The state of Connecticut may be tiny (it’s one of the three smallest states, behind Rhode Island and Delaware), but its beauty and history are mighty. As the area continues to grow in population, residents of the Constitution State realize that one of the benefits of living here is that it’s easy to take stay-cations.
Day-tripping from anywhere in Connecticut can bring you to Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, and the Atlantic Ocean. But why explore across state lines when there’s so much to do inside the borders of this incredible region?
Living here gives you access to breathtaking sights, hiking trails, historical places, and colonial architecture. Not to be left in the past, Connecticut also stays modern, with shopping malls, cutting-edge industries, and even marijuana dispensaries. (Bonus: As a resident, you can sign up for your medical marijuana card online at places like Veriheal and save big bucks on the excise tax.)
Ready to see what your home state has to offer in a day? Check out these must-see sites, where you can visit within a few hours and be back in your own bed by evening.
1. Mystic
The village of Mystic is located in Groton and Stonington. As a historic seaport, this area was the birthplace of over 600 maritime ships beginning in 1784, making it the ideal place for the Mystic Seaport Museum, one of the country’s largest maritime museums.
While you’re meandering through the village, you can’t miss the majestic Mystic River as it flows into Fishers Sound, connected across banks by the Mystic River Bascule Bridge. Learn about the state’s sealife and flora and fauna along the river at the Mystic Aquarium.
Much of the area’s history focuses on the Pequot people, the initial inhabitants of the territory prior to the 17th century — for over ten thousand years! Get to know Connecticut’s history long before colonial times and experience the culture of a millennium-old population right in your backyard.
2. Gillette Castle State Park
A castle in Connecticut? It’s true!
Gillette Castle stretches across 122 acres of property, crossing East Haddam and Lyme and overlooking the Connecticut River. The castle was designed to be home to William Gillette, the sole main occupant, as he had no wife or heirs.
Gillette was famous for performing as Sherlock Holmes onstage. He lived in the castle for nearly 20 years, from 1919 until he passed away in 1937. At that time, the State of Connecticut bought the property, renovated it, and turned it into a state park, complete with a museum and hiking trails in 2002.
Today, the three-story, 14,000 sq ft castle boasts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
3. Silver Sands State Park
Looking for a state park that’s a little more solitary? Silver Sands in Milford, located on Long Island Sound, hits the spot!
The park is the product of a post-Hurricane Diane disaster that destroyed 75 homes in the area in 1955. After the destruction cleared, the state bought the property and opened it up as the Silver Sands State Park in 1960. Renovations completed in 2000 restored the coastal wetlands and improved the educational aspects of the land.
This public recreation area hosts nearly 300 acres of nature. You’ll find everything you’re looking for here, from beaches to woods. Fourteen acres on Charles Island are dedicated as a bird sanctuary.
4. Beardsley Zoo
The Beardsley Zoo is located in Bridgeport and boasts its status as the only Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)-accredited zoo in the state.
In addition to hosting one of the only carousels in Connecticut, the zoo is in Beardsley Park, which is on the US National Register of Historic Places.
The park consists of 181 acres, over 100 donated by James W. Beardsley, bordering the Pequonnock River. The donation’s “catch” was that the city must keep the land forever as a public park. This became official in 1884 when the same man who created New York City’s plans for Central Park finalized Beardsley Park.
Visitors can view the Long Island Sound, picnic along the river, and wander through the zoo, learning about the various animals protected there. In fact, some of the original animals in the zoo were donated by the Barnum and Bailey Circus.
Conclusion
Within a few hours of any location in Connecticut, residents can enjoy the beauty and wonder of this majestic, historic state. These four day trips will leave you in awe and have you home by bedtime.