Hartford, CT is an amazing place to visit if you like beautiful art, interesting architecture, historic homes and natural gardens and parks! There is a lot to see in Hartford, but a weekend is the perfect amount of time to spend in Hartford and get a sense of everything the city has to offer. If you are planning a weekend getaway, here are my recommendations for what to see on a weekend trip to Hartford, Connecticut.
Wadsworth Atheneum
The Wadsworth Atheneum is an art museum in downtown Hartford. It opened in 1844 and is the oldest continuously-operating public art museum in the US. The museum features art from almost every major art period and from masters like Salvador Dali, Peter Paul Rubens, Jackson Pollock, Georgia O’Keefe, Henri Matisse, Marc Chagall and Vincent Van Gogh. Wadsworth Atheneum has a collection of over 50,000 works and I spent hours walking around the museum and marveling all of its unique pieces. My favorite part of the museum was Morgan Great Hall (see a virtual tour of the space here), which displays European and American paintings from the 16th to 19th centuries hung salon-style. The Morgan Great Hall is within the Morgan Memorial Building of the museum and was named for financier and Hartford native J.P. Morgan, who originally funded the construction of the Morgan Memorial Building in honor of his father.
Connecticut State Capitol and Bushnell Park
Hartford is the capitol city of Connecticut and you can see the State Capitol building in downtown Hartford (just a ten minute walk from Wadsworth Atheneum). The State Capitol building is an immense marble and granite structure with a distinctive gold-colored dome. Tours of the interior are available, but only offered on weekdays. The State Capitol building is surrounded by Bushnell Park, which is the oldest publicly funded park in the US. Bushnell Park has many interesting features including a 1914 Carousel that you can ride most weekends for $2 and an epic arch honoring the Hartford soldiers and sailors who served in the Civil War.
The Mark Twain House & Museum
At the Mark Twain House and Museum, you will have the opportunity to see the home of celebrated American author Mark Twain. Twain lived in this Hartford home for almost 20 years. He lived in this home when he wrote some of his most popular novels including “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” and “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court.” The site offers guided tours of the house where you can learn more about Twain and his time in Hartford. You can also tour the museum on site. The museum contains many interesting artifacts including first editions of Twain’s novels and features a short documentary by Ken Burns.
Harriet Beecher Stowe Center
Did you know that Mark Twain lived right next door to another famous author?! During his time in Hartford, Twain lived next door to Harriet Beecher Stowe and the two were friends. Harriet Beecher Stowe is the famed author of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” and she is often recognized for the impact her novel had on the anti-slavery movement.
If you are visiting the Mark Twain House and Museum, you should also check out the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center. The Center offers guided tours of the home where Stowe lived during the final years of her life. The tours focus on Stowe’s life, the impact of her novel and why the novel is still relevant today. Although the architecture of this home may not be as striking as the Mark Twain House, I found the tour of Harriet Beecher Stowe Center to be more engaging. This is not something to skip in Harford!
Elizabeth Park Conservancy
Elizabeth Park Conservancy is a beautiful public park in downtown Harford. The Conservancy spans over 100 acres and consists of gardens, ponds, bridges, greenhouses and walking paths. It is well known for its Rose Garden, which is the third largest rose garden in the US today. The Elizabeth Park Conservancy is a great place to have a picnic or take a stroll. It is free to visit and is open from sunrise to sunset everyday of the year.
Saville Dam
My last recommendation is the Saville Dam. The Saville Dam is a bit outside the city, but is well worth the drive! The Saville Dam contains the Barkhamstead Reservoir, which is the primary source of water for the city of Hartford. The Dam is surrounded by breathtaking hills and forests. However, the main reason for visiting the Saville Dam to see the picturesque stone tower that is the focal point of the dam. This tower is one of the most photographed sites in Connecticut and is a one-of-a-kind sight. There is ample public parking on each side of the dam so that you can park and walk along the dam. It is just a short walk from the parking lot to the stone tower.
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