Highest-rated things to do in Connecticut by visitors

When planning your next holiday, you might feel an instinctual pull toward destinations that would take you across oceans, like Tokyo or Paris, but there are experiences closer to home that will have you thinking twice before booking a trip abroad ever again.

If you're craving a burst of adrenaline, why not reserve a spot in Michigan's famed Saugatuck Dune Rides? The activity's charmingly dated website is a great indication of its word-of-mouth notoriety and timeless appeal. Over in Arizona, you might be surprised to find that it's not just the Grand Canyon that tempts travelers to its desert landscape鈥攊t's also one-of-a-kind venues like the Musical Instrument Museum, where music enthusiasts can find over 7,500 instruments from 200 countries around the world.

Indeed, even if you've lived in Connecticut your whole life, you might be surprised by just how many top-rated things you've yet to cross off your list. From architectural wonders and picturesque views to historical museums and other must-see sights, you'll find your appreciation for Connecticut reignited just by reading through this list of top-rated things to do.

compiled a list of the highest-rated things to do in Connecticut using data from . Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, an activity with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of Aug. 15, 2025.

Whether you're a family of five traveling in a recreational vehicle or a duo of friends looking for a quick getaway in Connecticut, read on for a list of sights you could easily plan a trip around.

You may also like: Best private colleges in Connecticut

Tripadvisor

1 / 30

#30. Mystic River Bascule Bridge

- Rating: 4.4/5 (807 reviews)
- City: Mystic Mystic Country
-

Tripadvisor

2 / 30

#29. PEZ Visitor Center

- Rating: 4.2/5 (586 reviews)
- City: Orange
-

Tripadvisor

3 / 30

#28. Charles W. Morgan

- Rating: 4.7/5 (443 reviews)
- City: Mystic Mystic Country
-

Tripadvisor

4 / 30

#27. Elizabeth Park

- Rating: 4.7/5 (431 reviews)
- City: West Hartford
-

Tripadvisor

5 / 30

#26. Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center

- Rating: 4.7/5 (425 reviews)
- City: Mashantucket Mystic Country
-

You may also like: Best public middle schools in Connecticut

Tripadvisor

6 / 30

#25. Kent Falls State Park

- Rating: 4.3/5 (369 reviews)
- City: Kent
-

Tripadvisor

7 / 30

#24. Connecticut Science Center

- Rating: 4.3/5 (414 reviews)
- City: Hartford
-

Tripadvisor

8 / 30

#23. Lake Compounce

- Rating: 4.0/5 (859 reviews)
- City: Bristol
-

Tripadvisor

9 / 30

#22. New England Air Museum

- Rating: 4.7/5 (327 reviews)
- City: Windsor Locks
-

Tripadvisor

10 / 30

#21. Ocean Beach Park

- Rating: 3.9/5 (409 reviews)
- City: Waterford Mystic Country
-

You may also like: Most common jobs 150 years ago in Connecticut

Tripadvisor

11 / 30

#20. Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library

- Rating: 4.8/5 (286 reviews)
- City: New Haven
-

Tripadvisor

12 / 30

#19. Silver Sands State Park

- Rating: 4.3/5 (435 reviews)
- City: Milford
-

Tripadvisor

13 / 30

#18. The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk

- Rating: 4.3/5 (1,058 reviews)
- City: Norwalk
-

Tripadvisor

14 / 30

#17. Mohegan Sun Arena

- Rating: 4.4/5 (833 reviews)
- City: Uncasville Mystic Country
-

Tripadvisor

15 / 30

#16. Historic Downtown Mystic

- Rating: 4.4/5 (717 reviews)
- City: Mystic Mystic Country
-

You may also like: Counties with the most pre-war homes in Connecticut

Tripadvisor

16 / 30

#15. Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History

- Rating: 4.6/5 (580 reviews)
- City: New Haven
-

Tripadvisor

17 / 30

#14. Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art

- Rating: 4.7/5 (606 reviews)
- City: Hartford
-

Tripadvisor

18 / 30

#13. Hammonasset Beach State Park

- Rating: 4.4/5 (600 reviews)
- City: Madison
-

Tripadvisor

19 / 30

#12. Yale University

- Rating: 4.6/5 (838 reviews)
- City: New Haven
-

Tripadvisor

20 / 30

#11. The Submarine Force Museum

- Rating: 4.7/5 (907 reviews)
- City: Groton Mystic Country
-

You may also like: Hottest Septembers in Connecticut since 1895

Tripadvisor

21 / 30

#10. Mohegan Sun

- Rating: 4.1/5 (1,522 reviews)
- City: Uncasville Mystic Country
-

Tripadvisor

22 / 30

#9. Thimble Islands

- Rating: 4.7/5 (406 reviews)
- City: Branford
-

Tripadvisor

23 / 30

#8. Yale University Art Gallery

- Rating: 4.8/5 (996 reviews)
- City: New Haven
-

Tripadvisor

24 / 30

#7. Mystic Dark Room

- Rating: 5.0/5 (272 reviews)
- City: Mystic Mystic Country
-

Tripadvisor

25 / 30

#6. Olde Mistick Village

- Rating: 4.1/5 (1,768 reviews)
- City: Mystic Mystic Country
-

Tripadvisor

26 / 30

#5. Gillette Castle State Park

- Rating: 4.6/5 (807 reviews)
- City: East Haddam
-

Tripadvisor

27 / 30

#4. Mystic Aquarium

- Rating: 4.1/5 (2,959 reviews)
- City: Mystic Mystic Country
-

Tripadvisor

28 / 30

#3. Foxwoods Resort Casino

- Rating: 3.9/5 (3,447 reviews)
- City: Mashantucket Mystic Country
-

Tripadvisor

29 / 30

#2. The Mark Twain House & Museum

- Rating: 4.6/5 (1,754 reviews)
- City: Hartford
-

Tripadvisor

30 / 30

#1. Mystic Seaport Museum

- Rating: 4.5/5 (3,556 reviews)
- City: Mystic Mystic Country
-

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.

You may also like: Car insurance rates in Connecticut

爆料TV