Northern Connecticut – Greater Hartford and Litchfield Hills
The northern part of Connecticut is an attractive travel area that combines both urban sites and attractions along with a particularly enchanting rural space. The largest city in northern Connecticut is the state's capital, Hartford, a fascinating and historically-rich city with plenty of sites in the downtown area. The metropolitan capital has a wealth of attractions, and so do the pastoral Litchfield Hills to the west of the city.
- Hartford is the city where the legendary author Mark Twain worked, making it a popular tourist destination midway between New York and Boston
- On the outskirts of Hartford are additional towns (which are now part of the city's large metropolis), full of history and attractions
- To the west of the metropolis lies the rural expanse of the Litchfield Hills, featuring charming towns, nature reserves, rivers, lakes, and plenty of nature
- The hills are especially popular in the fall season, with thousands of tourists arriving daily to witness New England's stunning foliage.
How long to spend on a trip to Northern Connecticut?
It is recommended to dedicate at least two to three days to the area, including a day in Hartford and another one to two days exploring the metropolitan area and Litchfield Hills.
As part of the trip to Northern Connecticut it's highly recommended to find accommodations in Hartford
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10 Must-See and Do Things in Northern Connecticut
- History and a regal urban atmosphere in Hartford
- The unique home of Mark Twain and his wife
- Enchanting nature especially in Litchfield Hills (stunning foliage in the fall)
- History in Wethersfield
- Fun with the kids at Dinosaur State Park
- High-level American Impressionism at the New Britain Museum of American Art
- Wonderful Impressionism at Hill-Stead Museum in Farmington
- New England Air Museum
- Bristol's Clock and Carousel Museums
- Morbid atmosphere at Old New-Gate Prison & Copper Mine
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What is Northern Connecticut?
- Unlike the southern Atlantic Coast of Connecticut (along the Long Island Sound), which is a large urban sprawl in the west towards New York and remains relatively dense in its eastern part, the northern part of Connecticut is essentially rural
- At the heart of Northern Connecticut lies the large metropolis of Hartford, the state capital
- Hartford isn't huge, but its urban area is home to about one and a quarter million people in a continuous string of historical towns and villages. Today, these are part of a massive suburban expanse surrounding downtown Hartford.
- The Hartford metropolitan area has quite a few places worth checking out.
Hartford sits at the heart of the small state on the bank of the wide Connecticut River. The city is famously home to insurance companies and is dubbed the insurance capital of the world. It was established in 1635 by English settlers from Massachusetts. Hartford is not a large city, and most of the sites and attractions are right in its center.
- Downtown stretches westward from the banks of the wide Connecticut River.
- The heart of the city is Atheneum Square, where you'll find the Center Church and its ancient cemetery, the Old State House of Connecticut, and of course, the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art.
- West of the square, Bushnell Park begins, featuring the Capitol Building, Bushnell Performing Arts Center, and the city's Historical Museum.
- A drive west from downtown leads to the Mark Twain House & Museum and the stunning rose garden in Elizabeth Park.
The northwestern part of the state is very rural in nature and is home to the charming Litchfield Hills.
This rural area is one of the most visited spots in Connecticut, offering views of towns, forests, streams, rivers, and large lakes.
During the summer, the hills attract a large number of visitors (also in the fall with the foliage) and the county's towns are considered a well-off and very desirable place to live.
How to get to Northern Connecticut?
- Logan Airport in Boston Logan International Airport – BOS, serves as the main gateway to New England and is the closest major airport to Hartford.
- There are quite a few direct flights from Ben Gurion Airport to Boston, operated by both El Al and Delta.
- The drive from Logan in Boston to downtown Hartford is just an hour and a half.
- You can also reach Hartford by driving from New York, which takes a little over two hours.
- New York has two major airports – JFK in eastern Brooklyn and Liberty Airport in Newark.
Bradley International Airport (BDL) is a small yet efficient regional airport located twenty minutes north of Hartford. It also serves the large city of Springfield in southern Massachusetts. The airport offers domestic flights from many major airports on the East Coast of the USA and the Midwest, including New York, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Washington, Chicago, Minneapolis, etc.
- The highways leading to Hartford include I-91, the main highway connecting I-95 from New Haven in the south to the outskirts of Montreal in the north. This road runs north from Hartford to the New Hampshire-Vermont border.
- On the east-west axis, the I-84 highway connects Hartford with Boston in the east and continues all the way to eastern Pennsylvania in the west.
- Hartford is situated on the main travel route between New York and Boston, about a one-and-a-half-hour drive from Boston and two hours from New York.
Map of Northern Connecticut
When to Visit? And How to Plan a Trip to Hartford and Northern Connecticut?
- Like almost all parts of New England, it's best to visit Northern Connecticut when the weather is nice.
- During the summer, the area is considered very touristy, and there are even traffic jams.
- This is one of the most beautiful natural areas close to New York City and therefore it’s extremely popular among the residents of the vast metropolis to the south.
- In September, during the early part of spring, the area is once again flooded with an incredible number of visitors coming to see the fall foliage, especially in the areas west of Hartford and in the Litchfield Hills.
- Winter in the area is very cold, and besides Hartford, it’s relatively challenging to travel around.
The trip in northern Connecticut begins and ends in Hartford. The capital of Connecticut and its largest metropolis, it is the key urban area in the region and the main transportation gateway. Hartford is easily accessible from the south of the state, from the city of New Haven via Highway 91, a road that continues north to Springfield. The city is also well connected with Boston via Highway 84.
From Hartford, rural roads 44, 202, and 6 lead towards the Litchfield Hills in the northwest corner of the state.
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Hotels and Accommodation in Hartford and North Connecticut
- The main accommodation in North Connecticut is also concentrated in Hartford, the capital and the state's largest metropolitan area. The city serves as the gateway to other sites in its metropolitan area or westward towards the Litchfield Hills
- Hartford is a big city with options for evening entertainment too
- You can also find motels or rural lodging options in the area west of the city towards the Litchfield Hills. The charming county towns offer quite a few lodgings that are highly sought after during the season and especially in the fall
Accommodation in Hartford is divided into two:
- There are some really nice hotels right in the city center, mainly on the lively streets north of the Old State House, with Main Street being the leading one. These streets offer restaurants, shopping, and even a sense of a big city (relatively speaking).
- On the other hand, staying in motels, the second accommodation option in Hartford, is a lot more convenient in the city. Due to the proximity of Interstate 91 to downtown, there are quite a few good motels located right in the city center. Of course, these motels have parking. The motels are located near the downtown exit ramps, and among them, you'll find major chains like Super 8, Travel Inn, Candlewood, and IHG's Holiday Inn, among others.
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Hartford
Beautiful Hartford is the capital of Connecticut and one of the most picturesque cities in New England. The city exudes a regal air and is deeply connected to the pride and representation of the state. Located on the banks of the broad Connecticut River, it serves as the governmental and administrative center of the state.
The Capitol building in Bushnell Park is the city's iconic and famous landmark, surrounded by a variety of museums, historical sites, and churches worth visiting. Mark Twain made the city his home in 1870, where he penned his most significant works. The artist's unique house is now a museum and one of the city's popular attractions.
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Everything to See and Do in Greater Hartford and Northern Connecticut
Wethersfield
Today's Wethersfield is a quiet and affluent suburb of Hartford, the capital of Connecticut, but it's so much more than that. The town was established in 1634 and was the first settlement in Connecticut. Six years later, the town held elections against British consent, which is considered one of the first acts of independence by the colonies against British rule.
At the center of the town, in 1781, a War of Independence conference was held, leading to the alliance between the rebel forces and the British. The conference planned the move known as The Siege of Yorktown in Virginia, the decisive and final battle of the American War of Independence.
The center of the suburb still offers a taste of the rural town of the past. The town center is the intersection of Main Street with Church Street, where you'll find the First Church of Christ In Wethersfield, one of the oldest remaining churches in New England and a place where George Washington prayed during his stay in the town. Next to the church is the village cemetery, open to the streets with a quite surreal look.
In the bygone village center, period houses open to the public are integrated under the home where the Webb Deane Stevens Museum stands. You can visit the Buttolph-Williams House and the Keeney Memorial Cultural Center, which also serves as a visitor center.
Dinosaur State Park
Just a 15-minute drive south of downtown Hartford, you'll find the city's unique Dinosaur Park. This famous paleontological site boasts over 500 dinosaur tracks dating back 200 million years. The tracks have been preserved and are now displayed in a covered museum setting. The state park offers children's activities and numerous dinosaur-related exhibits, making it a fascinating place for kids.
Address: West St. 400, Rocky Hill
Click here for the park's current opening hours…
New Britain
The town of New Britain is a large suburb of Hartford, just a 15-minute drive west of downtown. Like all towns swallowed by Connecticut's capital, it was once a large village before becoming a pleasant and affluent suburb. Unlike the surrounding villages with rich histories, New Britain was founded only in the mid-19th century.
Its center is still charming, especially along the Main Street with many impressive churches. The suburb's key site is the New Britain Museum of American Art, housing a large collection of America's finest artists. The collection includes paintings by Georgia O'Keeffe, Winslow Homer, Mary Cassatt, the giant Impressionist active in France, Childe Hassam, and others.
Museum address: 56 Lexington St., New Britain
Click here for the museum's updated opening hours…
Farmington
The suburb of Farmington is one of the most popular travel destinations in what is known as Greater Hartford. Farmington is a suburban town located just a 15-minute drive west of downtown Hartford, along Route 84. The quiet and affluent suburb of today was once a small village and, to some extent, it still is.
The main highlight of Farmington is the rare natural space of Meadow Land, a green and natural park where the Farmington River flows. This section of the river has small rapids and is considered a very popular site for boating in small boats or canoes. Around it, there are many nature hiking options in the forest and grassy areas. Surrounding the park are large golf courses. Not far from the meadows is the Hill-Stead Museum, the second major reason to visit this rural suburb.
Hill-Stead Museum
The large and impressive mansion of architect Theodate Pope Riddle is now one of the finest museums in Connecticut. The museum, opened in Riddle's home and initiated by her, was intended to showcase the art collection she accumulated over the years, as well as to preserve and document her lifestyle and meticulous home design.
The museum combines an impressive period visual exhibit that showcases the lifestyle of Connecticut's wealthy in the early 20th century, along with some very important paintings. The collection displayed in the house includes paintings by great Impressionists such as Edgar Degas, Mary Cassatt, James Whistler, Édouard Manet, and more. Quite a nice lineup for a private collection.
Address: Mountain Rd. 35, Farmington
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Bristol
The city of Bristol is located a twenty-five-minute drive west of downtown Hartford. Though it's not contiguous with the capital's urban sprawl, technically, it's still considered part of the metropolitan area. Founded in 1785, the city is home to 60,000 people, most of whom live in the suburban area. The downtown stretches along two intersecting streets – Center Street and Main Street, where shops and restaurants exude quite a suburban vibe.
The city was an important place for watch production and you can learn about its past at the American Clock & Watch Museum (located at 100 Maple St., Bristol), which has a fascinating display of thousands of clocks of all types and from all eras. Not far from the clock museum to the south is also The Carousel Museum, which features an interesting display of vintage carousels, some of which are really ancient (located at 95 Riverside Ave., Bristol).
A ten-minute drive south from downtown is Lake Compounce Amusement & Water Park (located at 185 Enterprise Dr., Bristol). This amusement park is one of the oldest in the entire USA, opened in 1850. Today's park is modern with lots of extreme attractions, including roller coasters, drop towers that shoot riders up into the air, and more. The park still retains a wooden roller coaster, a reminder of days gone by.
New England Air Museum
The cool museum is located a 20-minute drive north of downtown Hartford, halfway to the large city of Springfield in southern Massachusetts. The museum is situated on the northern part of Bradley International Airport, which serves the Hartford and Springfield regions.
The aviation display is concentrated in two large hangars, featuring vintage planes from the era before the invention of commercial flights to jet planes. Part of the visit includes flight simulations, and you can learn a lot about the development of airplanes and aviation at the museum.
Address: Perimeter Rd. 36, Windsor Locks
Click here for the museum's current opening hours…
The Old New-Gate Prison & Copper Mine
The abandoned copper mine is located about twenty minutes north of the heart of Hartford and not far from Springfield, Massachusetts. Originally, it was an 18th-century operational mine, but after its abandonment, it was acquired by the state and turned into a prison within the tunnel complex. The notorious prison, the first of its kind in Connecticut, operated for fifty years until it was abandoned in 1827. Nowadays, it's a morbidly fascinating site and, amusingly enough, quite popular.
Address: 115 Newgate Rd., East Granby
Everything to See and Do in Litchfield Hills
Litchfield Hills, also commonly known as the Northwest Highlands, is a rural area of hills, towns, and nature in the northwest corner of Connecticut. The hills are located in the drainage basin full of tributaries of the large Housatonic River, which flows southward and empties into Long Island Sound between Stratford and Devon, slightly west of New Haven.
The area is filled with water, rich with large and expansive forests, and plenty of options for nature hikes, camping, canoeing in the streams, and all the fun of the North American wilderness. The hills are dotted with 26 charming villages and towns that over the years have become a popular vacation area for the well-to-do of New England and New York.
Touring the Litchfield Hills
The town of Bethlehem is located a half-hour drive west of Bristol and fifty minutes from Hartford. The main street of this quintessential rural town is Main Street, where you'll find the Bellamy-Ferriday House & Garden from the 18th century. The house has been turned into a period museum featuring a collection of valuable porcelain from Delft in Holland, antique furniture, and other artifacts originating from the 17th and 18th centuries.
Just south of Bethlehem is the village of Woodbury, known for its antique shops. About a fifteen-minute drive west of Bethlehem is the village of Washington, home to The Institute For American Indian Studies. The institute features a reconstructed ancient Indian village and findings from archaeological excavations of ancient settlements in the area. A bit to the north, in New Preston, you’ll find the popular Lake Waramaug, one of the prettiest spots in New England during the fall foliage.
About a twenty-minute drive from Washington and New Preston is the town of Litchfield. The center of the town is the Litchfield Town Green, surrounded by restaurants, antique shops, and country inns. Near downtown is Mount Tom State Park, a natural area climbing a high hill with a breathtaking view. At the foot of the high hill, there is a small lake that has become a popular recreation spot.
A twenty-minute drive west from the lake and New Preston takes you to the town of Kent, where you'll find a concentration of galleries and an artists' colony. On Kent's Main Street, there are excellent restaurants and galleries. About a ten-minute drive north from Kent's center, along the banks of the Housatonic River, lies the stunning Kent Falls State Park. The park features a viewing area for a delightful waterfall of a tributary flowing into the river.
