Things to do around New Haven/Meriden/Hartford CT this weekend?
June 4, 2014 6:08 AM Subscribe
Heading up to Connecticut this weekend, looking for recommendations for things to do on Friday and Saturday.
My wife and I are celebrating our 1 year anniversary this weekend. We've already made plans for Thursday, and we have some ideas for Friday and Saturday but we don't want to miss out on anything great because we missed it googling. We've booked hotels in Meriden and Hartford for Thursday night through Saturday.
We're hoping to do something romantic if possible, but not go crazy with money either. We like music, movies, hiking, wineries, restaurants and generally quirky things. Please share your favorite things to do up in central Connecticut.
Thank you!
My wife and I are celebrating our 1 year anniversary this weekend. We've already made plans for Thursday, and we have some ideas for Friday and Saturday but we don't want to miss out on anything great because we missed it googling. We've booked hotels in Meriden and Hartford for Thursday night through Saturday.
We're hoping to do something romantic if possible, but not go crazy with money either. We like music, movies, hiking, wineries, restaurants and generally quirky things. Please share your favorite things to do up in central Connecticut.
Thank you!
CT has a wine trail. I haven't had most of these, though the fruit wines from Jones Farm in Shelton is a treat.
I've seen great productions at the Yale Repertory Theatre and the Shubert Theater, both in New Haven.
I absolutely love trips to the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History. They have the famous Age of Reptiles mural.
Pizza in New Haven is an absolute must: Pepe's, Sally's and Modern Pizza are my favorites.
Elizabeth Park in Hartford has been on my list ever since my friend waxed poetic about the beauty of the rose garden.
posted by carrioncomfort at 6:24 AM on June 4, 2014 [2 favorites]
I've seen great productions at the Yale Repertory Theatre and the Shubert Theater, both in New Haven.
I absolutely love trips to the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History. They have the famous Age of Reptiles mural.
Pizza in New Haven is an absolute must: Pepe's, Sally's and Modern Pizza are my favorites.
Elizabeth Park in Hartford has been on my list ever since my friend waxed poetic about the beauty of the rose garden.
posted by carrioncomfort at 6:24 AM on June 4, 2014 [2 favorites]
Dinosaur State Park in Rocky Hill is fun for an hour or two. They have some light hiking trails and dinosaur footprints/museum.
If you like books I always will recommend The Book Barn down in Niantic, CT they now have the main barn location and 3 other satellite stores spread around Niantic (they are also 10 minutes away from Rocky Neck State Park if you want to combine it with a beach trip).
posted by Captain_Science at 6:29 AM on June 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
If you like books I always will recommend The Book Barn down in Niantic, CT they now have the main barn location and 3 other satellite stores spread around Niantic (they are also 10 minutes away from Rocky Neck State Park if you want to combine it with a beach trip).
posted by Captain_Science at 6:29 AM on June 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
If it's not out of your way, Gillette Castle is worth a visit.
posted by neroli at 6:30 AM on June 4, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by neroli at 6:30 AM on June 4, 2014 [2 favorites]
Also, hiking:
Indian Well State Park is lovely. The trick is not to drive all the way down to the river, but pull into the first parking lot on the left. Across the road is the start of a hiking trail the leads down to a waterfall and deep pool (the well).
Sleeping Giant in Hamden (next to New Haven) has some great trails.
posted by carrioncomfort at 6:33 AM on June 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
Indian Well State Park is lovely. The trick is not to drive all the way down to the river, but pull into the first parking lot on the left. Across the road is the start of a hiking trail the leads down to a waterfall and deep pool (the well).
Sleeping Giant in Hamden (next to New Haven) has some great trails.
posted by carrioncomfort at 6:33 AM on June 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
Gouveia Vineyard in Wallingford is our go-to winery. Not far from Meriden, close to the highway, but a beautiful hilltop location. Very romantic for a picnic (bring your own food.)
posted by smackfu at 6:33 AM on June 4, 2014
posted by smackfu at 6:33 AM on June 4, 2014
Go for a swim at Miller's Pond!
posted by entropone at 6:40 AM on June 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by entropone at 6:40 AM on June 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
Hartford has two great arthouse movie theaters - there's Real Art Ways, a combination theater/art gallery (playing a selection of short films from Sundance this weekend), and Cinestudio, a 1930s style movie house (which has an LGBT Film Festival going on right now).
posted by UncleBoomee at 6:41 AM on June 4, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by UncleBoomee at 6:41 AM on June 4, 2014 [2 favorites]
If you are a fan of Mark Twain, I enjoyed our visit to his Hartford House. I don't know of much else around worth seeing, so it might be out of your way.
posted by beowulf573 at 7:00 AM on June 4, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by beowulf573 at 7:00 AM on June 4, 2014 [2 favorites]
Talcott Mountain State Park is about 20 minutes from Hartford, with a gentle hike to the top and beautiful views of the Farmington River Valley. You can also tour (and go to the top of) the Heublein Tower since you'll be there on a weekend. Enjoy!
posted by argonauta at 7:01 AM on June 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by argonauta at 7:01 AM on June 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
Just chiming in to 2nd Gouveia Vineyards in Wallingford and Talcott Mountain. Both have gorgeous views!
posted by Shadow Boxer at 7:13 AM on June 4, 2014
posted by Shadow Boxer at 7:13 AM on June 4, 2014
For Hartford:
Elizabeth Park is indeed gorgeous, as mentioned above, and Bushnell Park is also completely awesome (with more stuff to look at than simply gardens, not that there's anything wrong with gardens.) If you've never been to the Wadsworth, and you like museums, it's wonderful.
The Mark Twain House, also mentioned above, is right across the street from the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center, I think they do a joint admission thing. If you go there, try to coordinate it with having brunch at the Half Door nearby. So good.
If you like huge historic cemeteries and/or trees, there's a tour of rare trees at Cedar Hill Cemetery on Sat. as part of CT Trails Day Weekend. (They have other hikes around the state, too.)
I love the CT Wine Trail, and though I haven't been to either of the vineyards in New Hartford yet, that area (and especially New Hartford's downtown) is so beautiful, and it's a really nice drive out there from Hartford.
For music and stuff that might be going on, check out Hartford.com if you haven't yet; though it doesn't cover close to everything, it's quite comprehensive in terms of downtown.
Since you're staying in Meriden and you like quirky stuff, you have to go to Castle Craig. And the Traffic Tower.
posted by DestinationUnknown at 7:38 AM on June 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
Elizabeth Park is indeed gorgeous, as mentioned above, and Bushnell Park is also completely awesome (with more stuff to look at than simply gardens, not that there's anything wrong with gardens.) If you've never been to the Wadsworth, and you like museums, it's wonderful.
The Mark Twain House, also mentioned above, is right across the street from the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center, I think they do a joint admission thing. If you go there, try to coordinate it with having brunch at the Half Door nearby. So good.
If you like huge historic cemeteries and/or trees, there's a tour of rare trees at Cedar Hill Cemetery on Sat. as part of CT Trails Day Weekend. (They have other hikes around the state, too.)
I love the CT Wine Trail, and though I haven't been to either of the vineyards in New Hartford yet, that area (and especially New Hartford's downtown) is so beautiful, and it's a really nice drive out there from Hartford.
For music and stuff that might be going on, check out Hartford.com if you haven't yet; though it doesn't cover close to everything, it's quite comprehensive in terms of downtown.
Since you're staying in Meriden and you like quirky stuff, you have to go to Castle Craig. And the Traffic Tower.
posted by DestinationUnknown at 7:38 AM on June 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Hiking opportunities abound in Connecticut. (Map of CT state parks.) Castle Craig in Meriden, CT, is pretty cool. The Sleeping Giant State Park Association in Hamden, CT, is celebrating its 90th anniversary this weekend.
K LaMay’s and Ted’s Restaurant in Meriden, CT, serve steamed cheeseburgers.
If you venture south:
New Haven, CT, is home to Yale University and really thin pizza. BAR is downtown, and serves mashed potato pie. Across the street is Louis’ Lunch (established 1895), which claims to have invented the hamburger.
For seafood, “put your rump on a stump” at The Place in Guilford, CT.
posted by editorgrrl at 9:32 AM on June 4, 2014
K LaMay’s and Ted’s Restaurant in Meriden, CT, serve steamed cheeseburgers.
If you venture south:
New Haven, CT, is home to Yale University and really thin pizza. BAR is downtown, and serves mashed potato pie. Across the street is Louis’ Lunch (established 1895), which claims to have invented the hamburger.
For seafood, “put your rump on a stump” at The Place in Guilford, CT.
posted by editorgrrl at 9:32 AM on June 4, 2014
One more thing - I was just going through my work emails and found the updated 2014-15 Greater Hartford and Greater New Haven visitors guides from the Central Regional Tourism District. Though you might like to look at them, if you haven't already.
posted by DestinationUnknown at 1:36 PM on June 4, 2014
posted by DestinationUnknown at 1:36 PM on June 4, 2014
Alright, here are some quirky things specific to this weekend:
Sat: Hartford, The Walking Dead Escape at the XL Center 5pm
Sun: Milford: Cap'n Kidd Treasure Hunt Pirates Day (scavenger hunt, parade) 12-5 pm
posted by xo at 3:16 PM on June 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
Sat: Hartford, The Walking Dead Escape at the XL Center 5pm
Sun: Milford: Cap'n Kidd Treasure Hunt Pirates Day (scavenger hunt, parade) 12-5 pm
posted by xo at 3:16 PM on June 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
Sat: Hartford, The Walking Dead Escape at the XL Center 5pm
This has been moved to the Xfinity theatre on 6/28.
posted by DestinationUnknown at 4:43 PM on June 4, 2014
This has been moved to the Xfinity theatre on 6/28.
posted by DestinationUnknown at 4:43 PM on June 4, 2014
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posted by jangie at 6:21 AM on June 4, 2014 [1 favorite]