A Connecticut Hot Dog Tour

Filmmaker Mark Kotlinski not long ago discovered that Connecticut is hot dog paradise. In his film, “A Connecticut Hot Dog Tour,” he documents his mouth-watering road trip to some of Connecticut’s very best hot dog stands. From steamed to grilled, and even deep-fried, and including house specialties and local hot dog culture, “A Connecticut Hot Dog Tour” is an entertaining examination of a true American favorite. And now it’s time to go grab a dog of your own at:

Featuring: Blackie's Hot Dogs | City of New Britain | Frankie's of West Haven | Glenwood Drive-In | Jake's Diggity Dogs | Town of Fairfield | Town of Portland

Instagrammable Connecticut: Virtual Escapes

Our minds can all use a little “escape” during this difficult time. One way to help break up our thoughts is to reflect on the beauty around us and within our state.

We’ve collected a variety of photos from Connecticut residents and visitors showcasing beautiful destinations across the state. We hope that reading through this list will provide you with a brief moment of “escape”.

We’d love to see your beauty shots of Connecticut. Please share your stories and photos on CTvisit’s social media channels using #CTvisit.

Featuring: City of Bridgeport | Gillette Castle State Park | Hammonasset Beach State Park | Historic Downtown Mystic | Hubbard Park & Castle Craig | Lovers Leap State Park | Lyman Orchards | Southford Falls State Park | Talcott Mountain State Park | Town of Barkhamsted | Town of Portland | Walnut Beach | White Memorial Family Campground | Wooster Square | Yale University Visitor Center

Virtual Activities for Families

As the weeks of keeping our families safe at home continue, parents are looking for virtual activities to engage, teach, and add some structure to their kids’ day. 

Many popular Connecticut attractions are now offering a wide array of virtual experiences from live animal webcams, to arts and crafts classes, science demonstrations, yoga classes for kids and nightly bedtime story readings. Enjoy these as a family, or grab a little time away without feeling guilty about your kids’ screen time.

Due to the rapidly evolving situation, we encourage you to check back frequently for updates to this list and to verify offering details with individual properties.

Featuring: Ballard Institute & Museum of Puppetry | City of Bridgeport | City of Danbury | City of Meriden | City of New Haven | Connecticut Science Center | Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo | Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center | Fairfield Museum & History Center | Gunn Memorial Library & Historical Museum | Imagine Nation, A Museum Early Learning Center | KidsPlay Children's Museum | Lake Compounce Theme Park | Mattatuck Museum | Meigs Point Nature Center | Mystic Aquarium | Mystified Escape Rooms | Quassy Amusement & Waterpark | Shubert Theatre | Stepping Stones Museum for Children | The Children's Museum | The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk | Town of Ashford | Town of Berlin | Town of Bethel | Town of Cheshire | Town of Cheshire | Town of Essex | Town of Guilford | Town of Hamden | Town of Madison | Town of Mystic | Town of Portland | Town of Salisbury | Town of Stonington | Town of Wallingford | Town of Wallingford | Town of West Hartford | Town of Westport | Westport Country Playhouse

34 Things to Do in Central Connecticut this Fall

When the air is crisp and vibrant foliage hues emerge, so do safe and fun fall activities. From active adventure and family fun to relaxation and romantic escapes, here’s your guide to the fall season in Central Connecticut.

Featuring: 5 Churches Brewing | Abigail's Grille & Wine Bar | Ancient Burying Ground of Hartford | BAR | Bear's Smokehouse (Hartford) | Bear's Smokehouse (New Haven) | Bear's Smokehouse (South Windsor) | Bear's Smokehouse (Windsor) | Belltown Hill Orchards | Berkshire Balloons | Bishop's Orchards Farm Market & Winery | Black Hall Outfitters - Westbrook | Boardman House Inn | Book Trader Café | Bradley Mountain Farm | Bradley Mountain Farm | Branford River Paddlesports, Kayaks and Tours | Brignole Vineyards | Buttermilk Lane Farm | By The Sea Day Spa | Cedar Hill Cemetery | City Climb Gym | City Gallery | City of Milford | City of New Britain | City of New Haven | Claire's Corner Copia | Collinsville Canoe & Kayak | Connecticut Historical Society Museum and Library | Copper Beech Inn | Corner Pug | Delamar Spa West Hartford | Divine Treasures | Drazen Orchards | Easy Pickin's Orchard | Empower Adventure Park at Nomads | Escape New Haven | Farmington Canal Linear Park | Flamig Farm | Flora | Fresh Salt at Saybrook Point Resort & Marina | Gallery on the Green | Geronimo Bar & Grill | Gillette Castle State Park | Goodspeed Musicals - The Goodspeed | Gouveia Vineyards | GrandView Camp Resort and Cottages | Griswold Inn Tap Room | Grove Street Cemetery | Guilford Art Center | Hey Day Antiques | Hickory Hill Orchards | Historic Wethersfield | Hops on the Hill Brewery | House of Naan Indian Kitchen & Bar | Hubbard Park & Castle Craig | IT Adventure Ropes Course | J. Timothy's Taverne | Johnny Appleseed's Farm | Johnson's Duckpin Lanes | Karabin Farms | Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center and Museum | Kinsmen Brewing Company | Lenny & Joe's Fish Tale Restaurant (Westbrook) | Lyman Orchards | Maple View Farm | Maple View Farm | Mattabesett Blue Trail | McLean Game Refuge | Middletown Roller Skating Rink | Milford Historical Society | Millers Pond State Park | Montana Nights Axe Throwing | New England Cider Company | On Track Karting | Overshores Brewing Company | Penwood State Park | Powder Ridge Mountain Park & Resort | R.J. Julia Booksellers | Ray of Light Farm | Real Art Ways | Rhythm Brewing Company | Rockland Preserve | Rogers Orchards Shuttle Meadow Farm | Rose's Berry Farm | Sayulita | Scranton Seahorse Inn | Simsbury 1820 House | Smash Avenue | Soarin' Indoors | Stanley-Whitman House | Stowe's Seafood | Talcott Mountain State Park | Tap & vine | Ted's Montana Grill | The Children's Museum | The Chowder Pot of Hartford | The Pickin Patch at Woodford Farm | The Place 2 Be | The Wallingford Victorian Inn | Thimble Island Brewing Company | Three Girls Vegan Creamery | Town of Avon | Town of Chester | Town of Essex | Town of Farmington | Town of Glastonbury | Town of Hamden | Town of Hamden | Town of Manchester | Town of Old Saybrook | Town of Portland | Town of West Hartford | Traveler Restaurant | Treat Farm | Union League Café | Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art | Webb Deane Stevens Museum | West Rock Ridge State Park | Wickham Park | Wolf's Den Family Campground | Yale Center for British Art | Yankee Cider Barn at Staehly Farms

Connecticut’s Country Fairs 2021

It’s that time of the year again when Connecticut welcomes the summer and fall seasons with carnivals, festivals, and fairs in every corner of the state.  With tons of activities, entertainment, live music, and delicious food, the only difficult choice will be deciding which ones to attend. Take the family to the same fair you went to as a child or check out a new one. Everyone can enjoy observing the animal exhibits up close, seeing an antique tractor pull or livestock show, taking in live music, perusing locally made food and even indulging in a piece (or two) of fried dough. Connecticut has agricultural fairs that are major fairs, district fairs, 4-H fairs, and local fairs. Here are some of the major fairs happening around the state. You can see the full calendar for 2021 at http://www.ctagfairs.org.

Featuring: Town of Berlin | Town of Bethlehem | Town of Brooklyn | Town of Chester | Town of Durham | Town of Goshen | Town of Guilford | Town of Haddam | Town of Harwinton | Town of Hebron | Town of Lebanon | Town of North Haven | Town of North Stonington | Town of Orange | Town of Portland | Town of Somers | Town of South Windsor | Town of Wolcott | Town of Woodstock

So Good To See You Connecticut - Big Picture

Featuring: Black Hall Outfitters - Westbrook | Bulls Bridge | City of Hartford | Farmington Canal Linear Park | Sleeping Giant State Park | Taylor Brooke Winery | Town of Portland | West Cornwall Covered Bridge

So Good To See You Connecticut: Reconnect with Autumn

Featuring: Black Hall Outfitters - Westbrook | Chamard Vineyards | City of Hartford | Essex Steam Train & Riverboat | Taylor Brooke Brewery | Town of Farmington | Town of Portland | West Cornwall Covered Bridge