Connecticut Attractions

Hartford is the Connecticut State Capital and was built in 1872 and is one of the most architecturally stunning capitals in New England. Since it's one of the largest buildings in the state, it houses the Connecticut House of Representatives, and it's made of magnificent granite from Rhode Island and marble from the area around East Canaan. This is one of the attractions in Connecticut that visitors from all over the world come to enjoy, and it's became an Historic Landmark in 1971.

Some of the most remarkable features of the Connecticut State Capital include:

- Some spectacular statuary decorates the grounds of the building with various figures throughout Connecticut's history.

- There are 15 tympana over the doors and an assortment of high reliefs depicting various events in the history of the area and the state. The "Charter Oak" was is located here and was the first sculpture...

Sometime in the mid 1850's, Reverend Horace Bushnell envisioned this beautiful Bushnell Park in the heart of Hartford, Connecticut, in New England. The park was designed by Jacob Weidenmann who created charming paths through this park with magnificent rare and native trees to minimize and shield the garden from the noises of the city. There are some great areas throughout the park that visitors will enjoy, and will want to return to for a relaxing afternoon time and time again.

Bushnell Park has some spectacular spots to visit, such as:

- One of the most popular attractions in the park is the antique carousel that was built in 1914 and has 48 magnificent hand carved wooden horses accompanied by a wonderful Wurlitzer organ.

- The arboretum side of the park is perfectly designed with some Chinese Mahogany, Bald Cypress, Ash, Gingko, Oak, Encommia, and many other marvelous trees...

One of the most beloved writers of the late 19th century was Samuel Clemens, and the Mark Twain House is one of the most popular historic sites in Hartford, Connecticut. The Clemens moved to Hartford in 1871 and began building this house in 1873 with some of the most contemporary designs of the time that Olivia Clemens hired Edward Potter to design. They finally sold the home in 1903.

There are several points of interest to see around the Mark Twain House, such as:

- Stroll around the home itself and see the "Ombra", the drawing room, the library, dining room, kitchen, the billiard room, bedrooms, and hall, and view one of the most beautifully decorated homes in the country.

- The museum contains the Aetna Gallery that has a standing exhibit depicting Mark Twain's life and his great literary works.

- There are special showings in the Theater that features various documentaries of Mark Twain's life...

The Harriet Beecher Stowe House in Hartford, Connecticut is another of the wonderful historic homes in this New England state. Mrs. Stowe was the author of the very famous book, "Uncle Tom's Cabin", and she lived during the mid 1800s. She was very involved in the Underground Railroad and was a remarkable campaigner for the abolition of slavery. The house was home to the Reverend Beecher, and later to Harriet while she was growing up and prior to getting married.

Visitors to the Harriet Beecher Stowe House will learn a great deal about the Beecher family including the following:

- Harriet was a great proponent of higher education for women, and was a prolific writer, lecturer, and teacher as well as founder of several schools for girls.

- Her book "Uncle Tom's Cabin" influenced many Americans to become involved in the movement to abolish slaver. Find out what President Abraham Lincoln told Mrs...

A beautiful, sprawling 102 acre park in the middle of a city, Elizabeth Park offers some of the most beautiful gardens and contains some of the most unique plants in all of these wonderful parks in Hartford, Connecticut. This is originally the estate of Charles Pond who was once the President of the Hartford Trust as well as the Connecticut State Treasurer. When Mr. Pond died the entire estate was willed to his beloved city with the requirement that it be used as a park named after his wife Elizabeth.

Take a tour of the wonderful Elizabeth Park and plan on enjoying some of the most delightful aspects, as well as events, around this garden:

- One of the favorite places in the entire park is the rose garden that covers approximately 2½ acres and contains over 800 different species of roses – and some 15,000 plants.

- During certain times of the year, the greenhouses are open to the public where they can see incredible poinsettias in the wintertime and some of the most amazing flowering bulbs, Bird of Paradise flowers, cactus, and thousands more varieties...

From the youngest child to the oldest great grandparent, the New England Carousel Museum, in Bristol, Connecticut, is a magical and wonderful museum; and the beauty of it is that it has some of the most amazing carousels that have ever been built. Many of their carousels are restored to their original grandeur and are complete with some of the most remarkable hand-carved horses, coaches, and other animals that have ever been built. They also have a great collection of memorabilia that visitors will certainly enjoy.

Visitors to the New England Carousel Museum will enjoy a variety of activities, including the following:

- The Bushnell Park Carousel was built in 1914 by Stein and Goldstein and is one of the oldest merry-go-rounds in the country. It has 48 horses, some standing and some jumping, a couple of chariots, and an incredible organ to provide that marvelous music.

- The Museum offers a delightful "edutaining" class that teaches the history of the carousel and why it has always been one of the most appreciated works of art in the world...

Bristol, Connecticut, is home to some excellent places for family activities, and Lake Compounce is one that is terrific fun for the entire family. For people who love theme parks, roller coasters, rides galore, food, shows, and fun, this is the perfect place to spend a day – or a weekend. There's an activity for visitors from age three to age 93 that are fun and exciting, and the shows are some of the best in the area.

Let's take a look at some of the great activities that Lake Compounce has to offer:

- For the adventure-seeker in the family, there are thrilling rides galore that includes the Zoomerang to the Boulder Dash, a fantastic wooden roller coaster with a 115 foot drop that reaches speeds of 65 miles an hour to the Wildcat, one of the most exhilarating roller coasters that reaches speeds of nearly 45 miles an hour with a 68 foot drop.

- For those hot summer days, the Saw Mill Plunge and the Thunder Rapids are the most refreshing water ride in the park; just prepare to be cooled off with a great soaking...

It's not mystical because it's in Mystic, Connecticut, but the Mystic Aquarium Institute for Explanation is an amazing and incredible animal exhibit and aquarium. The whole family can enjoy everything from Angel fish, to Jellyfish, to Penguins and Whales. This is a great educational center for the entire family to learn about these great animals and the world in which they live. This is rated as one of the best aquariums in the country.

There are some fantastic activities and things to see in this Mystic Aquarium, which includes:

- Everyone loves the little guys in the tuxedos – the Penguins – with more than 20 of these adorable penguins from Africa with both underwater and above water viewing.

- Visit the amazing Beluga whale habitat on one acre complete with glacial stream, rugged rocks, and evergreens. View below through a large underwater window or above from a rocky outcropping...

One of the greatest soldiers in the Continental Army is Nathan Hale, and in Coventry, Connecticut, the Nathan Hale Homestead is one of the most famous historical landmarks in the town. Nathan Hale was considered one of the greatest patriots and heroes in this war, and was famous for stating, "I regret that I have but one life to lose for my country." In 1970, this house was added to the Registry of Historic Places in the US.

There are several great things to learn while visiting the Nathan Hale Homestead, such as the following:

- Nathan Hale never actually lived here, but he did live in a home on this property, but the original house was demolished and this one built in its place.

- When it was believed Nathan was captured by the British during the Revolutionary war, the trunk with his belongings was returned to the family and resides in the house today.

- The house was purchased and restored in 1914 by George Seymore who filled it with period pieces form the Revolutionary War, along with many artifacts and antiques from that era...

Storrs, Connecticut, is the home of the Museum of Puppetry; home to one of the most astounding collections of puppets that have been collected worldwide. They have enormous collections of books on puppetry, its history, creating puppets, and some great videos and movies about this amazing art. They feature shows, workshops, tours and some wonderful performances and events for the whole family.

When traveling in Connection, be sure to stop at the Museum of Puppetry to experience some of these great activities:

- One of the greatest exhibitions is the Punch and Judy handpuppets, which feature some of the most popular handpuppets that have ever been made. Be prepared to remember some of the most hilarious shows and some of the most frightful puppets ever made.

- Visit the Frank and Elizabeth Haines puppet exhibit that depicts life during the 1930s Depression with their puppet exhibit...

Attention Gamblers! For gamblers who are traveling to Mashantucket, Connecticut, the Foxwoods Resort Casino is one of the largest casinos and hotels in the world, and with assorted gaming tables offering various card games and a great assortment of slot machines, it's a dream come true for traveling gamblers. Most people don't typically think of the world's largest casino being in Connecticut, but this 400,000 square feet of gaming fun, it's truly the best. For gaming fun, food, and entertainment, this is a great place to stop.

Some the activities provided at the Foxwoods Resort Casino include:

- Over 380 tables that gamblers will find exciting that includes various forms of poker, roulette, blackjack, Pai Gow, Baccarat, Keno, and craps.

- With more than 7200 slot machines in the casino, there's bound to be several that are ringing the winning bells at any given moment.

- One of the most popular entertainment spots is the world-renown Hard Rock Café for great food, drinks, and fun.

- For the tamer gamers, there's a great Bingo Parlor where shouts of the winning player can be heard amidst the excitement of the other gamers...

In Uncasville, Connecticut, another great casino, the Mohegan Sun Casino offers some great gaming choices for the gambling enthusiast. From a huge assortment of games, to concerts, various sporting events, great dining, and a superb hotel, this casino provides a great place for gamblers and entertainment-seekers to stay and enjoy the thrill of the game or the show. With their three fabulous casinos of the Earth, Wind, and Sky, there's so much to do and so many games to play, that it's easy to lose track of time to pure entertainment.

There is a great assortment of activities at the Mohegan Sun Casino that includes:

- For the Poker aficionados in the family, there is a Poker room with 42 tables that offer a variety of styles of poker and tournaments that are held each day.

- Players who enjoy the "one-armed-bandits", the slot machines will certainly find one to their liking out of the 700 machines on their floor...