Suggestions for a visiting Texian on Feb. 18

[baylorprof]

Two years ago I flew in late and out early the next morning. All I saw beside the game was black sky with mix of slush falling.

Coming a day early this time so I can see something of New England I haven't. My wife and I agree maybe fresh seafood near enough to walk or visit a working wharf.

We're staying at an airport hotel and will have car rental.

Any suggestions for Hartford? anything within an hour's drive from airport?

Hopefully some day we'll get to see this matchup in Gampel and visit campus.

 

[jplotinus]

Welcome to CT!

Hope your visit will be a pleasant one in all respects, except one ;-p

We're northerners, Connecticut Yankees, at that. So, hospitality probably isn't our longest and strongest suit. At least not if we are to think stereotypically anyway.

Hartford is a bit of a trek from our shoreline, but here's a listing of seafood places in town:


http://www.zagat.com/lists/best-seafood-tops-connecticut-restaurants

If you have time, I'd recommend the Mark Twain House and its next door Harriet Beecher Stowe House as places to visit. The guided tour through the MT House is entertaining and informative.

Perhaps y'all (hard for me to write that phrase) should try the seafood restaurant before the game and save the trip to the Mark Twain House until afterwards. It might help take your mind off of what could be a disappointing outcome for you.

There, how's that for hospitality?

 

[Frodo]

There are any number of good restaurants in the Hartford area...too many to list I think. It's the wrong time of year, of course, but a drive to Mystic might be something you'd enjoy. It's about 1 hour and 15 minute ride from Bradley...fairly nice ride through SE Connecticut once you get off the highway. There are any number of good restaurants in that area. Another option might be the Griswold Inn in Essex. It's not on the shore, but it's less than an hour drive from the airport and a slice of real colonial America...excellent food, terrific atmosphere. As a matter of fact my wife and I will be there with some friends Saturday and Sunday prior to the game on the 18th.

P.S. There are also a few pretty decent wineries in the Stonington/Mystic area if you're into that.
P.P.S. My wife and I have season tickets a few rows up behind the visitor's bench...maybe we'll have a chance to exchange greetings at the game?

 

[CL82]

There are any number of good restaurants in the Hartford area...too many to list I think. It's the wrong time of year, of course, but a drive to Mystic might be something you'd enjoy. It's about 1 hour and 15 minute ride from Bradley...fairly nice ride through SE Connecticut once you get off the highway. There are any number of good restaurants in that area. Another option might be the Griswold Inn in Essex. It's not on the shore, but it's less than an hour drive from the airport and a slice of real colonial America...excellent food, terrific atmosphere. As a matter of fact my wife and I will be there with some friends Saturday and Sunday prior to the game on the 18th.

P.S. There are also a few pretty decent wineries in the Stonington/Mystic area if you're into that.
P.P.S. My wife and I have season tickets a few rows up behind the visitor's bench...maybe we'll have a chance to exchange greetings at the game?

I love these ideas. Mystic at Christmas was a tradition when my kids were younger, they had a nice little night tour program. Though cold the shore in the winter is pretty, consider Rocky Neck state park if you are interested.

Here is a link to the Connecticut State Tourism site - LINK It is a good place to check to see if any special programs are happening. I hope you enjoy your trip (except for the game results.)

 

[ursusminor]

The Old Saybrook shoreline is a little closer to Hartford, isn't it? Maybe not quite the same small-town New England that Mystic is, but a little easier to get to. There's a road that goes right on the shoreline - Rt. 156? - through Niantic I always liked, though much of the restaurants there might be open summers only. I don't know. I was a mostly a kid when I lived there, and I didn't pay that much attention beyond the best ice cream spots.

 

[Icebear]

The Griswold Inn is a wonderful and historical place to take in a meal and it is a short walk (a few blocks) down to the waterfront on the CT River where you might see a Bald Eagle. My wife and I eat there during the holiday season and have even stayed in the Bed and Breakfast.

http://www.griswoldinn.com

 

[Kibitzer]

My suggestion will take you out of Connecticut but deep in the heart of historical New England. About 45 minutes from Hartford (easy drive up I-84) is Sturbridge Village, an amazing live museum of life in NE circa 1830. Google "Sturbridge Village" and get all information about this masterpiece, including places to eat, shops, etc. And, YES, SV is open on Feb 17 and 18, as shown on their Web site.

Mrs. K and I will be at the game (handicapped section atop section 106. We will be staying at the Hilton across the street and dining there before the game. And convening with Boneyarders by Section 217 before the game and at halftime.

Hope to see you there. I'll have a crying towel for you.

 

[LesMis89]

If you're into airplanes, etc. the New England Air Museum is practically next to Bradley Airport. Open Cockpit Day is Feb. 17th and is quite wonderful. Link

Of course, the Basketball Hall of Fame is in Springfield, MA, about 30 minutes north of Bradley. Yankee Candle in South Deerfield, MA is something to be experienced. It's about an hour north of Bradley. Link

 

[vtcwbuff]

The Griswold Inn is a wonderful and historical place to take in a meal and it is a short walk (a few blocks) down to the waterfront on the CT River where you might see a Bald Eagle. My wife and I eat there during the holiday season and have even stayed in the Bed and Breakfast.

http://www.griswoldinn.com

Ice - We saw our first Bald Eagle east of the Mississippi from the Essex dock a couple of years ago. Last week we saw our second and third (a pair) circling directly over our house.

Anyway, Baylorprof, if you have time on the schedule I can certainly recommend both Mystic ( a bit touristy) and Stonington Borough for a visit. But if that's what you decide I suggest dressing warmly or you'll freeze your armadillos off.

 

[pap49cba]

My only suggestion would be bring a warm parka.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

The wife and I were frequent visitors to Connecticut over the years. Suggestions are good, the Mark Twain House was nice, Mystic and Sturbridge are both gems although I probably wouldn't visit either in the winter except for a Christmas program.

I know this sounds "odd" but if you like Mexican food, one of my wife's and my favorite mexican restaurants is Margarita's, with locations in both Mystic and also East Hartford. We have great Mexican here in Tucson - but Margarita's was superb.

And yes, it it appeals, I thought the Naismith Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass was enjoyable. We are mostly WBB fans and went because of Coach Stringer being in the hall, so the appeal was slightly less and we still enjoyed it.

 

[DaddyChoc]

stop by the casinos... and take the drive up to Gampel to see the banners, the doors are always open. check out the Wadsworth Museum

 

[Icebear]

Near Essex and the Griswold Inn is Gillette Castle. It is an interesting novelty and former home of actor William Gillette.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gillette_Castle_State_Park

 

[diggerfoot]

Welcome to CT!

Hope your visit will be a pleasant one in all respects, except one ;-p

We're northerners, Connecticut Yankees, at that. So, hospitality probably isn't our longest and strongest suit. At least not if we are to think stereotypically anyway.

Hartford is a bit of a trek from our shoreline, but here's a listing of seafood places in town:


http://www.zagat.com/lists/best-seafood-tops-connecticut-restaurants

If you have time, I'd recommend the Mark Twain House and its next door Harriet Beecher Stowe House as places to visit. The guided tour through the MT House is entertaining and informative.

Perhaps y'all (hard for me to write that phrase) should try the seafood restaurant before the game and save the trip to the Mark Twain House until afterwards. It might help take your mind off of what could be a disappointing outcome for you.

There, how's that for hospitality?

This reply faults our hospitality in a thread that features our hospitality. This irony reminds me of a curious insight from my walk across the country. The people we encountered were uniformly kind and hospitable across the country. No exceptions. However, people in the East viewed themselves as not being hospitable, even as they were inviting us into their homes. My hypothesis about this, with a fair amount of experiential evidence behind it, is that many people in the megalopolis corridor live more hurried lives, which is a detriment to hospitality. If you encounter people outside their hurried lifestyles they are hospitable no matter where they are from.

Kirk Sinclair
Hiking Humanitarian
Norfolk, CT

 

[pinotbear]

..the way it's lookin'?..bring a shovel!

 

[Kibitzer]

..the way it's lookin'?..bring a shovel!

Regardless of the weather conditions. when you come The Game, and IF you convene with the Boneyarders (hallway, behind Section 117) while there, you should definitely bring a shovel!

 

[Icebear]

Regardless of the weather conditions. when you come The Game, and IF you convene with the Boneyarders (hallway, behind Section 117) while there, you should definitely bring a shovel!

There will be plenty of shovels there and they will be used to pile it high and wide.

 

[FairView]

I actually stood by the Boneyarders at the Villanova game and didn't have the nerve to break into the conversation. I concentrated on my overly salty pretzel and listened.

 

[RadyLady]

I actually stood by the Boneyarders at the Villanova game and didn't have the nerve to break into the conversation. I concentrated on my overly salty pretzel and listened.

Awwww c"mon...they don't bite...well, not all of them anyway. Be fearless and speak up next time!

Sent from my SGH-T769 using Tapatalk 2

 

[ed4ourgirls]

If you are interested in Art museums, the Wadsworth Atheneum in downtown
Hartford has a very nice collection. If you want to drive down to New Haven,
the Yale art museum has a lot of nice things as does the Museum of British Art
across the street (both free!). Also the Museum of American Art in New Britain
(a short drive from Hartford) is well worth a visit. Google any of these for details.