Surf & Turf
This is where Connecticut will surprise you. Where the list of outdoor activities, from the easygoing to the vigorous, invite you to dive right in.
The natural beauty of Connecticut takes many forms. Sometimes it’s blanketed in snow and best viewed from a ski lift. Other times the state is saturated with red and yellow (and every shade of orange in between) leaves that inspire visitors to pull over. But during the spring and summer seasons, the state’s beauty is best viewed on foot, bike or boat.
Travel just a few miles from any city in the state and you will find blue-blazed hiking trails, seashore by the mile, rivers for kayaking, backcountry roads for biking, and so much more. Now is the time to immerse yourself in Connecticut’s great outdoors.
Trail mix
The Connecticut Forest and Park Association maintains more than 800 miles of trails. Navigate scenic trails along the shore, climb to the top of traprock ridges and explore inland forests. Plus, 52 miles of the Appalachian Trail run through Connecticut. Hike through pastoral fields, dense forests and country towns. Pass cozy country inns, historic covered bridges and winding streams along the way.
White Memorial Foundation
, in the hills of northwestern Connecticut, operates the state’s largest nature center and wildlife sanctuary, with 4,000 acres of fields, woods and wetlands and 35 miles of trails. Hikers and bikers let loose here, while horseback riders share the trails. The boardwalk trail attracts avid fans of wetland birds.
Bikers and hikers alike enjoy the Farmington Valley Greenway, a 26-mile multi-use trail that spans five towns along the Farmington River. Its spur route, the Farmington River Trail, follows abandoned rail beds through Simsbury, Farmington, Unionville, Burlington, Collinsville and Canton. These trails pass by stone arches, historic buildings, canal locks and iron bridges, offering visitors a glimpse into central Connecticut’s history. So slip on your hiking boots or bike helmet and kick it into gear.
Ragged Mountain
, located in Southington, New Britain and Berlin, is Connecticut’s most popular rock-climbing destination. Visitors here prefer to encounter nature vertically. Traprock ridges, created from ancient lava flows that molded basalt cliffs, provide exceptional rock climbing.
A day at the beach
Locals and visitors alike converge on Connecticut’s coast during the summer season. A scenic drive along the coast will uncover many opportunities to sink your toes in the sand. Play by day, and enjoy the ocean-cooled breeze at night while circled around a bonfire.
At Sherwood Island State Park in Westport, two large public beaches encourage summer visitors to cool off in the Long Island Sound. Connecticut’s oldest state park features an airfield for model-airplane enthusiasts and an observation platform great for wildlife viewing.
Hammonasset Beach State Park
, 30 minutes east of New Haven in Madison, is the state’s largest shoreline park. Two miles of white-sand beaches feature the soothing Long Island Sound surf and a nature center with enormous boulders and a lookout deck.
Rocky Neck State Park
, just two miles from the village of Niantic, features a half-mile crescent beach. Roll out your beach blanket and sink into the sand for the day. Find concessions and great people-watching along the bustling boardwalk, and 160 campsites within walking distance of the beach.
Ocean Beach Park
in New London made National Geographic’s Best Beaches list. Summer revelers come here for the old-fashioned family fun and the picturesque sugar-sand beach. The boardwalk buzzes with a classic carousel and other amusement park rides. A freshwater Olympic-size pool, arcade, miniature golf course, playground and eatery make for one great day at the beach.
Just add water
In addition to 200 miles of coastline along the Long Island Sound, Connecticut boasts nearly 10,000 miles of rivers and streams and nearly 4,000 lakes and ponds. Opportunities for water sports abound.
Kayakers and canoers see the most action on Connecticut’s waterways. The nooks and crannies of the Thimble Islands, an archipelago of small islands off the Branford coastline, witness much spirited exploration. Legend has it that pirate Captain William Kidd buried treasure there while hiding from the British navy.
Satan’s Kingdom State Recreation Area in New Hartford attracts thrill seekers for whitewater tubing. Three sets of wild rapids hurl tubers 2 1/2 miles down Farmington River, where they hop on a bus back to the start.
Or watch the world float by aboard a scenic cruise. RiverQuest, a 58-passenger boat docked at Eagle Landing State Park in Haddam, introduces visitors to birdlife in an area the Nature Conservancy named one of America’s Last Great Places. Look for eagles, great blue herons, great egrets, snowy egrets, double-crested cormorants and red-tailed hawks.
Explore Connecticut this summer by land or by sea. The beauty and serenity never go away. The tempo, however, is entirely up to you.
