Hey there, fellow travelers! Today, we’re talking about what NOT to do when you plan a trip to Connecticut. While many travel blogs will tell you the best places to visit in Connecticut, we want to be sure you know about the things you should NOT do on your trip to Connecticut.
Don’t Expect a Cheap Vacation
Everything in Connecticut is pretty expensive, compared to other parts of the U.S. Accommodation, gas, food, and attractions are all pretty pricy. It’s worth it but just be prepared for sticker shock on your Connecticut vacation.
Don’t Expect a Sandy Beach
Connecticut has nearly 100 miles of coastline along the Long Island Sound, but don’t expect to find nice, sandy beaches. The beaches in Connecticut are generally pretty rocky. They are beautiful and scenic, but not your typical swimming beaches.
Don’t Drive I95 Unless You Have To
I-95 is a frustrating experience, especially for those of us who are not from the East Coast. My recommendation is just to avoid I-95 altogether if you can. The back roads are more scenic and much less frustrating. No matter where you drive, don’t let your guard down for a minute! You have to be very vigilant when driving on the East Coast.
The Don’ts of Connecticut
Don’t Fill Up in Connecticut
Gas prices are super high in Connecticut, so if you’re passing through any other states, fill up there. Rhode Island isn’t too far and has much better gas prices in general. Even Massachusetts usually has better gas prices than Connecticut.
Don’t Forget About the Trains
The East Coast has a pretty good train network, so it is possible to visit Connecticut and get around by train. The major train lines from Boston to New York and DC pass through Connecticut, so you can hop off in Providence, New Haven, and even Mystic. You can make a home base in Mystic and take some day trips to Boston or New York on the trains.
Don’t Miss Out on a Boat Tour
You can’t visit the seaside without going on a cruise. There are several charters you can join out of Mystic, and Chester has a ferry to Gillette Castle State Park. We took a fishing boat out into Long Island Sound and had so much fun.
Don’t Pass Up Attractions That Seem Kid-Focused
Of course, we travel with kids so we visit a lot of kid-focused destinations, but we all enjoyed the museums and aquariums of Connecticut. We were really impressed with all of the Connecticut attractions, and they seem to have something for all ages.
Don’t Miss the Mashantucket Pequot Museum
Most people go to Foxwoods to visit the casino, but there’s a fantastic museum just a few minutes away. The Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center is one of the best Native American museums in the United States. They’ve recreated a 16th-century Pequot village in painstaking detail.
Don’t Be Afraid of Roadside Seafood
If you’re driving around the Midwest and someone is selling lobster rolls on the side of the road, keep driving! But in Connecticut, pull over! You’ll see tons of little clam shacks and roadside diners with some amazing fresh seafood! The whole belly clams at Sea Swirl in Mystic is my favorite spot for roadside seafood. For lobster, we go to Ford’s in Noank for the lobster bisque bomb. It’s not cheap, but it’s fresh and tasty!
Simply Jocelyn Shares What to Eat in Connecticut
Don’t Forget to Try Connecticut Pizza
Besides all the great seafood, Connecticut locals are crazy about their pizza. New Haven-style pizza has a thin, cracker crust that is coal-fired. White clam pizza is super popular, but you gotta love clams if you’re going to try it! Pepe’s is probably the most popular, but there are local pizza joints everywhere. Of course, Mystic Pizza is another popular spot, thanks to the Julia Roberts movie, but there are other great pizza places in Mystic. The locals love Stonington Pizza Palace.
Don’t Expect To Find a Lot of Chains
Connecticut is still very much a small-town state, especially along the coastline. You won’t find a lot of chain hotels and restaurants; you are much more likely to find small inns, bed and breakfasts, and mom-and-pop type restaurants. This is actually very charming, but you do have to do a bit more research, especially when booking your Connecticut accommodations. Google Maps is a great resource for finding accommodation near the attractions you want to see.
Don’t Worry About Finding Good Beer
Nothing goes better with pizza than a cold beer. Connecticut has some great local breweries; it’s so easy to find great, local beer. If you are looking for something stronger, you’ll have to go to a liquor store because they don’t sell it at the grocery store. (Hours are more limited than grocery stores, so plan ahead!)
Don’t Miss Leaf Peeping in Connecticut
Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire seem to get a lot more attention for fall colors, but Connecticut is a great place for leaf-peeping as well. There are so many beautiful, winding roads lined with trees. In the fall, it’s a color explosion. Litchfield County is probably one of the best spots in Connecticut to visit during fall color season
Don’t Forget to Visit Mystic Connecticut
Mystic Seaport is the most popular of all Connecticut vacation spots. Mystic has always been a significant seaport along the Connecticut coast, and even today it has lots of cool things to see and do. We’ve visited Mystic several times and have even sent our boys to sailing camp in Mystic. It’s well worth the trip to visit Mystic Connecticut.
Five Things You’ll Love & Hate About Mystic
Some of our don’ts for visiting Mystic include:
- Don’t miss the Mystic Seaport Museum – one of the most visited attractions in the state and the largest maritime museum in the country. They’ve recreated a 19th-century fishing village, complete with worker homes, factories, and an impressive collection of sailing ships and boats. There are a lot of fun activities for all ages, including a sailing camp for kids. The Mystic Aquarium and downtown area are also pretty cool.
- Don’t confuse the Stonington and Groton parts of Mystic. Mystic is often used for the whole region, and that includes Groton and Stonington. The Mystic River splits the two parts. When choosing your Mystic accommodation, map out your activities before you decide which side to stay on. The drawbridge over the Mystic River is quaint, but it can get frustrating if you’re trying to go back and forth all the time. (Don’t trust your GPS on arrival times, either, as they don’t account for the drawbridge delays!)
- Don’t forget that pedestrians have the right of way in the downtown area. There will be lots of tourists wandering around, so drive slowly and cautiously.
- Don’t pass up a parking spot! Mystic gets really busy in the summer and if you find a decent parking spot, take it! You might not find a better spot, especially if you visit Mystic in the summer.
- Don’t forget your bug spray and tick repellant. It can be buggy in the summer, and they do have the ticks that carry Lyme disease, so make sure you are protecting your kids, your pets, and yourself.
- Don’t miss Sift Bakery; their pastries and macarons are amazing!
Grab Some Wolters World Travel Gear!
Don’t be surprised if you fall in love with several Connecticut vacation spots! Between the food, the people, the history and the nature, it’s a great state to visit! We were pleasantly surprised by how much we loved our Connecticut vacation. Want more East Coast travel tips? Check out some of our other blog posts: