1. Coast Guard Academy
City: New London, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (800) 883-8724
Address: 31 Mohegan Ave.
Description: Founded in 1876 as a training ground for the US Coast Guard, the 100-acre campus above the Thames River has a museum and visitor center for us to visit. The tours are free and self-guided, and there’s a multimedia show on cadet life. The training barque Eagle is often in port as well, and is usually available Fri through Sun from noon to 5 p.m. Fri in the fall, full dress reviews take place at 4 p.m., also a sight to behold. The Coast Guard has fought in all the American wars since they were founded, and operated the landing craft at Normandy beaches during World War II. Though this branch of the armed forces mostly responds to search-and-rescue calls and keep our waters free of drug smugglers, they are a vital part of the nation’s security.
City: New London, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 90 Walbach St.
City: New London, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
City: New London, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 325 Pequot Ave.
City: New London, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 11 Blinman St.
6. Lyman Allyn Art Museum
City: New London, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (860) 443-2545
Address: 625 Williams St.
Description: Part of the Connecticut Art Trail, but somehow ignored by many travelers, the Lyman Allyn is next to the Coast Guard Academy, and along with Indian artifacts, dollhouses, toys, and classical European artifacts, has a great collection of American art. You can follow the development of American silver, glass, porcelain, furniture, and paintings as the museum takes you through the various art forms using their impressive collection. You can also see the 19th-century mansion, home to whaling captain Lyman Allyn, and tour the first floor. The display of dollhouses in the house is only a small portion of the museum’s impressive collection. Your children will enjoy climbing on the sculptures (apparently allowed) out in front of the museum.
City: New London, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 98 Neptune Ave.
8. Garde Arts Center
City: New London, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (860) 444-7373
Address: 325 State St.
Description: This was once a 1926 movie palace. Yes, palace, because theater is too small a word for the impressive, gilded luxuriousness that has been restored (at the price of $19 million) to both reflect this glorious past and also allow for modern performing arts of all sorts. As you walk through the grand entrance, you’ll find three floors of Moroccan-style lobbies. Sit in the plush seats and enjoy Broadway plays, comedy shows, popular musical performers, classical concerts, and dance exhibitions. Along with live performances, you can also watch classic films on the big screen here, and be taken back to the golden age of Hollywood, right in one of the movie palaces where it flourished almost a century ago.
City: New London, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 35 Water St.
10. Sailfest
City: New London, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (860) 444-1879
Address: 124 State St.
Description: Every year in July, this 3-day festival brings thousands of people into downtown New London. There’s a road race, fireworks, a lobster dinner, fine arts and crafts vendors, cruises in the harbor, a beer tent, food vendors, and a temporary amusement park for the kids, and all the local historical houses and museums are open. There are also 3 stages set up in different areas of town, with different performances at each—oh, and, of course, the sails that give the festival its name, a tall ship or two to tour on the docks downtown. This is a great way to celebrate Connecticut’s (and especially its most important port’s) relationship with the sea.