Adventure Tours

Ever find yourself wondering what else is out there – beyond the familiar, or beneath the streets perhaps? There is a little curious Huck in all of us. Thankfully, Collinsville has just the thing to satiate our appetites. Huck Finn Adventures trips are perfect for novice paddlers and families. The three-hour flatwater trip on the Farmington River is slow-moving and the water is shallow. Stop for a picnic, jump off rope swings, or go for a swim. Whatever your pleasure, you will find a great adventure on this historic River. 

If digging your paddles into the river after a long winter of lounging is a little too adventurous to start, try something that might help you ease into spring. Go along for a ride aboard the Sea Mist with Thimble Island Cruises in Branford. Keep your eyes peeled for friendly mammals coming to surface. Before you know it, you will find yourself pointing and gasping at any dark-colored buoy or sudden movement in the waves, which is almost as entertaining as the real thing. As you cruise along the Long Island Sound, listen up for Captain Mike as he tells the history of the Thimble Islands – an archipelago of 23 inhabited islands and hundreds of smaller islands off the coast of Stony Creek. Seal Watch tours run through April. Regular “island” tours run May through October. 

For yet another sea-friendly adventure – this one just further south, along the coast in Norwalk – head to the Maritime Aquarium where you will discover a 40-foot research vessel Oceanic, offering 2.5-hour Marine Life Study Cruises April through October. An onboard video microscope and touch tank are there for your observing pleasure. Plus, get up-close-and-personal with Long Island Sound’s marine life and learn sampling techniques, such as biodredge and plankton tow, that bring fish, lobsters, crabs and other sea creatures to the surface. 

Segway tours through Guilford anyone? Hook up with Shoreline Segway for a guided tour through historic Guilford. Start with a quick lesson on maneuvering the electric two-wheeled, self-balancing transporter (so they explained it), and you will be on your way in no time, gliding by 17^th- and 18^th-century homes, the scenic Guilford Green – featuring a variety of restaurants, art galleries and specialty shops – and the Guilford Fairgrounds. Also, tours are offered through historic Mystic.

Extreme Sports

Itching to give an extreme nod to the warmer weather? Take a thrill-inducing ride through the upper Farmington River. This section is a beautiful run of quick water and class I-II rapids, which are a sage challenge for the beginner to intermediate alike. Main Stream Canoes & Kayaks provides a livery service that departs on the hour beginning at 9 a.m., seven days a week. 

Once you have explored the water’s surface, why not dive below it for a scuba adventure at the Brownstone Exploration and Discovery Park in Portland? Take the plunge into a 27-acre freshwater quarry with depths up to 85 feet and visibility ranging from 10 to 30 feet. Beneath the surface, you will encounter large mouth bass, carp, bluegills, perch and an occasional American eel. For a truly unique scuba adventure, try the underwater navigation course featuring training platforms at various depths and surface and underwater markers for practicing compass skills. 

Talk about going from one extreme to the next. For the ultimate thrill – and a great birds-eye view of Connecticut – go airborne with Connecticut Parachutists Inc. at the Ellington Airport. The only question is: how high do you want to go? If you’re a beginner, baby steps may be the ticket. A short training session will prepare you to take a tandem jump with experienced instructors from two miles above the ground. Then, you can take one of two courses at CPI: the Conventional Training Program or the Accelerated Freefall Program. Complete one of the courses and you will be jumping from planes with experienced divers and joining in freefall formations. The Boston/Hartford Skydiving Center at Danielson Airport also offers tandem skydives with USPA-certified instructors. 

Do you feel the need – the need for speed? Look no further than Skip Barber Racing School at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville — the country’s leading school for competitive racing. This is the first and only racing school in North America in which students – no experience required – learn the art and science of race car driving in the very same car used in a professional racing series. Choose from several different levels of instruction: Introduction to Racing, One Day Racing, Three-Day Racing, and Advance Racing.

Hit the Links (and the Hay)

Love golf? Then you’ve come to the right place. With more than 70 public courses designed for a range of skill levels, Connecticut fits golf enthusiasts such as yourself to a tee.

Named one of “America’s Best Courses You Can Play” by Golfweek and one of “America’s Top Courses” by the Zagat Survey, the 900-acre Lake of Isles at Foxwoods Resort Casino was designed by renowned golf architect Rees Jones and includes rolling terrain, island greens and tees and breathtaking views. In short, it’s awesome. The 7,300 yards of championship tees, suited for all levels, is yours to conquer. Take a class taught by PGA and LPGA professionals at the on-site Lake of Isles Golf Academy. Sign up for a one, two, or a three-day class and you have the perfect excuse to stay the night at one of the resort’s three on-property hotels or the MGM Grand at Foxwoods.

Picture this: 36 holes against a backdrop of rolling hills and orchard trees. We are talking about Lyman Orchards Golf Club in Middlefield. There you will find two golf courses – one a qualifying site for the Connecticut PGA Championship and the other designed by golfer world-renowned Gary Player – both of which are ranked among Connecticut’s “Top 10 Public Golf Courses” and were recognized as some of the best courses to play in the United States by the Zagat Survey and Zagat.com. The Lyman Orchards Golf Academy also offers special programs for beginners, juniors, women and advanced golfers. After working up an appetite on the course, indulge in the orchard’s signature Hi-Top Apple Pie, voted “Connecticut’s Best Apple Pie” by Connecticut Magazine. Then, why not make a night of it and stay at one of the nearby hotels, including the Courtyard by Marriott in Wallingford and the Crowne Plaza Cromwell,Connecticut green lodging certified property.

Overlooking the Meshomasic State Forest and Connecticut River, Quarry Ridge Golf Course in Portland offers 18 holes on varied elevations. As you putt along, try not to be distracted by the savory aroma coming from the Quarry Ridge Restaurant, which serves up great pub-style menu and dinner specials Tuesdays through Sundays. If you are looking for a way to stretch your day of golf into a night or weekend of fun, try the Inn at Middletown. Right in the heart of Main Street Middletown, the inn gives you front row seats to an array of restaurants and unique shopping.

Give your swing a true test at Tunxis Plantation Country Club’s 45 championship holes or at the on-site driving range. The club, located in Farmington, features two 18-hole courses and one nine-hole course – all with pristine greens and small ponds featuring waterfalls – to meet various skill levels. Nearby Centennial Inn Hotel, also in Farmington, offers charm, history and spacious hotel rooms.