Connecticut - The Constitution State
About Connecticut:
Wedged between New York City and
Boston,
Connecticut may be small, but
it delivers on quality: inns and restaurants, museums and galleries, shopping and spas. The seashore is a delight, dotted with Colonial villages set on beaches and coves. Inland, the countryside is
easy on the eye, with a landscape that is very English in places. But, there are also vibrant cities and major attractions for couples as well as for
families.
New England’s southernmost state, Connecticut, a rectangle about ninety miles long by 55 miles wide, was named
Quinnehtukqut (“great tidal river”) by the Native Americans after the river that bisects it and spills into Long Island Sound. The state’s first white settlers came in the 1630s when English
refugees from Massachusetts seeking political and religious freedom arrived at the town of Windsor. Settlements followed in Wethersfield and Hartford, and in 1636 the
three united to form the Connecticut Colony, adopting the “Fundamental Orders”, a charter which was later used as a model for the American Constitution, indeed, Connecticut is still sometimes
referred to as the “Constitution State”.
Today, many of Connecticut’s traditional industries, like the iron, copper, and
brass production facilities that once prospered in areas like the Litchfield Hills, have faded away, but the mark of previous generations is still evident in the scores of historic homes and
buildings open for tours throughout the state. Connecticut’s proximity to New York,
Boston and Philadelphia makes it a popular destination for day-trippers and weekenders, who often fall in love with the calmer pace and end up moving or retiring
here. The steady influx of this cosmopolitan crowd has helped ensure Connecticut has retained its position as a cultural center, evident in the many fine
restaurants, boutiques, art galleries and theatres throughout the state, even in the smallest of towns, visitors will find no shortage of rainy-day activities alongside the ample opportunities for
hiking, boating and just admiring the scenery. The northeast, or “quiet” corner, and the Litchfield Hills in the northwest, are particularly known for their large areas of green countryside and
vast tracts of verdant forest, while southeastern Connecticut, a series of rocky surf-washed outcrops along Long Island Sound, also
makes for a scenic trek.
Although the state is predominantly rural, it’s also densely populated in parts:
the vast majority of residents live in the coastal cities, in and around the capital Hartford
Connecticut is easy enough to get around and well served by major roads – 1-95
runs parallel to the coast of Long Island Sound from New York to Rhode, I-91 runs from New Haven up along the Connecticut River Valley to Vermont, and I-84 cuts a diagonal from the southwest to
the northeast – it’s more fun to get off the highways and onto the side roads, where you’ll have more time to appreciate the attractive rural scenery and pretty colonial villages. Even getting
lost can be fun; distances are so small that you’ll find your way back sooner rather than later.
Southeastern Connecticut:
The much-visited southeastern coast of Connecticut stretches fifty miles from
Stonington in the east to Branford in the west, bisected by the Thames (pronounced Thaymz) River, A succession of picturesque colonial communities, old whaling towns characterize this section of
Long Island Sound.
Mystic:
As purists will tell you, the town of
Mystic, right on I-95, does
not really exist, it’s an area governed partly by Groton and partly by Stonington. Nonetheless, the old whaling port and shipbuilding center does have
a small, well-kept downtown area, lined with typical New England-quaint clapboard galleries and antique shops. The old draw-bridge across the MysticRiver, which divides the town down the middle, is still raised hourly. Along the
western bank of the river is River Road, a four-mile stretch ideal for walking or cycling, which passes Downes Marsh, a sanctuary where you may catch a glimpse of ospreys and
cranes.
Mystic Seaport and around:
What tourists go to Mystic to see is on the other side of the bridge, the
meticulously constructed waterfront village of Mystic
Seaport, also known as the Museum of
America & the Sea where
more than sixty weathered buildings house old-style workshops and stores. About a mile north of the Seaport, adjacent to I-95, the Mystic Aquarium is the town’s other major draw, where more than
nine thousand weird and wonderful marine specimens glug about. Just beyond the entrance pavilion, visitors are confronted with an 800,000-gallon saltwater tank that holds the only beluga whales
in New England, with views above and below the water line.
Not far from Mystic are a few hard-working towns, especially charming
Stonington, which may lack obvious attractions, but certainly make for a more complete picture of the area, and are worth a look around if you’ve got more than a short afternoon to spend
here. If you’re interested in a bit of glitz, just inland are Connecticut’s gambling facilities, on Native American
land.
Stonington:
Stonington, just south of I-95 near the state’s eastern border, is a disarmingly pretty old fishing village, originally settled in 1649 and still very
much New England with its attractive whitewashed cottages, white picket fences, colourful gardens, and peaceful waterfront. Its main road, Water Street, is brimming with antique shops and
up market thrift stores, packed with well-to-do bargain hunters on weekends. A few miles out of the village center, at exit 91 off I-95, follow the “Wine Trail” signs to the Stonington Vineyards
for a look around a local wine producer and free tasting of their concoctions like Seaport White and Seaport Blush.
Clinton:
Clinton pushes itself as one of the most visited leisure ports on Long Island Sound, thanks to an abundance of well-equipped marinas. Its historic
district includes the Adam Stanton House, 63 E Main St. built around 1790 and where the Marquis de Lafayette stayed in 1824. Today Clinton is better known for its Clinton Crossing
Premium Outlets, just off I-95 exit 63 with more than seventy up market stores offering savings on designer goods.
Madison:
Just a few miles west on Rte-1, posh Madison sits on the waterfront with an attractive
shady green overlooked by a white-spired church and a broad main street lined with up market boutiques and trendy cafes. About two miles east of downtown
Madison, off
Rte-1, HammonassetBeachState Park, maintains two miles of prime sandy beach, backed by dunes and a salt marsh. If you don’t fancy a swim, there’s a nature center in the park
that contains exhibits about the wildlife and history of the area.
Branford and the ThimbleIslands:
Branford’s main attraction is the ThimbleIslands, a group pf 365 tiny islands off the nearby
village of Stony Creek, best accessed by exit 56 off I-95. The so-called chain of islands is a cluster of granite rocks within a three-mile radius of shore,
ranging in size from one large enough to support a small community of 24 homes (mostly Victorian), to some that actually disappear at high tide. Years ago they provided a perfect hiding place
for pirate ships waiting to attack passing boats in Long Island Sound, there are two boats offering daily 45 minute trips from mid-May until mid-October, departing from the Town Dock at the end
of Thimble Island Road.
New Haven:
Tucked away among the factories, tall chimneys, and architecturally designed
office blocks are some of the best restaurants, most exciting nightspots, and diverting cultural activities in all of New England – not to mention, of course, the idyllic, leafy Ivy League campus of
Yale University.
Visitor Information Center at 149 Elm St, on the north side of the Green. Whatever you decide, expect a good deal of trooping to and fro, as the university’s buildings are strewn
out over several blocks.
It makes sense to start with the cobbled courtyards of the Old Campus (mostly
built in the 1930’s but constructed in Gothic Revival style) and ending up at the remarkable Sterling Memorial Library.
Whitney Avenue: Whitney
Avenue leads north from the Green, with several worthy stops along the way. Yale’s Peabody Museum
of Natural History, one of the largest museums in New
England, is easily recognizable by the two-story bronze statue of a Torosaurus latus out front, named
by Yale’s first professor of paleontology. The museum hosts exhibits of dinosaur skeletons, including a 67-foot brontosaurus and a 75-million-year-old turtle, along with a vast section
on America’s ancient civilizations, in particular the Native Americans of Connecticut.
Nightlife and entertainment: New Haven has an undeniably rich cultural scene, especially strong on
theatre. As you’d expect with such a large student population, there are plenty of excellent bars and clubs, mostly concentrated around Chapel and College
streets.
Norwalk:
It was in 1651 that Norwalk was first settled by Europeans, soon
becoming the largest population along this stretch of the coast. South
Norwalk is anchored by the fabulous Maritime Aquarium, 10 N Water St, which presents a methodical look at
the marine life and culture of Long Island Sound, taking you from the creatures at the surface level of salt marshes down through to those of the deep – culminating in a 110,000-gallon tank filled
with sharks. Also on display are seals, jellyfish, river otters, and more than a hundred other species of indigenous marine life; you can even take a 24-hour boat study cruise out into the
Sound.
Hartford and the Connecticut RiverValley:
The Connecticut River,
New England’s largest, rises
in the mountains of New Hampshire close to the Canadian border and runs all the way down to Long Island Sound. Farther west, gentle countryside leads to the pleasant town
of Farmington.
Hartford:
The town that Mark Twain once described as “the best built and handsomest I have
ever seen". Many of Hartford’s most important buildings are located on Main
Street, starting (from south to north) with the yellow-clapboard Butler-McCook Homestead, one of the
city’s few surviving historic homes. Owned by the same family for nearly two hundred years, it contains a collection of armor from Japan and some antique toys and
furniture. Hartford’s pride and joy is the Greek Revival Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, 600 Main
St, founded by Daniel Wadsworth in 1842 and the nation’s oldest continuously operating public art
museum.
Eating: To take advantage
of the surprisingly good eating options, head to Farmington
Avenue, which offers the city’s top diners and cafes. Many of downtown
Hartford’s choice Italian
eateries can be found along Franklin Avenue, the heart of the city’s Italian district, while more sophisticated and expensive French and American restaurants operate along the axis of
down-town’s Main and Asylum streets.
Nightlife and entertainment: There’s no shortage of nightlife in Hartford, whether you want to see a play, listen to a symphony concert, or bop till
the wee hours in a nightclub.
Farmington:
Lush Farmington had its heyday in the 1830’s and
1840’s, when the FarmingtonCanal operated between
New Haven and Northampton, Massachusetts. Though today a more mundane suburban it still merits a visit in
order to see the Hill-SteadMuseum,
35 Mountain Rd.
DinosaurState Park:
In 1966, the discovery of thousands of dinosaur tracks at Rocky Hill, south of
Wethersfield, led to the foundation of the Dinosaur State Park, a mile east of exit 23 off I-91, where you can see hundreds of the prints on display (the rest have been reburied for protection) and
explore nature trails, which take you through a variety of natural environments, including a prehistoric swamp.
The Litchfield Hills:
The rolling, tree-clad Litchfield Hills, tucked away in
Connecticut’s tranquil
northwestern corner, provide a vivid contrast to the hustle and bustle of the state’s coastal stretch, not to mention the industrial centres of New Haven and
Hartford. Lakes, rivers,
clear rushing brooks, and dense pine-scented forests permeate the area, interrupted by picturesque villages. Right at the center, the small town of Litchfield is prototypical
New England: a wide,
maple-dotted green surrounded by elegant clapboard homes, all overlooked by a dazzling white church steeple. Around Litchfield are the luxurious inns and excellent restaurants of Washington and
New Preston, along with antique-laden Woodbury. Due west is Kent, virtually unheard of until it was “discovered” by artists, craftspeople, and designers from New York in the 1980’s, and nearby
Cornwall and West Cornwall, with its famous covered bridge. In the far northwestern corner, Salisbury and Lakeville are close to Connecticut’s tallest
peaks, Bear Mountain and BaldPeak, as well as pretty
Norfolk, home of the Yale
Summer School of music.
The Scenic Northwest Corner:
Connecticut’s northwest corner boasts perhaps the most striking scenery the state has to offer: verdant hills abound with weathered barns, sleeping cows, and
grazing horses; farms are lined with beautifully maintained split-rail wooden fences; fields burst with corn in the summer and glisten with snow in the winter. The area has become a hotspot for
tourist looking for a quiet retreat away from the glitz of Connecticut’s gold coast , and as a result the small country towns which dot the
greenery – including Kent, the two Cornwalls, and Norfolk – offer pricey galleries and superb restaurants (not to mention posh accommodation) beside local coffee shops and fruit
stands.
Northeastern Connecticut:
Bordering Rhode Island and
Massachusetts, this area has
remained almost entirely devoid of major development and large-scale tourism. Its rolling hills and blossoming orchards are best viewed by driving (or, if you’re up to it, biking) along the
32-mile stretch of scenic Route 169, from Canterbury to Woodstock. Along the way, you’ll also spot some of the redundant old mills and
warehouses, many of which have been carefully restored or converted into businesses. The best detours are in Coventry, home of Revolutionary War hero Nathan Hale;
Lebanon, whose historic
village green stretches a mile along Rte-87; and Putnam, named after the famous “whites of their eyes” command at the Battle of Bunker Hill.
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