Just ten years after the Civil War ended, this solemn 16' tall granite monument was dedicated in…read moreSept 1875 to those from Colchester who lost their lives in the American Civil War. It's a wonderful likeness of an austere looking Union soldier wearing a long unbuttoned overcoat and cape. He holds his hat in his hand and is looking down as though he is in deep thought. Look at the amazing detail on the statue - the soldier's sad eyes and flowing beard and mustache, his rifle, bayonet, and cartridge box, the "U.S" on his belt, the folds of cloth on his cape, and the cavalry bugle on the top of his hat. There are a lot of engravings on every side of the monument. You can see a slogan reading "NOT OURS BUT / THE NATION'S". You'll see emblems of the Shield of the United States, a field of stars, and the Connecticut Seal. You'll see a "Roll of Honor" with 44 names. The main engravings read: COLCHESTER HONORS ITS DEAD WHO FELL IN THE WAR FOR THE UNION, 1861 - 5. ERECTED / SEPT. 17, / 1875.

First thing I learned is we've all had his name wrong…read more It's not "Smokey the Bear", it's "Smokey Bear". Makes sense, right? Think about it ... it's not "Donald the Duck or "Mickey the Mouse", is it? (Wise-ass remark from the back of the room) -"Yo, what about Kermit the Frog"? Hey, there's an exception to every rule. Anyway, the character of Smokey Bear was created way back in 1944 to make the country more aware about the dangers of forest fires and to preach fire prevention. Smokey's longevity makes him the longest running public service campaign in American history. I was surprised to learn that in 1984, he was honored with a U.S. postage stamp to mark his 40th anniversary. There are hundreds of these Smokey Bear signs all across the country. They publicize the threat level of wildfires. This Smokey Bear sign is located at the entrance to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection complex on Route 66. It's one sweet piece of Americana.

Very realistic yet non threatening portrayal of a North…read moreAmerican brown bear. Helpful in determining whether campfires/bonfires are appropriate by advertising how dry it is outside. Denim jeans are somewhat too provocative.

If you're driving down Route 66 in this neck of the woods, be prepared for two incredible sights…read more-painted rocks that look like living creatures! This one is near the intersection of West Main (Rt 66) and Stone House Road. It's a gorgeous rendition of a bald eagle. This beautifully painted rock outcropping has seen various lives as a whale, a shark, a frog, and a turtle. In 1989, a high school student repainted it as an eagle, and its lived on as an eagle ever since. Over the years, it gets repainted every once in a while and the year it was touched up is also painted under the eagle's beak. This is a freaking gem !!!

When I was little we would drive by this on the journey from New Haven to Hampton to visit family…read more It instantly became the thing my brother and I looked for on the way. I moved to this area and on a backroads drive randomly rediscovered this in all of it's patriotic glory. The eyeballs are slightly more terrifying than as a child I remember them being but it's still 200% 'Merica.

My husband and I had planned a two hour cruise in Mystic on the Argia on the day we were…read morecelebrating with our family visiting from California. We were looking for an activity that would be fun for a multigenerational group of 23 people with toddlers, seniors, and everyone in between. We had been in communication with Oliver for months in advance. About two weeks before the big day, we saw that the forecast called for showers throughout Memorial Day weekend, particularly the Sunday of our planned cruise. We monitored the weather and decided to make a decision closer to the day. Throughout the entire process of planning, Oliver was responsive, reliable, accommodating, and kind. On the morning of the trip, Oliver gave us multiple options and worked with us to make sure that we could cancel and get a full refund due to the inclement weather. He provided us with agency up to the last hour of decision making. On a day that could have been really stressful, Oliver alleviated some of that stress. That is exceptional customer service, and that is the reason we will be coming back to the Argia for another special occasion. Highly recommend working with Oliver and his team if you get the chance!

We took a sunset cruise on the Argia, which is the last commercial sailing ship left in Mystic,…read morewhen we were visiting Mystic with a couple of friends on the Fourth of July. The boat has different seating options - wooden benches and cushion seats without backrests. We reserved two of the cushioned areas and showed up ready to check in on time (they ask you to show up about 30 minutes before boarding to check in). You board at the dock just next to the bridge in Mystic, so it couldn't be more convenient if you're exploring Mystic for a day or a weekend. The Argia allows you to bring alcohol (wine and beer) on board (although they ask that you not bring large coolers - there's no room for them), so we brought a couple of bottles of wine bought from the great wine shop down the street. The sail is partly narrated. Our sail was two hours long, and the staff narrated for some of the sailing time - pointing out historic and interesting sites along the sail (islands with an interesting history, homes with interesting architecture, etc.). Between the gorgeous scenery, some narration of fun and interesting facts about Mystic and its harbor, the great wine we'd brought aboard, and great company - it was the perfect way to spend a couple of hours in Mystic. What a beautiful way to enjoy Mystic and its harbor!

The Ren Faire has been a staple in CT for many years. The shows are great, the entry price is…read morereasonable, and everyone seems to have a great time. The food is priced according to the kind of event it is. There are people in costumes and people without. If you don't want to dress up you don't need to and they don't make you feel out of place for being in regular clothes. The faire is a great day of family fun doing something a little different from your ordinary festivals. I highly recommend this faire over "the other one" in Massachusetts.

I came to the faire 10/11/25, and it was a Saturday so I was expecting there to be a wait for…read moreeverything however every single line I waited in took a minimum of 45 minutes. I definitely believe that the tickets were severely oversold, parking took 2.5 hours, and the lines for drinks were 45-90mins each time. Prices were reasonable, food was just okay. I didn't get to try as much as I would have liked to due to the lines moving so slow. The costumes were super cool. Staff were all very nice, friendly, and in character; however I do not think anyone was equipped to deal with the crowding. Also, the petting zoo has animals kept with dirty water and empty food bowls. Wasn't a fan of that.

We used Lorraine for a family vacation to Arizona. We started in Phoenix, while there went to the…read moreApache Trail and Scottsdale. We then went to Sedona, the Grand Canyon and Flagstaff. It was a one of the best trips we ever took. The hotels were excellent. All of her suggestions for sight seeing were excellent. I highly recommend Cruise Planners and would use them again for future trips.

We worked with Lorraine to plan a custom 11 day trip to Italy with stops in Rome and the Amalfi…read moreCoast. Lorraine's knowledge of the area was extensive and she got us INCREDIBLE deals on flights and hotels. She was even able to accommodate special requests such as needing exit rows (my husband is very tall and needs the legroom for a long flight). As someone who had never used a travel agent before and always thought it may be cost prohibitive, I was wrong! Lorraine was able to keep us under budget so that we had extra money to do little excursion tours to the Roman Forum, the Vatican, and Pompeii (all bucket list places for me!). She also was able to advise when tours weren't really necessary - our trip to Capri was a good example - we were able to easily tour the island ourselves and take a ferry. Above all, she made it so easy - presenting options clearly and booking everything quickly. The itinerary she gave us to follow was top-notch and had all necessary contact info on it. I really can't say enough good things about Lorraine - she made my dream trip a reality!

Had a great experience here! They have complimentary shuttle service and an awesome tour of the…read moreisland. The views are super scenic and the pilot was very personable. All around great time!

Mike and Matt were great. The driver picked us up in town and dropped us off at our hotel. The tour…read morewas great saw the wind farm, Southeast Lighthouse and the seals on the northern tip. Shocking amount of erosion. Great experience. We did pay extra for the private tour. Will do it again with the family.