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If ever you wanted to travel back in time, now is your chance. As one of America’s oldest states, Connecticut has a deep and fascinating history. Explore the lives of past inventors, war heroes, authors, poets and key leaders in African American history (to name only a few) – no time machine necessary! 
Lights of the World
Connecticut lighthouses have beckoned to travelers for centuries. This summer, it is your turn to answer the call. Throughout the summer, board the Norwalk Seaport Association’s 42-foot G.W. Tyler ferry for a cruise to Sheffield Island. Tour the lighthouse, observe wildlife in their natural habitat, hunt for shells along the beach, dine on a picnic lunch, play on the lawns around the lighthouse and just have a good time. The lighthouse tower provides magnificent views of Long Island Sound and, on a clear day, of the New York City skyline. Go on a three-hour adventure along Long Island Sound aboard Captain John’s Sunbeam Fleet in Waterford to view lighthouses abound. Keep an eye out and you just might get lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the local harbor seals. The Old Lighthouse Museum in Stonington is the first government operated lighthouse in Connecticut since 1823. Head to the museum to explore changing and permanent exhibits including maritime artifacts and Oriental trade. View the restored Black Rock Lighthouse and the Penfield Lighthouse on a guided one-hour tour aboard the 40-foot Navy Launch Chief. Tours depart from Captain’s Cove Seaport in Bridgeport.
Experience the beautiful lower Connecticut River aboard RiverQuest. Departing from Main Street in Essex, relaxing public tours glide past magnificent homes, landscapes, Gillette Castle, wildlife and lighthouses. Take a ride and learn about the area’s history and nature. For an up-close and personal tour of western Long Island Sound's prized lighthouses, travel aboard Sound Navigation’s Seaport Express. Lighthouses you will see include: Greens Ledge Light, Peck Ledge Light, Sheffield Island Light, Great Captain Island Light, Stamford Harbor Light, Eaton's Neck Light and the Huntington Harbor Lighthouse. The 37-foot twin diesel-powered vessel departs from Rowayton on Sundays at 10 a.m.
Historic Houses
Explore the historic homes throughout the state and catch a glimpse of the lives of well-known individuals who once called Connecticut home. One of America’s most famous residences is now open to the public. Tours of Phillip Johnson’s Glass House in New Canaan, where the architect lived for more than a half-century, provide fascinating insight into the man and his unique style. Roseland Cottage, a gem of Connecticut’s Quiet Corner in Woodstock, was once the Gothic Revival summer home of Henry Bowen. These days, the house, grounds, parterre garden and carriage barn with indoor bowling alley (where U.S. presidents once played) are all open to the public. In summer, bring a picnic to enjoy on the lawn after your tour is over. Connecticut’s most extraordinary citizen, Samuel Clemens, aka Mark Twain, lived in one of the state’s most extraordinary houses – now known as the Mark Twain House. It is where he wrote The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer, among many other American classics. Be sure to explore the house, the adjoining museum and the life of Clemens, his family and friends during your visit to Hartford.
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Hands-On History
Rather than observe history, why not participate in the past? Museums and attractions throughout Connecticut offer the opportunity to learn an array of old-fashioned skills. The Henry Whitfield Museum in Guilford is New England’s oldest stone house and features 17th- to 19th-century furnishings and objects. The visitor center’s changing exhibits regularly feature hands-on activities, such as model building and a shipwreck story listening station. During the museum’s scheduled programs, visitors can participate in activities like craft-making, games and cooking over an outdoor fire. The Nathan Hale Homestead in Coventry is the family home of Revolutionary War hero Nathan Hale, famous for his last words: “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” The 1776 house operates as a museum today, where visitors can learn about Hale’s life through educational programs and living history events, such as seasonal open hearth cooking classes in the recently reconstructed kitchen. Contact the museum for a schedule of upcoming cooking demonstrations and other hands-on events. At Mystic Seaport, visitors can watch Connecticut’s maritime history in action. Learn about the lost art of wooden shipbuilding in the Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard. Witness skilled craftspeople working in a historic carpenter’s shop, metalworking shop, lumber shed and sawmill. In the Discovery Barn, parents and children age 8 and up can participate in interactive computer exhibits, furl a sail and learn to tie sailor’s knot, while younger children can swab the deck, move cargo, cook in the galley and dress in sailors’ clothing in the Children’s Museum. The Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum in Wethersfield consists of three Colonial homes of historic significance. Tours through the homes reveal furnishings, décor, costumes and artifacts of the period, as well as the room at the Webb house where General George Washington slept in 1781. The museum also hosts numerous programs throughout the year, including children’s workshops around living the life of a Revolutionary War soldier, Colonial toy-making and gardens of the period. For adults, the museum offers various lectures, cooking demonstrations, quilt-making programs and weekly gardening groups in the museum’s Colonial revival garden.
Connecticut River Rambles
Witness the beauty and history of the Connecticut River and the Lower Connecticut River Valley by land or by sea. Located in Essex, the Connecticut River Museum celebrates the cultural and natural heritage of the river. View photos and artwork depicting the river’s history, shipbuilding tools, navigational equipment, boat models and the only working, full-scale model of the American Turtle (1776), the world’s first submarine. Climb aboard the RiverQuest, a 54-foot vessel, for a nautical tour of the historic waterway. Learn about the area listed by the Nature Conservancy as “one of the last great places,” and observe the flora and fauna of the area. If you haven’t developed your “sea legs” yet, view the peaceful meadows, forests, streams and bridges of the Lower Connecticut River Valley from a restored railroad car aboard the Essex Steam Train. At Deep River Landing, passengers can switch to a multi-tiered replica steamboat for a cruise on the river and a spectacular look at the Goodspeed Opera House. Built in 1876 by businessman William Goodspeed, the Victorian structure now serves as a venue for live musical performances. Also worth the boat ride is a view of Gillette Castle. This unique stone castle was home to actor William Gillette, famous for his on-stage portrayal of Sherlock Holmes, from 1914 to 1919. Learn about the state’s maritime history – and domestic and agricultural life in one of Connecticut’s oldest settlements – at the Pratt House Museum/Essex Historical Society. The museum houses furnishings from the 17th to 19th centuries, a restored herb garden and iron work. The barn at the rear of the house features exhibits on Essex’s history, including a permanent collection of tools and products of the local ivory industry.
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