Shannon O'Brien Travel Itineraries

The best destinations

Aerial view of Gillette Castle and grounds in Gillette Castle State Park in Connecticut
Aerial view of Gillette Castle and grounds in Gillette Castle State Park in Connecticut

The Best of Connecticut

#71 best destination in the world

Map view

Gillette Castle State Park, East Haddam

Aerial view of Gillette Castle and grounds in Gillette Castle State Park in Connecticut
  • Gillette Castle State Park features a unique stone mansion known as Gillette Castle, which was built between 1914 and 1919 by actor William Gillette, famous for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes
  • The castle, originally named "Seventh Sister," resembles a medieval fortress and includes 24 rooms
  • The park offers various recreational activities such as hiking along trails, enjoying scenic views of the river, and exploring the castle itself

Mark Twain House, Hartford

HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT - AUGUST 17, 2013: The Mark Twain House and Museum. It was the home of Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens) from 1874 to 1891.
  • The Mark Twain House & Museum is located in Hartford, and was the residence of the famous author Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, and his family from 1874 to 1891
  • The 25-room Victorian home is where Twain wrote some of his most notable works, including The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
  • The house features unique architecture and hand-stenciled wall designs, reflecting the style of the period

Mystic Seaport

Mystic, Connecticut, United States: May 18th, 2019: Mystic Seaport Museum in Connecticut, it is the largest maritime museum in United States
  • Mystic Seaport is a prominent maritime museum located in Mystic, and is recognized as the largest maritime museum in the United States
  • Founded in 1929, the museum features a historic village, a working shipyard, and a marina, along with various exhibits that showcase the maritime heritage of the region
  • Mystic itself has a long history as a significant shipbuilding center, with over 600 vessels constructed there from the 1600s onwards

Olde Mistick Village, Mystic

MYSTIC, CT - FEB 18: Olde Mistick Village in Mystic, Connecticut, as seen on Feb 18, 2017. The village houses a unique collection of specialty shoppes and restaurants.
  • Olde Mistick Village is a shopping and dining destination located in Mystic
  • Designed to resemble an 18th-century New England village, it features over 50 shops and eateries housed in distinctive buildings that evoke the architecture of the Colonial era
NEW HAVEN CT - FEB 4: Yale Center for British Art at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, as seen on Feb 4, 2023.
  • The Yale University Art Gallery, located in New Haven, is the oldest college art museum in America, founded in 1832
  • The gallery houses an extensive collection of nearly 300,000 objects, making it one of the largest art museums in the country

Wadsworth Falls Loop, Wadsworth Falls State Park

Wadsworth Falls in Middletown, Connecticut U.S.A.

Walk difficulty: easy

  • Wadsworth Falls Loop is a scenic trail located in Wadsworth Falls State Park, near Middletown
  • It offers views of the park's namesake falls, which are situated along the Coginchaug River

#5 in Best Easy Hikes in the USA