101 Family Day Trips and Staycation Ideas Around Hartford
Remember, it's always best to follow each link to get details about your visit directly from your destination, since some places operate seasonally or by reservation, as well as to check each venue's COVID requirements (masks, limits, social distancing).
Free activities and splurges that are worth it. The coolest stuff for a staycation in town and road trips for less than a tank of gas from Hartford. Kids Out And About has tons of ideas for family travel, with places to explore, learn, and have fun!
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Explore Gardens & Sculpture Gardens
Get Wild on a Hike
Time Travel Today
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Old Sturbridge Village |
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Historic Deerfield |
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Plimoth Plantation |
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Mystic Seaport |
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Strawbery Banke Museum |
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CT Old State House |
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Mark Twain House |
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Dinosaur State Park |
Make Life a Beach
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Hammonasset Beach |
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Ocean Beach |
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Hole-In-The-Wall Beach |
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Misquamicut State Beach |
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Napatree Point |
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Rocky Neck State Park |
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Sherwood Island State Park |
Splash into Some Water Fun
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Lake Compounce |
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Splash Away Bay at Quassy |
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Brownstone Exploration and Discovery Park |
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CoCo Key Water Resort |
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Great Wolf Lodge - Fitchburg |
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Water Wizz |
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Breezy Picnic Grounds and Waterslides |
Spend the Day at a Museum
Explore These Cities
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Essex |
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Norwalk |
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East Lyme |
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Mystic |
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Springfield, MA |
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Portsmouth, NH |
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Watch Hill, RI |
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Providence, RI |
All Aboard Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (and Boats!)
Grow Some Fun at the Farm
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Lyman Orchards |
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Strong Family Farm |
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Silvermans Farm |
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Jones Family Farm |
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Fort Hill Farms |
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Community Farm of Simsbury |
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Dudley Farm Museum |
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Flamig Farm |
Play Ball!
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Hartford Yard Goats |
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Bridgeport Sound Tigers Hockey |
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CT Tigers Baseball |
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Hartford Hawks Teams |
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Hartford Wolf Pack |
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Bridgeport Bluefish |
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CT Sun Womens Basketball |
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NE Black Wolves Lacrosse |
Treat Yo' Self
Connect with Nature
Amuse Yourself at These Amusement Parks
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Quassy Amusement Park |
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Lake Compounce |
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The Great Escape and Splashwater Kingdom |
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Canobie Lake Park |
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Six Flags New England |
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Rye Playland |
Talk to the Animals
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Beardsley Zoo |
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The Zoo In Forest Park |
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Mystic Aquarium |
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Maritime Aquarium |
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Action Wildlife |
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Lutz Children's Museum |
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Northwest Park |
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Southwick's Zoo |
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Zoo NE - Stone Zoo |
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Buttonwood Park Zoo |
Monkey Around at the Playground Destinations
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Wickham Park |
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Buckingham Road Park |
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Kids In Motion Playground |
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Enfield Rotary Accessible Playground |
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Sandcastle Playground |
Get Active Indoors
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Stone Age Rock Gym |
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Launch Trampoline Park |
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Ron-A-Roll Roller Skating |
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Timber Gyms |
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Whippersnapper's |
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Glow Cove |
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Lessard Lanes |
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Soarin' Indoor Aerial Adventure |
Challenge Yourself
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The Adventure Park at Storrs |
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Empower Leadership Adventure Center |
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IT Adventure Indoor Ropes Course |
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Complexity (escape room) |
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Adventure Rooms |
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Wadsworth Atheneum |
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New Britain Museum of American Art |
Take A Spin On A Carousel!
Limiting our list to 101 ideas meant some great destinations may have been left off the list - if there is something you’d like to see added, share it with us on Facebook!
Most of these destinations are within an hour from Hartford. For those that are a bit farther away:
= Less than 1 hour away
= 1 to 2 hours away
= 2 to 3 hours away
= Just over 3 hours away