2021 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!

After nearly a decade of blogging, we’ve traveled to dozens of Connecticut towns, scoped out hundreds of destinations and taken thousands of pictures. And each year we’ve enjoyed looking back through our favorites to compile our annual SUMMER BUCKET LIST FOR THE CONNECTICUT MOM.

We know our readers have come to anticipate this annual compilation of family-friendly outings, and we are thrilled that the annual Out and About Mom Summer Bucket List for the Connecticut Mom has returned for summer 2021! Once again, we have compiled a list of more than 50 destinations, activities, and events for your family to enjoy.

As always, this isn’t just any old list of activities. These are places we have personally been to with our families and written about on our blog. We’ve been there. We’ve done that. We’ve loved it. And we know you will too!

And of course this list isn’t just for moms, it is for ANY caregiver looking for outing inspiration in the Connecticut area. So share our picks with grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles, nannies, babysitters, neighbors and anyone else trying to keep those kiddos amused and entertained this summer.

As a special ‘Thank You’ for sticking with us through this crazy pandemic year, we’ve created this FREE printable Bullet Journal Page where you can keep track of your summer travels. Hang it on your fridge, pin it to your bulletin board, keep it in your beach bag. Fill in the blank spaces with whatever summer adventures and activities strike your fancy. Whether you use it to keep track of items checked off our Bucket List or fill it with outings of your own choosing, we hope it serves as a cute keepsake for your family to remember the summer of 2021.

We hope you enjoy our 2021 Summer Bucket List for the Connecticut Mom and that you and your family have a wonderful season filled with amazing adventures!

Please note: The content on this site spans a decade of blogging, which means that some of our posts are getting quite old. While we do our best to stay on top of updates, we always recommend that you check in with destinations directly (via their website, Facebook page, phone number or other contact information we have provided in our posts), to be sure that you have all the most up-to-date details.

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

1. Enjoy a delicious burger and ice cream at the Riverfront Grill after a round of golf at Hidden Valley Mini Golf in Southington.

2. Frolic under dozens of water-spewing spigots at School Street Spray Park in Agawam, MA.

3. Meander by historic buildings with an ice cream cone from Main Street Creamery in Old Wethersfield.

4. Savor lunch on the Apple Barrel deck after berry picking at Lyman Orchards in Middlefield.

5. Let your kiddos climb the walls (literally) at Central Rock Gym in Glastonbury.

6. Search for hermit crabs during low tide at Harvey’s Beach in Old Saybrook.

7. Pick your own Cherries at Belltown Hill Orchards in Glastonbury.

8. Encounter dozens of life-sized dinos along the nature trail at The Dinosaur Place in Montville.

9. Chug over to Thomas Land in Carver, MA.

10. Hunt for ocean treasures at East Beach after visiting the Nature Center at Sherwood Island State Park in Westport.

11. Take a picnic to Jonathan’s Dream Playground in West Hartford.

12. Hike to a waterfall at Wadsworth Falls State Park in Middletown.

13. Pick your own flowers at Petersen Farm in South Windsor.

14. Let the kids run wild at It’s Playtime in Avon.

15. Drop in for pottery painting at Glazed in Glastonbury.

16. Explore the new playground at Elmridge Park in Rocky Hill.

17. Check out a Toddler Time Story & Craft session at The Firestone in Manchester.

18. Plan a playdate at the Butternut Park playground in Middletown.

19. Bring along our Nature Walk Scavenger Hunt (and a camera!) to Devils Hopyard State Park in East Haddam.

20. Enjoy a delicious homemade lunch while relaxing in the picnic area at Dondero Orchards in Glastonbury.

21. Paddle a kayak from Black Hall River Outfitters in Old Lyme.

22. Visit the playful river otters at the EcoTarium Museum of Science and Nature in Worcester, MA.

23. Sign up for “Kids Bowl Free,” then hit the lanes (and arcade) at Spare Time in Vernon.

24. Visit the animals in the barnyard while enjoying a homemade ice cream from Gran-Val Scoop in Granville, MA

25. Enjoy toppings and trains (of the real and model varieties) at Pizza Works in Old Saybrook.

26. Savor a quintessential summertime treat at the Chef’s Dog House in Newington.

27. Get a bird’s eye view of dozens of animals on the Skyfari Sky Ride at Southwick’s Zoo in Mendon, MA.

28. Be a part of CT history with a visit to the 100+ year old Harry’s Place outdoor restaurant in Colchester.

29. Watch a movie under the starts at the Southington Drive-in. (See 2021 schedule here.)

30. Travel the world without leaving Connecticut with a mini golf adventure at Matterhorn Mini Golf in Canton or Safari Golf in Berlin.

31. Lookout for wildlife on a RiverQuest Cruise in Haddam.

32. Stroll the boardwalk at Ocean Beach Park in New London.

33. Climb the mini Hartford landmarks (and twirl on the historic carousel) at the Bushnell Park Playground in Hartford.

34. Plan a beach day at Hammonasset State Park Beach in Madison.

35. Explore the enormous (and fully fenced-in) playground at Bartlem Park in Cheshire, then grab an ice cream cone from nearby Sweet Claude’s.

36. Watch the Sea Lion show at Mystic Aquarium.

37. Feed the goats at Ray of Light Farm in East Haddam.

38. Pick up some scrumptious local treats at the South Windsor Farmers‘ Market.

39. Revisit your childhood with a trip to the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, MA.

40. Visit with friendly animals and take a pony ride at Flamig Farm in West Simsbury.

41. Take a spin on the Go Karts (and the new carousel!) at Sonny’s Place in Somers.

42. Devour a lobster roll at Abbott’s Lobster in the Rough in Noank.

43. Explore the East Coast Greenway and stop for some playtime at Charter Oak Park Playground in Manchester.

44. Ride the historic trolley cars at the Connecticut Trolley Museum in East Windsor.

45. Conquer the world’s largest indoor ropes course at IT Adventure Ropes Course in New Haven.

46. Grab a sweet treat at the Durham Dari Serv, one of the oldest ice cream stands in the state.

47. Encourage your budding artist with some outdoor painting activities during the Discovery Sundays program at the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme. (Discovery Sundays resume in August.)

48. Visit with animals and let the kids play on the natural playground at the Stamford Museum & Nature Center in Stamford.

49. Mark your calendar for the beautiful and delicious fundraising event, Sunflowers for Wishes at Buttonwood Farm, from July 24th -August 1st in Griswold.

50. Reach for the rings while twirling on the Flying Horse Carousel in Watch Hill, RI.

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

Check back every week as we dish up more Momsense for getting out and about with your kiddos. 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 and follow us on Instagram to keep up with the latest posts and get some extra tidbits we share only through those sites.