Time to hit the highways for the best family road trips from Connecticut! Any time of year, a family getaway can make lasting memories. Connecticuty sits in a prime location for family roadtrips, with the sights of New England to the Northeast, and the cities of the mid-Atlantic to the southwest. So pack up the car and head out for the best family road trips from Connecticut.

Be sure to check off our expert tips with the Ultimate Road Trip Planner: How To Have the Perfect Family Road Trip. And check out some of the Best Roadside Attractions in New England along the way.

 
A family road trip in Connecticut can include Hartford's boys of summer! Photo courtesy of the Hartford Yard Goats

Family Road Trips in Connecticut

1. Mystic

Southeastern Connecticut has so much family fun, it's worth multiple family road trips for visitors from all over the state. A trip to Mystic means visiting Mystic Aquarium, a world-class aquarium with so much to see. And Mystic Seaport offers visitors a glimpse back in time to a simpler age. When visiting, be sure to book one of the best hotels in Mystic, CT for family-friendly stays.

2. New Haven

With a stunning (and renovated) Yale Peabody Museum and some of the best pizza on Earth, a trip to New Haven is a great destination–or part of a bigger family road trip through Connecticut. Stops at the Connecticut Children's Museum and the Eli Whitney Museum will entertain and enlighten. And dining at Frank Pepe's and Louis' Lunch will fuel a family up for more road adventures.

3. Hartford

From the Connecticut Science Center to Yard Goats baseball games, a family road trip to Hartford has fun to spare. Connecticut's capital region has all kinds of family attractions, from the rides at Lake Compounce to Farmington River Tubing, a family road trip around Hartford will please even the most discriminating travelers.

 
Ship up to Boston on a family road trip from CT! Boston Freedom Trail Guides photo courtesy of the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism

Family Road Trips from Connecticut - New England Destinations

4. Boston

100 miles from Hartford; 155 miles from Bridgeport

A family road trip from Connecticut to Boston can deliver so much kid-friendly fun. From family-friendly museums to historic sites, Boston has everything to offer visitors. And with a slew of free things to do in Boston with kids, Connecticut families can stretch their budgets on a trip to Beantown.

5. Maine

With pristine beaches, water parks, hiking trails, and mini golf, there are plenty of reasons to take a family road trip to Maine. While the beaches (and lobster shacks) of Southern Maine are the easiest and quickest spots to get to from Connecticut, trips to the Downeast villages or inland to the Western Mountains can be so much fun. And the cobblestone streets of Portland's waterfront–the Old Port neighborhood–are filled with fun shops and sweet treats.

6. White Mountains

235 miles from Hartford; 285 miles from Bridgeport

New Hampshire's White Mountains have natural beauty and a host of family activities. It's packed with hiking trails, mini-golf courses, and resorts with kid-friendly amenities. The White Mountains are worth a family road trip from Connecticut just for the visit to Story Land, one of New England's most beloved amusement parks.

7. Central Massachusetts

60 miles from Hartford to Worcester

From the hands-on fun at the EcoTarium in Worcester to living history at Old Sturbridge Village, Central Massachusetts is packed with family attractions and reasonably priced accommodations. And the kids will be satisfied with a trip to Great Wolf Lodge in Fitchburg for some indoor waterpark fun! And visitors to Springfield can see the Basketball Hall of Fame, Six Flags, and the Dr. Seuss Museum.

8. Berkshires

80 miles from Hartford to Pittsfield

The Berkshires have so many fun things to do like visiting Mass MoCa and enjoying outdoor fun at Jiminy Peak Resort in Hancock. But the natural beauty of Western Massachusetts is the draw for family trips to the Berkshires. With foliage in the fall, skiing in the winter, waterfalls in the spring, and hiking the Appalachian Trail in the summer, there's always something to see and do in the Berkshires. 

 
Explore NYC on a family road trip from Connecticut. Times Square Signs in NYC photo by Eden Janine & Jim, via Flickr CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Family Road Trips from Connecticut - New York and Beyond

9. New York City

115 miles from Hartford; 135 miles from Mystic

The city that never sleeps has a half-a-million things to offer Connecticut families on a road trip to NYC. From visiting the Empire State Building with kids to a trip to the Statue of Liberty, a road trip to New York will be filled with once-in-a-lifetime moments.

10. The Poconos

200 miles from Hartford

The Poconos have so much family fun around every bend in the road. From exploring nature (on foot, in a canoe, or even on horseback) or enjoying one of the many kid-friendly resorts, there's never enough time to enjoy everything the Poconos can offer!

11. Philadelphia

150 miles from Stamford

Feel like treating the kids to the world's best cheese-steak? How about seeing Liberty Hall and other landmarks from the American Revolution? A family road trip from Connecticut to Philadelphia can take as little as 3 hours–if your family doesn't need a rest stop, that is. Philadelphia has it all, museums, sports, Sesame Place, and Rocky Balboa.

12. Washington D.C.

285 miles from Bridgeport

A family road trip to Washington DC is a classic getaway for Connecticut Families. Where else can you see so many classic landmarks in one place? Our nation's capital has so many free museums near DC to visit with kids, like those at the Smithsonian. And the Washington DC area has so much to offer the road-tripping family, from the sights of Arlington, Virginia to the crab shacks of Chessapeake Bay.