Connecticut Travel
Connecticut delights visitors with rolling hills, brilliant fall foliage, hiking, biking and water sports on both oceans and lakes. This Connecticut Web guide presents the many attractions available to visitors of The Nutmeg State, and has resources to help you get around efficiently. You’ll also find tips for choosing and booking accommodations, whether you prefer a luxury hotel, bed and breakfast or campsite.
Expand All Guide SectionsTravel in Connecticut
Connecticut has something for everyone and four fully defined seasons. Whether you like snow showing or row boating, long hikes or shopping, this corner of New England can satisfy. Use the following resources to determine what time of year you want to visit and what type of vacation you hope to have.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Many of the tourism sites in this guide offer information on a wide range of topics. Anytime you have a question about accommodations, maps, reservations or attractions, visit the following sources.
- The best way to find a play, concert or other performing arts program in Connecticut is to do a general search using your favorite search engine. Just include the town or county you’ll be visiting and the type of performance you’d like to see.
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To research Connecticut attractions …
Visit New England
is a good place to begin researching the different tourism options available across Connecticut. The Web site shows you what part of the state to visit if you’re looking for hiking or antiquing, where to go if you want to see theater and historical buildings, and what part to visit if you want to spend time on the shore.
CTvisit
outlines “52 Great Getaways” in Connecticut for friends, couples or families. The “Specials” section points out great travel or accommodation deals happening anytime.
Virtual Tourist
has user-generated descriptions and reviews of attractions and outings throughout Connecticut. This is a good place to get firsthand information about Connecticut tourism.
For the shore…
The Department of Environmental Protection
offers information about Connecticut’s shoreline, including links to public beaches and where to find boating, fishing and swimming locations.
For the Litchfield Hills…
The Northwest CT Convention & Visitors Bureau
provides lodging, sightseeing and activity information for visitors to the Northwest corner of Connecticut.
For Connecticut wine country…
Connecticut Wine Trail
shows a map of Connecticut’s vineyards with links to each one.
Where to stay in Connecticut
Connecticut’s historical towns offer a variety of inns and bed and breakfasts for those seeking unique and quaint accommodations. Large, luxury hotels are also available in metropolitan areas and campgrounds abound in the forests and along the shore of the state.
Dulcinea's Insight
- For a wider variety of accommodations, visit the findingDulcinea Travel Web guide for the best online hotel search engines.
- If you’ve never stayed at a bed and breakfast, be sure to research the experience and find a place that will suit your needs: many B and B hosts expect guests to have breakfast in the home or lock the door at night, for example. Clarify your expectations and requests before you arrive.
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For inns and bed & breakfasts…
BedandBreakfast.com
lets you select B and B accommodations across Connecticut. Select from the menu of available towns to choose the B and B of your choice. Photos and descriptions of the architecture and premises of each are also included.
BnBFinder.com
has a database of inns and bed and breakfasts nationwide. Use this site to contact accommodations directly or to make a reservation request online.
The Northwest CT Convention & Visitors Bureau
publicizes a list of inns and bed and breakfasts across the northwest corner of Connecticut.
For luxury accommodations…
Elegant Small Hotels
publishes a list of small luxury hotels in the Connecticut area. Refine your search by city, interest or category.
ResortsandLodges.com
helps you find large-scale accommodations in Connecticut. Click on any region of the map for a list of available resorts.
For camping …
The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection
lists all of the Connecticut state parks that offer campgrounds. Click the name of each site for directions, rates or to make campsite reservations.
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy
(ATC) highlights Connecticut campsites along the Appalachian Trail. The “Explore the Trail: Connecticut” page can help you plan your trip as you walk through the Connecticut leg of the trail. Become a member of the ATC to save money on the guide information; basic membership costs $35.
For RV parks…
The Connecticut Campground Owners Association
lists RV parks and campgrounds across Connecticut. Each description comes with contact information, an address and the number of sites available.
For business accommodations…
New England Inns & Resorts Association
helps you plan accommodations for large parties. This site can help you find the right destination for a business meeting or company retreat.
Getting Around in Connecticut
Despite the small size of the state, Connecticut roads and public transportation can be hard to figure out—especially in rural areas. The following sites show you how to get to and from your destination via bus, train or airplane, and can help you rent a car. You’ll also find information on public transportation and maps to help you stay on track wherever you venture.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Because of its proximity to New York, many trains and buses that arrive in Connecticut travel through Penn Station, Grand Central or the Port Authority in Manhattan. When booking train or bus travel to Connecticut, consider these locations as possible connecting points.
- We have not included lists to specific car rental, airline or bus companies as most provide service on a national level. To find specific companies, visit the findingDulcinea Travel Web Guide.
Dulcinea's Picks
For driving …
The Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development
lets you download a series of PDF maps of Connecticut roadways. Choose from maps of the entire state or maps that are county-specific.
For buses…
CTTransit
provides public transportation via bus in major Connecticut cities and their suburbs. Look for information on fares, routes and schedules, or buy tickets online.
USCity.net
has an ugly Web site full of good information on Connecticut busses. Use the site for a list of bus and charter companies that service the state.
For trains …
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority
(MTA) is another large service provider for Connecticut trains. Trains through the MTA run to and from Grand Central Terminal in New York City.
Visit New England
provides a list of some of Connecticut’s most prominent train stations.
For air travel…
The Connecticut Department of Transportation
lists all of Connecticut’s airports in a map of the state including major airports and airports with charter services.
TripAdvisor
lets you compare airfare to Connecticut through popular discount resources including Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity and CheapTickets.
© 2010 Dulcinea Media, Inc.
