TravelTips24 : North America : United States of America : New England : Connecticut

Connecticut

Connecticut [1] is a small New England state, full of charm, rural beauty and several major cities. The State's top tourist attractions include Yale University, which maintains numerous world-class museums, Mystic Seaport, the restaurant and nightlife scene in downtown New Haven, The Maritime Aquarium, and two major Native American casinos.

Regions

From West to East:

Cities

Other destinations

Connecticut is rich with history, nature, art and beauty. Truly something for everyone. While many people are drawn each year to Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Casinos, there is much more in this state. There are a number of beaches at the shore, state parks and forests throughout the state, and many smaller parks as well. Gillette Castle State Park in East Hadaam is an excellent family destination. So is the Essex Steam Train and River Boat Ride in Essex.

Beaches

Some of the most well-known beaches include:

  • Hammonassett State Park, Madison.
  • Rocky Neck State Park, East Lyme. Aside from the beach, Rocky Neck also offers a large camp ground where visitors may come in contact with deer and wild turkey, and a hiking trail that leads up a small mountain.
  • Lighthouse Point Beach, New Haven.
  • Savin Rock, West Haven

Culture and History

Like most of New England, the weather in Connecticut is varied with the seasons. It can be highly unpredictable in the spring and fall months. The weather in Connecticut is generally stable compared to many other parts of the country. Dangers that plague many regions of the country (e.g., tornadoes, mudslides, earthquakes, etc.,) are not a danger here.

It is recommended to bring clothes for a variety of temperatures when visiting, and to check the weather report closely. Although there are periods of little or no rain, a raincoat or umbrella are good items to pack. Warm clothes in the winter and light clothes in the summer are also important, although it is recommended to pack a light jacket, even in the summer months.

Talk

New Britain, Connecticut is well known for its large Polish community. Large cities in Connecticut, such as Bridgeport, Hartford, New Haven and Waterbury have significant Hispanic populations. Bridgeport also has a small Brazilian area. New Haven's Chinatown caters to Mandarin speakers, and Wooster St serves as the city's "Little Italy."

Many people in Fairfield County have a New York accent with the county's proximity to New York City, while some people in Northern Connecticut have a Boston accent.

Travel to Connecticut & Visa Requirements

Flights and airtickets to Connecticut

  • Tweed New Haven Regional Airport, 155 Burr Street, New Haven, +1 203 466-8833, [4]. A smaller airport.
  • Waterbury-Oxford Airport, popular with private aviation. [5] [6]
  • Sikorsky Mem'l Airport [7] in Stratford is a private aircraft charter service based there.
  • Meriden Airport [8] in Meriden, CT provides private air charter.

By ferry

  • There is a ferry that leaves from Port Jefferson, Long Island to Bridgeport daily, cars are allowed on that ferry.

By train

Amtrak [9] provides frequent service to Connecticut destinations on trains between Penn Station in New York City and South Station in Boston. MetroNorth [10] provides requent weekday commuter service from Grand Central Station Manhattan and several cities and towns in southwestern Connecticut's Fairfield and New Haven counties.

Buses to Connecticut

As with trains, there are frequent intercity buses between South Station Boston and Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan with stops in Connecticut. Major bus lines serving Connecticut include Peter Pan [11] and Greyhound [12].

By car

Those entering Connecticut by car from the west can choose from three major routes. Interstate 84 enters Danbury, Connecticut from Pennsylvania and the lower Hudson Valley of New York and continues to Waterbury, Hartford and Worcester. The Merrit Parkway, closed to trucks and buses, enters the state from New York's Westchester County, and is considered one of America's most scenic highways because of how its design matches the bucolic leafiness of the suburbs that surround it. An extension of the Parkway tunnels under a hill north of New Haven and continues to Meriden where it merges with Interstate 91 going north towards Hartford and beyond. Interstate 95 traverses the east coast of the United States from Maine to Florida, and runs along Connecticut's coast from east to west. The visitor should be aware I-95 North according to federal road signs is actually going East in Connecticut, and I-95 South is going West in Connecticut. Between New York and New Haven I-95 goes through densely populated suburbs and is heavily congested. East (North according to directional signs on the road) of New Haven I-95 goes through more rural coastal towns and is not so congested.

Entering the state from Boston involves taking the Massachusetts Turnpike also known as Interstate 90 west to I-84, or Route 6, a two-lane road, or Interstate 95 from Rhode Island.

Tours & Getting around Connecticut

Car is usually best.

By bus

  • Connecticut Transit (CTTRANSIT), 100 Leibert Road, Hartford, Phone: +1 860 522-8101, Fax: +1 860 247-1810, [13].
  • Bridgeport is served by its own service.
  • New Haven is also served by a free electric trolley system that runs the downtown area.

By Thumb

Hitchhiking along the I-95 corridor is not difficult, as the highway is serviced by a very nice series of rest stops. Walk on, stick out your thumb, and you should have no trouble getting a ride. In addition, the Fairfield service plaza (exit 21) is a frequent stop for buses between New York and Boston, and if there are any empty seats, it is possible to get on, often for free or reduced price if you're a good negotiator.

Connecticut attractions and sightseeing