Connecticut – The Gateway to New England Invites to Stay

Connecticut is often underestimated as being only a drive-through state, a mere gateway to the other, bigger New England states. Connecticut may be smaller in size but it certainly does not fall behind in regard to natural beauty, attractions, hospitality, and accommodation options.

One of the original 13 colonies and one of the oldest European settlements in America, the state of Connecticut today is one of the most densely populated states of all. Three and a half million people squeeze into an area of merely 5,500 square miles. The comparatively small size of the state does not mean, however, that there is no variation. The Gold Coast region around Stamford in the southwest is an extremely wealthy and business-oriented area with large estates, while the northwestern hills and farms make a much more rural-romantic impression.

Northwest

Arguably the most peaceful and rural region in the state, the area of Litchfield Hills and the Housatonic River is still predominantly agricultural and rural. The landscape is stunning. Visitors will drive through an ocean of rolling foothills and golden fields, interspersed with small traditional villages, farm buildings, and old steepled churches. Driving down scenic Route 7 is a deeply relaxing and enjoyable experience. If you are looking for beautiful old furniture, maybe for your home or just for an aesthetic pleasure, the town of Woodbury is the place to go. With a population of not even 10,000 Woodbury is what many call a typical New England town. Nevertheless, it is the antique capital of Connecticut. The Housatonic is the epicenter of fishing in the region, being especially well-renowned for trout.

Bristol is especially popular in the summer when the Lake Compounce Theme Park offers fun for the whole family. Old-school wooden roller coasters, stunning water slides, and many more attractions, contrasted with the surrounding woodlands, promise a joyful day! But the region also informs about its own culture and history. You will find interesting museums in towns such as Bristol, Ridgefield, Danbury or Thomaston. Accommodation options include cozy inns run by friendly New Englanders or various sorts of bed & breakfast places. Small-town Connecticut life waits to be explored.

Central

Hartford comes closest to being the state’s center, both geographically and politically. Easily accessible via two interstates, Connecticut’s capital allows an authentic glance into the region’s long past. The Old State House and Center Church are among the most picturesque old structures. The city’s most prominent son is doubtlessly the great writer Mark Twain. He never remitted his love for his native place. Twain’s home is now a living history site and the premises also house the Twain Museum. Hartford is located on the banks of the Connecticut River that runs through the state from the north to the Long Island Sound in the south. The Connecticut River Valley boasts vast tobacco fields and typical old-fashioned barns. The region offers many cultural attractions as well. These include Gillette Castle and the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam down further south by the river. In Hartford and some of the other large towns, accommodation options are more diverse than in the rural areas. Larger hotels and pensions and condos for rent and sale are available here, but of course the smaller, more cozy options can also be taken both inside and outside of the cities.

Southwest

Along the shoreline of the Long Island Sound in the south one finds the wealthiest and most prestigious region of Connecticut. New Haven is best-known for Yale University, one of the best academic institutions in the world. In October, when the Indian Summer approaches, the surroundings of New Haven are clad in a fascinating mixture of shades of yellow, red and brown. Art and architecture are two things that distinguish Yale and New Haven. The collections of the Yale University Art Gallery or the Yale Center for British Art are among the finest in New England. But the region offers much more. Great shopping in Clinton, a huge dinosaur at the Peabody Museum in New Haven or the magnificent beauty of the Long Island Sound which for centuries has attracted poets, writers, artists, and vacationers alike. From Stony Creek, take a ferry cruise over to the Thimble Islands where stunning reefs and barren rocks will reward the journey!

A little further down the coast towards New York City, the surroundings of Fairfield, Stamford, and Greenwich are impressing passers-by and those who come to stay with their beautiful, wealthy estates and mansions. In the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum in Norwalk you can get a glimpse into what many call “America’s First Chateau”, a huge Victorian villa of more than 60 rooms. In Stamford, one finds a vast array of entertainment facilities and activities. Many live music clubs and the opera house, the Palace Theater, are among the most notable. The Bartlett Arboretum is the ideal place for a relaxing stroll through 63 acres of beautiful woods, cultivated gardens, and seas of wild flowers.

Connecticut is much more than a mere gateway to New England. In fact, in many parts it offers New England small-town life probably as authentic and lovable as nowhere else. Whether you are looking for a relaxing time by the Long Island Sound, interspersed with cultural events at their best, or whether you look for a cozy-romantic family holiday in the Litchfield Hills region: Connecticut awaits you with open arms.