Choose the historic Goodwin as your boutique accommodations here in downtown Hartford for a family summer vacation, and you’ll have a whole smorgasbord of all-ages activities at your fingertips. Here are a few ideas for soaking up the summer in the Connecticut capital with the perfect downtown digs at The Goodwin!
Indulge in a History Lesson or Two
Hartford comes well endowed with outstanding American heritage, and exploring it on a summer vacation can make history come alive for kids without feeling like schoolwork. Marvel at the gorgeous domicile of one of the country’s greatest authors and humorists at the Mark Twain House & Museum, explore the lasting influence of Uncle Tom’s Cabin author Harriet Beecher Stowe at her Hartford home, or tour the 1796-built Old State House, which includes a reproduction of Rev. Joseph Steward’s 18th-century “Museum of Curiosities,” host to such arresting displays as a two-headed calf and an alligator hung upside-down from the ceiling.
(Read about other of Hartford’s historical attractions in this blogpost.)
Visit the Hartford Children’s Museum
From the famous 60-foot-long model of a sperm whale (“Conny”) greeting you to the imaginative building work in the Thinker Linker Studio and the galactic safaris presented at the Gengras Planetarium’s Travelers Science Dome, the venerable Children’s Museum is hands-on enlightenment and all-around fun for younger kids.
Connecticut Science Center
More interactive learning awaits at the Connecticut Science Center, occupying a flashy building right along Hartford’s riverfront. Steamy summer afternoon in the capital city? Consider a deep dive into this fine facility’s topnotch exhibits—and perhaps catch a film on the giant 3D screen of the Maximilian E. and Marion O. Hoffman Foundation Science Theater.
Get Outdoors
Take advantage of a beautiful summer’s day in Hartford and stroll the gorgeous grounds of Elizabeth Park, the city’s go-to greenspace since 1897. The whole fam’s liable to be impressed by the floral wonderland of the Rose Garden, the oldest public rose garden in the country.
Or venture farther afield and experience the lovely Connecticut River Valley landscapes of Hartford’s big backyard. A classic experience is trekking to the top of Heublein Tower in Talcott Mountain State Park, which affords an awesome view of our city skyline as well as the beautiful upland woods and cliffs of the Metacomet Ridge (which you and the crew can also enjoy with a dayhike on the long-distance Metacomet Trail).
Join Us for a Family Summer Vacation in Hartford, CT at The Goodwin
We’d love to host you and the entire gang this summer at our boutique hotel here in downtown Hartford, where you can enjoy the above attractions and a whole lot more!
