Summer is here! Once again, we have put together a list of over 50 destinations, activities, and events in and around Connecticut that we think your family will enjoy this season. This year’s Summer Bucket List includes exciting new activities and destinations that have never been on our list before, as well as plenty of old favorites from our 10+ years exploring and blogging (because it just wouldn’t be summer without a visit to a few of these places, now would it?). And guess what…more than a dozen of these activities are FREE! So there’s plenty to do no matter what your budget.
Of course, this list isn’t just for moms– it’s also for dads, grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles, nannies and anyone else who is staring down two months of summer vacation with a kiddo in tow 🙂
Just like in previous years, these are all places that we have personally been to with our families and written about on our blog. So not only do we provide you with this great list of ideas, but we’ve also included a link to our blog post about each destination so you can get all the details you’ve come to expect from Out and About Mom.
All these activities have been stamped with that exclusive Out and About Mom seal of approval. Because we’ve been there. We’ve done that. We’ve loved it. And we know you will too!
We hope you are inspired by these 50 items on our Summer Bucket List. {Psst. If you’re the kind of family that likes to keep track of your adventures with a big ol’ list on the fridge, download and print our free summer bullet journal page!}
Here we go…
(In no particular order)
- Enjoy a pancake breakfast on the deck and PYO fruit at Lyman Orchards in Middlefield.
- Take a slippery spin on the bumper boats at the Berlin Batting Cages.
- Take your toddlers to the enormous indoor playscape at Luv 2 Play in Sutton, MA.
- Check out the playground at the Mansfield Community Center {FREE}, then head over to the UConn Dairy Bar for a taste of their famous ice cream.
- Enjoy lunch on the patio and a round of shady mini golf at Hidden Valley Miniature Golf in Southington.
- Take your pint-sized Picassos for some plein air painting at Discovery Sundays at the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme.
- Visit the barnyard animals while enjoying a scoop of homemade ice cream at the Gran-Val Scoop in Granville, MA.
- Watch a movie under the starts at the Southington Drive-in. (Details on their 2023 schedule here.)
- Pick delicious fruit, then let the kids frolic in the play area while you enjoy a gourmet (and homemade!) lunch at Dondero Orchards in Glastonbury.
- Plan an overnight stay at the LEGOLAND hotel and theme park in Goshen, NY.
- Visit with friendly chickens, sample the veggies in the children’s garden and make pies in the mud kitchen at Open Farm Day at Common Ground in New Haven. {FREE}
- Spend a hot day indoors on the trampolines and massive indoor playscape at Fun In in Middletown.
- Visit with new baby animals (River Otters and Golden Lion Tamarin) at Beardlsey Zoo in Bridgeport.
- Let those crazy kiddos literally climb the walls at Central Rock Gym in Glastonbury.
- Face off with some fearsome dinos as you putt your way through a prehistoric landscape at Tee Rex Mini Golf in Thompson.
- Have a burger at Harry’s Place in Colchester.
- Cool off at the enormous School Street Park Spray Park in Agawam, MA (Opens for the season 6/22/23). {FREE}
- Plan a preschool playdate at the Lutz Museum in Manchester.
- Build a mini bean bag toss (and other projects) at the Home Depot Kids Workshop (the first Saturday of every month from 9am-noon). {FREE}
- Stroll the boardwalk at Ocean Beach Park in New London.
- Feed the goats at Ray of Light Farm in East Haddam. {FREE–but $1 to buy goat food}
- Have an arcade day at Nomads in South Windsor.
- Pick up some local goods and goodies and enjoy outdoor entertainment at the Wethersfield Farmers’ Market. {FREE to visit}
- Bring your culinary kiddos to a cooking class at Stew Leonards in Newington. (Check out their upcoming classes here.)
- Bring a picnic lunch to eat under the pavilion and spend the afternoon at the fully fenced-in Jonathan’s Dream Playground in West Hartford. {FREE}
- Ride the Go Karts at Sonny’s Place in Sommers.
- Have dinner in a vintage train station at Steaming Tender in Palmer, MA.
- Take a spin on the historic carousel and climb the mini Hartford landmarks at Bushnell Park in Hartford. (Summer carousel hours here). {FREE to visit; carousel rides are $2}
- Discover the new Dino Seas exhibit at Mystic Aquarium.
- Build a castle in the medieval village or explore the sea caves at KidCity in Middletown. (Reservations required to visit.)
- Have an indoor/outdoor science adventure at the EcoTarium in Worcester, MA.
- Hike to the waterfalls at Wadsworth State Park in Middletown. {FREE}
- Hang out with the whole family at R&B Sports World in Winsted. (OAAM post coming soon!)
- Savor a lobster roll, explore the fairy trail and soar on the rope swing at Jessica’s Garden in Marlborough.
- Explore 84,000 square feet of indoor activity awesomeness at Urban Air Adventure Park in Orange.
- Marvel at life-sized monsters at The Dinosaur Place in Montville.
- Spend a day at one of Connecticut’s beautiful state beaches (like this one, this one, or this one). {FREE for CT residents through the Passport to the Parks program}
- Admire the painted ponies (and lions and zebras and elephants and…) at The New England Carousel Museum. {FREE admission on National Carousel Day–July 25th)
- Gaze at the whimsical works of Walter Wick (of I SPY book fame) at the New Britain Museum of American Art. {FREE admission on Saturday mornings from 10am-noon}
- Spend a day exploring the Stamford Museum & Nature Center.
- Pick your own flowers at Petersen Farm in South Windsor. {FREE to visit; flowers are priced by the pound)
- Bring a picnic and savor the musical sounds at an outdoor evening concert at Elizabeth Park in Hartford. {FREE}
- Celebrate National Ice Cream Day (Sunday, July 16th) with a visit to one of our favorite ice cream destinations.
- Get a bird’s eye view of the wildlife from atop the Skifari ride at Southwick’s Zoo in Mendon, MA.
- Print out this Nature Walk Scavenger Hunt and then head out on one of our favorite trails. {FREE}
- Paint some pottery, then enjoy coffee and homemade goods in the cafe at The Firestone in Manchester.
- Check out the model train layouts while you await your gourmet pie at Pizza Works in Old Saybrook.
- Sign up for “Kids Bowl Free,” then hit the lanes (and arcade) at Spare Time in Vernon. {FREE}
- Soar with D.C. super heroes (and villains!) at Six Flags New England in Agawam, MA. (OAAM post coming soon!)
- Have Christmas in July at Santa’s year-round workshop at Yankee Candle Village in South Deerfield, MA. {FREE to visit; cost of activities varies}
What’s on your family’s summer bucket list? Let us know in the comments section below!
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