1. Noah Webster House
City: West Hartford, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (860) 521-5362
Address: 227 S. Main St.
Description: In 1828 New Haven and West Hartford resident Noah Webster published his dictionary, expanding and defining the new American English language, and inspiring people like Frederick Douglas and Emily Dickinson. His popular blue-backed “speller” went through 385 editions in his lifetime alone, and was used by five generations of American children. Today his house in West Hartford is restored, and tour guides in colonial garb will take you through the history of America. This is also the home of the West Hartford Historical Society, and there is an exhibit detailing the remarkable record of the town. There are many historical societies in the state, but few are lucky enough to have their home base also be the home of one of the most important men in American history.
2. West Hartford Reservoirs
City: West Hartford, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (860) 278-7850
Address: 1420 Farmington Ave. (Route 4)
Description: This is a great little mountain-biking area just off of Route 4 (Farmington Avenue), minutes away from Hartford center. Park at the MDC water treatment plant and start exploring. There are dikes over meadows in between the reservoirs, and wooded trails along the base of the Metacomet Ridge, making for fun and variable riding. The area contains over 30 miles of trails, mostly wooded roads. Make sure to download a trail map from the website, although there are large detailed maps posted along the trails here and there. You can hike here, too, and just north of Route 9 at Reservoir 6, the trails around the water become walking only. In fact, you can hike up to Heublein Tower on Talcott Mountain here, the long way, if you like.
3. Children’S Museum Of West Hartford
City: West Hartford, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (860) 231-2824
Address: 950 Trout Brook Dr.
Description: The whale out front will welcome you to this long-running children’s museum, and the full-scale model inside is still fun to walk through. There are changing and permanent exhibits, all interactive, from the Kid’s Corner, where you learn about sound, light, and touch, to the Excavation Station, where you “study” earth science. The Travelers Science Dome has a digital projection system, where you can learn about the galaxy or just watch laser light shows. There’s a toddler area and a LEGO racetrack. Outside the museum is a wildlife sanctuary, where you can explore birds, mammals, and reptiles from around the world, mostly confiscated illegal pets, injured animals, and unwanted pets, from alligators to bobcats.
City: West Hartford, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 139 N. Main St.