View of Long Island Sound and the harbor; bird sanctuary, nature trails, picnic facilities. East Rock was formed about 200 million years ago as the continents were in the process of moving away from each other. Molten rock from deep in the earth surged through stress cracks formed in the sandstone bedrock of the New Haven area. The molten rock cooled to form dolerite, also know as basalt or traprock. Dolerite is much more resistant to erosion than the surrounding sandstone. As glacial action and the forces of weathering eroded away the softer sandstone, East Rock (and other traprock ridges

When 3,000 British invaded New Haven in 1779, 19 patriots defended the site preventing them a direct route to downtown, forcing them to land at Lighthouse Point and West Haven to face a 5 mile long fight to downtown. Tour time: 2 hours Other amenities: Parking

The library is one of the world's largest libraries devoted entirely to rare books and manuscripts and is Yale's repository for literary archives, early manuscripts, and rare books. The robost collections are used to created new scholarship by researchers from around the world. It contains a Gutenberg Bible, original Audubon bird prints, changing exhibits. Unusual 1963 building features translucent marble "windows" and sunken sculpture garden. The library reopened in September 2016 after an extensive renovation. Tour time: 30 minutes to 2 hours

Incorporated as a not-for-profit in 1922, Silvermine has exemplified excellence in art and arts education. Our five-acre campus encompasses an award-winning School of Art; a nationally renowned Guild of over 300 professional artists; a complex of five galleries presenting exhibitions by emerging and established contemporary artists; a permanent collection of original prints; and an outdoor Sculpture Walk that blends art and nature. Our educational mission extends beyond our campus. Our extensive Educational Outreach Programs provide curriculum-based arts education to over 1500 children in

On 40 acres, the Center offers two miles of easy-to-walk trails criss-crossing meadows and woodlands. Stroll across a 350-foot boardwalk through a cattail marsh, explore two ponds and survey the treetops from an observation tower. Gardeners in the family will enjoy browsing in the perennial, herb, and wildflower gardens as well as an impressive greenhouse filled with exotic tropicals. Birds and butterflies abound, thanks to an unusually diverse collection of habitats. Meet birds of prey, furry mammals, reptiles and amphibians. Discover how cider is made in autumn or maple sugar during the

Founded in 1889, the New Canaan Museum & Historical Society is the oldest historical society (along with Westport) in Fairfield County. Our mission focuses on preservation, modernism, education and community. Through exhibits, programs, library services and events, we celebrate history and explore its role in shaping the future. Our sprawling campus includes the Town House (1825), Cody Pharmacy (1845), Hanford-Silliman House (c. 1764), the Rock School (1799), the Landmark John Rogers Sculpture Studio (1878), and Tool Museum and Print Shop. Other historic buildings are Connecticut’s last one

The Youth Museum offers programs for children and families as well as hands on exhibits, interactive play areas and a small outdoor area with picnic tables. Tour time: 30 minutes

The New Britain Museum of American Art is the first institution dedicated to solely acquiring American art. Spanning four centuries of American history, the Museum’s permanent collection is renowned for its strengths in colonial portraiture, the Hudson River School, American Impressionism, the Ash Can School, as well as the important mural series The Arts of Life in America by Thomas Hart Benton. The singular focus on American art and its panoramic view of American artistic achievement, realized through the Museum’s extensive permanent collection, exhibitions, and educational programming, make

Offers planetarium shows and public observing of the night sky (weather permitting). Tour time: 1.5 hours

Come, spend a relaxing day in Olde Mistick Village. Stroll the beautiful paved walkways and enjoy shopping in distinctive buildings designed to represent a New England Village of about 1720. In the Village, we have picturesque settings of flowers, trees, and duck ponds that surround you as you stroll, relax, and unwind. Our shopkeepers pride themselves on offering you some of the most interesting and unique items from Mystic and around the world. Feeling hungry? Olde Mistick Village is home to some of Mystic’s best restaurants. Our Village is also home to a multi theatre arts and movie cinema