I just moved to Connecticut and know very little about good things to do in the state or northeast region... suggestions?

7/29/2011 1:07:40 PM

go to NYC to do stuff?

7/29/2011 1:10:13 PM

thingswhitepeoplelike.com

7/29/2011 1:23:38 PM

Where in Connecticut? My girlfriend is from Simsbury (North Central, above Hartford). Went there for a couple weeks at the beginning of the summer and it was beautiful. Lots of outdoorsy stuff to do. But you're also pretty close to NYC and Boston.

7/29/2011 1:34:17 PM

I heard they invented the grinder.


That's what I hear.

7/29/2011 1:36:50 PM

Yes, the obvious choices are to go to NYC or Boston. But for those who are actually familiar with the area, what are the more obscure things to do/see that aren't major tourists spots?

7/29/2011 1:37:15 PM

Kenneth Kaniff

From Connecticut

Automated piece of shit

7/29/2011 2:03:16 PM

Mohegan Sun or Foxwoods

7/29/2011 2:54:56 PM

Pepe's!

What part? I'm from the coast near New Haven.

7/29/2011 4:00:03 PM

Where in CT are you?
I grew up in Vernon (near Hartford). Had a great childhood. There are plenty of things to do. What are your interests?

CT gets a bad rap for being a snotty state, not saying a lot of people aren't... but there are lots of nice people and the state is very pretty & scenic (excluding the more urban areas). My mom lives in Ashford and it's picturesque. There is a lot of $$ in the state (most concentrated area of millionaires I believe) and high taxes. Most school districts are good (don't know if you have kids). It's a buters market right now if you're house hunting. Feel to ask me the reputation of specific towns. I know central and NE and NW Ct pretty well.

Hartford has some decent bars & restaurants. I haven't been out that much but one I always ended up at was The Pigs Eye. City Steam is a restaurant/brewery & comedy club. I'll ask my friends for other suggestions if you want.

Mystic Acquarium, Mystic Village, the beach, sturbridge, yankee candle co, Boston, NYC, etc... all are within a few hours.
Plenty of activities to do outside
http://www.ctxguide.com/

The Hartford Civic Center is small (where the Hurricanes/Whalers used to play. I went back to see a few Hartford Wolfpack hockey games and had forgotten how small the place was (yes... the irony - wolfpack)

Go to a Uconn basketball game! We went to a lot of womens games on campus. Uconn is the closet thing to a pro team that CT has and they have a very loyal fan base.

I recommend going to the Big E http://www.thebige.com/fair/
and some county fairs. We always went to the Woodstock Fair
http://www.stepintoplaces.com/Fairs%20and%20Festivals/County%20Fairs%20CT-DE.htm

concerts at the Webster, Meadows etc...

Essex steam train http://www.essexsteamtrain.com/
Gillette Castle State Park http://www.ctrivervalley.com/4-Connecticut-CT-in-of/Major-attractions-in-CT/gillette_castle_state_park/index.html

The Hartford Stage for plays

Amusement parks: Quassy and Lake Compounce are decent. We always went to Six Flags New England (was called Riverside back in the day)

Drive in movie theaters (Mansfield & Pleasant Valley)

Casinos - Mohegan Sun, Foxwoods - a must!!!

Bushnell park in Hartford is nice- old carousel. There is a new childrens museum too.

There are tons of flea markets and antique shops/fairs. (if you're into that)
Outlet malls. regular malls - Westfarms is nice/


http://www.youbelonginct.com/

Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions.

[Edited on July 29, 2011 at 4:09 PM. Reason : f]

7/29/2011 4:07:33 PM

^ I lived in the next down over from Essex in Deep River. Essex was pretty cool, as was Old Saybrook.

7/29/2011 5:00:44 PM

Quote :

"go to NYC to do stuff? "

Hahaha this is what I was going to say.

7/29/2011 5:53:39 PM

Pepe's sucks. Sally's sucks. Modern rocks my world.

Take up rowing (crew).

Hiking at Sleeping Giant State Park.

7/29/2011 7:25:23 PM

wear a canes jersey in hartford

7/29/2011 10:38:01 PM

^

7/29/2011 10:43:23 PM

^^ some people are still bitter. (wouldn't recommend that) although I wore my Whalers jerseys to Canes games.

7/30/2011 8:52:02 AM

Go antiquing.

7/30/2011 9:39:53 AM

Quote :

"Pepe's sucks. Sally's sucks. Modern rocks my world."

Heresy.

Modern is pretty good though, too. Pepe's > X.

7/30/2011 10:09:13 AM

I'm in the New London - Groton - Mystic area... basically Navy subase central.

XCchik - awesome info. thanks!


[Edited on July 30, 2011 at 5:38 PM. Reason : thx]

7/30/2011 5:35:11 PM

Go see Jerry Springer in Stamford

7/30/2011 10:04:19 PM

^^ Hate to say it, but aside from Mystic that part of the state is pretty boring.

Old Lyme is a pretty cool little village on an inlet from the Connecticut River near the mouth that might be worth a day trip. I used to take my aunt/uncle's boat there when I was a kid and the Main Street is a national historic district. Classic New England town.

Essex Village is another one in that same area. They are both super quiet but have nice quaint downtowns.

Other than that? Casinos...

7/30/2011 10:10:21 PM

I forgot about Old Lyme. Nice place. Really only went to the beach and out to seafood restaurants but always liked the area.

8/2/2011 8:31:34 PM

I've wanted to try New Haven style a-pizza

8/2/2011 8:57:22 PM

Hey, I just moved to Connecticut about two weeks ago. Pretty boring so far. I'm living in Manchester, working in East Hartford.

It's been a bit different from what I was expecting. I was expecting to see everyone driving their yachts to work while wearing their white sweaters tied over their shoulders, drinking champagne with their girlfriend Buffy.
But the Hartford area in general is pretty poor and run down.

Wickham Park in East Hartford is pretty fantastic.

8/2/2011 9:13:58 PM

^ I lived in Manchester till I was 7. Not the greatest town (lots of rundown areas, public schools have gone downhill and crime). There are some nicer neighborhoods. My Grandparents still live there (they are close to the Vernon town line) in a house my Great Grandparents bought when they came over from France.

Wickham Park is fantastic, been going there my entire life. I used to run there, all the state xc races and an invite used to be held there. Thats where my team practiced for the Jr. Olympics.
Wickham would be my #1 recommendation for Manchester...

If you need a Church recommendation - St. Bridgets

otherwise you have Buckland Mall (gone downhill since it was built 20 years ago - I remember them blasting into the hills). Plenty of restaurants over there, John Harvards is a good spot (brewery, good food). Evergreen Walk is nearby (technically S. Windsor but right next Buckland) and thats an outdoor mall with nicer stores and restaurants.

Another good spot for running is the Risley Reservoir in Vernon. Good hiking/running trails that lead up to box mountain, usually a rope swing. The Res and all the land surrounding it was owned by my family since CT was founded (donated to Manchester Land Trust in the 90's). The big gray house across the street is where I grew up.

otherwise... see list above

8/3/2011 8:16:00 AM