#1 of 30 Things To Do in Avon
Tunxis Community College
271 Scott Swamp Rd Farmington CT - 860-677-7701
~5.84 miles from Avon city center
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http://tunxis.commnet.edu
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#2 of 30 Things To Do in Avon
Noah Webster House
West Hartford CT
~6.84 miles from Avon city center
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The Noah Webster House is a historic house museum located at 227 South Main Street, West Hartford, Connecticut. It was the home of American lexicographer Noah Webster, and was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1962.Yet, has been reportingly haunted.
The house was probably built circa 1748 as part of a 120-acre (0.49 km2) farm, and is a typical New England wooden-frame residence of that era. It has since been extended and is now 2.5 stories in height with an irregular shape. In 1758 it was the birthplace of Noah Webster, author of the first American dictionary (1828). His father mortgaged the farm, including this farmhouse, for Noah to attend Yale University.
The house was continuously occupied until 1962, when it was given to the town. In 1966 it opened as a museum. It currently contains several items with Webster associations, including early editions of Webster's Dictionary of the American Language and Blue-backed Spellers, as well as china, glassware, a desk, and two clocks that Webster owned as an adult.
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#3 of 30 Things To Do in Avon
Hartford Children's Museum
West Hartford CT
~6.86 miles from Avon city center
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The Children’s Museum provides rich learning experiences in science and nature for all ages. Exploration of our multi-level museum captures imaginations and develops a sense of curiosity about the natural world.
Outdoors
Conny the Whale
Conny meets you out front before you enter The Children’s Museum. Climb inside this 60-foot long sperm whale replica, hear whale sounds, and get sprayed by water from his blow hole when he spouts during the summer months.
Lobby Level
Kids’ Corner
Kids’ Corner is an exploration of light, sound, touch, and bubble science through interactive experiences and role playing. This area is engaging for children of all ages.
Pendulum Staircase
The Foucault Pendulum, a classic museum exhibit, hangs 45 feet from the tip of our glass spire to the lowest level of The Children’s Museum. As you descend the Pendulum Staircase, you can view breathtaking astronomy photographs.
Upper Level
Critter Crossing
Critter Crossing, a whimsical play space, is where our youngest explorers and their caregivers can make big discoveries. This area provides a toddler-friendly setting for adventure and creativity in a nature-themed environment.
Excavation Station
Excavation Station has been unearthed in the upper exhibit hall. This earth science exhibit includes three dig pits, a mining sluice, live alligator, rock and mineral samples, and life-size Dinosaur models. There is a small Dino Café with tables and vending machines.
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#4 of 30 Things To Do in Avon
Westfarms Mall
Farmington CT
~7.05 miles from Avon city center
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#5 of 30 Things To Do in Avon
Elizabeth Park
Hartford CT
~7.62 miles from Avon city center
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Elizabeth Park is a city park located in Hartford and West Hartford, Connecticut. It is covers 102 acres (41 ha) and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The site was previously owned by financier Charles M. Pond of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad and Hartford National Bank, and a treasurer of Connecticut (1870-71). In 1894 he bequeathed his estate to the City of Hartford with the stipulation that it be named for his deceased wife, Elizabeth. The city took possession in 1897 and engaged the famed Olmsted and Son for landscaping.
In 1904 the park's first superintendent, Theodore Wirth, created its renowned Rose Garden (2.5 acres/1.0 ha). In the 1970s the city decided it could no longer afford the garden, and in fact determined to plow it under; however volunteers banded together and came to the rescue. It is the oldest municipal rose garden in the United States, and currently contains about 15,000 bushes of 800 rose varieties.
In 1977 volunteers banded together with Vic Jarm (Park Superintendent at the time) to form the Friends of Elizabeth Park and save the Rose Garden. Their first mission was to raise $10,000 to replace many of the rose bushes that died from lack of care. Since then the Friends of Elizabeth Park have assisted the City of Hartford in maintaining the Rose Garden as well as the other horticultural gardens in the park and have raised funds for the restoration of the historic greenhouses and the Elizabeth Pond Memorial in 1997, also known as the Pond House Cafe. Most of the financial support for the park through the efforts of the FEP comes from individuals, the Ethel Donaghue Trust and the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.
Today the park encompasses many garden areas, pathways, century-old Lord and Burnham greenhouses, lawns, bowling greens, tennis courts, a picnic grove, and a scenic pond. The border between Hartford and West Hartford has moved since the park was established, with the odd result that one of Hartford's largest parks is now located primarily within the Town of West Hartford.
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#6 of 30 Things To Do in Avon
Governor's Residence
Hartford CT
~7.84 miles from Avon city center
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The Connecticut Governor's Residence serves as the official home of the Governor of Connecticut. It is located at 990 Prospect Avenue in Hartford.
The Connecticut Governor’s Residence has served as the official residence since 1945. The house was originally built in 1909 for George C.F. Williams, a Hartford physician and industrialist. It was designed in the Georgian Revival style by the Boston-based architectural firm of Andrews, Jacques & Rantoul and built at a cost of $337,000. In 1916, Hartford architects Smith & Bassett designed the north and south wing additions. The three-story home originally stood on 14 acres (5.7 ha) that included a grass tennis court, a greenhouse and a number of out buildings. It remained in the Williams family until 1940. The property was acquired by the State of Connecticut in 1943.
Today, the 19-room residence sits on 4 acres (1.6 ha) and has 15,000 square feet (1,400 m2) of living space with nine fireplaces, nine bathrooms, a pool and a pergola. The Governor’s Residence is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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#7 of 30 Things To Do in Avon
University of Hartford
Hartford CT
~7.84 miles from Avon city center
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#8 of 30 Things To Do in Avon
Connecticut Historical Soceity Museum
Hartford CT
~8.35 miles from Avon city center
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The Connecticut Historical Society is a non-profit museum, library, and education center. Our mission is to inspire and foster a life-long interest in history through exhibitions, programs and Connecticut-related collections because examining and understanding the past, and connecting the past with the present, provides a guide for the future.
Established in Hartford in 1825, The Connecticut Historical Society (CHS) is one of the oldest historical societies in the nation and houses one of the most distinguished museum and library collections in New England. The museum’s collections include more than 242,000 prints and photographs and 38,000 objects, with strengths in 17th and 18th century furniture; costume and textiles; portraits and landscapes; tavern and trade signs; decorative arts; and toys and tools. The library holds more than 125,000 volumes, 1,300 maps, 3,700 broadsides, and three million manuscripts, including one of the nation’s finest genealogical collections.
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#9 of 30 Things To Do in Avon
Bowtie Palace 17 and Odyssey Theater
Hartford CT
~8.39 miles from Avon city center
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Growing up in Newington, I found this gem during my early high school days when it was down as Crown. I still call it that half the time. Anyway, it is really a top notch facility. Yes, it is over priced like every other movie theater in America...but college students do get a discount (it used to be $5 but now it isn't as good). The theaters are pretty big and comfortable too. Always clean.
I don't know exactly what an Odyssey theater is, but it is huge and pretty awesome. However, word of warning: if you know your show is going to be in there, make sure you get there early so you can grab a seat in the back. You do NOT want to be in the front half of that theater.
The only downside is that once in a while you are in a show where there are some disrespectful people talking, celling, etc. Racist people would say they are 'locals,' and while that may be the fact, I find that jerks show up in any theater you try to go to eventually. This is the nicest theater in the Newington area...hands down.
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#10 of 30 Things To Do in Avon
Mark Twain House
Hartford CT
~8.59 miles from Avon city center
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The Mark Twain House and Museum was the home of Mark Twain (a.k.a. Samuel Langhorne Clemens) from 1874 to 1891 in Hartford, Connecticut, USA. Before 1874, Twain had lived in Hannibal, Missouri. The architectural style of the 19-room house is Victorian Gothic. The house is also notable for the major works written during his residency, including The Gilded Age, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Prince and the Pauper, Life on the Mississippi, Huckleberry Finn, A Tramp Abroad, and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.
Poor financial investments caused the Twain family to move to Europe in 1891. When they returned to Connecticut in 1900 he lived in a house built for him in Redding, Connecticut named Stormfield, where he died on April 21, 1910. His home in Hartford functioned as a school, an apartment building, as well as a library. In 1962 the building was declared a National Historic Landmark. Since 1974 it has had a multi-million dollar renovation and an expansion dedicated to showcasing his life and work. The house is facing financial troubles stemming in part from an overestimation of the number of visitors it would receive yearly.
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#11 of 30 Things To Do in Avon
Harriet Beecher Stowe House
Hartford CT
~8.67 miles from Avon city center
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The Harriet Beecher Stowe House is a historic home in Hartford, Connecticut that was once the home of Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom's Cabin.
The Stowe Center’s mission is to preserve and interpret Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Hartford home and the Center’s historic collections, create a forum for vibrant discussion of her life and work, and inspire individuals to embrace and emulate her commitment to social justice by effecting positive change.
The house was once part of a community called Nook Farm and former neighbor to Mark Twain. In this Victorian house, Stowe lived with her husband Calvin, a theologian, and her oldest twin daughters, Hatty (Harriet) and Eliza. They moved into the house in 1873 and were residents there until Stowe's death in 1896. The house contains period antiques and also items that belonged to the Stowe Family.
The Nook Farm Grounds were designed by the partnership of Stevenson, Fuoco, and Canning. This site at the western end of Hartford was originally a compound of houses of artists and writers including Mark Twain, Charles Dudley Warner, Francis Gillette, et al. Harriet Beecher Stowe had a large mansion called 'Oakhome' at the South portion of Nook Farm. She later moved to the smaller Nook Farm Cottage at 77 Forrest Street. The first restoration of the site was accomplished by landscape architect Katherine (Mrs. Holly) Smith Stevenson assisted by landscape architect Jaquie Canning. Kitty Stevenson's grandmother had been a friend and neighbor of Harriet Beecher Stowe. Kitty Stevenson was a friend of Beecher descendant, early presevationist Kathy Day. In the 1970s Rob Camp Fuoco joined this firm of landscape architects. Following the retirement of Stevenson and Canning , Fuoco did much historic research and accomplished the 1978 and 1990 redesigns of the historic grounds which resulted in the historic site and gardens that we see today. During this second stage many Victorian, historic, and educational elements were added. These include the color theme gardens, the inclusion of Harriet's beloved wildflowers, the inclusion of three typically high Victorian gardens, the scented garden, and the meadow garden.
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#12 of 30 Things To Do in Avon
Pope Park
Hartford CT
~8.95 miles from Avon city center
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#13 of 30 Things To Do in Avon
Cathedral of St. Joseph
Hartford CT
~9.10 miles from Avon city center
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The present modern cathedral was opened in 1962 replacing a gothic structure that burned in 1956. The new cathedral is noted for its huge expanse of spectacular stained glass windows crafted in Paris, the ceramic tile mural behind the altar that is the largest of its kind in the world, and its majestic four manual Austin pipe organ. The sturdy U-shaped structure is suggestive of a modern day version of Paris's famous Sainte-Chapelle with walls of breathtaking faceted stained glass windows.
The cathedral seats 1,750 people in an awesome contemporary space including the two side chapels. The structure is of reinforced cast concrete sheathed inside and outside with limestone. The tower contains a set of 12 cast bronze bells ranging in weight from 225 lbs. to 3,850 lbs. and is topped with a 25 foot high stainless steel cross.
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#14 of 30 Things To Do in Avon
Cinestudio
Hartford CT
~9.30 miles from Avon city center
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Cinestudio is an independent film theater located on the campus of Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. The theater is a single-screen venue with a seating capacity of approximately 500. Regionally, it is known for its large screen, 70 mm film projection capability, and classic movie palace atmosphere. Cinestudio’s signature features are its operational gold screen curtain, balcony seating, and gold lion insignia.
History
Cinestudio was founded in 1970 by a group of students at Trinity College. The students converted a large lecture hall in the college’s Clement Chemistry Building into a recreation of a 1930s film house. The theater was created as a cooperative, with students overseeing all aspects of the theater’s operation. Cinestudio made its mark early by showing controversial films and debuting future cult classics, including The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Cinestudio has continued largely as a cooperative operation. Two founding members, James Hanley and Peter McMorris, have guided the theater since its inception and now manage its day-to-day operation, including all nightly projection. A staff of approximately 50 student and community volunteers run showings seven days a week.
In 2002, Cinestudio incorporated as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit arts organization. The theater now is independent of Trinity College, although it still occupies space in the college’s chemistry building.
In 2007, the theater’s ticket booth was renamed the Fred Pfeil Memorial Ticket Booth in honor of late Trinity College professor and long-time Cinestudio volunteer and board member, Fred Pfeil.
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#15 of 30 Things To Do in Avon
Trinity College
300 Summit Street Hartford CT - 860-297-2000
~9.37 miles from Avon city center
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http://www.trincoll.edu
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#16 of 30 Things To Do in Avon
Connecticut State Capital
Hartford CT
~9.58 miles from Avon city center
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The Connecticut State Capitol is located on Bushnell Park in the Connecticut capital of Hartford. The building houses the State Senate and House of Representatives, as well as the offices of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of the State, and several legislative leaders.
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#17 of 30 Things To Do in Avon
Museum of Connecticut History
Hartford CT
~9.60 miles from Avon city center
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At the Museum of Connecticut History, you'll find exhibits that trace the growth of the State and its role in the development of the nation. The Museum focuses on Connecticut's government, industrial and military history.
Visit their website at: www.museumofcthistory.org
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#18 of 30 Things To Do in Avon
Bushnell Park
Hartford CT
~9.70 miles from Avon city center
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#19 of 30 Things To Do in Avon
Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch
Hartford CT
~9.71 miles from Avon city center
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#20 of 30 Things To Do in Avon
Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts
Hartford CT
~9.72 miles from Avon city center
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#21 of 30 Things To Do in Avon
Theater Works
Hartford CT
~9.81 miles from Avon city center
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#22 of 30 Things To Do in Avon
XL Center
Hartford CT
~9.91 miles from Avon city center
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#23 of 30 Things To Do in Avon
Webster Theater
Hartford CT
~9.93 miles from Avon city center
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#24 of 30 Things To Do in Avon
Hartford Stage
Hartford CT
~9.96 miles from Avon city center
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Hartford Stage, located in Hartford, Connecticut, is one of the leading resident theatres in the United States, known internationally for entertaining and enlightening audiences with a wide range of the best of world drama, from classics to provocative new plays and musicals and neglected works from the past. The theatre has earned many of the nation's most distinguished awards, including the Regional Theatre Tony Award, the Margo Jones Award for Development of New Works, OBIE awards, a New York Critics Circle award, a Dramatists Guild/CBS Award and an Elliot Norton Award.
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#25 of 30 Things To Do in Avon
Butler McCook House
Hartford CT
~10.02 miles from Avon city center
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#26 of 30 Things To Do in Avon
Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art
Hartford CT
~10.03 miles from Avon city center
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#27 of 30 Things To Do in Avon
ESPN
935 Middle Street 935 Middle Street CT
~10.04 miles from Avon city center
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#28 of 30 Things To Do in Avon
Old State House
Hartford CT
~10.04 miles from Avon city center
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The Old State House (completed 1796) in Hartford, Connecticut is generally believed to have been designed by noted American architect Charles Bulfinch as his first public building. The State House is currently managed by the Office of Legislative Management of the Connecticut General Assembly. The exterior building and the Senate have been restored to its original Federal style; the Representative's chamber is Victorian, and the halls and courtroom are Colonial Revival.
The Hartford State House is, in appearance, very similar to the Town Hall of Liverpool, England, built in the mid-1700s and perhaps depicted in one of Bulfinch's architecture books. However, all materials came from the United States. Its first story is 20 feet high and constructed from Portland, Connecticut brownstone. The second and third stories are brick patterned in Flemish bond. The cornice is wooden.
The State House has been modified somewhat since it was first built. As originally constructed, the building had neither balustrade or cupola, but the balustrade was added in the early 1800s for the protection of firemen, and the cupola was constructed in 1827 with its bell and John Stanwood's statue of Justice. An original (1796) stone spiral staircase behind the northern arch, designed by Asher Benjamin, led to the second and third floors; it no longer exists. In 1814, the Hartford Convention was held there. In 1839, the start of the Amistad trial was held there.
The building had been in danger of closing in 2008 due to financial constraints. State and Hartford officials have recently signed a 99-year lease placing Connecticut's Old State House under new management. The lease puts the city-owned historic building under the control of the state Office of Legislative Management.
It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1960.
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#29 of 30 Things To Do in Avon
New England Dodge Music Center
Hartford CT
~10.18 miles from Avon city center
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Formerly known as "The Meadows," the New England Dodge Music Center is an amphitheater in Hartford, Conn. With both indoor and outdoor accommodations, the venue houses major music tours throughout the year. The music center has the capacity to fit 30,000 people in its facilities, with 7,500 in indoors and 22,500 able to fit on the lawn area. Past performers include Dave Matthews Band, Pearl Jam, Black Sabbath, Britney Spears, John Mayer and Fleetwood Mac.
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#30 of 30 Things To Do in Avon
Connecticut Convention Center
100 Columbus Blvd Hartford CT - 860-249-6000
~10.24 miles from Avon city center
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Opened in 2005, the Connecticut Convention Center is an award winning venue owned by the state of Connecticut.
The mission of the Connecticut Convention Center is to enhance the economic fabric and quality of life of the city of Hartford by:
Marketing the City as a national destination for national, regional and statewide conventions.
Working harmoniously with other organizations involved in marketing and promoting the City of Hartford and assisting CCEDA in our goal of enabling Hartford and its immediate environment to become a regional family-oriented arts, cultural, education, sports and entertainment center that will create new jobs and broaden the tourism effort.
Servicing the needs of all visiting groups and individuals and providing visitors with a Hartford experience that exceeds expectations.
http://www.ctconventions.com
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