Residents looking for something to do this summer don’t need to go to New York City or Boston to have a fun, exciting time – Connecticut has plenty of landmarks, nationally-renowned attractions and more for everyone to explore, from date nights to family getaways.
Best Trails
If you’re itching to get outdoors, AllTrails’ hundreds of thousands of reviewers have identified the best trails in Connecticut for avid hikers, bikers and folks just wanting to get outdoors. Be sure to hydrate and wear sunscreen and bug spray when you’re heading out to Chauncey Peak Trail, accessible through Meriden’s Guiffrida Park, voted the best in the state with a 4.7 out of 5 score. Sleeping Giant Tower Trail in Hamden, the Ragged Mountain Blue and Red Loops in Berlin and the Bear Mountain Trail in Salisbury are all also among the best the state has to offer.
Best Pizza
Some of the best pizza, referred to in some corners as “apizza,” can be found in Connecticut. Whether it’s the Daily Meal, Barstool Sports or the New York Times making the claim, New Haven’s Frank Pepe’s, Sally’s Apizza and Modern Apizza all regularly make lists of the best pizza in the United States, if not the world, sometimes competing with the birthplace of pizza itself. Stamford’s Colony Grill is another strong contender – but there’s good pizza statewide. Just check the Connecticut Pizza Trail for 20 great options, soon to expand to 100 by the end of the year.
Best Museums
What if you’re looking for a more educational or artistic experience? Connecticut has plenty of highly regarded museums, including the Wadsworth Athenium in Hartford, which ranks among the best art museums in the country, according to the Washington Post. The Wadsworth, one of the oldest art museums in the country, has a packed art collection. Conde Nast Traveler, meanwhile, considers the Mark Twain House and Museum, also in Hartford, as the best in the state. If you want to stay local, your community’s historical society likely has plenty of history on display; for a more exciting trip with children, the Connecticut Science Center has a display on the science of Disney-Pixar films through September.
Best Restaurants
While “best restaurants” are subjective, the New York Times says Mystic’s Shipwright Daughter is one of the best restaurants in the country. If you’re looking for something different, Krust in Middletown, Sushi Bar in Greenwich and Castello in Danbury have all received either 4.9 or 5 stars out of 5 from OpenTable reviewers.
Best Concert Venue
While bigger cities draw stadium acts, Connecticut has plenty of music venues offering a wide variety of performances. Mohegan Sun Arena is considered one of the best “small” arenas in the country, offering worldwide acts like Keith Urban, Eric Clapton and Sting, while the Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater in Bridgeport has won several “best in state” awards from the Connecticut Post and Connecticut Magazine – Chicago, James Taylor and Tedeschi Trucks Band are on this year’s schedule. Jam band and indie fans will love Westville Music Bowl in New Haven, with HAIM, Modest Mouse, Beck and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard coming this summer, and there’s always the history of Toad’s Place in New Haven, which famously hosted the Rolling Stones, U2 and Bob Dylan and regularly brings rock and rap acts to Connecticut.
