While on our way to visiting lighthouse point park, we saw that the house was now open for tours…read more We decided we would pop in after the lighthouse visit. We arrived the same time as some other folks and was able to get a nice size group to do a tour. Our tour guide was a local highschool student and she was very informative. Interesting to hear about the house and the early beginnings of Morris Cove. I don't want to give too much away, but the tour and explanation of the stove in the house was beyond belief. If you have a chance definitely check it out.

"Someday I will be in California Go to places movie stars…read morehave been Hollywood and trolley cars and oranges And palm trees bending in the wind" (Chuck Berry) Want to do something different and kind of cool? Take a ride into the past at the Shore Line Trolley Museum. Your adventure begins in the middle of a residential neighborhood at the Sprague Visitor's Center- it's the ticketing office, museum and gift shop. But the real adventure begins just outside the Center's front door where you see a set of train tracks. Hop aboard a 103-year-old trolley car and take a 1.5-mile scenic ride through a salt marsh, past the sandstone quarries, cross over from East Haven into Branford, see a few osprey nests, and spend a half hour or so at the trolley barn for a lesson on the museum's collection of street railway vehicles. There are nearly 100 vintage transit vehicles on site. Our tour guide was a delightful fellow named J. Calvin, and he was a wealth of knowledge as he spoke about the history of public transport, the difference between trolley cars, street cars, and cable cars. We stopped at about a dozen vehicles for a briefing including a horse drawn car and a mail car. We also saw a very chilling exhibit - a NYC subway car that was trapped under a pile of rubble in a tunnel connected to the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. It was in perfect condition and after excavation was sent to Shoreline. I have to give another shoutout to our tour guide who did a great job interacting with the children in our group and made one little boy's day when he asked him to push a button on a pole, to engage the flashing lights, clanging bells and gate for a train crossing.

The Shoreline trolley Museum in East Haven has so many authentic artifacts from the museum exhibits…read moreright down to the actual conductor of the trolley. Connecticut has a rich history of using trolleys across the state up until 1948. The cars have been refurbished to the identical, original specifications. For history lovers, there is a wealth of information in every corner of the museum. The museum was founded to preserve the unique heritage of the trolley car. They currently have a collection of nearly 100 vintage vehicles as well as artifacts and documents from the trolley era. The Connecticut Company New Haven Line trolley system covered 256 miles of track within the City until 1948 and over 700 miles of track throughout the State of Connecticut. During the actual trolley ride, the conductor explains in great detail all of the aspects of the trolley car. The scenery in autumn is breathtaking. For admission to the museum and the trolley ride , you also receive a phenomenal pumpkin and apple of your choice. This is truly a Connecticut gem for both adults and children!

The tour is about 45 minutes long and it's just ok. It's more about the life of Dr. Harvey Cushing,…read morethe egomaniac who collected brains, than a review of the brains on display. It's free and it should be. Parking is around the corner and $6 for two hours.

What an amazing person to have collected such a unique collection on his undergraduate years of…read morestudy! Highly recommend going and thanking your tour guide if you have one with you- it's not exactly a cheerful place! Try going at the less busy times if possible! Yale also has other great architecture to see, mainly the gothic architecture that was originally modeled after Oxford. Trying to get a sense of the history behind the buildings may very well bring you to the Cushing Center and other places like it! Cameras are allowed so feel free to bring them!

Free admission We parked on street close bye…read moreI enjoyed my visit here, many famous paintings Free audio tour as well Many shops and restaurants near bye

This is a nice mid size museum at the edge of the Yale campus. We spent about two hours here. It…read morehas everything from sculptures to modern art pieces. The current exhibit on Indonesian textiles was very interesting. I also enjoyed the many pieces from Picasso and Kandinsky. They even have a Calder mobile. We also enjoyed the William Blake exhibit with his poems and prints. The staff was nice and friendly. The museum was clean and their map flyer really helped us navigate through the many rooms. Free admittance and free lockers are provided in the basement for our big purses, coats, and water bottles.

Amazing and educational experience with friends. The setting and decorations were beautiful. The…read morepuzzles and tools were intuitive. This is not like any other escape room. Very creative and entertaining!! Would 100% go again.

ESCAPETHEROOMers are very excited to visit this location because this escape room is very special…read moreas it's located inside a museum! The Institute for American Indian Studies Museum & Research Center (IAIS) has an incredible museum exhibit which allows visitors to travel through time - displaying astounding artifacts while presenting information on prehistoric to contemporary Native Americans. They have a parking lot available right in front. To further their educational services, IAIS created "Wigwam Escape" - an escape room to challenge the ordinary museum experience. In continuing to preserve and educate the public about pre-contact natives, "Wigwam Escape" allows you to do so though an interactive, stimulating and captivating experience. We were fortunate enough to meet with the program coordinator and the room designer. The level of creativity that was implemented into the storyline, decor, and the puzzle designs really shows the level of passion IAIS and the staff have for their culture. From the customer service provided when you arrive to the lobby area, the staff is extremely kind and professional. The room itself had a fair amount of technology incorporated but because the storyline is that it happens in the year 1518, it's kept at a minimum. The technology used was cleverly used to keep up with the year 1518 which was quite impressive. The decor provided a realistic, immersive experience. Just a heads up that "Wigwam Escape" has is that some of the puzzle designs require bending down which could be physically challenging for some people but since this does require team work, we are sure you have someone in your group that's up for the challenge! We really recommend checking out IAIS and Wigwam Escape for an entertaining AND educational experience! Check out the location tour and interview on our youtube channel! *For more info, check out my Yelp profile.

I went to the museum as part of their maple syrup day, where they had people explaining how trees…read moreare tapped and maple syrup is produced, as well as having a pancake breakfast with local syrup. The rest of the museum was available, and honestly, this is a good half day to see minimum (especially if it's part of a larger event). The museum is four rooms, and they're all packed with information. One has Amerindian crafts from all over the country, and another includes what an actual dwelling would look like with tools on the inside, and a beautiful mural on the opposite wall showing what a day would have looked like to local Amerindian people. It feels like each display has a comprehensive sign, and each sign is pretty interesting. There is also a great gift shop with everything from local souvenirs to beautiful jewelry, to books for children and adults.

How have lived in Connecticut over 25 years and not known of this incredible little museum?…read more Nestled deep in the woods with only minimal highway signage, this modern, circular museum highlights the centuries of history of North American woodland Indians in a well designed, artifact-rich collection. Wait for the docent-led tour. Ours was a young historian who really knew his stuff. And don't miss the historic recreations of wooden Indian homes just a few yards up the hill. Kids will really enjoy exploring the grounds.

ORIGIN: Founded by Woodbury native James Wargo and opened in…read more2020, Hidden Gem Orchard is aptly named. LOCATION: Wargo leases land that is part of the Southbury Training School property, a campus that was once a fully self-sustaining community. I first came upon it on in 2020 on my way to the nearest highway, and was surprised to find activity in an otherwise abandoned-looking area of the vast property -- at height of a pandemic no less! The orchard is located behind some agricultural structures that reflect a more active past, and invite some interesting photo opportunities. CONCEPT: The founder of Hidden Gem Orchard, James Wargo, has expertise in soil management and crop production. Wargo works closely with esteemed Cornell University pomologist, Ian Merwin, PhD, to grow both new and antique varieties of apples. EXPERIENCE: As a result, a visit is like opening a treasure chest of uncommonly seen and tasted apples, such as Esopus Spitzenberg, a favorite of Thomas Jefferson. A visit to the orchard is tranquil, not a spectacle with crowds, music, and lines. The focus is growing and sharing a love for apples, rather than weekend entertainment. Pick your own in the orchard, or pick up at farm stand. TIP: "Imperfect" apples are available at discounted price. Look out for apple pastries prepared by local baker, Horsehill Provisions.

Love this little farm stand!! We were taking a back road route to New Milford and happened upon…read moreHidden Gem Orchard. They had so many varieties of apples - many we had never heard of. They had signs with descriptions of every apple, incliding best uses (eating, baking, etc). We got a ton of different apples to try. We will definitely go back anytime we are in the vicinity, now that we know about it! Check it out if you love apples!

Went to their christmas event. It was super cute they definitely put their heart into it. It was…read moresuper easy to drop off the present to the elfs so your kiddo.got a gift from Santa

My family and I took a ride on the First Gift Express this past weekend and we had a wonderful…read moreexperience. Customers are instructed to bring their own pre-wrapped personalized gifts for Santa to distribute to their children. My wife discreetly passed along our sons' gifts when we arrived. The train station is all decked out with Christmas decorations as well as a model railroad display. While waiting for our train, we all enjoyed some cookies and hot chocolate while watching "The Polar Express". Dressed in our best Christmas pajamas, we all had a fun time riding the train through the rail yard as we spotted all of the various decorations. Our sons were delighted to see the Clauses and were so surprised to receive their first gifts: a model car kit for our older son and an Elmo smartphone for our older son. I myself received a lump of coal from Santa. He was nice enough to exchange it for some edible chocolate coal, under the condition that I get back on the "Nice List" by Christmas.