[Csiko]

Hi guys,

Much as this sort of thread gets posted here, I have a bit of a conundrum.

I have a friend visiting from the center of the country who has traveled a bit but never been to the northeast. I'm trying to think of things to do that aren't food-related (since that's all I'm good at figuring out on my own, lol).

He's never been to NYC, but walking around all day probably wouldn't be good for him (unless there's a specific goal in mind there). Not really much for clubbing and that sort of thing either, so I need something a little bit more interesting.

Doesn't have to necessarily be in CT but that'd be ideal.

[NewJeffCT]

well, if he's from the midwest, the beaches are a good place to start. Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods. Yale has some nice museums.

[grayTJY6]

if you do go to NYC, the Circle Line tours are a good way to satisfy tourists who don't want to walk around the city all day long.

[mels]

Being that I have no idea what the interests or activity level of this person is, I'm going to throw out ideas I've used on people from the Midwest and Plains states that have visited.

Beach walk- Start at Silver Sands State park in Milford and walk the boardwalk.

Mystic/Stonington- walk the town, eat at a uniquely New England type place, like Abbot's in Noank.

Bluff Point State Park - a great short walk along where the Sound and ocean meet

CT River valley is very scenic - Essex, Chester, etc.

Or, head for the hills like Litchfield County or even Hartford County. There are some pretty easy hikes that pay off with great views, like Talcott Mountain/Heublein Tower.

[CTlibrarian]

Essex steam train, CT river cruise (Lady Katherine brunch or dinner cruises are great fun), drive to Kent Falls and Cornwall bridge, Mark Twain house in Hartford, Ferry to Block Island for lunch, Mystic Seaport, NYC: train to Grand Central and walk to Times Square (short walk) get TKTS to a Broadway show, Norman Rockwell museum in Stockbridge MA (not too far up Rte 7 from Kent Falls, actually)... that's off the top of my head but could come up with more!

[JayCT]

Mark Twain and Harriet Beecher Stowe Houses in Hartford. Gillette Castle in East Haddam. Newport, Rhode Island mansions, Cliff Walk and downtown. Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts. Connecticut Wine Trail. Litchfield Green. Any of the state beaches.

In New York there is Times Square, the observatory at the Empire State Building, the United Nations, Broadway Shows, museum after museum, Statute of Liberty, Ellis Island, Central Park, Grand Central Terminal, the High Line, Chelsea Market, South Street Seaport/Fulton Market. I could go on and on. It just depends on what they like. Jay

[ctguy87]

If your friend is from the middle of the country, I suggest doing things that don't exist there.

A trip to the Litchfield County, Berkshires, Vermont, a trip to a coastal town, whether it be Mystic, Stonington, Newport, Block Island, etc.

If your friend is into adventures, then rafting, zip lining, para sailing, etc.

If cost is an issue, then hiking, a lazy day at the beach, NYC for the highline or walking the Brooklyn Bridge, etc.

No shortage of things to do. Just depends what is interesting to you and your friend. Good food can be found wherever you go!

[beer belly]

Depending on how far you want to go....a Whale Watch would be something to see

[NewJeffCT]

Originally Posted by ctguy87

If your friend is from the middle of the country, I suggest doing things that don't exist there.

A trip to the Litchfield County, Berkshires, Vermont, a trip to a coastal town, whether it be Mystic, Stonington, Newport, Block Island, etc.

If your friend is into adventures, then rafting, zip lining, para sailing, etc.

If cost is an issue, then hiking, a lazy day at the beach, NYC for the highline or walking the Brooklyn Bridge, etc.

No shortage of things to do. Just depends what is interesting to you and your friend. Good food can be found wherever you go!

For a low cost thing to do in New York - google "free walking tour New York City" and find some well regarded tours. You can hit a lot of the sites and get some great information, and you only have to tip the tour guide at the end - tips depend on how much you can afford and if the tour guide is good, so a student can pay $10, while if you're more well off, you can tip $20 to $30 or more. If you don't want to do a lot of walking, pick one that sticks to a smaller area.

We went to Paris and London last year and did the "free" walking tour on our first day in each city and it gave us a great idea of where to go more in depth the next days, and also a lot of good information on each city. (Our tour guide in Paris was a young woman from Germany who spoke flawless American-accented English - if she had said she was from Ohio, I would have believed her.)

[sandy6879]

Mansion tours in Newport, Mystic, there are tons of museums if you would rather be indoors, a trip over to Cape Cod is nice too for a day. That's the nice thing about the area, nothing takes very long to drive to