Hartford, CT

Travel Guide

Hartford featuring heritage architecture, a city and an administrative buidling
Hartford which includes a city and cbd
Hartford featuring a garden and heritage elements
Hartford which includes a city
Hartford featuring a garden and outdoor art

Visit Mark Twain’s home city of Hartford, where restored Civil War-era mansions, museums and the country’s oldest park preserve the nation’s history.

Hartford is an almost 400-year-old city that has survived the ups and downs of America’s history. Explore the rich heritage of this destination that features some of the oldest institutions in the nation and the former residence of America’s beloved author, Mark Twain.

Start the day with a calming walk through America’s oldest public park, Bushnell Park. Located in the city center, this thoroughfare is decorated with graceful pathways, monuments to American soldiers and a huge archway crowned by two turrets. Relax under trees to escape typically hot and humid summers. In winter the park is often covered under a blanket of snow.

Walk to the nearby Wadsworth Atheneum to delight in more than 50,000 works of pilgrim-era and European art in one of the nation’s oldest art museum. Tour the exclusive rooms and stages of the Bushnell Center for Performing Arts or the award-winning Hartford Stage, then come back later to see a show. Both theaters host musicals, plays and orchestras several nights a week. 

Many of the city’s restaurants and hotels can be found along the busy Asylum Street. Stop for lunch then walk to the nearby Mark Twain House and Museum. Here you’ll experience the living quarters of the famous author and see exhibits themed around his life. Take in more history at the Harriet Beecher Stowe House and Library or the Butler McCook House and Garden. Both restored mansions, they feature civil war-era art and antiques and large manicured gardens perfect for a quiet stroll. 

Hartford is the capital of Connecticut. At the Museum of Connecticut History see excellent exhibitions on the colonial formation of the state. Take children to the Connecticut Science Center, where there are hands-on displays and a 3-D digital theater showing educational movies. 

In the evenings take the family to the XL Center, which has performances throughout the year. In winter you’ll find a public ice-skating rink and shows on ice. 

Stay downtown next to the Connecticut River. Rent a bicycle and ride along the banks of the picturesque river and grab a drink at one of many bars, restaurants and clubs.

Where to stay in Hartford

Connecticut Science Center featuring a garden

Downtown Hartford

4/5(448 area reviews)

Downtown Hartford boasts a bustling business district, housing major corporations and Connecticut's state government. Explore historic sites like the Wadsworth Atheneum, Bushnell Park, and the Old State House, while enjoying convenient access to Connecticut Transit Hartford and Union Station.

Downtown Hartford
Riverside Park which includes a garden

North Meadows

2.5/5(76 area reviews)

Unique features of North Meadows include the live music and theaters. Make a stop by Xfinity Theatre or Connecticut River while you're exploring the area.

North Meadows
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Barry Square

If you're spending some time in Barry Square, Webster Theater and Assaiante Tennis Center are top sights worth seeing.

Barry Square
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Frog Hollow

While Frog Hollow might not have many sights to explore, venturing just a little farther will lead you to top things to see and do like Connecticut State Capital and Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts.

Frog Hollow
Underneath that blue dome lies the east armory of a factory once owned by a man who changed American history, the innovator of the revolver, Samuel Colt. Sprawling around the crumbling red brickwork of the old Colt’s Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company, once the largest private armory in the world, are the remnants of Coltsville, the utopian village he built for his workers. 

A model of 19th century industrial paternalism, Coltsville included a church, a social hall for dances and lectures, workers’ housing, a giant landscaped park home to deer and peacocks, sculpted botanical gardens, and thousands of feet of greenhouses filled with tropical fruit and flowers. Samuel Colt felt such responsibility for the welfare of his workers outside the factory that he went so far as to build Potsdam Village, to replicate the feel of the German village from which he imported his skilled craftsmen to work in his willow ware factory.

The National Park Service began having on-site presence in 2015, with workshops and tours, including up into the Blue Onion Dome which affords magnificent views of downtown Hartford, the Connecticut River and Colt Park, formerly the back yard of Armsmear, Samuel & Elizabeth Colt’s mansion. By 2016, an NPS ranger had taken up residence in the South Armory and was giving walking tours of Coltsville.

The old South, East and North armories are under renovation and the two 1855 brownstone buildings, the oldest structures on site, will become the National Park Service Visitor Center. The armories themselves have been or are being renovated into apartments, offices and education facilities.

Sheldon-Charter Oak

While visiting Sheldon-Charter Oak, you might make a stop by sights like Connecticut River and Charter Oak Tree Memorial.

Sheldon-Charter Oak
Mark Twain House which includes signage

Asylum Hill

You'll enjoy the museums and churches in Asylum Hill. You might want to make time for a stop at Harriet Beecher Stowe Center or Mark Twain House & Museum.

Asylum Hill
The Capitol Hotel
The Capitol Hotel
3 out of 5
440 Asylum St, Hartford, CT
The price is NT$2,992 per night from Jul 3 to Jul 4
NT$2,992
NT$3,440 total
Jul 3 - Jul 4
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 3-star business-friendly hotel in Hartford. Enjoy free breakfast, free WiFi, and a 24-hour fitness center. Our guests praise the breakfast and the ...
7.4/10 Good! (1,010 reviews)
"It's not luxurious BUT it is upgraded with modern conveniences and is CLEAN. I had a good night's rest on a comfortable bed and a nice hot shower. Parking is a little scary to navigate at first underground, but it was secure and I appreciate that because I returned back to my room after 2a.m."

Reviewed on 2025/6/26

The Capitol Hotel
Best Western Hartford Hotel & Suites
Best Western Hartford Hotel & Suites
2.5 out of 5
185 Brainard Rd, Hartford, CT
The price is NT$3,197 per night from Jul 27 to Jul 28
NT$3,197
NT$3,677 total
Jul 27 - Jul 28
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this hotel in Hartford. Enjoy free breakfast, free WiFi, and free parking. Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful staff in our reviews. Popular ...
7.6/10 Good! (1,004 reviews)
"Great stay for an overnight, slightly dated rooms but nothing noteworthy"

Reviewed on 2025/6/29

Best Western Hartford Hotel & Suites
The Goodwin Hotel
The Goodwin Hotel
3.5 out of 5
1 Haynes St, Hartford, CT
The price is NT$5,511 per night from Jul 27 to Jul 28
NT$5,511
NT$6,338 total
Jul 27 - Jul 28
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 3.5-star hotel in Hartford. Enjoy free WiFi, a 24-hour fitness center, and a 24-hour front desk. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean ...
9/10 Wonderful! (1,006 reviews)
"I booked a room weeks in advance for the Capitol Groove Music Festival that was conveniently held 2 blocks away from the hotel at Bushnell Park. I got to the Goodwin hotel at about 11am and I was surprised I was able to get valet parking and leave my bag at the front desk before the 3pm check-in ..."

Reviewed on 2025/6/30

The Goodwin Hotel
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Postcard Cabins Machimoodus
Postcard Cabins Machimoodus
2 out of 5
298 E Haddam Moodus Rd, East Haddam, CT
Stay at this cabin in East Haddam. Enjoy free parking, patios, and climate control. Popular attractions Machimoodus State Park and Amasa Day House are located ...
9.8/10 Exceptional! (31 reviews)
"Our second visit in 2 months. The location is great for local summer theaters. We like camping, so glamping is one step up, with A/C and a very clean unit. It's quiet and in a lovely wooded area with complete privacy. Very well designed cabin, they've thought of every detail needed for comfort in ..."

Reviewed on 2025/6/27

Postcard Cabins Machimoodus
Luxury Apartments by Hyatus at Pierpont
Luxury Apartments by Hyatus at Pierpont
4 out of 5
9 Tower Ln, New Haven, CT
Stay at this 4-star aparthotel in New Haven. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and an outdoor pool. Popular attractions Knights of Columbus Museum and Shubert Theater ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (17 reviews)
"Phenomenal property. Beautiful room and great amenities. Great communication."

Reviewed on 2025/6/18

Luxury Apartments by Hyatus at Pierpont
Luxury Furnished Apartments by Hyatus Downtown at Yale
Luxury Furnished Apartments by Hyatus Downtown at Yale
3.5 out of 5
240 Congress Avenue, New Haven, CT
Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a rooftop terrace. Popular attractions Shubert Theater and Art Plus Studio are located nearby.
9.6/10 Exceptional! (50 reviews)
"It was a great place. Highly recommend!"

Reviewed on 2025/6/11

Luxury Furnished Apartments by Hyatus Downtown at Yale
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

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Cities near Hartford