Overview
Waterbury is a small city in Connecticut that calls itself Brass City because its industrial base was built on metal industries, including silver, but particularly brass. It is a pleasant city to visit, with a historic downtown, nearby parks, and culinary attractions like a chocolate factory and artisanal bakeries.
2 sights · 2 things to do · 4 places to eat · 2 bars & cafés · 1 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Waterbury
Mattatuck Museum Arts & History Center
The Waterbury area's more than 300-year history is chronicled here and the main gallery is devoted to exhibiting the works of Connecticut artists. Among the exhibits is a collection of over 15,000 buttons which was donat…
Waterbury City Hall
Designed by famous architect Cass Gilbert, the City Hall building on Grand Street opened in 1915. It underwent an extensive renovation that brought back the original splendor of this 90,000-sq ft "Georgian Revival Style"…
Palace Theater
The area's premier performance venue, the renovated Palace Theater opened in 1922 and boasts ornate domed ceilings and grand lobbies. Taking in this magnificent building is as much fun as the performance itself.
Quassy Amusement & Waterpark
Amusement and water park with coasters, waterslides, and views of Lake Quassapaug.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Oct. Summer highs reach about 83°F; winter lows dip to about 15°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Oct and Aug.
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- HVN Tweed New Haven Airport, New Haven — 22 mi away. Directions
- BDL Bradley International Airport, Hartford — 32 mi away (major hub). Directions
Waterbury is at the junction of two major highways: Interstate 84 (east-west) and Connecticut Route 8 (north-south). It is in Central Western Connecticut, on the Naugatuck River. Major Connecticut cities within a 35 minute drive include: Hartford and New Britain to the east, Danbury to the west (all three of which are located on I-84), New Haven to the south (via Connecticut routes 63 or 69), Bridgeport to the south (via Route 8), Torrington to the north (via Route 8), and Meriden to the east (via I-84 to I-691).
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 1-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Mattatuck Museum Arts & History Center, Waterbury City Hall
- Lunch Frankie's Hot Dogs
- Afternoon Palace Theater, Quassy Amusement & Waterpark
- Dinner D'Amelio's Italian Eatery
- Evening Ború's Bar
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Waterbury is fortunate to have many great choices in restaurants. A sampling follows below:
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
Waterbury is the fifth most populous city in Connecticut (estimated at 110,000) and is historically known for the manufacturing of brass. This is reflected in the city's motto "Quid Aere Perennius?" ("What Is More Lasting Than Brass?") which is inscribed onto a marble frieze inside City Hall.
Get in
Waterbury is at the junction of two major highways: Interstate 84 (east-west) and Connecticut Route 8 (north-south). It is in Central Western Connecticut, on the Naugatuck River. Major Connecticut cities within a 35 minute drive include: Hartford and New Britain to the east, Danbury to the west (all three of which are located on I-84), New Haven to the south (via Connecticut routes 63 or 69), Bridgeport to the south (via Route 8), Torrington to the north (via Route 8), and Meriden to the east (via I-84 to I-691).
Waterbury train station is on the Metro-North rail line which connects Waterbury to the train stations of several Naugatuck Valley towns to the south. Through connections at Bridgeport, MTA trains lead to coastal "Shoreline East" stations (to the east) and to Fairfield County stations (to the west) that terminate at Grand Central Terminal in New York City.
Get around
Waterbury is served by inter-city bus lines, and also has a fairly extensive local bus system, which provides service into the late evening. You can catch a bus at the Waterbury Green or from many other places in town. There are also cab services.
See
See Mattatuck Museum Arts & History Center
The Waterbury area's more than 300-year history is chronicled here and the main gallery is devoted to exhibiting the works of Connecticut artists. Among the exhibits is a collection of over 15,000 buttons which was donated by the town's now-defunct Button Museum. The museum occupies the former Masonic Temple building on Waterbury's historic Green.
See Waterbury City Hall
Designed by famous architect Cass Gilbert, the City Hall building on Grand Street opened in 1915. It underwent an extensive renovation that brought back the original splendor of this 90,000-sq ft "Georgian Revival Style" municipal jewel. The Chase Building across the street and other nearby buildings make up the Cass Gilbert Historic District (so designated in 1978), one of the only places in the world where a collection of the architect's buildings are within walking distance.
Do
Buy
Eat
Waterbury is fortunate to have many great choices in restaurants. A sampling follows below:
Eat Frankie's Hot Dogs
A landmark in Waterbury since the Caiazzo Family opened it in 1933, Frankie's is the most famous hot dog joint in town. There are other franchised locations as well, but the Watertown Avenue site is the original.
Eat D'Amelio's Italian Eatery
D'Amelio's, in the heavily Italian-American influenced Town Plot neighborhood, has a tasty and reasonably-priced lunch menu, traditional home-style Italian favorites, an extensive list of entrees, a nice bar, and friendly service.
Eat La Tavola Ristorante
In the Town Plot neighborhood, La Tavola has established itself as one of the finest Italian restaurants in Connecticut. There's a lively bar crowd, and an extensive wine selection. You won't find their "Prosciutto Wrapped Gorgonzola Stuffed Figs" (or many other unique mouth-watering items) anywhere else.
Eat Diorio Restaurant and Bar
Diorio's is a landmark restaurant in downtown Waterbury which opened in the 1920s. For years, it has been highly rated for its classic Italian cuisine. The old-school tile flooring, tin ceiling, mahogany bar, and colorful scenic murals on the mirror offer a glimpse into the past. Great choice for a power business lunch, or before or after a show at the Palace Theater.
Drink
Drink Ború's Bar
Ború's Bar is one of the better Irish Bars in Waterbury. Young, inclusive atmosphere, quality beers and other drinks. Good burgers and steaks. Nice bartenders and folks in general are pleasant.
Drink 457 Lounge and Grill
Wing and burger bar.
Sleep
Nearby
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Southbury
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Bristol
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Meriden
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Wallingford
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Hamden
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Harwinton
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Berlin
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