Connecticut
One of the original 13 colonies, Connecticut has important Revolutionary War history. See one of the nation’s most prestigious universities or simply lounge on the beach.
Spot the shiny gold dome of the Connecticut State Capitol in Hartford and tour the impressive interior. Visit the homes of authors Noah Webster, Harriett Beecher Stowe and Mark Twain. The Trash Museum offers unique educational and entertainment activities.
Many of New Haven’s most popular attractions center on Ivy League Yale University. Listen to the 54 bells of the Yale Memorial Carillon sounding from Harkness Hall as you stroll across the sedate campus. Although the school moved to its current location in 1718, many of the most notable buildings, such as Yale Law School and Vanderbilt Hall, were erected in the early 1900s. See some of the 200,000 art objects at Yale University Art Gallery. Look at the temporary exhibits or do prearranged research at the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library. Attend a Yale Bulldogs football game at the Yale Bowl stadium. Watch a performance at the Yale Repertory Theatre, which regularly features new productions and excellent actors that go on to Broadway and Hollywood.
If your kids are too young to appreciate the university on your New Haven visit, take them to the Connecticut Children’s Museum or Carousel at Lighthouse Point Park.
Connecticut’s southern boundary is Long Island Sound. The shoreline has numerous white sand beaches. Visit some of the best at Silver Sands State Park in Milford and Ocean Beach in New London. Walk around Norwalk’s harbor to see large yachts and commercial boats.
Away from the ocean, go to Danbury and arrange freshwater recreation on Candlewood Lake. Hike up Bear Mountain or play golf at numerous local courses.
Connecticut’s Revolutionary War sites are spread across the state. Visit Lebanon, where Nathan Hale and other patriots held numerous war meetings, and Fort Griswold in Groton, where Benedict Arnold met instead with the British and betrayed the United States.