Things to Do in Connecticut

You may want to plan a few days before or after the conference to enjoy the area. While Boston and New York a just short distance away, you will find plenty to do right in Hartford. Please take some time to explore the sites and suggestions below!

Where to Find More information

10 Free Things to Do in Hartford
Ten Great Things To Do in Hartford/Central Connecticut
Events happening in Hartford during the week of the conference
Greater Hartford and Connecticut River Valley Visitors Guide 2007 (download or request a copy in the mail)

Download a list of things to do in Hilton and surrounding areas

Mark Twain House & Museum

House/Mansion, Hartford

Address: 351 Farmington Ave., at Woodland St., Hartford, CT
Phone:(860) 247-0998
Cost: $12
Parking Fee per vehicle - $1 weekdays, $2 weekends
Hours: Wed.-Sun. 9:30-4:30
Website: www.marktwainhouse.org

Built in 1874, the Mark Twain House & Museum was the home of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, until 1891. While he and his family lived in this 19-room Victorian mansion, Twain published seven major novels, including Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, and The Prince and the Pauper. The home is one of only two Tiffany-designed domestic interiors open to the public

Mohegan Sun Casino

Casino & Hotel, Uncasville, CT (1 hour drive from Hartford)

Address: 1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard, Uncasville, CT
Phone: (860) 278-2670
Cost: $10
Parking Fee per vehicle - $1 weekdays, $2 weekends
Hours: Wed.-Fri. 11-5 (1st Thursday of most months until 8), weekends 10-5
Website: wwww.mohegansun.com

Mohegan Sun Casino is a Native American Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut and is open daily 24 Hours. The casino's 300,000 square foot gaming space features 6,495 gaming machines and 300 table games. The property has twenty restaurants, seven bars and a hotel with 1,176 rooms.

Mohegan Sun is your Connecticut destination for casino excitement surrounded by top entertainment, gourmet dining, premier shopping, luxury hotel including complete spa treatments. Visit the Website for a complete overview of all of the exciting opportunities available to you at the Mohegan Sun.

Wadsworth Athenaeum Museum of Art

Museum/Gallery, Hartford

Address: 600 Main Street, Hartford, CT
Phone: (860) 278-2670
Cost: $10
Parking Fee per vehicle - $1 weekdays, $2 weekends
Hours: Wed.-Fri. 11-5 (1st Thursday of most months until 8), weekends 10-5
Website: www.wadsworthantheneum.org

With more than 50,000 artworks and artifacts spanning 5,000 years, the Wadsworth Athenaeum Museum of Art is the second-largest public art museum in New England and the oldest in the nation. The first American museum to acquire works by Salvador Dalí and the Italian artist Caravaggio, the museum also houses 7,000 items documenting African-American history and culture in partnership with the Amistad Foundation. Particularly impressive are the museum's collections of baroque, impressionist, and Hudson River School artists.

State Capitol

Government Building, Hartford

Address: 210 Capitol Ave., Hartford, CT
Phone: (860) 240-0222
Cost: Free
Hours: Weekdays 9-3, tours weekdays 9:15-1:15, Saturday 10:15-2:15
Website: www.cga.ct.gov/capitoltours

The gold-leaf dome of the State Capitol rises above Bushnell Park. Built in 1878, the building houses the state's executive offices and legislative chamber, as well as historical memorabilia. On a tour, you can walk through the Hall of Flags, gape at a statue of Connecticut state hero Nathan Hale, and observe the proceedings of the General Assembly from the public galleries, when in session.

Lady Katharine Cruises

Public Cruise Line

Website: www.ladykatecruises.com/directions.htm

Discover the endless possibilities for putting a splash of fun in your life. Whether you’re thinking of a special occasion or going out just for fun, you’ll make it a better experience when you are on the water. Visit the Website for complete details regarding location, rates and upcoming events.

Mystic Seaport

Museum/Village, Mystic (About 1 hr. 15 minute drive from Hartford)

Address: 75 Greenmanville Ave., Mystic, CT.
Mystic Seaport is located about 10 miles east of New London in Connecticut’s “Ocean Corner”, part of the Mystic Places region. Phone:(860) 572-0711
Cost: Adults: $12, Children (6-17): $8, Children (5 and under): Free, Seniors (65+), Active Duty Military and College Students (with ID): $10
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m
Website: www.mysticseaport.org

The distinguishing feature of Mystic Seaport is that it hasn't anything in common with a typical whisper-quiet, don't touch museum environment. The complex is full of things to do, feel, climb, hear, smell and even taste. Visitors can walk along the streets of our authentic 19th century seafaring village and talk with one of our role-players, watch boat-builders, riggers and lumbermen at their work, or even raise a ship's sails. Mystic Seaport has the most extensive collection of vessels in the U.S., Charles W. Morgan, Sabino and L.A. Dunton are among them.

Mystic Marinelife Aquarium

Aquarium, Mystic

Address: 55 Coogan Blvd., Mystic CT
Mystic Aquarium is situated just off of Interstate 95 in the town of Mystic Phone:(860) 572-5955
Cost: Adults $17.50, Senior (age 65+) $16.50, Children (age 3-17) $12.50, Children (age 2 and under) Free
Hours: Sunday - Saturday, 9 am - 6 pm
Website: www.mysticaquarium.org

Visitors of the Mystic Marinelife Aquarium will get face to face with amazing sea creatures, enjoy a fascinating sea lion show, and touch a cownose ray the Ray Touch Pool. There is also a 30,000-gallon simulated coral reef habitat with exotic fish from around the world. Return to Titanic is another interesting exhibit, which marks Dr. Robert Ballard's historic return to the legendary wreck he discovered in 1985. The exhibit includes a breathtaking 18-foot model of the Titanic.

New England Air Museum

Museum, Windsor Lock

Address: 36 Perimeter Road, Bradley International Airport, Windsor Lock, CT
Phone: (860) 623-3305
Cost: Adults: $9, Children (ages 6-11): $5, Children (ages 5 and under): Free, Seniors (60 & up): $8
Hours: 10 am-5 pm daily
Website: www.neam.org

The New England Air Museum is dedicated to the teaching and preservation of aviation history and technology especially in regard to Connecticut's contributions.

See the landmark artifacts of aviation which changed history - Learn about the courage and determination of famous men and women who brought aviation to where it is today. Hear firsthand the stories of veterans who lived the wars of the 20th century and fought to preserve the freedom we now enjoy. Experience firsthand the principles of flight which have challenged the pioneers of aviation for generations. Discover the impact our state of Connecticut has had on aviation and space exploration from the earliest balloon launches of 1857 to the design of space suits for the Mission to Mars.