Family Travel to Connecticut: Places to Visit With Kids

Connecticut is a semi-rural coastal state in the south of New England, USA. It is one of the best places to explore family vacations because of the wide range of attractions available there.

Connecticut is full of places for all ages and backgrounds. The best part about visiting this region is that it is affordable, so you can get through many activities and still work within your budget. So, where should you start?

This post is part of our series Discover the USA

Best Family-Friendly Spots in CT

As far as tourist destinations go, Connecticut has one of the best clusters of attractions in the USA. There are several attractions scattered around the state for different family members to enjoy. Some of the most highly recommended tourist spots are:

Lake Compounce

If you’re looking for water parks and amusement, then this is the best place to be in the region. Lake Compounce is an interactive recreational park in Connecticut. It has a long history and is the oldest operating amusement park in the United States.

This park has seasonal activities, affordable tickets, and rides that range from mild to intense. It offers a lot of fun to everyone because there are rides suitable for both kids and adults. Get all the information you need about Lake Compounce from their website, and even purchase seasonal tickets now!

Silver Sands State Park

This hotspot is famous for its sandbar that provides an overpass to Charles Island. It’s a sandy beach with currents that occasionally wash across the sandbar. Apart from the beautiful beaches, you can swim and fish in the waters around this park.

There’s also a conservation center for birds so you can enjoy some bird-watching with your family. The park is on a vast expanse of land with sands, greenery, and salt marshes.

Hill-Stead Museum

Some old mansions get left to decay or modernized to fit current standards, but Hill-Stead was built differently. This colonial mansion was converted into a museum, not only for its beautiful architecture but also for the impressionable French art pieces contained within it. You and your family can learn a lot about history when you visit Hill-Stead.

Rocky Neck State Park

In East Lyme, Connecticut, over 700 acres of land dedicated to recreational activities houses the Rocky Neck Park. The price of entering Rocky Neck State Park ranges from $15 to over $20 on weekdays and weekends. This park has a rocky terrain, sandy beaches, and an over-six decades-old stone pavilion. With lots of places to tour and relaxation spots, it is a public park that is perfect for the entire family.

The Bushnell Performing Arts Center

Connecticut has bustling music, dance, and theater attractions. One of the most prominent ones is the Bushnell Center. This center is a live performance location with many beautiful entertainment options that are family-friendly and easy to understand. You can go as a family or use it as an opportunity for a date with your partner. Since it is a modern facility, you can get a digital ticket for the shows you want to watch in advance.

Bishop’s Orchards Farm Market & Winery

If you’re a fan of animals, wine, organic food, and agriculture, then you need to check this place out. Bishop’s is famous for its retail market, fruit-picking sessions, and various wines. The farm grows apples, pears, berries, and other fruits to produce their wine.

They are also the hosts of the annual Shoreline Wine Festival in Connecticut. Adults can engage in wine-tasting activities while kids can have fun picking fruit from the orchard. A fun family activity would be browsing the retail market and shopping for the many fresh fruits.

Interlaken Inn

Lakeville, Connecticut, is home to a magical inn that is great for many unique occasions. The Interlaken Inn is a resort positioned right next to a lake in CT. Lakeville’s Resort Inn is known for its clean and tidy accommodation, respectful service staff, and golf club. They have affordable housing and family-friendly spaces so everyone can feel carried along. They’ve got a game room, outdoor pool heating, a gym, and many other activities for the entire family to enjoy.

Mystic Seaport

Maritime attractions in this state aren’t limited to its sandy beaches, dunes, and marshes. One of the most fun activities to try out when visiting the state of Connecticut is the Mystic Seaport Museum. It is the largest Marine museum in the United States and was created when a seaport village housing over 50 buildings was converted into a Museum. Some of the prominent attractions you can find there include sextants, old compasses, sails, old-school ships, and a planetarium. The seaport is also home to a pretty unique musical performance.

Talcott Mountain State Park

Starting with an almost 170-foot-high tower, Talcott has some fantastic sites to offer families touring CT. There’s a mountain trail, scenic views, picnic spots, and a lookout. Although it’s a mountain state park, Talcott offers historic preservation with the Museum inside the park. Tourists can go hiking and relax on a picnic or enjoy the attractions inside the museum before glancing at the panoramic view of this vast expanse of land.

Florence Griswold Museum

This museum is a structure that displays art relating to the community of Old Lyme. If you’re looking to get a peak into the past of this province in Connecticut, then the Griswold Museum is an excellent first stop. You and the family can enjoy exploring various art pieces and having a fun history lesson on Old Lyme, CT.

More New England Inspiration

For inspiring reads on New England and the Northeast of the USA, you may also want to check out our guides to:

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reflection of fall trees on burr pond state park torrington

scenic view of Mystic seaport in Connecticut with text overlay family friendly places to visit in Connecticut

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