2024 Best of Connecticut: The Classics CONNECTICUT CLASSIC DINING BURGER STAND Ted’s Steamed Cheeseburgers, Meriden Connecticut is about the only place in the world where steamed cheeseburgers are found, and Ted’s is the ultimate place to try one. This modest eatery has a few booths and several stools inside, with a couple of picnic tables out front. Check out the stainless-steel steam boxes behind the counter: one for burgers, the other for gooey cheese. After several minutes in the heat, beef and cheese are united on a hard roll. So simple. So good. tedsrestaurant.com Plan Your Perfect Summ ..read more

Hot buttered lobster rolls, seaside strolls, and natural beauty await on a two-day meander through this storied region where the Connecticut River meets Long Island Sound. WATERFRONT HOTEL Madison Beach Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton, Madison Check into this stately resort with its own private beach, and you’ll find plenty to please even the most well-traveled guest. The storied hotel was reimagined and rebuilt a dozen years ago with three floors of deluxe rooms, many with balconies and water views. Take a dip in Long Island Sound or unwind in the spa, then dine beachsi ..read more

I’ve never been to Paris in the springtime, but I’ve been to West Hartford. Don’t laugh-cry for me. Connecticut’s own little slice of Europe is one of those “if you know, you know” places that many travelers overlook. It’s equidistant from Boston and New York City, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a few-block area in either metropolis with the variety of cuisine that awaits in this sophisticated suburb with 63,000 residents and two Whole Foods Markets. When temperatures nudge up in April, out come the sidewalk tables, the street musicians, the couples of all persuasions strolling hand in han ..read more

The night we dressed goats in pajammies is crystal clear in my memory, even though my cellphone photos are blurred. It’s tough to capture sharp shots when goats in fleece hoodies, frilly nighties, sparkly headbands, and tutus are super interested in the bag of feed in your pocket. It was my daughter Lara’s 16th birthday, a late-October night five years ago, and she had no clue what was in store when we turned through the stone-pillared entryway to Bradley Mountain Farm in Southington, Connecticut. Her best friend, Hannah, met us there—another surprise. And the two of them rolled on the floor ..read more

Please note that many establishments throughout New England have modified their hours and/or operations in response to COVID-19. Always check for the latest information before making travel plans. The sea has always played a defining role for New London, Connecticut. Situated on the banks of the Thames River, the New London of the mid-1800s was the second-largest whaling port in the world. In the 21st century, it’s home to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and visitors have access to popular attractions such as Ocean Beach Park and a variety of day cruises that leave the city’s docks. Ready for a ..read more

What is New Haven pizza? For starters, it’s “Apizza” (pronounced ah-BEETS). New Haven’s unique name and approach to pizza date back to the city’s Italian-American neighborhoods and bakeries in the early 1900s. Factory workers and working-class families needed simple fare that could be shared easily and that could feed an entire family on a tight budget. Apizza, served up by the numerous neighborhood bakeries, fits the bill. Frank Pepe’s Pizzeria Napoletana Photo Credit : Mike Urban Enter Frank Pepe, the godfather of New Haven apizza, who started churning out his distinctive Neapolitan-style ..read more

With an eye on what’s new for 2023, Yankee’s editors round up the best attractions, eateries, and hotels in top Connecticut travel destinations. Headed to the city? Check out our spotlight guide to New Haven, Connecticut. Editors’ Picks: Where to Eat and Drink in Connecticut in 2023 Bakery, Bread | Soleil Bakery, Woodstock Step around industrial-size sacks of flour stacked on the bakery floor and place your order at Soleil’s pastry-packed glass counter. The aroma of fresh-baked bread permeates this Quiet Corner bakery tucked away in a modest strip mall. Loaves emerge from the ovens throughout ..read more

With an eye on what’s new for 2023, Yankee’s editors round up the best attractions, eateries, and hotels in New Haven, Connecticut. For more of our Connecticut, check out our comprehensive Best of Connecticut 2023 guide. Editors’ Picks: Best Things to Do in New Haven in 2023 Affordable Culture | Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven It’s free. And it’s spectacular. This world-class art museum boasts over 200,000 pieces from antiquity through current times. Housed in three connected, architecturally significant buildings, the walkable galleries showcase paintings, sculpture, and artifact ..read more

Sitting beside two neighbors, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, that advertise their seaside locations right in their nicknames (the Bay State and the Ocean State), Connecticut is a little quieter about its beachy appeal. But make no mistake, the Nutmeg State has its fair share of worthy beaches along the sheltered length of Long Island Sound. In fact, Connecticut recently nabbed a spot on Travel + Leisure’s list of the top 25 U.S. beaches, with New London’s Ocean Beach Park standing tall as one of just three New England beaches chosen. The following roundup of best Connecticut beaches is drawn ..read more

Who’s the rat who wronged you? Rather than simply enduring the heart pain you feel every time you encounter a Valentine’s Day display, allow Riverside Reptiles to provide the catharsis you crave in a peculiar yet satisfying way. This Enfield, Connecticut, education center, which is home to more than 200 creatures including the largest assemblage of venomous snakes in southern New England, invites you to name a rat or a roach after your ex, your terrible boss, your mother-in-law… anyone whose behavior has been hurtful. On Valentine’s Day, just after the center’s doors close for the day at 4 p ..read more