[kd83]

Sometimes on a day like today, I feel that I lack creativity in coming up with something me and my significant other can do that doesnt involve lots of planning and/or money. I've traveled a lot and been a lot of neat places but they usually involve planning or money. My memory is pretty bad, so I'd like to make a list of smaller, less expensive things to do around the state for when I just wanna get up and do something adventurous, or new, or romantic, or different, etc. Even if you feel your idea is obvious post it anyways, b/c I'm really bad at this and the more ideas I have to choose from on a bored day the better. If you've got an idea that does cost a little more thats ok too but try and give as many inexpensive or free things to do as possible. The closer the better but Boston, NYC, Providence are close enough as long as its a weekend but tend to cost more just in gas alone, plus parking etc. I lost one of my jobs, so I am going to have to limit my spending while still trying to stay a good romantic boyfriend lol.

[S2000]

Just a walk in the park or down at the shoreline with a picnic type of lunch or dinner always works out to be a stressfree and easy on the pocket adventure to do.

[melkat]

are you writing a book or something? You posted the same thing on the Charlotte forum and I know CT and Charlotte are no where near each other..bored or not

[kd83]

Originally Posted by melkat

are you writing a book or something? You posted the same thing on the Charlotte forum and I know CT and Charlotte are no where near each other..bored or not

lol no I'm moving to charlotte..but for now while I"m in Connecticut and bored I want to make the most of my last month here.

[JViello]

Originally Posted by kd83

lol no I'm moving to charlotte..but for now while I"m in Connecticut and bored I want to make the most of my last month here.

Have you ever walked the Freedom Trail in Boston? It's free and really fun and educational about the foundation of this country and Boston itself. It's like a self guided tour you can't screw up. lol

For a really good cheap dinner the CT Culinary Institute (They used to, not sure if they still are - check with them) serves 4-5 star meals the students prepare in their "restaurant" at Taco Bell prices. You get really really good food for cheap and it's fun seeing what they can create for you.

Stop by Highland Park Market deli get some fresh made sandwiches, drive 300' and walk to the top of Case Mountain and enjoy the view of the entire CT River valley while sitting in the gazeebo and enjoying each others company and lunch.

Visit the Wadsworth in Hartford! If you've never been it's an amazing place.

Stop by Chao's on Mainstreet Manchester for some cheap and unbelievably good Vietmanese food (Place is run by mom, dad and sons and their Lemongrass is out of this world) Then Go see a show at Cheney hall. Tickets are $16-18 dollars.

Go for some wings and beer at the Bidwell. You can get away pretty cheap and they have live entertainment on weekends. The place is just an experience in itself.

Take a drive to Sharpe Hill Vineyard in Pomfret http://www.sharpehill.com do a wine tasting and then walk to the top of their vineyard and take in the views. It sounds simple but it's really laid back and fun and FREE.

Go to Harkness Memorial State Park in Waterford - you will not be disappointed. You can walk the grounds along the ocean, check out the "castle" and the english gardens on site etc and have a nice relaxing time on the shore.

Same for Rocky Neck state park.

Go visit The Fish Family Farm on RT 85 just past 384 - tour the barn, pet the cows and calfs, then get some fresh made ice cream while you are there. Just a short trip but still fun.

Those are just some off the top of my head...there is a ton to do around here on the cheap if you just look. Here's a large PDF file with alllll kinds of stuff listed.

http://www.visitctriver.com/pdf/Visi...ervalleyct.pdf

[kd83]

Originally Posted by JViello

Have you ever walked the Freedom Trail in Boston? It's free and really fun and educational about the foundation of this country and Boston itself. It's like a self guided tour you can't screw up. lol

For a really good cheap dinner the CT Culinary Institute (They used to, not sure if they still are - check with them) serves 4-5 star meals the students prepare in their "restaurant" at Taco Bell prices. You get really really good food for cheap and it's fun seeing what they can create for you.

Stop by Highland Park Market deli get some fresh made sandwiches, drive 300' and walk to the top of Case Mountain and enjoy the view of the entire CT River valley while sitting in the gazeebo and enjoying each others company and lunch.

Visit the Wadsworth in Hartford! If you've never been it's an amazing place.

Stop by Chao's on Mainstreet Manchester for some cheap and unbelievably good Vietmanese food (Place is run by mom, dad and sons and their Lemongrass is out of this world) Then Go see a show at Cheney hall. Tickets are $16-18 dollars.

Go for some wings and beer at the Bidwell. You can get away pretty cheap and they have live entertainment on weekends. The place is just an experience in itself.

Take a drive to Sharpe Hill Vineyard in Pomfret http://www.sharpehill.com do a wine tasting and then walk to the top of their vineyard and take in the views. It sounds simple but it's really laid back and fun and FREE.

Go to Harkness Memorial State Park in Waterford - you will not be disappointed. You can walk the grounds along the ocean, check out the "castle" and the english gardens on site etc and have a nice relaxing time on the shore.

Same for Rocky Neck state park.

Go visit The Fish Family Farm on RT 85 just past 384 - tour the barn, pet the cows and calfs, then get some fresh made ice cream while you are there. Just a short trip but still fun.

Those are just some off the top of my head...there is a ton to do around here on the cheap if you just look. Here's a large PDF file with alllll kinds of stuff listed.

http://www.visitctriver.com/pdf/Visi...ervalleyct.pdf

wow thanks..that is the most helpful anyones been so far (no offense to anybody else who gave ideas) that is just really a lot of good specific stuff :-)

[JViello]

NP KD there is lots more to do - CT is unique like that, you really just have to dig around a little.

Couple more off the top of my head:

Go to East Haddam via RT 9 so you can cross the swing bridge, take a right into the Goodspeed Opera house parking area, and walk around the village for a bit visiting the various places...find a sandwich shop or whatever and then hang out on the Goodspeed dock for a while and watch the river traffic go by and if you are lucky they will open the bridge. The entire center section swing open for boat traffic. It's pretty neat.

http://www.easthaddam.net

From there head over to Gillette Castle. Something you soon won't forget. You can tour the castle and grounds. The view of the CT river from there is breath taking. Getting into the park and grounds is free and the castle tour for adults is $5.

You can also visit the Essex steam train - sometimes it's more for kids, but I had a blast myself being on an old school steamtrain! It's cheap and can even be incorporated in your trip down the lower river valley and stuff above.

http://www.essexsteamtrain.com

Back to SE CT - head into the Mystic village (Exit 92 on 95?), stop and tour the DT area - then keep heading West on main street and go left at the split on RT215...follow that for a couple miles and go left on Mosher ave, left on main street, and right on Pearl street. You will now be driving through he village of Noank. Keep going on Pearl until you see Abbots Lobster in the Rough and/or keep going down to Costello's Clamshack. You can get a Clamroll for $7.25, sit on the dock of Mystic harbor and watch the boats go by...it's really nice and all the small streets wandering through the village on the way is an experience too.

http://www.costellosclamshack.com
http://www.abbotts-lobster.com

Don't forget about Mystic Seaport. You can spend the entire day there by itself! Tickets are a little more pricey $17.50 for adults but it's definetely worth the money if you spend it. They let you go on the old clipper ships and go below deck etc, watch them build a boat the old way, explore all the villiage "things" like the working blacksmith shop etc etc...tons to do there.

http://www.mysticseaport.org

While in SE CT, head over to Watch Hill RI just over the border.

http://www.watchhill.com
http://www.visitwatchhill.com

It's basically a mini cape you can walk out on and it's free...if you want romance with your GF, this is the place. It goes nice after a trip to Abbots or Costello's.

If I think of anything else, I'll let you know.

[stormweary]

JViello, WOW!! you are the best. These are great!! I now have a file " things to do in Ct" What an incentive to move.....
I'll be up there for a few days beg. of June. My daughter's getting married and there's a party. I may have to duck out and check some of these out!!
thanks, again!

[sunshinecities]

Roseland Cottage in Woodstock is neat - I loved it. You can tour it - it's a small beautiful cottage in the woods. Put a search in Roseland Cottage CT and you'll find it online. Gillette Castle in E. Haddam is really neat to tour and walk around the grounds. The Slater museum in Norwich was really neat - and there is a park a few miles from there we really liked - unfortunately I cannot think of where exactly - I recall pretty roses etc. - the town of Norwich would know. Hope you find some new and fun places!

[VLYS]

[quote=JViello;605375]
Go for some wings and beer at the Bidwell. You can get away pretty cheap and they have live entertainment on weekends. The place is just an experience in itself.
[quote]


Great ideas...but if you go to Bidwell's order a beverage & the wings...the dinners are not good!
Another inexpensive day trip would be Chamard Winery in
Clinton (near Clinton Premium Outlet).