Outdoors

Experience the great outdoors with Choice Hotels. Our Connecticut hotels are conveniently located near a number of picturesque gardens, stunning parks, and astounding wildlife. Take a look at the scenery and greenery that Connecticut offers.

In River Valley

Fox Run at Copper Hill Golf Course
20 Copper Hill Road
East Granby, CT   06026
860-653-6191

Come play your favorite game in the beautiful state of Connecticut. The River Valley region of Connecticut offers beautiful vistas and fabulous views, but more importantly, guests to the River Valley region will be enticed by the pure on-green fun at Fox Run at Copper Hill Golf Course.

East Hartford Golf Club
130 Long Hill Street
E. Hartford, CT   06108
860-528-5082

The beautiful state of Connecticut offers many pastimes, but one of its most celebrated is that of golfing. Come to Connecticut’s River Valley region to participate in one of America’s favorite sports. East Hartford Golf Club’s services and facilities are extensive, and are sure to take care of all your golfing needs.

In Mystic Country

Wright’s Mill Farm
65 Creasey Road
Canterbury, CT   06331
860-774-1455

250 acres of wood-gilded farm offer visitors to Connecticut an authentic farming experience. Indulge your senses in the hiking trails and picturesque brooks, ponds and other natural phenomenon which grace this plot’s grounds. Trek past one of five antique water-powered mills, and we’ll bet you set out to trek past the other four. Horses and carriages offer Connecticut travelers an opportunity to saddle up in the beautiful countryside.

Connecticut College Arboretum
270 Mohegan Avenue
New London, CT   06320
860-439-5020

Experience the variety of nature on these 750 diverse acres. The expanse laid out at Connecticut College Arboretum is not only world-class; it is as multicultural as a UN meeting. But we’re not talking humans here, we’re talking species and ecosystems – over seven different ecosystems allow a plethora of plant and animal life to thrive in this Connecticut wildlife sanctuary. You won’t want to miss the chance to hike past ponds and woods while observing species both native and exotic.

Mashamoquet Brook
Route 44
Pomfret, CT   06258
860-928-6121

See the beautiful Connecticut landscape as offered in this untouched natural haven. Mashamoquet Brook takes its name from an old Native American word, and one can see how appropriate that is when one considers the similarity between the park as it is and the park as it once was when the area was inhabited by the American Indian tribes. Ponder that while you cast a fly into the water, and hike through the woodsy Connecticut landscape while you give the call of the wild a second hearing.

In Litchfield Hills

Ansonia Nature & Recreation Center
Ansonia, CT   06401
10 Deerfield Road (off Benz Street)
203-736-1053

The outdoors activities you’ll find at your fingertips at Ansonia Nature & Recreation Center are countless. Trek across two miles of nature trails through native fern and wildflower gardens in a 149-acre park, or admire the pristine beauty of the winged creatures buzzing and flipping about the air in the butterfly/hummingbird garden. Enjoy the activities and picnicking, or don your ski boots and partake in a rich downhill swerve with cross-country skiing.

Audubon Center at Bent of the River
185 East Flat Hill Road
Southbury, CT   06488
203-264-5098

Find out about the wildlife of Connecticut and more at the Audubon Center at Bent of the River. Guests come here to see the beautiful creatures which are given a safe home by the Center, but they also come to trek and hike throughout the Center’s beautiful 690-acre property, with over 15 miles of trails to wind up and down. Keep your eyes and ears pursed, as some of the most beautiful flora and fauna of Connecticut awaits you at the Center.

Flanders Nature Center/Land Trust
Church Hill & Flanders Road
Woodbury, CT   06798
203-263-3711

The Flanders Nature Center/Land Trust is a conglomeration of three nature sanctuaries: Van Vleck Farm, Hetzel and Whittemore. Each sanctuary has its own hiking trails for guests to wander down into the beautiful Connecticut wilderness. Additional features include an informative nature center, an annually bustling seasonal farm, and a garden education program. But that’s not all: the Center is home to maple syruping, art, and, best of all, a Christmas tree farm!

In Greater New Haven

East Rock Park
Corner of Orange and Cold Spring Streets
New Haven, CT   06510
203-946-6086

Experience the beauty of the Greater New Haven region of Connecticut like you’ve never been able to before in East Rock Park, a picturesque offering which pits guests into the state of nature. Glad these guests will be afforded such spectacular views, including a panoramic vista of the Long Island Sound and its accompanying harbor. Nature trails wind alongside a bird sanctuary, picnic facilities, playgrounds and more.

Lighthouse Point Park
2 Lighthouse Road
New Haven, CT   06512
203-946-8005

Lighthouses are one of those rare examples of technology which, created centuries ago in the throes of primitive capabilities, still exist today in their same unaltered form. Lighthouses have been recounted in stories as dated at Homer’s Odyssey, and now guests can see what these structures have become at Lighthouse Point Park. After gaping in awe at the massive structure, guests will want to explore the park’s various activities – and they are many.

West Rock Nature Center
Wintergreen Avenue
New Haven, CT   06515
203-946-8016

Witness the beauty that is the Connecticut wilderness in all its lush allure at the West Rock Nature Center, where people have made a point of preserving the wildlife of this gorgeous state in all its natural authenticity for your sheer enjoyment. Check out the offerings of the West Rock Nature Center, which include but aren’t limited to a display on Connecticut-native reptiles, and a nature building with various other wildlife displays.

In Fairfield County

Audubon Greenwich
613 Riversville Road
Greenwich, CT   06831
203-869-5272

You might want to allot a few days to the Audubon Greenwich wildlife sanctuary, especially if you’re an established fan of birds of prey. The park has over 646 acres and 15 miles of hiking trails to explore. Guests to the sanctuary will be relieved to view these intense winged creatures in their natural habitat, and newbies to the fascinating world of Audubon will want to check out the nature exhibits on display for a crash-course.

Stamford Museum & Nature Center
39 Scofieldtown Road
Stamford, CT   06903
203-322-1646

No, we didn’t say Stanford, the name of that famous West Coast college town. You heard us right – Stamford, Connecticut, is home to the Stamford Museum & Nature Center, where guests can marvel as they ramble through the center’s 118 wooded acres. On-premises are hiking trails, picnic areas, a boardwalk, and even a working New England farm. Interactive exhibits and a hands-on area for children make this outdoors destination a true crowd-pleaser, while maintaining its leafy integrity.

New Canaan Nature Center
144 Oenoke Ridge
New Canaan, CT   06840
203-966-9577

New Canaan has some of the most beautiful land known to Connecticut, and the center puts it directly at your disposal. Discover the 40 acres of trails, and keep an eye out for all kinds of wildlife, including songbirds, beautifully-colored butterflies, and plant specimens including herbs and wildflowers. A cider house and a raptor exhibit make this destination a sure-fire win in everyone’s eyes. Don’t miss the educational and recreational programs offered at this sanctuary of a center.

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