I'd like to start by noting the Alsop Meadow is a quiet gem, tucked away off Waterville Road and on…read moreNassau Way in Avon. I have known of this Meadow since the 1980's. I actually lived in the original Alsop homestead on Nod Road with 8 other house mates (32.5 rooms, including 5.5 bathrooms) from 1984-86. The Alsop family was & still well known in Avon and its connection to Uncle Teddy, yes, that former President Teddy! The Alsop Meadow is a gifted land trust to the Town of Avon. The land trust features a Farmington River side trail, a peaceful short wooded walk ending at Private Property, which is very clearly marked. An open frisbee golf course starts near the gateway to the Meadow and winds through the trees and the open meadow. A plot of Community gardens are located on the North edge of the Meadow. The gardens also provide a great pollen source for bees and butterflies. A port-a-potty is available and is maintained by the Town of Avon and its lessor. Located near the Canoe launch, placard noting the Alsop's generous gift, and an information board showing the Farmington River trail. If you bring a pup, leashes are required, you're also required to pick-up and carry out their waste. Despite that small sacrifice Alsop Meadow is worth visiting and bring a few frisbees!

Alsop Meadows is a 56.20-acre park located in the Town of Avon. The entrance is behind the Raymour…read more& Flannigan furniture store. The dirt road going into it is very narrow and can only fit one car, certain spots there is a spot to pull off to let other vehicles go. There is a decent sized parking area and a porta potty. A couple of small trails lead to the Farmington River. This is where people take their canoes and kayaks out. I walked on the dirt road through the gates and on the left, there was a community garden. The scent was lovely; ripe vine tomatoes was what I smelled. The rest of the landscape consisted of woods and meadows; there was someone mowing the large, flat, open space when I was there. Around the garden, you won't be able to see the river in the spring and summer, but I'm sure in the late fall and winter, the views and access to the river is great. The park is open from dawn to dusk, daily. The recreational activities include, jogging, walking, hiking, cross-country skiing, and camping. For camping, permission is needed from the Town of Avon. I walked to the end of the dirt road and back; it was a short walk but peaceful nonetheless. I do recommend wearing sunscreen and a hat because there is minimal shade; bug spray too because the mosquitoes were rampant. I saw other people walking their dog and others enjoying the river side. A peaceful spot; however, if you want a longer walk/hike, this doesn't have it unless you walk back and forth a few times.

The parking lot and entrance for Nepaug State Forest is 3.1 miles from the point where route 202…read moreand route 44 merges in Canton. This forest is not to be confused with the Nepaug Dam & Reservoir Trail. The parking lot was spacious but can be easily missed because the sign is small; I saw one handicap spot near the trail entrance. There are multiple trails in this forest. Other activities besides hiking include biking, camping, fishing, cross-country skiing, letterboxing, and hunting. The Tunxis Trail is a blue blazed hiking trail. The blue trail was wide and flat with a slight incline. I enjoyed the easy hike through the forest. It was serene and peaceful; there were a few vehicles in the parking lot but I didn't see anyone on the trail. Based on the AllTrails app, it is a 1.7-mile loop trail and rated at moderate. I saw some people walking in with their dogs when I was leaving. It appears to be a popular spot for dog walking and mountain biking. Overall, a quiet trail if you're looking for some solitude and fresh air.

Love this park. Lots of trail options with challenging hills. Excellent workout, it's our go to if…read morewe want to skip the gym and get out in nature.

We've been to Fisher Meadows a couple of times, sometimes to enjoy the quiet and calm, other times…read moreto enjoy the golden hour, and once to enjoy a warm cup of masala chai surrounded by nature. It is a great spot to witness the magic of different New England seasons.

This recreation center is on 250.45 acres and is open year-round from dawn to dusk. There is a…read moredecent-sized gravel parking lot with a small playground with swings, picnic tables, and a pullup bar. There are two entrances to the trails by this parking lot and playground. I saw a huge field that is used for soccer. On the lake, you can fish and use non motorized boats; a boat launch is available. This recreation area is suitable for walking, jogging, hiking, cross-country skiing, biking, canoeing, bird watching, picnicing, and camping; for camping, you need to get permission from the Town of Avon. I walked the red trail then got off that trail halfway and walked by the well pump building; this brought me back to the parking lot. That walk was about 2.54 miles because I didn't want to do the bigger loop. On the AllTrails app, there are two trails in the park; Spring Lake and Fisher Meadows Loops. The walk was easy but there were some flooded and muddy areas. I have a feeling it is buggy in the summer but on this fine sunny March day, it was very pleasant except for getting my sneakers wet. Overall, a great space to enjoy the great outdoors.

Super fun summer activity. Called the number on their website in the morning to check hours of…read moreoperation. It was an automated message with clear instructions. Arrival, parking, paying, and the waiver process was easy. For $30, I had a lot of fun and thought it was worth it. Sort of want to buy my own tube and life vest for the future

When I wake up early in the morning Lift my head, I'm still…read moreyawning When I'm in the middle of a dream Stay in bed, float up stream (Lennon / McCartney) I wonder how many cars cruising up Route 44 have screeched to a halt when they see a bizarre sign proclaiming they have entered Satan's Kingdom! So what exactly is Satan's Kingdom?  Well, it's  a one acre state operated public recreation area on the Farmington River used for hiking, canoeing, kayaking, and tubing down the river's three sets of rapids courtesy of Farmington River Tubing. Where did that devilish name come from? I read that construction of a nearby railroad in the 1870's proved so difficult the railroad workers named it "Satan's Kingdom" In 2012 the recreation area gained Connecticut State Park status. We walked along the deserted grounds (tubing is closed for the season) and saw some very nice scenery and river views, Not one devil in sight.

Beautiful place! Trails are amazing. If you pay to go inside the money goes to support wildlife. We…read morehad an excellent afternoon hiking and playing in the brook.

We went on a Monday but the nature center was closed. This was fine because I wanted to walk on the…read morered trail (Werner Pond Trail); this trail is half a mile long and it's flat. The walk was very easy with some roots and rocks. There were views of the brook which was peaceful and the sound of flowing water was lovely. There were information cards everywhere detailing which wildlife lived in these woods. There were a couple of small bridges; one was on concrete and fenced in. We also walked over to the butterfly garden. They did a great job with maintaining this land. I can't wait to go back to check out the nature center and the other trails. Since it's early spring, there were no vegetation; I'm sure in the summer this place gets super lush greenery. They also offer many programs and activities; The Children's Museum in West Hartford is also affiliated with them.

I came here for a birthday party and it was the first time visiting this farm. It is pretty cute…read moreand the birthday party was held in a small building with its own kitchen. The kids had fun feeding the farm animals. I will have to admit I had fun too. There are all sorts of farm animals, such as chickens, cats, dogs, goats, horses, bunnies, pigs and more. I am a cat person and I enjoy looking for the barn cats. The place is pretty clean for a farm and the kids enjoy the tractor ride. All the employees were nice and friendly. If you're planning a fun kids party, this is a great place for them.

You can't miss the iconic large red barn that has the word EGGS, but backwards on it. Flamig Farm…read morehas been in existence since 1907; located in West Simsbury. First visit, I got there around 4:40 and they were closing at 5; it was a short trip because I just wanted to get some eggs. The employee said they were closing soon and so was the petting zoo when I first walked in; I mentioned I was going to be quick and just wanted to get some eggs. I didn't know they had a petting zoo so I made a plan to go back again another time. The store was your typical farm stand, they had eggs, honey, cookies, apparel, and various of other knick knacks. They were having a sale, buy one dozens eggs ($7) and get one dozen free. The chickens were laying too many eggs and they wanted to get rid of as many as possible. The second time, I got in earlier in the day and purchased petting zoo tickets; $8 per person over 2 years old/under 80 years old and for an additional $2, you can purchase feed. I highly recommend getting the feed, the animals loved it. The petting zoo was bigger than I thought. There's even a playground with benches and picnic tables. The place seemed clean and the animals seem well taken care of. We saw pigs, llamas (my favorite), sheep, goats, alpacas, peacocks, cows, ponies (another favorite), donkeys, bunnies, chickens, and a black cat.Inside the shop, there were baby chicks, birds, and guinea pigs. There were signs explaining what type of animals, facts, and their story/names throughout. They also offer pony and tractor rides for an additional fee. There's a huge pavilion with picnic tables; you can bring your own food in. Also, there is an Airbnb onsite and people book their weddings there. There are many events hosted there as well; children programs and summer camps are popular ones. My kids and I had a blast petting and feeding the animals. I highly recommend!

Avon Golf Club is a beautiful course with welcoming staff. It was a great venue for a charity golf…read moretournament and auction that we recently attended. The greens are well-kept and the views are just gorgeous. I could sit out on their clubhouse patio for hours. Perfect sun amount.

As a member, there's so much to love about this place. The course is terrific. In great shape and…read morewith 27 holes there are fun challenges for all skill levels. And families are a big focus with even family tees set up too. But the restaurant has seen the biggest Changes with a massive renovation two years ago and a new Chef. He's completely updated the menu with modern faves like poke and pad Thai along with updates to a meatloaf Parmesan and PEI mussels. Service is top notch as well. If you ever get to go as a guest, totally worth it. Being a member makes it even better if you can swing it.

This is a facility that adds no resources to maintenance or upkeep. Its the equivalent of a 40 year…read moreold bowling alley. The courts are made of a plastic compound and continuously sweat. This leaves condensation on the floors and players are constantly slipping and falling. Its extremely dangerous. The facility is degrading. From the courts to the general facilities. Its just a matter of taking money out and putting limited funds back in.

I enrolled my 6 year old daughter who is in grade I in the 7th session of the 2025 edition of…read moresummer camps at Northstars. The exact dates were July 28 - July 31, 2025. I enrolled my daughter because the website said "Age 1st-8th Grade" and because the description on the website also said :   "Katie DaCosta will be conducting a fundamental camp where campers will be taught the breakdown of the game of basketball and each athlete will learn the fundamentals that they will need to take their game to the next level. Each athlete will leave our camp having gained dribbling, defensive, shooting mechanics, and so much more." Before enrolling my daughter I wanted to double check with the coaching staff whether they accepted complete beginners to their camps. I sent an email to the email address given, left a voice message for voice message on Katie's phone and even sent her a WhatsApp message but received no reply. Even though I didn't get any reply I decided to take my daughter to the camp because she was so excited to learn to play basketball. I double checked with Katie in person whether they accepted complete beginners into the camp. Katie was concerned about her size but after the first session she said she was felt she could handle it. The camp was divided into 2 groups, either by age or by playing level. I was not sure because my daughter was the youngest, and also the least skilled. She had never played before and small in stature even for her age. Katie's involvement with the little kids was extremely little. She spent most of her time with the older more competent kids. In ten days, she would have spent 10 minutes at most with my daughter. There was another coach in charge of the little kids, I believe his name was Brady. Referring to coach Brady on the first day, Katie said "he is great with kids". Coach Brady could be a good basketball player but it was really evident he really didn't want to be out there working with little kids. Either that or he hadn't a clue on how to work with little kids. I assume he was a high school or college basketball player just doing some summer coaching to make some extra money but with little or no motivation to help the player improve. Brady was constantly yawning, often hung out by the side of the ring and just watched while the kids played. Often his eyes were on the other court where the older /more advanced kids played and not on the kids he was in charge of. His energy levels were extremely low, he showed up late on the second day and wore sandals and socks to the session on the third day. In essence, his conduct was extremely unprofessional. The kids were not taught the fundamentals as advertised on the website. My daughter was not the taught to dribble properly, not taught any defense or shooting mechanics. Given her size and knowledge of the sport one could say she was not capable of learning this much in a week. I would buy into that argument if she was at least taught the very basic rules of the sport. I myself am a sports coach and have been coaching for the past 23 years. Prior to that I played professional sports, college sports and youth sports. I have been a part of summer sports camps either as a coach, director or participant for many years not just in America but in multiple countries too. Summer camps are either focused on a) fun or b) focused on technical, tactical or mental skills. There is really very little from either of these two categories that my daughter took away from the camp. The coaches did little to promote team work and fun amongst the children. My daughter was quite often by herself and coach Brady didn't sense that. On the third day, my daughter was subject to some horse play / bullying by the only boy in the group. It may have been sparked by daughter - I don't know because I couldn't hear through the glass windows. Even though I could see it happen before my eyes through the window, coach Brady just turned a blind eye or didn't know how to handle it. Coach Katie was on the other court and wasn't aware of what was happening on the little kids court. Katie worked with the older kids but quite often she was seated and working on her computer or phone. If this camp was part of a coaching exam where the quality of coaching, professionalism and coaching methodology were to be assessed, it would be a definite Fail. There was no proper lesson structure. It was clearly not planned and the use of equipment was very limited too. Children's beginner lessons often have modified equipment to accelerate the learning curve. Other than a mini basketball hoop that was brought out once they figured my daughter was incapable of shooting at the regular ring and a couple of mini hurdles, no other equipment was used to assist the kids. After each day, I was hoping that the next day would be better but there was no real improvement. I didn't take my daughter for the fourth day (last) because she said s

After a year away, I decided to give this course one more play. Not much has changed in way of…read moredeplorable conditions.Many greens still with bald spots, one hasn't even mowed in days. One hole had no tee markers. I understand the course is being sold. If the new owners decide to keep this going, it will need major $ to upgrade the entire place. I just as soon see it bulldozed......

In fairness, I'm not a golfer. I booked a reservation for my son and my boyfriend to play golf…read morehere. When we arrived they couldn't find the reservation, very disappointing. They were able to get one cart, ( Because of Covid two people in different households couldn't ride together) yeah there were several walk ups after us and they were able to get carts as well. I feel like the golf course wasn't very well marked and hard to navigate. It was, however, pretty.

Who in their right mind pays a fee to use public land. Parking is one thing, but to seriously…read morecharge people to use a boat launch is beyond disappointing and I will not spend any money to do so. Your swimming/beach area isn't even open (and hasn't been in several years), so what are you doing with this money? You offer absolutely nothing and a boat launch should be free. Honestly pathetic.

This review is for the fishing aspect of Lake McDonough. The water in this lake is extremely clear…read moreand there are steep drop-offs, so naturally, the fishing can be very difficult. Also, the place seems to have a lot of bass in the 1# to 1.5# range. They can be fun to catch, but it would be nice to get some larger ones once in a while. Never caught a trout here, or seen one follow my lure, for that matter. On the positive side, the launch is great, your boat will come off easy. $6 to launch and another $6 to park. Lake is never crowded with boat traffic, no water skiers or jet skiers, which is also good. Very scenic too, just wish the fishing was better, because I only live 4 miles from here. FYI, alcohol is not allowed, they will search your cooler. Gate opens at 8am on weekends, 10am on weekdays (which I find a tad late being a fisherman, but it is what it is).