[RHB]

Originally Posted by enxuto

Does anyone have any free suggestions? Maybe some great local parks with playgrounds and natural features?

We've gone to:

Mikey's Place in Wethersfield
Mill Pond in Newington
Addison Park in Glastonbury
Bushnell Park in Hartford
Wadsworth Falls in Middlefield
I can't think of the name but its a water pad down the street from the Mall in West Hartford.
There's the all wood playscape in West Hartford at the Jewish Center better for the little ones

We've also biked or hiked at:

MDC in Farmington 3.5 mi paved trail loop and hiking or mountain biking in back
Farmington River Valley paved trail section up through Colinsville (biking or walking, it's to cracked for rollerblading for us)
Cheshire paved trail down to Sleepy Hollow (it goes all the way to New Haven) No bathrooms - a problem we found out the hard way!
Airline Trail - Start in East Haddam and go through the forest (railroad bridges, gorge view, state forest, waterfall, brooks) no bathrooms again.

These are all free access just pay for the gas!

I've got 3 kids and not a lot of money so a trip to the park with a packed lunch picnic is our treat however going to the same places too many times takes the thrill away.

Thanks for sharing

Conn College, across from the Coast Guard, in New London, has a wooded area for hiking, a great way to spend the afternoon. Lyman Alan Musuem is there (it was on a donation basis, like the sub musuem is in Groton)

I have a question---does anyone know of a cheese factory in CT? I seem to think I saw one advertised at one point, but can't seem to find it.

[KH02]

Blueback Square in West Hartford is a Cheesecake factory....be prepared to WAIT. It's ALWAYS PACKED!!!!!!!

[WILWRadio]

The Granville, MA General Store (just over the border from Granby) makes their own Cheddar on site or at least they used to.

The Old Newgate Prison and Copper Mine in Granby can offer a couple of hours of relaxation. They also have a hiking trail or two.

http://www.newenglandsite.com/ct-newgateprison.shtml

[deerislesmile]

When I was avoiding hanging out at my awful MIL's in Branford, we would go to the Shoreline Trolley (East Haven) and always to the Peabody Museum in New Haven (Yale)- my son LOVED going to the Peabody! Mystic Aquarium and Old Mystic were great for a day trip, too. Over towards the FIL in Derby, we would take a few hours and go to Indian Well Park or to the former dairy farm-turned park (I'm forgetting the name right now...). Other than that, I didn't see alot of CT... except for the highway.

[Leilani Vasquez]

If it hasn't been mentioned yet, The Children's Museum in West Hartford is a great place. My kids used to love going there when they were smaller.

[uconn99]

Or the soon to open Science Museum in downtown Hartford will be nice.

[TheGreenwichCalendar]

A great place to look for events in Greenwich as well as the Bedford, Mount Kisco area in New York.

Originally Posted by JViello

Hello everyone. In the spirit of the picture thread I wanted to start a thread for things to see and do in CT since we get asked all the time "where can I take my x" while visiting etc. It can be a museum, restaurant, state park, walking trail, festival - whatever you like.

I think it would be nice to have a thread to point to and collect the info we all have shared over the last years here.

I'll start with the New England Air Museum. If you have never been GO.

Many do not realize how large the aerospace and aircraft influence in the Hartford region is. The museum is hands on, interactive and run by all volunteers. You will find retired Pratt and Whitney workers spending their days restoring a VS-44 Flying Boat or a WWII glider plane or WWII B-29 in real time in front of your eyes.

You can walk up to and touch these planes (And go inside many). The place is truely a gem that IMO does not get enough recognition in the Hartford area as a "place to go".

You can spend most of a day there with your family for sure and will not be disappointed. We took my 60 year old mother a couple years back and she got teary eyed walking by a Vietnam era huey chopper as she lost a dear friend on a Huey in that war. It's really emotional at times and a big piece of our history as a nation and state in real time, right in front of you. Some of the displays feel frozen in time almost.

The museum is located near the Bradley Internation Airport in Windsor Locks and is very affordable.

Adults (age 12 & up) $9.50
Children Ages 6 - 11 $6.00
Children Age 5 & under Free
Seniors (age 60 & up) $8.50

New England Air Museum Home Page

New England Air Museum - Major Exhibits

That's my first addition, share your favorite places to go in CT!

[needalife]

I can't believe Gilette Castle State Park wasn't mentioned. The tour of the castle is fun, there's some great hiking in the park and the views of the Connecticut River are magnificent. Take the Rt 82 bridge to the park and the ferry back from the park.

[YankeesGiantsRangersNYK]

Go to New York (if your in Western CT)

Go to that lesser crappy city where the Red Sox play (if your in Eastern/Northern CT)

Go to New Haven and get Pizza.

[CTKel]

I have to echo the great suggestions in all the posts above!

One thing I didn't see mentioned (sorry if I missed it) is the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center in Mashantucket. Mashantucket Museum and Research Center

I was there over the summer and found it to be an amazing experience. We actually went on a day they were having a pow-wow. We first toured the museum, which has many beautiful and informative exhibits, and then watched the dancing outside, which was incredible. It's interesting and educational for adults and kids.

I was also going to suggest the Bushnell Park Carousel, Wadsworth Atheneum (great for adults and they also work hard to get kids interested in art), Old Newgate Prison (I remember this being great on a hot summer day, since the mine was so cool!), Children's Museum in West Hartford, New England Air Museum (which interested me even though I typically have no interest in that kind of thing.)

I also cannot say enough about the state parks and forests. DEP: Connecticut State Parks and Forests
The link has info on all of them, including fees. I'm only familiar with a few, but I hear good things about many. I've gone hiking and kayaking at Bigelow Hollow (Union... free on weekdays) and hiking in Shenipsit (Stafford/Ellington). Shenipsit has a tower on Soapstone Mountain- not a very big mountain, but on a clear day, you can see Vermont.

And the other activity I wanted to mention, one of the things I miss most not living there anymore, is apple picking. There are so many great orchards to pick your own apples (as well as other pick your own farms, like pumpkins, berries, etc.)