Out and About — LGBTQ Travel in Connecticut

Just a short ride from New York City and Boston, Connecticut offers a blend of cultured living and outdoor fun with something for everyone—and this includes the LGBTQ community, residents and visitors alike. In 2008, Connecticut became the second state to legalize gay marriage, and our open and inclusive energy continues to draw and welcome gay visitors to the state. Plus, Expedia.com recently named Hartford, Connecticut one of their most “exciting LGBTQ-friendly cities around the world.”

While anyone should of course feel welcomed at any business, hotel or restaurant in Connecticut, we asked a few friends for recommendations on places to start planning your visit— from gay-owned B&Bs to gay bars and events that appeal to many LGBTQ interests and lifestyles.

Featuring: 168 York Street Café | Chez Est | City of Hartford | City of New Haven | City of New London | City of Norwalk | Daniel Rust House | Delamar Greenwich Harbor Marina | Delamar Southport | Delamar West Hartford | House of 1833 B&B | Inn at Harbor Hill Marina | Inn at Middletown | Mystic Arbor Cottage | Partners Café | Scranton Seahorse Inn | Spring Hill Inn | Tisane Euro-Asian Cafe | Town of Fairfield | Town of Plainville

Pick Your Own: Christmas Trees & More for the Holidays

Nothing makes the holidays feel more like the holidays than cutting down your own Christmas tree! Throughout November and December, many Connecticut farms also offer additional activities to make the experience even more memorable — from wagon rides to the fields and tree-trimming shops to hot chocolate and visits from Santa’s helpers. So dress warm, bring your kids and your dog (on a leash, of course) and visit a few of these Connecticut Christmas tree farms.

Featuring: Allen Hill Farm | Angevine Farm | Averill Farm | Bethlehem Vineyard & Winery, LLC | Boardman House Inn | Castle Hill Farm | Charlie Brown's Christmas Tree Farm | City of Hartford | Clinton Crossing Premium Outlets | Courtyard by Marriott - Shelton | Danbury Fair | Daniel Rust House | Dzen Tree Farm | Evergreen Acres Tree Farm | Fairview Tree Farm | Fire at the Ridge | Hampton Inn & Suites Mystic | Hampton Inn Danbury | Hartikka Tree Farm | Hickory Ridge Tree Farm | Hilton Garden Inn Glastonbury | Holiday Farm | Hopkins Inn | Hubbard Park & Castle Craig | IT Adventure Ropes Course | Jones Family Farms | Joseph's Tree Farm | La Quinta Inn & Suites - New Haven | Maple Hollow Christmas Tree Farm | Maple Lane Farms | Maple Row Farm | Miller Tree Farm | On the Rocks Restaurant | Oyster Club | Paul & Eddy's Pizza | Pinchbeck's Tree Farm | Plan B Burger Bar (Glastonbury) | Rose's Berry Farm | Rowanwood Farm | Staehly Tree Farm & Winery | Tavern on 66 | The Marketplace at the Guilford Food Center | The Spa at Norwich Inn | The Vanilla Bean Café | The Windemere B&B | Town of Griswold | Two Roads Brewing Company | White Horse Country Pub | White Memorial Conservation Center Museum | Windswept Tree Farm | Winterberry Farm

Leap Year of the Holiday Weekend

Who doesn’t love a long weekend? It gives us an extra day to rest, play or get away – and in 2020, it seems we have Leap Day to thank for more time to celebrate. This extra day in the year has rearranged our calendar to create three more long weekends and puts holidays like Valentine’s Day and Halloween on Fridays or Saturdays. Cinco de Mayo even falls perfectly on a (taco) Tuesday! For maximum celebration, we’ve put together a list of exciting ways to enjoy your extra holiday weekends in 2020.

Featuring: Agave Grill | Ashley's Ice Cream (Madison) | Avalon Nightclub | Black-Eyed Sally's Southern Kitchen & Bar | Cafe Allegre | Chester Bulkley House B&B | Connecticut Wine Country | Copper Beech Inn | Daniel Rust House | Elizabeth's Café | Essex Steam Train & Riverboat | Foxwoods Resort Casino | Griswold Inn | Heirloom Market at Comstock Ferre | High Rollers Luxury Lanes & Lounge | Historic Downtown Mystic | Homestead Inn | Homestead Inn - Thomas Henkelmann Restaurant | Infinity Music Hall & Bistro (Norfolk) | Inn at Mystic | La Boca Restaurant & Cantina | Lake Compounce Theme Park | Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum (c.1864) | Madison Beach Hotel | Manor House Inn | Mayflower Inn & Spa | Meli-Melo | Milagro | Mystic Aquarium | Mystic Seaport Museum | Old Riverton Inn | Oyster Club | Ridgefield Playhouse | Rincon Taqueria LLC | River - A Waterfront Restaurant & Bar | Saybrook Point Resort & Marina | Sayulita | Seaside Shadows Haunted History Tours | Ski Sundown | Spa at Delamar Greenwich Harbor | Tacos La Rosa | Tanger Outlets at Foxwoods | The Mark Twain House & Museum | The Whaler's Inn | Vista Lounge | West Cornwall Covered Bridge | l'escale