks out onto a parterre garden with 21 beds of vibrant annuals and perennials and 600 yards of boxwood hedge encircling it. Listed as a National Historic Landmark is the house and gardens.
16. Ridgefield's Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum
The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum doesn't collect works of art or have a permanent collection; instead, it hosts shifting exhibitions of contemporary art that provoke thought. It features artwork based on shifting themes and is committed to highlighting the talents of creative artists who inspire viewers to think outside the box. A two-acre outdoor sculpture garden is located on the property as well.
For tourists interested in art, Connecticut has a number of interesting sights they should check out. These include the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme and the Weir Farm National Historic Site in Wilton. The Griswold Museum is a renovated 1817 mansion whose owner entertained several American Impressionist artists and acquired their works. J. Alden Weir's Weir Farm served as his summer residence and studio.
17. The Greenwich Avenue Stores
The Lululemon-clad mums of this glamorous town congregate on Greenwich Avenue to be seen. You're in for a luxurious experience whether you choose to drink a mocha latte in an upmarket café or window shop in the high-end stores (we're talking the wallet-crushing Hermès, Saks Fifth Avenue, Richards, and Moncler).
You may enjoy a leisurely lunch or dinner while taking a break from all that retail therapy on Greenwich Avenue, which serves as the major thoroughfare of this opulent suburb and is also home to some of the top restaurants in the area. Not interested in breaking the bank to buy a bagel? There are mid-range selections to tempt your appetite as well as national corporations like Starbucks, so don't worry.
When you've had your fill of eating and shopping, head to the Greenwich Historical Society to learn more about this picturesque town's past. Another recommended activity in Greenwich for people with extra time is going to the Bruce Museum. The fascinating displays, which feature information on everything from enormous geodes to more modern scientific findings, are always changing.
18.The Stamford Museum & Nature Center is
Locals of all ages adore the Stamford Museum & Nature Center, which offers hands-on activities. You're in for a treat whether you come to explore the winding walking trails, admire the statues that dot the hilltop garden, or let the kids run wild in one of Connecticut's best playgrounds.
Spend time getting to know the animals at the center's beautiful Heckscher Farm, use your binoculars to see birds, or create something original out of recycled materials in the Recycled ReCreations Makerspace. Goats, horses, chickens, and other typical farm animals live on this active New England farm. A maple sugar house is also located there.
A must-visit location is the Overbrook Nature Center & Gift Shop, particularly on Sundays when children can participate in the Explorer's Program. Your children can use an Explorer's Backpack to accompany the trek as you explore the adorable critters within.