Out and About Mom

Things to Do with Kids in Connecticut

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2015 Summer Bucket List for the Connecticut Mom

The unofficial start of summer has arrived and we are ready to help you plan your season of fun!

For the second year in a row, Shawna and I have put together a list of over 50 destinations, activities, and events that your family is sure to enjoy.  These are places we have personally been to with our families and written about on our blog. Not only do we provide you with this handy list, but we’ve also included a link to our blog post about the destination so you can get all the details you’ve come to expect from Out and About Mom. Just like our 2014 Summer Bucket List, it was hard to keep this list to just 50 places as there are so many wonderful activities available in (and around) Connecticut during the summer months. But we think our bucket list will be a great starting point for you summer planning!

So, get your calendar out, start reserving your museum passes, and get ready to plan some great family-friendly adventures with our 2015 Summer Bucket List for the Connecticut Mom.

Of course this list isn’t just for moms, it is for ANY caregiver looking for outing inspiration in the Connecticut area. And, just like last year, we’ve included a few extras in the list such as noting FREE  activities and highlighting (♥) activities that would be perfect for a new mom with a young baby in tow (we’ve been there!).

We hope you enjoy our 2015 Summer Bucket List for the Connecticut Mom and that you and your family have a wonderful season filled with amazing adventures!

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 Here we go (listed in no particular order) . . .

  1. Go strawberry picking and enjoy a bakery treat at Dondero Orchards in South Glastonbury. (FREE to visit) ♥ 
  2. Sneak in a little learning and guarantee a lot of fun with a class or event at The Little Green Tambourine in Canton.
  3. Get your toes wet in the brook and enjoy the playgrounds at Salmon Brook Park in Granby. (FREE)
  4. Soak up the sun at Hole in the Wall Beach and then enjoy some playground time at McCook Point Park in Niantic. (Access to the beach restricted during the week due to construction)
  5. See the beautiful waterfalls, take a family hike, and then go for a swim at Wadsworth Falls State Park in Middletown. (FREE)
  6. Let your child explore their artistic side at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, MA. (Museum Pass may be available)
  7. Visit with animals, go on a nature walk, and let the kids play on the natural playground at the Stamford Museum & Nature Center in Stamford. (Museum Pass may be available)
  8. Take advantage of the new FREE class offerings at the Lutz Children’s Museum in Manchester. (Museum Pass may be available)
  9. Let the kids be surrounded by butterflies at Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory & Gardens in South Deerfield, MA.
  10. Enjoy a delicious glass of local wine while the kids play at Lost Acres Vineyard in North Granby. (FREE to visit) ♥ 
  11. Pick blueberries and visit with the alpacas and goats at Auerfarm in Bloomfield. (FREE to visit) ♥ 
  12. Check out the new Dinosaur attraction, all the fun kiddie rides, and the water park at Lake Compounce in Bristol.
  13. Devour a lobster roll at Lobster Landing in Clinton. (FREE to visit) ♥ 
  14. Relax while the kids watch a FREE movie at Bow Tie Cinemas in Hartford, Stamford, and Trumbull. (FREE)
  15. Enjoy the fully fenced-in playground at Hubbard Park in Meriden. (FREE) ♥ 
  16. Check out the brand new exhibit at Kidcity in Middletown. (Museum Pass may be available)
  17. Take a day trip to Boston and spend some time at the Boston Children’s Museum.
  18. Cool off at either the Fernridge Park or Wolcott Park spray pads in West Hartford. (FREE)
  19. Take the kids for a swim or hike at the Stratton Brook State Park in Simsbury. (FREE on weekdays) ♥
  20. Enjoy a nature walk and some rock skipping on the pond at Fisher Meadows in Avon. (FREE) ♥
  21. Go fly a kite and enjoy a scenic picnic lunch at Harkness Memorial State Park in Waterford. ♥
  22. Go on a family bike ride on the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail in Avon. (FREE) ♥
  23. Take a family hike and check out the beautiful views from Cedar Ridge Overlook at Penwood State Park in Bloomfield. (FREE) ♥ 
  24. Spend a Sunday at the Coventry Regional Farmers Market (It is their 12th and Final year!) (FREE to visit) ♥ 
  25. Spend time with penguins, sea lions, and farm animals at Central Park Zoo in New York City.
  26. Saddle up for a pony ride at Ray of Light Farm in East Haddam. (FREE to visit) ♥ 
  27. Wave to Beluga whales and catch the sea lion show at Mystic Aquarium. (Museum Pass may be available)
  28. Come face to face with a giraffe at the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence, RI. (Museum Pass may be available)
  29. Enjoy a scoop of Dirty Barn Shoes or another famous ice cream flavor while you pet the animals at Robb’s Farm in Glastonbury. (FREE to visit) ♥ 
  30. Have some fun (and food) in the sun plus playtime for the little ones with a combo farmers’ market/playground outing at the South Windsor Farmers’ Market (then play at nearby My Friend’s Place Boundless Playground) or the Wethersfield Farmers’ Market (just across the street from Mikey’s Place Playground). (FREE to visit) ♥ 
  31. Explore the family-friendly nature trails, then make a cast of a real dinosaur footprint at Dinosaur State Park in Rocky Hill. (FREE; BYO casting supplies–see post for details)
  32. Pick peaches at Belltown Hill Orchards in Glastonbury. (FREE to visit) ♥ 
  33. Discover the beautiful grounds, visit fine feathered friends at the Aviary and find the model train in the Sensory Garden at Wickham Park in Manchester.
  34. Cool off with some seriously homemade ice cream (the milk comes straight from their own cows!) at the UConn Dairy Bar, and then wander through the nearby UConn animal barns–which are free and open to the public–in Storrs. (FREE to visit) ♥ 
  35. Surprise a friend or family member with a beautiful bouquet of pick-your-own flowers from Petersen Farm in South Windsor. (FREE to visit) ♥ 
  36. Dine seaside at Abbott’s Lobster in the Rough in Noank. (FREE to visit) ♥ 
  37. Ride the wagon out to pick blueberries and raspberries at Rose’s Berry Farm in Glastonbury. (FREE to visit) ♥ 
  38. Enjoy delicious lobster rolls and ice cream from the Snack Shack and discover the Faerie Village at Jessica’s Garden in Marlborough. (FREE to visit) ♥ 
  39. Take a picnic to Bodie’s Place Playground in Milford. (FREE)
  40. Discover the family-friendly galleries and programs at the New Britain Museum of American Art. (FREE admission on Saturday mornings and with a library museum pass)♥
  41. Hunt for treasures and find some family-friendly al fresco dining in Putnam, CT. (FREE to visit) ♥ 
  42. Indulge in cheeseburgers and ice cream at the oh-so-retro Shady Glen Diner in Manchester.
  43. Go shopping at the Bishop’s Orchards Farm Market in Guilford.♥
  44. Take a morning dip at Eastbury Pond in Glastonbury.
  45. Tour the Springfield Museums, then picnic at the Dr. Seuss Memorial Sculpture Garden in Springfield, MA.
  46. Ride bikes or stroll along the Air Line State Park Trail in Hebron and nearby areas. (FREE) ♥
  47. Head to Holyoke to visit the Children’s Museum, then go for a ride on the carousel at Holyoke Heritage State Park in Holyoke, MA.
  48. Drop in for some cookie baking and decorating at The Cookie Workshop in Trumbull.
  49. Escape the heat with one of the daily kids’ activities offered at Cragin Memorial Library in Colchester. (FREE)
  50. Plan a playdate at the fabulous and fully-fenced Josh’s Jungle Playground in Hamden. (FREE)

♥ Great outing for new moms.

Please note that some of the suggested outings are businesses that have been or are currently sponsors of our site. Any opinions expressed here, however, are 100% our own.

 

Looking for even more inspiration for your summer calendar?

Other Post Collage

Here are a few oldie (but goodie) posts where we’ve summarized some great outing ideas.

And if your adventure schedule is still not complete, check out our Places We’ve Been Page for a full list of the blog posts we’ve written over the last few years.

That’s it for now!

We hope our summer bucket list has inspired you to start your summer planning. There is so much to see and do in (and around) Connecticut and summer can be the perfect time to check out many of these great destinations. Have fun!

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Shawna & Mandy

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  • Connecticut Children’s Medical Center – The state’s only free-standing hospital that offers comprehensive, world-class health care to children. Based in Hartford, Connecticut Children’s also provides services at several locations throughout the state.
  • The Independent Day School – Located on a rural campus in Middlefield, CT, this private pre-school, elementary and middle school serves families from over 20 communities.
  • The Little Green Tambourine – Located in Canton, CT, this healthy living creative arts studio offers a variety of opportunities for kids to learn and play.
  • Mandell JCC – The Mandell JCC, Zachs Campus, 335 Bloomfield Avenue, West Hartford, CT, welcomes and serves families and individuals of all ages, stages, backgrounds and faiths. Our fitness, wellness and recreation, arts and culture, camp, early childhood education programs, classes, clubs and services are open to all. You Belong Here!

Interested in advertising opportunities with Out and About Mom? Get more info here.

And don’t forget about our BRAND NEW BIRTHDAY PARTY VENUE DIRECTORY!

Want to keep up with things to do with kids in Connecticut?

Check back every Tuesday and Thursday as we dish up more Momsense for getting out and about with your little ones. Don’t have time to check back in? Let us send you an automatic notification of new posts straight to your email inbox by signing up here. Also, you can like us on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with the latest posts and get some extra tidbits we share only through those sites.

 

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Playground at Seamster Park in East Hampton

Please note: We are in the process of switching our email newsletter service. If you have recently tried to subscribe to our email list but are not receiving emails, please sign up again here. Thank you! Last weekend, my younger son (age 10) participated in a Little League Baseball tournament in East Hampton. Little did […]

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Comments

  1. Great list! Kind of tough for us Mom’s in Litchfield county to make it to most of those places though. Can I add a few:
    Action Wildlife, in Goshen, CT, view wildlife, visit the petting zoo and new drive thru safari. Quassy Amusement Park, in Middlebury, CT, rides for all ages, paddleboats, and swimming. March Farms, in Bethlehem, CT, pick your own fruit, visit the small store for a delicious pie, local honey, and other fresh produce, then head to the hayloft playground.
    White Memorial Little Pond Trail, in Lichfield, CT, walk a short distance on a trail to a boardwalk that wraps around a beautful pond.
    after Little Pond Trail head over to Poppy’s in Morris, CT for a bite to eat and delicious icecream, they have a really cute outdoor area with gliders where you can sit and eat.

    Hope you don’t mind me sharing. Happy summer to all!
    -Ashlee, Whatsinyourmomgenes

    • Hi Ashlee! Thank you for all of these great suggestions! Action Wildlife has been on Shawna’s list of places she wants to go for quite a while. Hopefully we are able to make it there this summer. Sounds amazing. Quassy is one I want to go to as well. I have actually written about March Farms in Bethlehem but didn’t have room for it in our list this year (I included it in last year’s list though!) The other places you mentioned I have never heard of so I will definitely be adding them to our list of places to check out. Thanks for representing our Litchfield County readers with some great outing ideas!

  2. Great list with great stuff — here are few more for the future from SoConn! Beardsley Zoo in Bridgeport (the only zoo in CT) … The Yale Museum of Art (free) The Peabody Museum of Natural History (with a ‘touch’ room for the little ones) at Yale. Pleasure Beach is OPEN again in Bridgeport — reach the island beach park via FREE water taxis. The Florence Griswold Museum and Gardens in Old Lyme have regular kid-friendly activities. Ansonia Nature Center — Free — Also regular kid-friendly activities. The Kellogg Environmental Center at Osbornedale State Park — FREE — and also regular kid-friendly activities. You included Lake Compounce — but not QUASSY? Quassy has almost a dozen rides just for the little ones — as well as a small playground climbing area … the water park is expanded to included a splash pad area just for the little ones — and the “cleanest lake in CT” for swimming … nice shallow water and a beach area. They also have the largest indoor arcade in CT, which still includes Skee Ball and redemption prizes. And – unlike Compounce — you do NOT have to pay to accesss the amusement park — just to ride the rides. $6 to park and you can walk around the park area for free (so parents who don’t want ride passes don’t have to buy them). Valley Shakespeare Festival will do AS YOU LIKE IT along the Shelton Riverwalk in August … and Waterbury will host Shakespeare in Library Park in July. The TIMEXPO museum in Waterbury will be closing its doors in September … so LAST CHANCE to visit is this summer. Beat the heat at Sports Center CT in Shelton — ice skating, laser bowling, laser tag and redemption arcade … all indoors. Batting cages, driving ranges, miniature golf all outdoors. Hop Brook Lake State Park (Naugatuck-Middlebury), Indian Well State Park (Shelton) and Kettletown State Park (Oxford-Southbury) all boast beaches, swimming, boating, fishing and hiking. — Kettletown also camping. Free parking passes for State parks available at most libraries. SOUTHINGTON DRIVE-IN in Southington. Now town-owned. Shows one movie per week – usually Saturday nights — FAMILY FRIENDLY older films …. and they still charge by the car load!

    • Cara – This is such an awesome list! Thank you for all of the suggestions. We only include in our list places we have actually been and you have mentioned a few that we have actually written about on the site. We try to keep the list to just 50 but that is so hard with so many wonderful destinations in our state. Quassy is on my list for a place I want to write about this summer. I’ve heard so many great things. Hoping I get a chance to check out some of your other suggestions as well!

  3. What about the family friendly Essex Steam Train and Riverboat in Essex? It has a train ride, a boat trip… you can even go up and be left off and take a ferry ride across the CT River and hike up and tour Gillette’s castle!

    • Thank you for this suggestion, David! We have done several events with the Essex Steam Train but have yet to do their train ride/boat trip to Gillette Castle. Hope we get a chance to check it out soon.

  4. Great list – but Lost Acres Vineyard is in North Granby, not East Granby! And while you’re there, don’t miss Lost Acres Orchard just up the road for lunch on the deck and to pick up something for dinner (and something sweet for the drive home too!)

  6. Don’t forget whittles willow spring farm apple picking ,pumpkin picking, farmers market & much more in mystic ct

    Whittles willow spring farm 1030 noank ledyard road mystic ct 06355

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