[Stylo]

Originally Posted by Lalalally

CT lacks well-known (outside of CT) destinations. That's why I imagine it ranked so low. I did not even check out the click-bait article, but I would bet money that NJ and NH ranked pretty low among the Northeast states as well. Not that I have anything against any of them, but if you try to rattle off something appealing that each Northeast state might have to offer that someone from the outside would think is unique and might actually want to see, it's all easy until you get to NJ, CT, and NH. There's no quintessential "Americana" road trip appeal to any of these states. None that I can think of at least... PA, Philadelphia and the Liberty Bell, of course, and maybe Amish folks if you're into that; NY, NYC of course and perhaps the Adirondacks if you're an outdoorsy type; MA = Boston/Lexington-Concord/Cape Cod; Rhode Island, Newport mansions and the ocean/water almost everywhere;Maine, lobsters and lighthouses, and moose if you like them; Vermont, skiing; CT, ???; NJ, the shore and boardwalk perhaps? Other than that???? NH, ???

New Hampshire is easy. The White Mountains. Portsmouth also gets a decent amount of tourists.

[RunD1987]

Originally Posted by Stylo

New Hampshire is easy. The White Mountains. Portsmouth also gets a decent amount of tourists.

Franconia Notch and Lake Winnipesaukee. New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

[hunterseat]

Originally Posted by JimG2

I'm going on vaca next week......Maine....

But honestly, there are a lot of day trip activities around in CT.... Mystic Seaport, Fort Trumbull, Beardsley Zoo, wineries, etc...just have to dig for them on the CT.gov website. But if you are an out of stater, yeah....keep driving and go to Maine or the Cape.

Jim

Lake Compounce seems like a very well-love place to visit. I think it's all about how you raise your family and how badly you need someone else to entertain you. I love camping and woods, outdoors. That's what I consider a relaxing vacation. I guess others would consider that boring.

[Melodica]

Originally Posted by htfdcolt

Yeah, I have to vehemently disagree with this. The whole Mystic / Stonington area alone...lots of states would kill for. Come on, you telling me Alabama is a better summer destination? Indiana (my home state by the way)?

Better? Perhaps not, but don't poo poo it completely.

Examples...

Desoto Caverns in Childersburg
Noccalula Falls in Gadsden
Moundville Archaeological Park in Moundville
Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville
Sloss Furnace in Birmingham

And those are just off the top of my head.

Then there's the obvious draw of the Gulf coast. Because nobody wants to go to the beach in the summer.

There's not much I like about this state, but it's certainly got plenty to do for a tourist.

[htfdcolt]

Originally Posted by Melodica

Better? Perhaps not, but don't poo poo it completely.

Examples...

Desoto Caverns in Childersburg
Noccalula Falls in Gadsden
Moundville Archaeological Park in Moundville
Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville
Sloss Furnace in Birmingham

And those are just off the top of my head.

Then there's the obvious draw of the Gulf coast. Because nobody wants to go to the beach in the summer.

There's not much I like about this state, but it's certainly got plenty to do for a tourist.

No disparagement intended against Alabama! It was just the first state that popped into my head as an example...along with my home state of Indiana. I've spent time in Montgomery many years ago, and hats off to the friendliness of the folks down there!

[Raider111]

Originally Posted by Stylo

If you weren't impressed by the Yale Art Gallery, I'd suggest you hate art. It's absolutely world class.

It's great for something to do on a Feb weekend. As a summer tourist destination I'll look for the exit sign.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by Lalalally

CT lacks well-known (outside of CT) destinations. That's why I imagine it ranked so low. I did not even check out the click-bait article, but I would bet money that NJ and NH ranked pretty low among the Northeast states as well. Not that I have anything against any of them, but if you try to rattle off something appealing that each Northeast state might have to offer that someone from the outside would think is unique and might actually want to see, it's all easy until you get to NJ, CT, and NH. There's no quintessential "Americana" road trip appeal to any of these states. None that I can think of at least... PA, Philadelphia and the Liberty Bell, of course, and maybe Amish folks if you're into that; NY, NYC of course and perhaps the Adirondacks if you're an outdoorsy type; MA = Boston/Lexington-Concord/Cape Cod; Rhode Island, Newport mansions and the ocean/water almost everywhere;Maine, lobsters and lighthouses, and moose if you like them; Vermont, skiing; CT, ???; NJ, the shore and boardwalk perhaps? Other than that???? NH, ???

Since we are talking day-trips, you really are talking only places known regionally. Mystic is very well known throughout the northeast. I have friends from New Jersey that brought their family there for a few days. Mystic Aquarium drew nearly 719,000 visitors last year according to a survey of the Hartford Business Journal. I would think the Seaport drew quite a few as well.

Also do not forget Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun which still draw thousands each day from all over the region. Foxwoods drew 12.7 million visitors while Mohegan drew 9 million. I highly doubt all of these are from Connecticut itself. Jay

[Lalalally]

Originally Posted by JayCT

Since we are talking day-trips, you really are talking only places known regionally. Mystic is very well known throughout the northeast. I have friends from New Jersey that brought their family there for a few days. Mystic Aquarium drew nearly 719,000 visitors last year according to a survey of the Hartford Business Journal. I would think the Seaport drew quite a few as well.

Also do not forget Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun which still draw thousands each day from all over the region. Foxwoods drew 12.7 million visitors while Mohegan drew 9 million. I highly doubt all of these are from Connecticut itself. Jay

I didn't know we were talking day trips - I thought the gist of the article was that we ranked at the bottom nationally for road trip destinations.


I realize that there are a lot of day trip destinations for locals in CT and those in the immediate region. I'm just saying that CT does not have a single stand-out attraction which would draw people from across the country and which would make us a true road-trip destination location. We do not have that, like NY does, like MA does, etc.

[chris410]

Originally Posted by Lalalally

CT lacks well-known (outside of CT) destinations. That's why I imagine it ranked so low. I did not even check out the click-bait article, but I would bet money that NJ and NH ranked pretty low among the Northeast states as well. Not that I have anything against any of them, but if you try to rattle off something appealing that each Northeast state might have to offer that someone from the outside would think is unique and might actually want to see, it's all easy until you get to NJ, CT, and NH. There's no quintessential "Americana" road trip appeal to any of these states. None that I can think of at least... PA, Philadelphia and the Liberty Bell, of course, and maybe Amish folks if you're into that; NY, NYC of course and perhaps the Adirondacks if you're an outdoorsy type; MA = Boston/Lexington-Concord/Cape Cod; Rhode Island, Newport mansions and the ocean/water almost everywhere;Maine, lobsters and lighthouses, and moose if you like them; Vermont, skiing; CT, ???; NJ, the shore and boardwalk perhaps? Other than that???? NH, ???

NH Really?? As covered by other posters the big items: The white mountains, Lake Winnipesaukee, Hampton beach, Portsmouth, NHMS, The Appalachian Trail,

There are also many other reasons people from out of state travel to NH: The numerous Ski-resorts in the winter time, the interconnected snowmobile trail system, Ride the Wilds the largest ATV trail system in the North-east, other smaller yet beautiful desination lakes (Sunapee, Squam, Umbagog, Winnisquam, newfound, etc etc) The saco river, North Conway, The kancamagus.

Even NJ (a place im not a fan of ) has some spots i can think of that people drive out of state for: Atlantic City, wildwood cape may, etc

[Lalalally]

Originally Posted by chris410

NH Really?? As covered by other posters the big items: The white mountains, Lake Winnipesaukee, Hampton beach, Portsmouth, NHMS, The Appalachian Trail,

There are also many other reasons people from out of state travel to NH: The numerous Ski-resorts in the winter time, the interconnected snowmobile trail system, Ride the Wilds the largest ATV trail system in the North-east, other smaller yet beautiful desination lakes (Sunapee, Squam, Umbagog, Winnisquam, newfound, etc etc) The saco river, North Conway, The kancamagus.

Even NJ (a place im not a fan of ) has some spots i can think of that people drive out of state for: Atlantic City, wildwood cape may, etc

I realize those things -- my husband's family has a summer house in NH -- it's a beautiful state and I love it. All I am saying is that NH does not have the same allure for road trippers, on a national level (which is what the article is about, i.e. CT is dead last in the Country), as do other states. And in the northeast alone, I'm pretty sure there are other states that would think attract more vacationers from across the country than NH does (i.e. NY, MA, VT, ME).