Family Attractions

Bringing the kids along? The whole family is sure to find entertainment at countless family-friendly attractions in Connecticut. For family fun, let Choice Hotels help you find the perfect attraction for your next family adventure.

In River Valley

Hurt Farm Country Store & Greenhouses
746 East Street
Andover, CT   06232
860-646-6536

Access this farm off of Route 85, and be sure the family’s in the car with you. You’ll want to hear the shrieks of delight which emanate from precious mouths as you drive up to this Connecticut family destination, located in the heart of River Valley. Shut the doors and explore the 36 acres of this open-doors farm; arrive when the time is ripe, and there just might be hay rides and pumpkins awaiting you. For the seasonally unacquainted, that time would be fall. Farm animals eagerly await your arrival, and on-premises snacks and maple sugaring sure do sound delicious.

Holcomb Farm Learning Center
113 Simsbury Road
West Granby, CT   06090
860-844-8616

We can honestly say that the Holcomb Farm Learning Center has made good use of the space it’s received to do its duty within. The site was once a farm on which, yes, the Holcomb family produced cider, wood, milk and tobacco. That was back in the early 1700’s; nowadays, Holcomb is the host to a milieu of learning activities, including a learning center which offers programs in the arts, nature, and animals.

The Connecticut Historical Society Museum
1 Elizabeth Street
Hartford, CT   06105
860-236-5621

The exhibits on display at the Connecticut Historical Society Museum won’t just amaze and educate; they are also time-tested to win awards, and please the entire family with the enticing display of information which visitors are invited to soak in. A thick calendar of events is worth an ahead-of-trip phone call, and a nationally significant library just might make you swoon. Explore Connecticut’s diverse and dynamic history, from the days of the American Indians up to the present day.

In Mystic Country

Chaplin Museum
1 Chaplin Street
Chaplin, CT   06235
860-455-9209

If you find yourself taking Route 6 to Route 198, why not stop off for a bit and enjoy the educational information which the Chaplin Museum has displayed so alluringly behind its museum glass? Items in the museum’s walls depict 18th- and 19th-century family life, and its many perks and quirks. Step outside of the sedan for a second and compare to see exactly how life has changed in the years that have passed.

Family Fun Trail
Mystic County, CT  

From the Children’s Museum of Southeast Connecticut, to Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center, Family Fun Trail is the tour guide of choice through this Connecticut region. Explore museums, science centers, memorials, and more, all at the expert hands of these informative educators who know all the hot spots in Connecticut. Call the number listed above to find out more about exactly what these know-it-alls, well, know.

Killingly Historical Center
196 Main Street
Danielson, CT   06239
860-779-7250

We’re constantly asking ourselves where we’re going, but seldom do we pause to think about exactly where we came from. This question is so pertinent in the New England region, as the inherited home to those who made the transition from the European centers of life to create the land we now know as America. Celebrate genealogical and historical research at this center which features changing exhibits.

In Litchfield Hills

Railroad Museum of New England
242 East Main Street
Thomaston, CT   06787
860-283-RAIL

Ride these historic rails through a beautiful Connecticut state forest. See the beauty outside of your window which so quintessentially exemplifies the beauty that Connecticuters have fallen in love with and claimed as their home. Wind along a snaking Naugatuck River and straight across the face of a dam – all on these 20 exhilarating miles of Connecticut train-tracks, most of which are of historical value.

Action Wildlife Foundation
337 Torrington Road (Route 4)
Goshen, CT   06756
860-482-4465

Over 100 acres play host to this exotic locale in the heart of New England Americana’s own Litchfield Hills region in the state of Connecticut. The Action Wildlife Foundation is a sanctuary for wildlife which features over 350 exotic animals. Kids can get up-close and personal at the petting zoo, and there’s always something to be learned about these unique creatures behind the glass of the foundation’s museum.

In Greater New Haven

Smiles Entertainment Center
1607 Boston Post Road
Milford, CT   06460
203-877-3229

There are so many entertainment centers in Connecticut, in America, and the world through. Yet how many of these entertainment facilities offer year-round indoor and outdoor family entertainment? Still yet, how many offer free admission on top of that? Still, we think the most important question might be: how many are called “Smiles?” The name is self-explanatory, and Smiles Entertainment Center is confident in its ability to follow through.

Pinchbeck’s Rose Farm
929 Boston Post Road
Guilford, CT   06437
203-453-2186

Do you love flowers? To see the world in full-bloom, as it should be seen? Pinchbeck’s Rose Farm agrees with your point of view, and is here to make sure that people like you never go flowerless again. Among other blossoming delights, here is where you’ll find the country’s biggest greenhouse, which 80,000 rose bushels producing over two million blooms each year.

Yale Collection of Musical Instruments
15 Hillhouse Avenue
New Haven, CT   06520
203-432-0822

Is yours a musical family? If not, its imminently about to become one, as we know your trip to Greater New Haven will only get greater with a stop at the Yale Collection of Musical Instruments. Over 800 16th- to 20th-century instruments of the musical genre – now that’s a whole lot of music. Inspire the family to start a band, or just learn about the rich musical history which we’ve inherited from the European craftsmen and masters of tonality.

In Fairfield County

Jones Family Farms
266 Israel Hill Road
Route 110
Shelton, CT   06484

This 400-acre, 150-year-old farm is nothing short of a picturesque experience for the entire family to enjoy on their trip to Connecticut. Strawberry picking is the perfect activity for the avid lover of all things fruity, and blueberries add color to the mix. See a real pumpkin patch, or clip-clop along in the hay ride. Last but not least, visit the Christmas tree farm, where you’ll see how these young evergreens are raised before we chop them down and cart them off to our in-home nativity scenes.

Boothe Memorial Park & Museum
5774 Main Street Putney
Stratford, CT   06614
203-453-2186

This 32-acre former homestead of the Boothe Family includes picnic facilities and a rose and wedding garden. Situated on a picturesque plot of prime Connecticut land, the buildings on display in this park and museum will shock you with their antiquated authenticity. Bring the family to witness the displays of early farm equipment, carriages and baskets, and learn about the history of the trolley system.

National Helicopter Museum
Eastbound Railroad Station
2480 Main Street
Stratford, CT   06615

This museum is sure to please guests of all ages and genders. The history and development of helicopters from the turn of the century through to the modern age is displayed in a priceless collection of photographs and documents. Real helicopters and helicopter parts from many disparate decades are on display as well.

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