Attractions
Update: Sadly, the dysfunctional Hartford city govt. has led to the temporary closure of the Old State House (starting Tues., July 1). It appears that the OSH will NOT be open for the next few weeks. We're quite disappointed, as we were hoping many of you would visit it.
Two new things:
1) Tom's Pizza in Newington, one of our favorite places for meatball sandwiches, is closed while they relocate elsewhere in town. (It previously was on the list.)
2) We recently found a carhop - complete with waitresses on rollerskates! - in Manchester, and highly recommend it. The food was excellent and very affordable (a definite $). To get to Guido's, take the Middle Turnpike W. exit (#60) off I-84, and go east (left, if coming from the hotel) on the turnpike. Go for a while, and take a right onto Broad St. It's on the right side.
Not sure whether to take an extra day or five to explore? Please do! Hartford is New England's rising star. Despite this awe-inspiring slogan, the city hasn't managed to shake its bad rap. But we like it here - there are lots of cool things to see and do. Here are some of our favorites. At the bottom of the page, you'll find attractions and restaurants organized by location.
Note: Out-of-town guests staying at the designated hotel will receive this list upon check-in.
*Feeling Historical?*
-Old State House: Former capitol and great museum of CT history. Will be closed July 3rd and 4th; open and FREE on the 5th, 10 AM-5 PM (but be sure to be at the wedding by then!); closed Sundays. 800 Main St.: From I-84 west, take exit 54 (Downtown Hartford). Go over the bridge to State St; at second light, take the center lane, bearing slightly left onto Central Row; is at corner of Central Row and Main St. There is much parking nearby; bring your ticket to the OSH, and they’ll validate it for $5.
-Ancient Burying Ground: Very cool, very old gravestones, many of which have been restored. Adjacent to/behind Center Church, on the corner of Main and Gold Streets in Hartford. Follow directions above. Free!
*Feeling Patriotic?*
-Tour the State Capitol (on July 3 only, until 1:15 PM for an organized tour), or the building across the street, which houses the State Supreme Court, the State Library, and the State Museum (also on July 3 only). Free!
*Feeling Outdoorsy?*
-Elizabeth Park: Beautiful, huge gardens, including the oldest public rose garden; also has tennis courts. Open from sunrise to dusk; free. Located at corner of Prospect St. and Asylum Ave. Take I-84 to Sisson Ave. exit; right onto Sisson; left onto Farmington; right onto Prospect. Turn left before the light at Asylum Ave., to take the road that leads to the rose garden. Or, turn left onto Asylum (then left into park) to park nearer the heart of grounds. Free!
-West Hartford Reservoir: 3.1 mile walk/run/bike loop through the woods, around the water. Off Farmington Ave., in West Hartford. Free. Open sunrise to dusk. Can either reach by taking the directions to Elizabeth Park (above), only proceeding on Farmington Ave. for about 4 miles, or by taking the directions to the Noah Webster House and turning left onto Farmington Ave. from South Main St., and going for 1.5-2 miles. Reservoir is on the right. Free!
*Feeling Artsy?*
-New Britain Museum of American Art: Tues., Wed., and Fri. 11 AM-5 PM; Thurs. 11 AM-8 PM; Sat. 10 AM-5 PM; Sun. Noon-5 PM. Free 10 AM-Noon on Saturdays; otherwise, $9 adults, $8 seniors, $7 students, free for kids 12 & under. 56 Lexington St., New Britain. From I-84: Take Exit 35 (left exit) onto Rt. 72E. Follow signs to New Britain and take Columbus Blvd, Exit 8. At the exit light, turn right and proceed to the next light. Take a right onto West Main Street and take a left before Bank of America onto Lexington Street. Museum and free parking lot are on the left. http://www.nbmaa.org/
-Wadsworth Atheneum: Country’s oldest public art museum. Wed.-Fri. 11 AM-5 PM; Sat. and Sun. 10 AM-5 PM. $10 adults, $8 seniors, $5 students, free for kids 12 & under. Take I-84 West to exit 54 (left exit, Downtown Hartford). After crossing Founders Bridge, turn left at the first light (Columbus Boulevard) to Arch Street. Turn right onto Arch. Go one block to Prospect Street. Turn right onto Prospect Street. Museum is on the left, one block up. Metered parking is free on the weekends; if you choose to park in a lot or garage, bring your ticket and they’ll validate it for certain lots – see the museum’s website for more information. http://www.wadsworthatheneum.org/
-Real Art Ways: Modern/contemporary art. Tues.-Thurs., & Sun. 2 PM-10 PM; Fri. & Sat. 2 PM-11 PM. $3. Also have an art cinema, with regular theater-like pricing. On Arbor St., off Capitol Ave. Take I-84 to the Sisson Ave. exit; turn left onto Sisson Ave., and turn left at the next light, Capitol Ave. Turn right at the third street, Arbor; it’s on the left. Free on-site parking. http://www.realartways.org/
*Feeling Bookish?*
-Mark Twain House and Museum: M-Sat. 9:30 AM-5:30 PM; Sun. Noon-5:30 PM. $13 adults, $11 seniors, $8 kids. 351 Farmington Ave.: Take I-84 to Sisson Ave. exit; right onto Sisson, and right onto Farmington. http://www.marktwainhouse.org/
-Harriet Beecher Stowe Center: Tues.-Sat. 9:30 AM-4:30 PM; Sun. Noon-4:30 PM. $8 adults, $7 seniors, $4 kids. 77 Forest St. Next to the Mark Twain grounds, on the corner of Forest and Farmington. http://www.harrietbeecherstowecenter.org/index_home.shtml
-Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society: Thurs.-Mon. 1-4 PM. $6 adults, $5 seniors and AAA members, $4 kids and students. 227 South Main St., West Hartford: Take I-84 to Exit 41 and (from I-84 west) turn right onto South Main. http://noahwebsterhouse.org/
*Feeling the Shopping Urge?*
The Buckland Hills area in Manchester (where the designated hotel is located), Evergreen Walk near the Buckland Hills mall (ask the hotel clerk for directions to this outdoor upscale shopping development), the Westfarms mall in Farmington/Newington off I-84, and the Berlin Turnpike in Newington/Berlin have wide varieties of stores. Target has a presence in all areas. For window shopping/strolling, go to West Hartford center (go up Farmington Ave. from the West End, or take the South Main exit from I-84).
*Feeling Hungry?*
$: $10 or less, per person
$$: $10-20
$$$:$20+
-Breakfast: Mo's Diner in the West End of Hartford (from Sisson Ave., left onto Farmington, right onto South Whitney, $). It's a very affordable, charming place with terrific pancakes and breakfast potatoes. Also worth the wait (go early to avoid it!). Open for breakfast and lunch only.
-Burgers: Wood-n-Tap in Hartford (Sisson and Capitol Aves., $/$$), or if you have time to wait in line, Plan B in West Hartford (on Park Rd., $/$$) – it’s worth the wait, which often is an hour.
-Diner: Olympia Diner on the Berlin Turnpike ($). Great greasy breakfasts in big portions.
-Fried Fish and Shellfish: Doogie's on the Berlin Turnpike ($).
-Hotdogs: Doogie’s on the Berlin Turnpike ($) or to Roscoe’s Big Dog in downtown Hartford (on Temple St., which is the street one block north of and parallel to Central Row, $).
-Ice cream – wait, you’ll get enough of that during the events…But go to Mortensen’s on the Berlin Turnpike (Routes 5&15 south exit from I-91 south, $), or to Stew Leonard’s (see below).
-Irish pub food: Half Door on Sisson Ave. in Hartford (right off the Sisson Ave. I-84 exit, nearly on the corner of Sisson and Farmington, $$).
-Lots of samples and a cool grocery store experience (we're not kidding): Stew Leonard's on the Berlin Turnpike (F, or $ for super-cheap and good soft serve ice cream or frozen yogurt near the store entrance).
-Mexican: Monte Alban on Farmington Ave. in the West End (from Sisson Ave., left onto Farmington Ave., $/$$).
-Night-on-the-town, sort-of-expensive-but-fun drinks: Trumbull Kitchen, on Trumbull St. in Hartford (downtown area, $$$$ for a meal).
-Pizza: Luna in West Hartford Center (on Farmington Ave., $/$$) or Whitney Pizza (from Sisson Ave., left onto S. Whitney, $).
-Sushi or hibachi (when the chef cooks with flourishes, in front of you): Kyoto on the Berlin Turnpike ($/$$$; $ for lunch, noon-3 PM, Sat. included, but $$ or $$$ for dinner, price dependent on what you order).
-Amazing (and expensive) Spanish food, go to Costa Del Sol in the South End of Hartford (Mapquest for directions – too complicated to explain here, $$$). http://www.costadelsolrestaurant.net/
*Attractions and Restaurants Sorted by Area*
*West End* (Hartford) (84W to Sisson Ave. exit; R on Sisson to Farmington Ave.)
-Things to do-
Mark Twain House & Museum
Harriet Beecher Stowe Center
Elizabeth Park - Free!
-Places to eat at-
Mo’s Diner (breakfast and lunch only)
Monte Alban (Mexican)
Half Door (Irish pub)
South Whitney Pizza
*Parkville* (Hartford) (84W to Sisson Ave. exit; L on Sisson)
-Things to do-
Real Art Ways
-Places to eat at-
Wood-n-Tap (burgers)
Plan B (burgers - nearby, on Park Street just across the West Hartford line)
*West Harford/Newington* (not far from West End or Parkville) (84W to S. Main St. exit)
-Things to do-
Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society (South Main St.)
West Hartford Reservoir - Free!
Stroll the center of West Hartford (Farmington Ave., and also the shopping area behind the cinema on South Main St.) - Free!
-Places to eat at-
Luna Pizza (on Farmington Ave.)
*New Britain* (not far from West Hartford/Newington)
-Things to do-
New Britain Museum of American Art - Free on Sat. mornings
*Downtown* (Hartford) (From hotel, 84W to any downtown exit)
-Things to do-
Old State House (OSH) - Free on the 5th
Wadsworth Atheneum
Capitol & surrounding buildings – Free, open on 3rd only
Bushnell Park Carousel - $1 per ride
-Places to eat at-
Roscoe’s Big Dog (hotdogs - very close to the OSH)
Trumbull Kitchen (trendy)
Others: Black-Eyed Sally’s near Bushnell Park (Cajun), Hot Tomato’s on Asylum, at the train station (expensive Italian), City Steam Brewery (Main St.), Coach’s (on Ann St.); Coach’s is the cheapest option.
*Berlin Turnpike* (91S to 5/15 – Berlin Turnpike – South)
-Things to do-
Laser tag, at Laser Quest (not detailed in summaries above)
Go to Stew Leonard’s, grocery store, for the Saturday and Sunday samples (F), plus cider doughnuts and ice cream
-Places to eat at-
Kyoto (sushi and hibachi)
Mortensen’s (ice cream, and diner)
Doogie’s (foot-long hotdogs, fried seafood and shellfish, and cheesesteaks)
Olympia Diner (diner)
