On the western shore of Candlewood Lake, Squantz Pond State Park is popular with leaf-peepers, who come to amble the pretty shoreline (for free, from October to April). In the summer, though, it's swimmers, fishers and hikers who come to enjoy the waters, and the trails through the woods which slope down to the clear blue lake.
Squantz Pond State Park
Connecticut
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
25.08 MILES
Inspired by Mies van der Rohe, this icon of mid-century modern architecture was the home of late Pritzker Prize–winner Philip Johnson and his art…
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26.45 MILES
The 300,000-sq-ft former Nabisco box-printing factory beside the Hudson River is now a storehouse for a series of stunning monumental works by the likes…
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26.14 MILES
The Westport Arts Center is right on the river and has a busy schedule of changing exhibits, kids' classes and performances.
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29.85 MILES
Rangers lead interesting hour-long tours around Springwood, the home of Franklin D Roosevelt (FDR) who won a record four presidential elections and led…
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27.08 MILES
Whether or not you choose to take a campus tour of the historic US military academy, this museum, which traces the role of war and the military throughout…
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19.88 MILES
Nestled in the White Hills of Shelton you'll find the 150-year-old, 400-acre Jones Family Farm, home of one of the premier wineries in the state. Aside…
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28.4 MILES
This aquarium focuses on the marine life of Long Island Sound, including sand tiger sharks, loggerhead turtles and harbor seals, with daily feedings at 11…
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Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum
27.79 MILES
This is one of the best surviving Second Empire–style country houses in the nation, so it's no wonder the 62-room mansion was chosen as the set for the…
Nearby Connecticut attractions
5.39 MILES
Stop in at White Silo Farm winery for a tasting of specialty wines made from farm-grown fruit. Lisa and Eric also host local art showings and quarterly…
14.82 MILES
On the northern shore of Lake Waramaug, Hopkins Vineyard produces eminently drinkable wines from predominantly French American hybrid grapes. Come for…
3. Connecticut Industrial Museum
15.77 MILES
Kids love this hands-on outdoor free-for-all cared for by the Connecticut Antique Machinery Association, with all manner of steam-powered locomotives,…
15.81 MILES
Traditional, though quirky, Sloane-Stanley Museum is a barn full of early American tools and implements – some dating from the 17th century – lovingly…
5. Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum
16.09 MILES
Swing into the parking lot of this spotless white clapboard mansion, which was once the town store and is now a brilliant contemporary gallery…
16.17 MILES
The best swimming in the Litchfield Hills is at this state park, 3.5 miles west of Bantam. The not-even-1-mile 'tower trail' leads to the stone Mt Tom…
7. Bellamy-Ferriday House & Garden
16.57 MILES
The town’s religious history extends to the founding of the first theological seminary in the USA by local resident Reverend Joseph Bellamy. His home, the…
17.59 MILES
This wooded oasis 2 miles north of Kent offers over 80 miles of hiking trails which crest the rocky ridges of Cobble Mountain, affording panoramic views…