More than 750 Early Jurassic dinosaur footprints have been preserved in place at Dinosaur State Park and can be viewed in the museum. There is also plenty to explore outdoors: More than two miles of nature and hiking trails wind through swamps, dense forest and meadows, as well as over a basalt traprock ridge formed from hot lava. Seasonally, you can search for gemstones and fossils in the outdoor area. Check current operating dates before your visit.
Trails, Forests and Waterfalls
Connecticut has 142 state parks and state forests; the total may change. The statewide network also includes more than 2,000 miles of multi-use and cycling trails. The park and forest system offers opportunities for camping, swimming, boating, horseback riding, cycling, hiking and ski touring—a wide range from which you can choose individual experiences to suit your interests.
The Air Line State Park Trail shows just how far a trail can extend through the region: It runs for more than 50 miles through eastern Connecticut, from Thompson to Portland, and is suitable for walkers, hikers, cyclists and horseback riders. One section is part of the East Coast Greenway. In Columbia, the trail connects with the Hop River Trail; at the Massachusetts border, it meets the Southern New England Trunkline Trail. These connections give the long route a clear geographic context.
Individual landscape features add their own appeal, too. At Kent Falls State Park, water from a 250-foot waterfall flows down to the Housatonic River; there is also a covered bridge. Talcott Mountain State Park’s highlights for hikers include Heublein Tower and a 360-degree view from a 1,000-foot-high rocky outcrop. On the water’s edge, Hammonasset Beach State Park has a two-mile sandy beach with opportunities for swimming, surf fishing and strolls along the boardwalk.
Coastline and Wildlife Watching
At Hammonasset Beach, beach recreation and wildlife habitats meet. Brackish marsh, deciduous forest and estuary provide a home for many rare and endangered birds. Those interested in birds of prey can observe them up close at the Fairfield Nature Center’s Bird of Prey Compound.
The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk focuses on Long Island Sound. Its touch experiences include sturgeon, stingrays, sharks, jellyfish and animals from the tidal zone. The aquarium also offers public trips aboard the R/V Sound Explorer year-round; schedules may change. This lets you explore close-up encounters with animals and trips on the water within the same theme, while recognizing that these are different experiences.
The Edwin Way Teale Trail Wood Memorial Sanctuary offers another perspective on the landscape. The area covers 168 acres and has almost four miles of trails through old fields, forests, streams and ponds. It was once home to naturalist Edwin Way Teale and his wife, Nellie. The trails and former residence thus bring together nature and biography in one place.
If you are planning a boat tour or a trip from a boat ramp, it is worth checking the relevant conditions: CT DEEP operates or manages more than 115 boat ramps on inland lakes, ponds, rivers and Long Island Sound, and their availability may change. The variety of waterways is as much a part of the state’s character as its hiking trails and parks.
Architecture, History and Museums
At Gillette Castle State Park stands a 14,000-square-foot stone fortress built by William Hooker Gillette in 1914. The castle sits 200 feet above the Connecticut River and is surrounded by 184 acres of woodland. You can hike across the wooded grounds along the former route of a miniature railway. The building, river setting and forest offer different perspectives on the same place.
Fort Griswold Battlefield State Park was the site of the largest battle of the American Revolutionary War in Connecticut. The Connecticut Freedom Trail offers a broader view of history and remembrance: It documents and marks sites that represent the struggle for freedom and human dignity. These include places connected with the Amistad case of 1839 to 1842, as well as burial sites, monuments, houses and buildings associated with African American heritage and the pursuit of freedom in Connecticut. Some buildings were reportedly used for the Underground Railroad.
Art and collections complement these historical themes. The 24 museums on the Connecticut Art Trail have more than 500,000 works of art in their permanent collections; collection totals may change. At the Museum of Connecticut History, visitors can explore thousands of objects from the museum’s extensive artifact collection in its exhibitions. The New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks, near Bradley International Airport, has more than 100 aircraft. There, you can use flight simulators and step inside historic cockpits from World War II, the Cold War and the Vietnam War.
Connecticut can therefore be explored through a wide range of interests: long trails, coastal habitats, architecture, history or museum collections. To plan your trip, you can first decide which experiences interest you most, then look for a hotel in Connecticut that suits your plans.
Discover more destinations: Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex, New London, Litchfield, Hartford, Windham, New Haven, Tolland County.
For the main travel overview: Usa.
