Bold Adventure

Lovers of outdoor adventure sports will really fall for this historic old brownstone quarry by the Connecticut River. Offers rock climbing, cliff jumping, wakeboarding, kayaking, scuba diving and more. This summer brings the addition of new zip lines, so there'll be shorter waits for that ultimate crash-into-the-water thrill.

Billed as “Connecticut's first aerial adventure park,” traverse a network of platforms, walkways and zip lines ranging in difficulty from beginner to expert. In all, there are 11 “trails” through the trees, ensuring a different adventure each time out. And for something really special, try night climbing and zip lining until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Zipping among the strings of lights can feel quite magical.

Although it's most widely known for its three roller coasters (the Boulder Dash having been named the No. 1 wooden coaster in the world), the ever-expanding water park at Crocodile Cove is now officially giving the coasters a run for their money. New kid on the block is the Dino Expedition, a prehistoric-themed area featuring fossil digs and pathways through a forest filled with lifelike dinosaurs.

Get ready to get wet - whether you make a splash in Saturation Station (a kind of watery jungle gym) or relax on the pedal boats that ply the lake waters. On land, there's the classic Wooden Warrior roller coaster and the new FRANTIC, recently named one of the best new thrill rides in America.

Head for the seashore with this sandy beach front park and impressive menu of things to do. The 50-acre park offers an Olympic-sized freshwater pool, miniature golf, a carousel, rides and a full schedule of summer events. There's even a new nature walk and observation deck for viewing shore birds in their natural habitat.