Things to do in Hartford
Late spring brings blooming gardens and mild days, while September and October deliver crisp air and brilliant New England fall foliage across the parks and river valley. Summer is warm and green; winters are cold and snowy with most outdoor sights quieter.
Best months: May, June, September, October
What is worth your time in Hartford
Soldiers and Sailors Memorial ArchDo not miss
A brownstone triumphal arch over Bushnell Park honoring Civil War soldiers, the first of its kind built in America.
Landmark · 30 min4.8
Bushnell ParkDo not miss
The nation's oldest publicly funded park, a green heart of downtown framed by the Capitol, the Memorial Arch, and a historic carousel.
Park · 1.4 hr4.7
Elizabeth Park ConservancyDo not miss
Home to the oldest municipal rose garden in the country, a fragrant trellised showcase that explodes into bloom each June.
Park · 1.5 hr4.7
The Mark Twain House and MuseumDo not miss
The whimsical Gilded Age mansion where Samuel Clemens wrote his greatest works, restored to its full Tiffany-decorated glory.
Historic Site · 2 hr4.7
Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of ArtDo not miss
The oldest continuously operating public art museum in the country, with strong Hudson River School, Baroque, and modern collections.
Museum · 2.8 hr4.7
Bushnell Park CarouselDo not miss
A lovingly preserved 1914 Stein and Goldstein carousel with 48 hand-carved horses spinning to a Wurlitzer band organ.
Activity · 33 min4.6
Connecticut Science CenterDo not miss
A striking riverfront museum with hands-on exhibits across more than nine themed galleries, a rooftop garden, and a 3D theater.
Museum · 3.3 hr4.6
Connecticut State CapitolDo not miss
A High Victorian Gothic landmark of marble, towers, and a gold dome, with free guided tours of its ornate legislative chambers.
Landmark · 1.5 hr4.6
Connecticut's Old State HouseDo not miss
A 1796 Federal-style landmark that served as the first state house, now a museum of Connecticut history with a curious cabinet of oddities.
Historic Site · 1.5 hr4.6
Harriet Beecher Stowe CenterDo not miss
The restored home of the Uncle Tom's Cabin author, exploring abolition and social justice next door to the Mark Twain House.
Historic Site · 1.5 hr4.5
Cathedral of Saint Joseph
A soaring mid-century cathedral famed for its vast stained glass, a towering ceramic mural, and one of the largest church organs in the state.
Architecture · 45 min4.8
Hartford Stage
A Tony Award-winning regional theater known for bold productions and premieres in an intimate downtown space.
Cultural Experience · 2.5 hr4.8
New Britain Museum of American Art
A superb collection devoted entirely to American art, from colonial portraits to Hudson River School landscapes and modern works.
Museum · 2.3 hr4.8
Talcott Mountain State Park
A short ridge hike leads to the Heublein Tower with sweeping views over the Farmington River valley, spectacular in fall.
Nature · 2.3 hr4.8
And 31 more, which the planner picks between based on your dates, pace and what you are into.
Worth knowing
- Hartford's core sights cluster downtown and in the Asylum Hill area, so a day or two can be covered largely on foot between the Capitol, museums, and riverfront.
- Many house museums and smaller historic sites keep limited or seasonal hours, so check days open before visiting, especially Mondays and winter months.
- A car is handy for West Hartford Center, Wethersfield, and day trips like Mystic or Gillette Castle that are short drives from the city.
- Elizabeth Park's rose garden peaks in mid to late June, the single best window for that stop.
- Pair fall foliage season with the Capitol, Bushnell Park, and the riverfront for the most photogenic version of the city.