Take Your Time, Connecticut — Play Tourist in Your Own Backyard!

Research shows that 7.2 million vacation days go unused in Connecticut every year. Now, with a new nationwide study touting the health benefits of taking more of your hard-earned Paid Time Off (PTO) days, we’ve got a few suggestions on how you can “take your time” — while playing tourist right here at home. 

Featuring: American Museum of Tort Law | Antiques on the Farmington | Argia Mystic Cruises | Ballard Institute & Museum of Puppetry | Barker Character, Comic & Cartoon Museum | Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library | Bellamy-Ferriday House & Garden | Book Barn | Boothe Memorial Park & Museum | Breck Marshall at Mystic Seaport | Bruce Museum | Butler-McCook House & Garden | Cathedral Pines Farm | Collinsville Canoe & Kayak | Connecticut River Museum | Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo | Cross Sound Ferry Lighthouse Cruise | Custom House Maritime Museum | Deacon John Graves House (c.1685) | Dinosaur State Park | Florence Griswold Museum | G Spa at Foxwoods | General David Humphreys House (c.1698) | Gillette Castle State Park | Glebe House Museum & Gertrude Jekyll Garden | Greenwich Historical Society | Harriet Beecher Stowe Center | Hempsted Houses | Henry Whitfield State Museum | Hill-Stead Museum | Historic Ship Nautilus & Submarine Force Museum | Hollister House Garden | Kent Falls State Park | Leffingwell House Museum | Lighthouse Point Park | Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum (c.1864) | Lyme Art Association | Mandara Spa at Mohegan Sun | Mayflower Inn & Spa | Mohawk Mountain Ski Area | Mount Southington Ski Area | Mystic Seaport Museum | Mystic Whaler Cruises | Nathan Hale Homestead | New Britain Museum of American Art | New England Science & Sailing | Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society | Ogden House & Gardens | Osborne Homestead Museum | Paddle Mystic-Mystic River Adventure Company | Phelps-Hatheway House | Powder Ridge Mountain Park & Resort | Project Oceanology | Quinebaug River Trail | Roseland Cottage Museum | S&P Oyster Co. | Saybrook Point Resort & Marina | Schooner Brilliant at Mystic Seaport | Sea Mist Thimble Island Cruise, LLC | Ski Sundown | Sleeping Giant State Park | Stamford Museum & Nature Center | Tanger Outlets at Foxwoods | The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum | The Glass House | The Glass House | The Mark Twain House & Museum | The Spa at Norwich Inn | The Spa at Norwich Inn | The Vanilla Bean Café | Town of Essex | Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art | Water's Edge Resort & Spa | Webb Deane Stevens Museum | Westbrook Outlets | White Flower Farm | White Memorial Foundation | Winding Trails Cross Country Ski Center | Winvian Farm | Yale Center for British Art

Arriving by Water — Connecticut’s Port Towns

Over 300 miles of Connecticut’s coastline hug the shore of Long Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. So it’s no surprise that many of the region’s early European settlers arrived by sea. Working seaports were among the first industries here as well, and today these coastal towns and cities still maintain their maritime character while welcoming travelers with classic New England charm. As many visitors still like to arrive in Connecticut by private boat or public ferry, we’re suggesting a few port towns that make it easy to visit for a day or even longer.

Featuring: Audubon Guilford Salt Meadow Sanctuary | City of New London | City of Norwalk | Connecticut River Museum | Cross Sound Ferry Lighthouse Cruise | Discover East Lyme | Docking at Mystic Seaport Museum | Downtown Essex | Essex Island Marina | Fort Trumbull Marina | Griswold Inn | Guilford Art Center | Guilford Mooring | Guilford Town Marina | Guilford Walking Tours | Mystic Aquarium | Mystic Pizza | Mystic Point Marina | Mystic River Marina | Mystic Seaport Museum | New London Historic Waterfront District | Niantic Bay Shellfish Market & Farm | Paddle Mystic-Mystic River Adventure Company | Port Niantic | Sheffield Island Lighthouse and Harbor Tour | Shoreline Segway | Skipper's Seafood Restaurant | SoNo Nightlife | Thamesport Marina | The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk | Town of Essex | Town of Guilford | Town of Mystic

Outdoor Activities for Solitary Enjoyment

As we all stay home to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, we are all the more appreciative of the ways we can still take in the outdoors, provided we follow the necessary guidelines.

Connecticut has many beautiful outdoor spaces for solitary recreation. From golfing to fishing to self-guided art walks, the state is filled with creative ways to get fresh air while practicing social distance.

Featuring: Air Line State Park Trail | Bigelow Hollow State Park | Black Hall Outfitters - Old Lyme | Black Hall Outfitters - Westbrook | Blackledge Country Club | Blue Fox Run Golf Course | Branford River Paddlesports, Kayaks and Tours | Collinsville Canoe & Kayak | Connecticut National Golf Club | Fairview Farm Golf Course | Horse Guard State Park | Indian River Kayak | Lincoln Financial Sculpture Walk at Riverfront | Lyman Orchards Golf Club | Mansfield Hollow State Park | Millers Pond State Park | Paddle Mystic-Mystic River Adventure Company | Sea Kayak Connecticut | Studio 80 + Sculpture Grounds | Sunnybrook State Park | Town of Old Saybrook | Wall to Wall: The New London Mural Walk

Favorite Park Closed? Here Are Others to Try

If you are looking to spend a day outside, only to find your favorite state park is closed, here are some other outdoor locations and local businesses to help you get outside and discover new outdoor destinations in Connecticut.

Featuring: Adventure Park at Storrs | Adventure Park at the Discovery Museum | Audubon Guilford Salt Meadow Sanctuary | Bigelow Hollow State Park | Black Hall Outfitters - Old Lyme | Black Hall Outfitters - Westbrook | Black Rock State Park | Bluff Point Coastal Reserve | Burr Pond State Park | Chatfield Hollow State Park | City of Milford | City of Norwalk | Collinsville Canoe & Kayak | Connecticut Audubon Society Center at Fairfield | Connecticut Audubon Society Coastal Center | Devil's Hopyard State Park | Empower Adventure Park at Nomads | Gardner Lake State Park | Hammonasset Beach State Park | Harkness Memorial State Park | Hidden Valley Preserve | Hopeville Pond State Park | Lake Waramaug State Park | Lovers Leap State Park | Lucius Pond Ordway/Devil's Den Preserve | Mansfield Hollow State Park | McLean Game Refuge | Millers Pond State Park | Mount Tom State Park | Paddle Mystic-Mystic River Adventure Company | Paugussett State Forest | Penwood State Park | Quinnipiac River Linear Trail | Rocky Neck State Park | Satan's Kingdom State Recreation Area | Scantic River State Park | Scoot & Paddle | Sea Kayak Connecticut | Sherwood Island State Park | Silver Sands State Park | Sleeping Giant State Park | Southford Falls State Park | Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge | Talcott Mountain State Park | Topsmead State Forest | Town of Kent | Wadsworth Falls State Park | Webb Mountain Discovery Zone

33 Things to Do in Connecticut this June

Looking for something to do in Connecticut in June? Whether you want something active or relaxing, cultural or nature-oriented, artistic or trendy, Connecticut's got you covered. Here are some highlights.

Featuring: Adventure Park at the Discovery Museum | Black Hall Outfitters - Old Lyme | Black Hall Outfitters - Westbrook | Brownstone Adventure Sports Park | Clarke Outdoors | Connecticut Beer Trail | Connecticut Chocolate Trail | Connecticut Wine Country | David Burke Prime Steakhouse | Elizabeth Park Rose Gardens | Ellsworth Hill Orchard & Berry Farm | Empower Adventure Park at Nomads | Empower Adventure Park at Nomads | Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana at Mohegan Sun | HighFlyer Zipline at Foxwoods Resort Casino | Jones Family Farms | Lake Compounce Theme Park | Lyman Orchards | Mansfield Drive-In Theatre & Marketplace | Mohegan Park & Memorial Rose Garden | New England Watersports | On Track Karting | Paddle Mystic-Mystic River Adventure Company | Pardee Rose Gardens | Parkville Market | Quassy Amusement & Waterpark | RPM Raceway Stamford | Rock Climb Fairfield | Rockin' Jump Trampoline Park - Trumbull | Rose's Berry Farm | Scoot & Paddle | Sky Zone - Norwalk | Skydive Danielson | Smash Avenue | Sugar Factory American Brasserie | Supercharged Powered by Mohegan Sun - Indoor Karting & Trampoline Park | TAO Asian Bistro & Lounge | Thames River Heritage Park & Water Taxi | The Connecticut Pizza Trail | The Essex Public Market & Food Hall | The Glass House | Town of Barkhamsted | Town of Southington | TreeTrails Adventures Mystic

Coastal Eastern Connecticut

Coastal Eastern Connecticut brings you must-visit state icons, stunning waterfront escapes, idyllic cruises and more. Below, discover a few of Eastern Connecticut's coastal towns and ways to make the most of your visit.

Featuring: 33 Golden | Abbott's Lobster in the Rough | Argia Mystic Cruises | Beer'd Brewing Company - The Mill (Stonington) | Berry's Ice Cream & Candy Bar | Black Hall Outfitters - Old Lyme | Bluff Point Coastal Reserve | Breakwater | Captain Scott's Lobster Dock | Captain Seth Sportfishing Fleet | Carolyn Ann | Chester's Barbecue | City of Groton | City of New London | Cooley Gallery | Cross Sound Ferry Lighthouse Cruise | Custom House Maritime Museum | Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center | Downeast Lighthouse Cruises | Eastern Point Beach | Esker Point Beach | Florence Griswold Museum | Fort Trumbull State Park | Good Company II | Greens Harbor Beach | Hallmark Drive-In | Hangry Goose | Hideaway Restaurant | Historic Mystic Harbor Tours | Historic Ship Nautilus & Submarine Force Museum | Inn at Mystic | Inn at Ocean Avenue | Kokomo's Restaurant & Beach Club | Lauren `B' | Lyman Allyn Art Museum | Marlintini | Marsh and Bay Expeditions | Mystic Aquarium | Mystic Boat Adventures LLC | Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream | Mystic Marriott Hotel | Mystic Museum of Art | Mystic Pizza | Mystic Seaport Museum | Mystic Whaler Cruises | New England Science & Sailing | Ocean Beach Park | Old Lighthouse Museum | Old Lyme Inn | Olde Mistick Village | On the Waterfront | Orchard Street Inn | Osprey Sport Fishing | Outer Light Brewing Company | Paddle Mystic-Mystic River Adventure Company | Project Oceanology | Red 36 | Reelin | Rum Runner | S&P Oyster Co. | Saltwater Farm Vineyard | Schooner Brilliant at Mystic Seaport | Sea Swirl of Mystic | Shennecossett Golf Course | Sift Bake Shop | Sound View Beach | Stonington Borough | Stonington Vineyards | Studio 80 + Sculpture Grounds | Thames River Heritage Park & Water Taxi | The Chocolate Shell | The Fisherman Restaurant at Groton Long Point | The Velvet Mill | The Whaler's Inn | Town of Mystic | Town of Old Lyme | Town of Stonington | Tox Brewing Company | Wall to Wall: The New London Mural Walk | Water Street Cafe | White Sands Beach

A Dozen Ways to Get Out on the Water

Historic ships, sunset cruises, charters, sailing or kayaking – Connecticut's Mystic Country offers almost as many boating adventures as it has waterways.

Featuring: Argia Mystic Cruises | Breck Marshall at Mystic Seaport | Cross Sound Ferry Lighthouse Cruise | Custom House Maritime Museum | Historic Mystic Harbor Tours | Historic Ship Nautilus & Submarine Force Museum | Mystic Seaport Museum | Mystic Whaler Cruises | New England Science & Sailing | Paddle Mystic-Mystic River Adventure Company | Project Oceanology | Schooner Brilliant at Mystic Seaport | The Last Green Valley