8 Winter Experiences You Just Can't Have in the City

For some city dwellers, winter may be the least popular season, but in Connecticut, we’ll show you why it’s our favorite. From tubing, skiing and even searching for the perfect Christmas tree, this short bucket list is packed with everything you need for outdoor adventures and indoor fun from December to March.

Featuring: Bantam Lake | Flanders Nature Center/Land Trust | Fresh Salt at Saybrook Point Resort & Marina | Gay City State Park | Hydeville Sugar Shack | Lamothe's Sugar House | Miller Tree Farm | Millwright's Restaurant | Mohawk Mountain Ski Area | Mount Southington Ski Area | Oyster Club | Pell Farm | Powder Ridge Mountain Park & Resort | Project Oceanology | Restaurant at Rowayton Seafood | River's Edge Sugar House | RiverQuest | Rose's Berry Farm | Sedona Taphouse | Ski Sundown | Sleeping Giant State Park | The Charcoal Chef | Union League Café | White Horse Country Pub | White Memorial Foundation | Winding Trails Cross Country Ski Center | Windswept Tree Farm

Great Drives Along the Connecticut Coast

Everyone knows that busy I-95 and U.S. Route 1 follow the Connecticut shoreline from Greenwich east out to Stonington, but there are a lot of lesser known routes that’ll give you the flavor of the coast and sometimes take you right down to the water. Here are several recommendations to get you started.

Featuring: Book Barn | Central Regional Tourism District - River Valley/Greater Hartford | Eugene O'Neill Theater Center | Harkness Memorial State Park | Inn at Harbor Hill Marina | Lenny's Indian Head | Lighthouse Point Park | Ocean Beach Park | Restaurant at Rowayton Seafood | Rocky Neck State Park | Saybrook Point Resort & Marina | Sea Mist Thimble Island Cruise, LLC | Sound View Beach | Tarry Lodge - Westport | The Guilford House | The Inn at Longshore | The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk | Town of Old Saybrook

Chowder House Rules

When you come to Connecticut in wintertime, there’s nothing like a nice, hot bowl of chowder to warm you up. Whether you’ve been hiking through the snowy woods or skiing down a powdery slope, strolling along the shore or shopping up a storm, the chowder will quickly remind you that it’s one of the great comfort foods – savory, substantial, steamy and altogether delicious.

Featuring: Abbott's Lobster in the Rough | Blue Lobster Seafood | City Point Kitchen | Flanders Fish Market & Restaurant | Jasper White's Summer Shack | Lenny & Joe's Fish Tale Restaurant (Westbrook) | Lenny's Indian Head | Main Street Grille | Olio Restaurant & Bar | Oyster Club | Redding Roadhouse | Restaurant at Rowayton Seafood | Rory's Restaurant | S&P Oyster Co. | SoNo Seaport Seafood | Stowe's Seafood | Town of North Haven | Town of Old Saybrook | Town of Southington | Town of Westport | Town of Wethersfield | U.S.S. Chowder Pot III

Coast & Country: A Perfect Fairfield County Family Getaway

CTvisit.com is proud to partner with some of Connecticut’s most popular bloggers for ideas, insights and inspirations from the people who are lucky enough to call Connecticut home. This time, we have a great summer weekend itinerary from our friends at Mommy Poppins Connecticut.

You only get about a dozen weekends to squeeze in summertime family fun. Luckily, Connecticut has got you covered. In just one weekend you can explore the great outdoors, stroll historic towns, squish your toes in the sand, watch the sunset, eat yummy fresh seafood, catch a tadpole, splash in a pool, and so much more. So leave your FOMO behind and trade your bucket lists for beach buckets with this Fairfield County getaway guide. 

Featuring: Bartaco - Westport | Captain's Cove Seaport | City of Norwalk | Norwalk Inn & Conference Center | Restaurant at Rowayton Seafood | SoNo Seaport Seafood | The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum | The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk | Town of Ridgefield | Weir Farm National Historic Site

OUTrageous Restaurants – Outside Dining in Fairfield County

As long, leisurely days give way to warm, comfortable evenings, outside dining transforms a great meal into a memorable experience. We can’t even begin to name all the wonderful restaurants in Fairfield County that offer dining without walls; so we are highlighting just a few here.

Featuring: Artisan Restaurant, Tavern & Garden | Brewport | Captain's Cove Seaport | City of Norwalk | City of Shelton | Crab Shell Restaurant | Restaurant at Rowayton Seafood | Rive Bistro | The Little Pub Restaurant | The Spread | Town of Stratford | Town of Trumbull | Town of Westport | l'escale