New Haven

Our Favorite Connecticut Lighthouses to Visit

Submitted by Makayla O'Keefe on Fri, 08/10/2018 - 9:24am

You don’t have to venture to Cape Elizabeth or Portland for classic New England lighthouse vistas because Connecticut has quite the maritime history. With the very first lighthouse museum in the nation, a half dozen lighthouse tours, and even some lighthouse hauntings, we've rounded up seven Connecticut lighthouses worth a visit with your kiddos.

11 Spring Fairs & Festivals in Central Connecticut

Submitted by Clementina Verge on Sun, 04/15/2018 - 12:00pm

April showers bring May flowers, and along with all the colorful blossoms come an array of springtime celebrations. The Hartford and New Haven areas are bursting with exciting outdoor family festivals in April, May, and June. These eleven events feature crafts, delicious treats, family-friendly activities, and boundless fun. So head outside with the children and enjoy all that spring in Central Connecticut has to offer.

Visiting Van Gogh, Picasso and Monet at the Yale University Art Gallery

Submitted by Makayla O'Keefe on Sat, 04/07/2018 - 3:27am

Did you know you could visit Van Gogh, Picasso, and Monet in the Elm City? Yup. Right on the corner of York and Chapel streets, you’ll find a collection of more than 200,000 works of art in the oldest art gallery in the western hemisphere. And yes, we know what you're thinking. Should you really take your four year old to a gallery? The answer is yes, you should. In fact, Yale offers a number of family-friendly guides and programs inviting you and your four year old to take a closer look at art.

Teaching through Touch: The Connecticut Children's Museum

Submitted by Makayla O'Keefe on Thu, 03/15/2018 - 7:10pm

Imagine walking inside the great, green room in the beloved children's book "Goodnight Moon" where there is a telephone, a red balloon and a picture of the cow jumping over the moon. A room complete with the famous "comb and a brush and a bowl full of mush," allowing you play by the fireplace, lie down in the bed or open a cabinet filled with clocks and wind them all up. Well, at the Connecticut Children's Museum in New Haven, you can.

St. Patrick's Day Events in Connecticut

Submitted by Erin McNamee on Sat, 03/03/2018 - 10:00am

It's March and you know what that means...St. Patrick's Day! While St. Patrick’s Day celebrations are often thought of as mostly adult-oriented (usually associated with pints of Guinness), there are many kid-friendly ways to celebrate the holiday with wee little ones. Check out the following great family events to celebrate St. Patty's Day in Connecticut. Erin Go Bragh!

A visit to the Eli Whitney Museum

Submitted by Makayla O'Keefe on Mon, 02/26/2018 - 9:00am

Got a future innovator on your hands? Perhaps an engineer in the works? Whether your budding genius is a novice inventor or a future mechanical pioneer, you’re sure to find entertaining exhibits and engaging hands-on workshops to stimulate their minds at the Eli Whitney Museum. Eli Whitney is remembered as the inventor of the cotton gin and a leader in the concept of interchangeable parts which became the manufacturing standard in the Industrial Revolution. Teaching his workers how to craft tools and other skills required for his factories, Whitney’s legacy of workshop education lives on inside the Eli Whitney Museum.For more fun near Eli Whitney, check out our top picks for things to do with kids in New Haven. Or, take a peek at our museum guide.

20 Family Friendly New Year's Eve Celebrations in Connecticut

Submitted by Jacqueline Miller on Sun, 12/24/2017 - 2:00pm

I have crossed over. Dreams of elegant parties and midnight champagne toasts have been replaced with longing for easy bedtimes and a good night's sleep. But it feels wrong not to celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of another without some sort of revelry. Happily, there's no shortage of ways to celebrate New Year's Eve together as a family: no baby sitter required! Whether you're interested in bowling or skating (ice or roller), museums or light shows, there's something for everyone. The First Night events in Hartford and Westport offer a little bit of everything including fireworks, music, and more.

For more great ideas to finish up 2017 and make plans for 2018, be sure to check our frequently updated events calendar and subscribe to our weekly newsletters. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram so that you won't miss a thing. Merry Christmas! See you next year!

Free Museum Days in Connecticut

Submitted by Ally Noel on Thu, 12/07/2017 - 8:00am

Connecticut may be one of the nation’s smallest states, but what it lacks in square footage it makes up for in culture. Connecticut is literally bursting at the seams with hundreds of art museums, historical homesteads, science museums, children’s museums, and cultural centers in every corner of the state. From the Lyman AIlyn in New London to the Wadsworth Antheneum in Hartford, if you want to take advantage of everything the Nutmeg State has to offer, but don’t love the price tag that comes along with it, then this list of museum free days is for you! And for more info on CT Museums check out our Museum Guide.

Below is a list of free museum hours around the state. Please confirm these free days/evenings with the museums. Sometimes, especially near a national or religious holiday, schedules may change. Also, keep in mind that teachers, veterans, or seniors may also receive extra discounts.

The Top 10 Things to do with Preschoolers this Holiday Season

Submitted by Makayla O'Keefe on Tue, 11/14/2017 - 11:38am

From Pinterest-perfect teacher presents to waiting online for those coveted tickets, the Christmas season can be, well, stressful. There's the Christmas parties, the Christmas cards, and then the presents. And the shopping for the presents. We all seriously need a vacation by 5 p.m. on December 25th. But, when you see those little faces light up when they see the guy in red or when they come across an actual living, breathing reindeer, or when they hear that whistle blow. Every second is worth it. We've rounded up the top 10 things to do with your preschooler during the holidays. So get out there and embrace the magic of the season and make yourself some memories to last a lifetime. Be sure to check out our CT Holiday Guide for even more holiday fun.

Six Insane Ice Cream Creations You Must Try in CT

Submitted by Makayla O'Keefe on Wed, 08/16/2017 - 9:52am

From fried to frozen, cone to cookie, these ice cream places offer some pretty crazy confections. Crazy delicious. We've rounded up some of the top contenders (through rigorous research, of course) for the craziest ice cream creations in Connecticut. And don't stop here. Check out our favorite ice cream parlors in New Haven, Fairfield, New London and Hartford.