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5 Best Cities to visit in Connecticut

Connecticut is the southernmost of the six New England States and one of the original Thirteen Colonies. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and the Long Island Sound to the south. Its capital is Hartford and its most populous city is Bridgeport.

The state is named after the Connecticut River, which roughly bisects the state. The word “Connecticut” is derived from various anglicized spellings of “Quononoquett” (Conanicut), a Mohegan-Pequot word for “long tidal river”. Also known as the “Constitution State”, the “Nutmeg State”, the “Provisions State”, and the “Land of Steady Habits”.

Connecticut is densely packed with unique attractions, breathtaking natural beauty, wedding venues, flea markets, and diverse museums. You can go zip-lining, golfing, sailing, fishing, dine in an elegant restaurant or feast on great clam chowder in a waterfront shack, all in one day. Here are the 5 best cities to visit in Connecticut;

1. West Hartford

West Hartford – Unsplash

West Hartford is a town in Hartford County adjacent to and west of the City of Hartford, the state capital. Immediate neighboring towns are Bloomfield, Newington, Farmington and Avon. The city was previously a parish of Hartford, founded in 1672. In the 1670s, the area was referred to as the “West Division” of Hartford. This remained the official name until 1806 when Connecticut General Assembly started referring to it as “the Society of West Hartford.” It was incorporated as a town in 1854, West Hartford.

The rich history of West Harford is captured on signs and plaques that have been installed to mark the 39 most historic sites in town. Today, you can learn about the past by reading the inscription on any one of the historic signs.

The Town of West Hartford is dynamic and diverse, offering the best of vibrant public spaces, and programs and services for all ages. The unique cultural, shopping and dining opportunities throughout town make us a regional destination.

We included West Harford on this list because of its booming shopping and dining district which is every shopper鈥檚 dream.

2. Bridgeport

Bridgeport – Flickr

Bridgeport is a historic seaport city in the U.S. state of Connecticut, and its largest city. Located in Fairfield County at the mouth of the Pequonnock River on Long Island Sound. It is bordered by the towns of Trumbull to the north, Fairfield to the west, and Stratford to the east.

Settled in 1639, it was first known as Newfield and later as Stratfield. In 1800, it was incorporated as a borough and named Bridgeport for the first drawbridge over the river. In 1821, the township of Bridgeport became independent of Stratford.

Bridgeport is known as Park City because it has over 1,300 acres of public park space. In addition to its well-known parks like Pleasure Beach and Seaside Park, almost every neighborhood in the city has its own pocket park.

The city offers a wealth of attractions: majestic shoreline parks, fascinating museums, regional baseball, hockey, and festivals and national musical acts and performances. It is home to the only zoo in the state of Connecticut, unique museums and great restaurants. Tour the Housatonic Museum of Art, visit the Barnum Museum, and learn with hands-on exhibits at the Discovery Museum and Planetarium. Stop by Captain’s Cove Seaport where you will find a selection of shops, eateries and lovely water views.

Bridge earned a spot on this list because of its beautiful public parks that have earned the city the nickname 鈥淧ark City鈥�

3. New Haven

Downtown New Haven – Unsplash

New Haven is a coastal city located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut, and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. The city is considered the first American planned city and served as co-capital of Connecticut from 1701 until 1873, when sole governance was transferred to the more centrally located city of Hartford. It was incorporated as a city in 1784.

The city had the first public tree planting program in America, producing a canopy of mature trees (including some large elms) that gave the city the nickname “The Elm City”. New Haven has since billed itself as the “Cultural Capital of Connecticut” as there is history on every corner of the city. There are 59 properties on the National Register of Historic Places. The city is famous for its festivals – there is a festival for every month of the year, starting with the renowned Jazz Festival.

It is world known as the home of Yale University with the city鈥檚 art scene being linked to the university, such as the Yale University Collection of Musical Instruments, the Yale Art Gallery and the Yale Repertory Theatre.

No trip is complete in Connecticut without visiting the Ivy League Yale University in New Haven.

4. Stamford

Stamford – Unsplash

Stamford city lies at the mouth of the Rippowam River on Long Island Sound and is 36 miles (58 km) northeast of New York City. The town was founded in 1641 by 28 pioneers from Wethersfield (near Hartford) and was named for its English counterpart in 1642. The borough of Stamford was incorporated within the town in 1830 and in 1893 it was incorporated as a city.

The city has its own personality and rich cultural life, with the popular Stamford Museum and Nature Center; is a 118-acre (0.48 km2) site in the northern end of town has a collection of works by Gutzon Borglum, the sculptor of Mount Rushmore, who was a Stamford resident for a decade. The Stamford Observatory; with a 22-inch diameter telescope. The beautiful 91-acre Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens; with over 850 specimen trees and plants from around the world. It is also home to several Champion Trees, the largest of their species in Connecticut. The Stamford Symphony Orchestra, which performs at the Palace Theatre and the Stamford Center for the Arts, which presents annual shows at the Palace Theatre.

We could not miss to include Stamford as it is constantly ranked as one f the best places to live in the United States, discover what really makes this city very homely.

5. Westport

Westport docks – Pixabay

Westport is a town in Fairfield County, along the Long Island Sound within Connecticut’s Gold Coast. The area, which the local Indians called Machamux translated by the colonialists as beautiful land, was settled about 1648. As the settlement expanded its name changed: it was briefly known as “Bankside” in 1693, officially named Green’s Farm in 1732 in honor of Bankside Farmer John Green and in 1835 incorporated as the Town of Westport.

Starting around 1910 the town experienced a cultural expansion with artists, musicians, and authors such as F. Scott Fitzgerald moving to Westport to be free from the commuting demands experienced by business people. The roots of Westport’s reputation as an arts center can be traced back to this period during which it was known as a “creative heaven.”

Enjoy sightseeing, as West Port has postcard-worthy beaches and quiet streets lined with perfectly manicured lawns and white picket fences. The serene Saugatuck River winds its way through the heart of town, welcoming wildlife in the form of turtles, ibis, and swans.

The city is a must on the list because it s beehive of cultural actives owing to its origin as a writers and artists colony.