Connecticut

Understand

History

Connecticut was one of the original 13 colonies of the United States, and was the fifth state to ratify the constitution in 1788. Over the next centuries, the state became a manufacturing center, and supported the war effort during the Civil War and the World Wars. Today, Connecticut is one of the richest states in the union, and is home to many businesses.

Geography

The State of Connecticut is divided in half by the Connecticut River, the largest river in New England. The state's general geographic regions can be understood as a set of quadrants, with Hartford, the state's capital, acting as the centerpoint. Within the immediate vicinity of Hartford are the large towns of Manchester, New Britain, Bristol, Meriden, and Middletown, which have close ties with the capital, and the state's primary airport, Bradley International, 15 miles (25 km) north of Hartford, in Windsor Locks. Looking beyond the heartland, the southwestern part of the state has close ties to New York and is highly developed and urbanized (especially in the panhandle) including cities such as Bridgeport and New Haven, as well as several historically affluent towns such as Stamford, Darien, and Greenwich. To the north of the urban agglomeration can be found the city of Danbury, the gateway to the state's rural northwest, as well as the manufacturing city of Waterbury. Moving along the shoreline, the southeastern part of the state becomes significantly less urbanized than the southwest, and includes many of the state's fine beaches. This region includes the historically important ports of Mystic, Groton, and New London, as well as the crossroads city of Norwich. Moving northwards, the northeastern part of the state, known to locals as the "Quiet Corner", is very rural, with few major population centers, but includes many historical towns, scenic parks, and woodlands. The largest city is Willimantic, in the southern part of the region, with the towns of Putnam and Killingly/Dayville acting as local centers of activity. The University of Connecticut, in Storrs, can be seen as a part of this region as well. The Northwestern part of the state is also very rural, especially in the northwestern corner. This region is known for its beautiful natural scenery, particularly hills and highlands and the Housatonic river, attracting visitors and campers from near and far. The region's largest town is Torrington, with several notable towns such as Kent and New Canaan being known for their affluent residents. The largest body of water in the state, Candlewood Lake, is in this region, as is the state's highest point, the slope of Mount Frissell (2,379 ft / 725 m), on the border with Massachusetts.

Overall, the state contains 9 "planning regions" (which fully replaced the former 8 counties as statistical units in 2015 at the state level and 2022 federally), and 169 towns and cities.

Weather

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.

Tourist information

• Visit Connecticut website

Regions

The state of Connecticut has long been divided into eight traditional counties (Fairfield, Hartford, Litchfield, Middlesex, New Haven, New London, Tolland, and Windham). Since the dissolution of county seats in 1960, these counties have been mainly used for geographic purposes.

However, since 2015, the state has also been split into nine planning regions, each with their own Council of Government (COG). From largest to smallest, the nine new regions are the Capital Region, Western Connecticut, South Central Connecticut, the Naugatuck Valley, Greater Bridgeport, Southeastern Connecticut, the Lower Connecticut River Valley, the Northwest Hills, and Northeastern Connecticut. Unlike the original eight counties, the new planning regions are designed to bring smaller towns closer to their largest nearby city. The planning regions have been recognized nationwide as county-equivalents since 2022, replacing the original counties.

For the sake of this guide, Connecticut is divided into five regions:

Cities

• Hartford – the state capital.
• Bridgeport – the most populated city in the state.
• Danbury – also known as Hat City, Danbury is home to Western Connecticut State University, Candlewood Lake, and many good restaurants.
• Mystic – this is one of the most common places to visit, due to the historic seaport and aquarium.
• New Haven – home to top-rated restaurants, tourist attractions and Yale University.
• New London – a historic whaling port on Long Island Sound, home to the coast guard academy,
• Norwalk – home to trendy SoNo with an active night life and The Maritime Aquarium
• Stamford – a sizable city with so many large corporate headquarters that there's a substantial reverse commute from New York City to Stamford; a local dining and bar scene has followed
• Waterbury – this is a small urban community with lots to do. Look for the Union Station Clocktower that overlooks the city.

Other destinations

Connecticut is rich with history, nature, art and beauty. There is 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 Haddam is an excellent family destination. So is the Essex Steam Train and River Boat Ride in Essex.

Get in

By plane

In state

• Bradley International Airport (BDL) in Windsor Locks is the state's largest airport. Nearby to Hartford and Springfield (Massachusetts), it has increased its volume at a rapid pace. Due to its location north of Hartford, it can be difficult to access for northeastern and northwestern border residents, but is convenient for heartland residents. For non-central residents, it can be more convenient to travel to New York, Massachusetts, or Rhode Island for flights. Still, as the 3rd largest and 2nd busiest airport in New England, it can be a good alternative destination if all else fails.
• Tweed New Haven Regional Airport (HVN), a smaller airport and focus city for the up-and-coming Avelo Airlines.
• Waterbury-Oxford Airport, popular with private aviation.
• Sikorsky Mem'l Airport (BDR) in Stratford is a private aircraft charter service based there.
• Meriden Airport in Meriden provides private air charter.
• Danbury Municipal Airport (DXR) in Danbury is mainly used for general aviation.
• Danielson Airport in Danielson is mainly used for general aviation.

Out of state

• LaGuardia, JFK, and Newark in the New York City area are all common choices for travelers in the Western part of the state. These are all larger airports than in-state airports, and have more flight opportunities. However, for travelers to the eastern part of the state, they are too far to be of much convenience. This is especially true for Newark Airport, which is located two states away in New Jersey.
• Logan International Airport in Boston is one of two good choices for travelers with destinations in the eastern part of the state, but is far away from any of Connecticut's major cities, such as Hartford and New Haven. Still, it is only about a 60–90-minute drive away from locations along the I-395 corridor, so if you are visiting the northeastern part of Connecticut, it can be a solid choice, particularly for its larger availability of flights.
• T.F. Green International Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island is a great alternative to Boston for the eastern half of Connecticut. The airport covers many domestic and a fair number of international flights, and in many cases, is only about an hours' drive from your destination.
• Westchester County Airport is the closest commercial airport to lower Fairfield County but hosts domestic flights only.

By ferry

The Bridgeport-Port Jefferson Ferry crosses Long Island Sound daily between Port Jefferson, Long Island and Bridgeport, CT. It carries cars and passengers. Cross Sound Ferry connects New London, CT and Orient Point, NY (the easternmost tip of Long Island's North Fork.) It also carries cars and passengers.

By train

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

By bus

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 and Greyhound.

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.

Fuel is more expensive in Connecticut than it is in New York or Massachusetts.

Get around

By car

Car is the easiest way to travel through the state, and the best if you are planning on sightseeing. Several major highways, including I-95 I-84, I-91 and I-395, run through the state.

By bus

Information on Connecticut Transit can be found here.

• Hartford county is also served by a rapid bus transit CT Fastrak
• Bridgeport is served by its own service.

By train

There are eight commuter rail lines that connect most major cities and towns. New Haven is the main hub that connects to all these commuter rail lines, as well as to Amtrak routes.

• Metro North New Haven Line - daily service between Grand Central Terminal, New York City to New Haven State Street Station, New Haven with stops at Greenwich, Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport, Milford, and New Haven
• Metro North New Canaan Branch- daily service between Stamford Station, Stamford to New Canaan Station, New Canaan with stops in the Stamford neighborhoods of Glenbrook and Sprigdale and New Canaan neighborhoods such as Talmadge Hill and Downtown New Canaan
• Metro North Waterbury Branch- daily service between Bridgeport Station, Bridgeport to Waterbury Station, Waterbury with stops at Shelton, Ansonia, Beacon Falls, and Waterbury
• Metro North Danbury Branch- daily service between South Norwalk Station, Norwalk to Danbury Station, Danbury with stops at Wilton, Redding, Bethel, and Danbury
• CT Rail Hartford Line - daily service from New Haven Union Station, New Haven to Springfield Union Station, Springfield with stops at Wallingford, Berlin, Hartford, Windsor, and Springfield
• CT Rail Shore Line East - daily service from New Haven Union Station, New Haven to New London Union Station, New London with stops at Branford, Clinton, Old Saybrook, and New London
• Amtrak Northeast Corridor- daily service between Union Station, Washington D.C. to South Station, Boston with stops at Stamford, Bridgeport, New Haven, and New London
• Amtrak Hartford Line- daily service between New Haven Union Station, New Haven to Greenfield Station, Greenfield with stops at New Haven, Wallingford, Berlin, Hartford, Windsor, Springfield, Holyoke, and Greenfield

Stay safe

Crime

Although Connecticut is well known for its affluence, and is the third wealthiest state in America, there are sections in the state's largest cities (especially Bridgeport, New Haven, and Waterbury) that can be dangerous, especially at night. However, common sense will more than likely keep you far from any signs of trouble in Connecticut, as the state is widely considered to be one of the safest in the country.

Ticks

Connecticut is the infamous birthplace of Lyme disease. Take precautions against tick bites and see a doctor as soon as possible if you notice a bull's-eye-shaped rash around the site of a bite or get flu-like symptoms after walking through possibly tick-infested areas (forests, etc.). Tick season is usually from the spring to the fall.

Weather

Connecticut has been known for its sudden shifts in weather. Be prepared for freezing temperatures and snowstorms in the winter and thunderstorms in the spring and summer.

Go next

• New York - Bordering Connecticut to the south and west, New York is home to America's largest city as well as amazing natural beauty in the less urban areas. A lot of people live in Connecticut and commute to work in New York.
• Massachusetts - The cities of Boston and Springfield are within reasonable driving distance of Connecticut's northern border.
• Rhode Island - In the summer Connecticut residents swarm the Ocean State's beaches, but Rhode Island also offers urban charms in the capital city of Providence and centuries of history in Newport.