Connecticut summers can get hot and very humid. Looking to escape the heat and have a fun outing at the same time? Here are some ideas for day trips in Connecticut where you'll beat the heat and have a blast doing it.
Connecticut Beaches to Explore
Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison, CT is a great place to escape the heat and catch a nice Connecticut shoreline breeze. Lifeguards are on duty and there are activities besides just sunbathing. Take a hike, go fishing, boating, or biking along the shore. If you need to entertain little kids at the beach, checkout the nature center's Touch Tank. There are egreat picnicking facilities as well as a snack bar, and if you're adveturous you can camp at Hammonasset too!You might want to check out Silver Sands State Park in Milford, CT where it is rumored Captain Kid buried his treasure in 1699. Get those kids some shovels, and let us know if they strike gold! Rocky Neck State Park in East Lyme, CT also offers lifeguarded beach and many other activities: fishing, hiking and of course picnicking.
Enjoy a Lakeside Lounge
Millers Pond State Park south of Middletown is really more of a lake than a pond. With a bunch of small beaches skirting the water and several picnic tables, this is a popular Connecticut swimming destination. Take a walk around the shoreline path and find yourself a little outcropping of private beach to enjoy for the afternoon.Connecticut Swimming Holes & Waterfalls
What about a good old-fashioned swimming hole? Everyone always has a blast exploring them and cooling off in their slightly "wilder" environment. Mount Hope Brook in Willimantic has a flat upstream area for wading and a fast running brook for the more adventurous swimmer. Small falls and whirlpools swirl around boulders on the banks where people love to sunbathe, and there's a deep pool downstream for swimming.Another cool Connecticut swimming hole: Scantic Rapids in the Scantic River State Park in Enfield. A gunpowder manufacturing company used to stand on the shores here, so it's known as Powder Hollow. Bring a float and enjoy the ride!
If you're looking for a waterfall to cool off under, check out www.ctwaterfalls.com. The site's creator, David Ellis, was interviewed on WTNH in 2011 about his project cataloging the many waterfalls in Connecticut. Ellis highly recommends Enders Falls in Granby, which offers little pools like this one just waiting for you to take a dip and cool off. There are cliffs and gorges along the river just waiting for exploration.
Kent Falls is a popular swimming hole with a series of waterfalls, including one of the taller falls in Connecticut. It's a great place to enjoy what New England swimming holes are all about. Stop by DrivenCT.com and tell us where you like to go for a dip that may be off the beaten path in Connecticut. We love finding cool new driving destinations!
Through DrivenCT, Hoffman Auto Group's goal is to help educate motorists on how to get the most life out of their vehicles. We provide useful information on the newest models and how to care for them, fun destinations to drive them to, and what performance products are worth buying and which ones aren’t. All of our articles feature insight and knowledge from the experts in the automotive industry – our employees. Many of our employees are direct contributors to our articles, and are featured sources.To read more from our blog visit www.drivenct.com
We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here
