10 Things To Do And See In East Main And Huntington, CT

KAWS, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum
KAWS, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum | © Mike SImonds/Flickr
Prema Chablani

If you’re visiting the East Main and Huntington area of Connecticut, even just for the weekend, there are plenty of beautiful parks, museums and sights to see. For activities ranging from family fun to things to do with friends or even on your own, check out the list below of the top ten things to do and see in the East Main and Huntington areas.

1. SportsCenter of Connecticut

Park

SportsCenter of Connecticut

The SportsCenter of Connecticut is a great day out whether you’re with the family or with friends. The center features batting cages, where visitors can easily spend an entire afternoon in, and bowling alleys. The driving range and the arcade, where visitors can exchange tickets for toys, are both incredibly fun. For the mini-golf enthusiasts, the center has a mini golf course that is suited for all ages, making it an ideal activity for families. For an active day out with interactive fun, the SportsCenter is the way to go.

784 River Road, Shelton, CT, +1 203 929 6500

Huntington state park, Connecticut | © David Brooks/Flickr

2. Beardsley’s Cider Mill & Orchard

Beardsley’s Cider Mill & Orchard

For the best apples in town, head over to the Beardsley’s Cider Mill & Orchard and spend a day picking your own apples. The orchard gets crowed in the day so if you make your way over in the morning, you’ll have the chance to enjoy the orchard and then head over to the hut. The hut serves up some fresh cider, apple donuts and other baked goods. This is a great spot for when autumn sets in as delicious apple desserts are available to purchase, and they’re ideal for fall.

278 Leavenworth Road, Shelton, CT, +1 203 926 1098

3. The Jones Family Farm

The Jones Family Farm

On a beautiful fall afternoon, The Jones Family Farm is the place to be. Besides the beautiful scenery there are a ton of family friendly activities like the corn maze and the fun pumpkin patch. The hayride is loads of fun as well! Take a trip over to their vineyard where they offer a delicious package of cheese and great fruity wine! The farm attracts loads of visitors from New York, so be sure to get there early in the autumn!

606 Walnut Tree Hill Road, Shelton, CT, +1 203 929 8425

5. Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art

Museum

Wadsworth Atheneum Museum
© allnightavenue/Flickr
The Wardsworth Antheneum Museum of Art, located in Hartford, is noted for its many collections including European baroque art and French and American impressionist paintings. On the first full weekend of every month, if you hold a Bank of America debit or credit card, you can view the exhibitions for free. The museum is incredibly impressive and has one of the best cafés in the area too; the food and the cocktails are especially wonderful. It’s a fantastic place for families as there are a range of attractions for children among the exhibitions.

6. Weir Farm National Historic Site

Park

Weir Farm National Historic Site

More than a day is needed to explore all the fun activities at the Weir Far National Historical Site. Described by many as a fairytale land, spend a day at this historical, fun and entertaining site to explore more of Connecticut‘s cultural heritage. The park was designed and preserved by artists and promotes American paintings. American impressionist artist, Julian Alden Weir, started his art career here and the park pays tribute to him. Visitors can enjoy ranger-led tours of Weir house along with a number of activities, from painting to hiking.

735 Nod Hill Road, CT, +1 203 834 1896

7. The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum

Museum, Church, Store

KAWS, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum
© Mike SImonds/Flickr
The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum contains no permanent collections but is the only museum in Connecticut that is dedicated to exhibiting contemporary art. The museum was founded in 1964 with the purpose of being one of the only contemporary art museums in the US. The museum staff are incredibly helpful and knowledgeable about contemporary art. Furthermore, the exhibits are constantly changing so there is always something new to see.

Pumpkin Patches

There is nothing better to do in East Main and Huntington than heading over to a local farm on a picturesque autumn day to go pumpkin picking. There are an abundance of pumpkin patches to choose from in the area, such as the Pell Farm, which caters to children with tractor hayrides and corn mazes. The Foster Farm is one that’s also not to miss and they have themed events every year. Brown’s Harvest is a yearly tradition at Brown’s Farm where they offer apple cider donuts and face painting for children.

Pell Farm: 96 Kibbe Grove Rd, Somers, CT, +1 860 763 1643

Foster Farm: 90 Foster St, South Windsor, CT, +1 860 648 9366

Brown’s Harvest: 1911 Poquonock Ave, Windsor, CT, +1 860 683 0266

Pumpkin patch

8. Thimble Islands

Thimble Islands | © Daniel Hartwig/Flickr
© Daniel Hartwig/Flickr

Thimble Islands

The Thimble Islands is an archipelago consisting of small islands in the harbor of Stony Creek. The islands were first discovered in 1641 and were used for everything, from farming to searching for Captain Kidd’s treasure. There are companies that offer narrated cruise lines around the Thimble Islands where visitors can even plan their own dinner cruise. If you are looking for a longer cruise, you can organize a trip that follows the coastline of Branford, up the Branford River as well as the Thimble Islands.

28 West Point Road, Branford, CT, +1 203 488 2693

Thimble Islands | © Daniel Hartwig/Flickr

9. The Adventure Park at The Discovery Museum

Forest, Museum, Park

The Adventure Park at The Discovery Museum

The perfect place to adventure with friends and family, there is nothing quite like The Adventure Park at The Discovery Museum. Experience their aerial forest park in the trees of Connecticut. Once you arrive, look up and you’ll see a series of platforms in the trees connected by rope, wood, cables and zip lines taking people from one platform to the next. There are 11 different trails, from beginner to intermediate, to advanced courses. Don’t worry if you’ve never done this before, you’ll get a full safety orientation before you start climbing.

4450 Park Avenue, Bridgeport, CT, +1 203 690 1717
By Prema Chablani

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