33 Of My Favorite Places In Connecticut

1. Tea with Tracy, Seymour, Connecticut:  Tea with Tracy is an extremely cute very Alice in Wonderland inspired tea room.  They have a great assortment of tea to choose from and lovely desserts.  Try the chicken salad sandwich, you won't be disappointed. 

   

   My Dad and I enjoying one of my favorite places, "Tea With Tracy".

2. Elizabeth Park, West Hartford, Connecticut:  One of the most beautiful parks you'll ever see.  I know many people who take engagement, wedding, and senior pictures here for its landscaping is breathtaking.  There's a restaurant and snack shack inside the park and it's worth checking out, for one can spend hours here, between the tennis courts, flower views, hikes, food, and multiple lakes.   

   

   Inside the park.

3. R.J. Julia, Madison, Connecticut:  One of the most beautiful book stores and cafes I've ever been to.  R.J. Julia does a bunch of book signings and other kinds of fun events that are worth looking into. I've met Anderson Cooper and Goldie Hawn along with countless other authors there.
4. Indian Drop, Norwich, Connecticut:  A beautiful park open to the public with a jaw-dropping waterfall.  The park comes with a story you can read on numerous plaques posted throughout.  I don't want to spoil anything but it's an insane part of Connecticut history.
5. Lyman Orchards, Middlefield, Connecticut:  Lyman Orchards has it all; a sunflower maze, a corn maze, a pumpkin patch, fruit you can pick yourself throughout the year, a golf course, a grocery store, and a bunch of events year-round.  The place is huge and there's always something to do no matter what season you visit.

   

   Me, at Lyman Orchard's pumpkin patch.

   

   A photo Jake took of me in The Sunflower Maze.

6. Gillette Castle State Park, East Haddam, Connecticut:  The best part about Gillette Castle is the trails.  The museum and tour of the castle is beautiful, but pricy since you don't get to tour the whole castle.  I definitely recommend checking out the trails around the park.  They're free and open year-round to the public.

   

   Gillette Castle in the Spring.

7. The Pottery Piazza, Plainville, Connecticut:  Once you pay for studio time you're allowed to spend the entire day painting and creating.  The staff is very nice and extremely helpful.  Anything you want to do or create they'll help you with.  They have everything imaginable in store for supplies, and a great sale section. 

   

   Jake, painting some pottery.

8. The Wadsworth Museum in Hartford, Connecticut:  The Wadsworth is a stunning art museum constantly changing and updating its exhibits.  They have a really cute, very good restaurant inside too.
9. Onyx Distillery in East Hartford, Connecticut:  A 1920's themed moonshine tasting that comes with fabulous gourmet chocolate that matches perfectly with each drink. The distillery is beautiful, you walk in through a hidden door that doubles as a bookshelf.  A really fun way to spend the afternoon.
10. Mystic Aquarium, Mystic, Connecticut:  It's no Sea-World, but it's a great aquarium.  It's clean, and the animals are always out and visible.  Mystic has more sea animals than just fish.
11. Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut:  A stunning campus located between some of Connecticut's best restaurants and extremely cute stores.  

    

    On Yale's Campus.  

12. Arrigoni Winery, Portland, Connecticut:  A very cute and quaint winery nestled in mid-Connecticut.  They always have events such as paint night, live music, even yoga!  
13. Tea Roses Tea Room, Cromwell, Connecticut:  A small but extremely beautiful tea room.  Everything is so yummy here.  I suggest having "high tea", you'll feel like you're a queen in another country.  The staff is extremely lovely, helpful, and approachable.  

    

    High Tea at "Tea Roses".

14. Plan B Burgers, Glastonbury, Connecticut:  The absolute best burgers ever.  They were featured in Food and Wine Magazine and usually have events on the weekends.
15. Goodspeed's Station Country Store, Haddam, Connecticut:  A very lovely old fashioned store with all kinds of unique stuff.  Everything in the store is made in America.  They also have a candy counter in store!
16. Hartford Stage, Hartford, Connecticut:  A small, but cute theater in the capital city.  

    

    We saw Kevin Bacon in Alfred Hitchcock's "Rear Window".  It was excellent. 

17. Westfarms Mall, West Hartford, Connecticut:  By far the best mall located in Connecticut.  It has every store imaginable and is absolutely beautiful.  They're constantly updating and renovating to stay the best.
18. Main Street Creamery, Weathersfield, Connecticut:  The yummiest ice cream and treats from a local creamery.  They even have vegan options as well.

    

    Me, eating a vegan pumpkin walnut ice cream.

19. Two Wresslin' Cats Cafe, East Haddam, Connecticut:  My favorite coffee shop around.  This place is wild and definitely one of a kind.  I highly recommend ordering the "tomcat turkey" sandwich. 
20. Pez Visitor Center, Orange, Connecticut:  A small museum showing how Pez are made and their history.  It's kind of neat to see all the Pez they have displayed in-store that are discontinued.   This museum is quite small and geared more towards kids, but it's interesting and worth a visit.
21. Pequot Museum, Mashantucket, Connecticut:  Absolutely beautiful Native American museum.  They don't change their exhibits around much, but it's still great and worth visiting.
22. Typhoon Restaurant, Middletown, Connecticut:  The only Thai restaurant worth going to.  My boyfriend and I always get their chicken pad thai or the cashew nut.  They've been featured in The New York Times multiple times.
23. Devil's Hopyard State Park, East Haddam, Connecticut:  This park is full of trails and great sights.  There's waterfalls and an incredible view from above once you're at the top.

    

    Jake in the park.

24. Tickled Pink Boutique, Seymour, Connecticut:  You've never seen more pink in your life, I guarantee, but they have really unique gifts and other cute things to buy. 
25. The Space, Hamden, Connecticut:  A wicked awesome very unusual concert hall.  The decorations are what make it.
26. The Yale Art Museum, New Haven, Connecticut:  A beautiful museum open to the public, no charge.

    

    Inside the art museum.  

    

    A photo of me inside the museum.  

27. The Bushnell, Hartford, Connecticut:  Outstanding plays and shows are performed here.  A lot of off-Broadway shows come to The Bushnell.
28. Lenny and Joe's Fish Tale, Westbrook, Connecticut:  Great seafood right near the beach.  On Wednesdays, they have all you can eat fish and chips for ten dollars during the offseason.
29. Dinosaur State Park and Trails, Rocky Hill, Connecticut:  Fun free trails open to the public.  The museum is more for little kids though.
30. Mohegan Sun Casino, Uncasville, Connecticut:  Even if you're not old enough to gamble, Mohegan is full of shops and restaurants, even concerts from the biggest artists and celebrities. 
31. Elm City Social, New Haven, Connecticut:  Order the rubber ducky, you won't be disappointed.  

    

    A Rubber Ducky.  

32. Lake Compounce, Bristol, Connecticut:  An old, but cute historic amusement park.  The Halloween Haunted House they put on each year is spectacular for how small the park is.  It's definitely worth a visit.  They offer free drinks throughout the park with admission all year round.
33. The New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, Connecticut: An absolutely lovely, small art museum with fun and funky modern art.  I think of this museum as kind of a hidden gem.  It may be small, but it has a lot to offer and the exhibits are constantly changing.  They even offer events where you can stay overnight.

    

    Jake at The New Britain Art Museum.