Best Places To Visit In Connecticut

Connecticut is a small, but beautiful state located in the northeastern United States. It is known for its charming small towns, stunning coastal views, and rich history. These are some of the best places to visit in Connecticut.

Stop in at a state park along Long Island Sound for natural scenery. Top picks are Rocky Neck State Park, Hammonasset Beach State Park, and Sherwood Island where you can relax at the beach or do some bird watching. You’ll also find great hiking near Hartford CT with views of the Connecticut River like the ones at Gillette Castle State Park. Some of the various hiking trails have views of the best waterfalls in Connecticut too.

There is also a Connecticut Wine Trail for those into beer, wine, and liquors. Mystic is a popular tourist destination in the summer with two top Connecticut attractions: historic downtown Mystic and the Mystic Seaport museum. With so many places to visit, you’ll find something for all.

A sandy beach at Rocky Neck State Park, with scattered people sunbathing and umbrellas under a clear blue sky.

Rocky Neck State Park CT

A historic stone lighthouse with a black-domed lantern room sits on a grassy lawn. A pine tree and two people are visible in the background.

Visiting Sheffield Island Lighthouse in Norwalk, CT

Sunset over a calm lake with vivid orange, red, and pink hues reflecting on the water. Silhouetted hills frame the horizon under dramatic clouds.

Things to do and Places to Eat in Ledyard, CT

A red wooden two-story house with a brick chimney, surrounded by a brown picket fence and green garden, with patriotic banners hanging on the fence.

13 Historic Houses You Can Tour in Connecticut

A wooden gazebo stands in a garden filled with red, pink, and white flowers, surrounded by trees and greenery. Steps lead up to the covered structure, which has a sloped roof.

Things to do in Norwich, Connecticut

Close-up of a hand holding a waffle cone with vanilla ice cream and sprinkles in front of an ice cream shop, with people in line in the background.

Best Ice Cream Spots in Eastern Connecticut

A stone castle with multiple levels and jagged edges, surrounded by greenery and a stone wall, with a staircase leading up to it under a cloudy sky.

Unique Things to do in Connecticut

A serene beach view with clear blue skies, gentle waves, and a few people walking along the shoreline. Lush greenery borders the sandy beach.

From Beaches to History: Things to Do in Waterford, CT

A multi-tier waterfall cascades over dark rocks surrounded by lush greenery, reminiscent of the enchanting waterfalls in Connecticut, with a wooden fence at the top.

Don’t Miss These Stunning Waterfalls in Connecticut

Two pizzas on a wooden table. Left: pizza with sausage and red peppers. Right: pizza with broccoli and chicken.

Can’t-Miss Pizza Places in Southeastern Connecticut

A beach with gentle waves, a sandy shore, and distant vegetation under a cloudy sky at sunset.

Wandering the Connecticut Coast: 12 Locations to Check Out

A waterfront scene with a small lighthouse, historic buildings, and ships. Autumn foliage is visible in the background under a cloudy sky.

Things to do & Places to Eat in Mystic, CT

A steel bridge spans over a river during sunset, with a wooden boardwalk beneath and tall reeds to the side.

14 Connecticut State Parks with Water Views You Don’t Want To Miss

Lighthouse at sunset with rocky shoreline and calm waters in the foreground.

10+ Things to do in Groton, CT

A cup of hot chocolate topped with whipped cream sits on a wooden table.

Coffee Shops You Need To Visit in Connecticut

A waterfront view of a town with a mix of historic and modern buildings, including a prominent church with a tall steeple in the background and some greenery in the distance.

11 Connecticut Shoreline Towns That Are Worth A Visit

Coastal houses on a rocky shoreline surrounded by trees, with a calm sea in the foreground under a clear sky.

14 Things To Do in Niantic, Connecticut

A large pyramid-shaped structure made of decorated lobster traps glows festively against a sunset sky, making it a must-see among the festive things to do in Connecticut this holiday season.

17 Festive Things You Can Do in Connecticut this Holiday Season

A large driftwood log lies on a rocky shore next to a calm body of water at dusk, with a distant horizon and fading evening light.

Things To Do In Old Saybrook, CT

Aerial view of a small lake surrounded by trees and sparsely populated houses on a clear day.

Things To Do In Guilford, CT

A white house with blue shutters, a brick chimney, and pink flower boxes in front. An American flag is visible to the right. Trees surround the house.

Things To Do In Stonington Connecticut

A historic stone lighthouse with a black-domed lantern room sits on a grassy lawn. A pine tree and two people are visible in the background.

10 Connecticut Lighthouses You Don’t Want To Miss

A wooden dock extends into a calm lake at Gardner Lake State Park, surrounded by trees with autumn foliage under a cloudy sky.

13 Connecticut Parks Too Beautiful Not To Visit

young woman at the top of hubbard park.

Hubbard Park Is More Than Just a Pretty View in Connecticut

A large multicolored glass sculpture with a swirling design graces the heart of the shopping center, reminiscent of the artistry found at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, surrounded by bustling stores and people.

Mohegan Sun in Connecticut Is Not Just for Gamblers

Aerial view of a lake surrounded by vibrant autumn foliage and scattered houses.

13 Fall Things To Do in Connecticut For Your Next Weekend Plan

A waterfront scene with a mix of red brick and white buildings along the shoreline, featuring a drawbridge partially raised under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds.

10 Connecticut Towns That Are Totally Worth a Visit

A train bridge over a body of water at sunset.

10+ Sunset Spots To Check Out In Southeastern Connecticut

lighthouse at the mystic seaport museum.

17 Unique Hidden Things To Do In Connecticut

Foxwoods Resort Casino hotel.

Experience Foxwoods Resort Casino

Kent Falls.

Kent Falls State Park CT

Beach and boardwalk at Ocean Beach Park.

Relax at Ocean Beach Park in New London, CT

Ship at the Mystic Seaport.

Top 10 Things to Do in Mystic, CT

Kitch duck pond.

Mystic Village Places to Eat, Shop, and Play

A tall, white lighthouse marks the iconic Lighthouse Point Park, standing near a brick building on a rocky shoreline with sparse trees and a cloudy sky.

Lighthouse Point Park New Haven

steak loft mystic restaurant.

Restaurants in Mystic, CT

millers pond.

Millers Pond State Park CT

fayerweather island light.

Fayerweather Island Light

waterfall at southford falls state park.

Southford Falls State Park CT

bf clydes cider mill sign.

B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill

pond along breakneck loop.

Bigelow Hollow State Park CT

mystic pizza a slice of heaven sign.

Mystic Pizza Restaurant CT

birdhouse coffee sign.

Birdhouse Coffee CT

gillette castle state park.

Gillette Castle State Park

picking apples.

Holmberg Orchards and Winery

pumpkintown usa ct pumpkin sign featured image.

Pumpkintown USA CT

two wrasslin cats building.

Two Wrasslin’ Cats Coffee House

burger and fries.

Old Mystic Village Restaurants

Be sure to check out other places in New England too! There are a lot more things to do in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.