| As a New England vacation travel writer
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| | experiences with shopping complexes,
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| I've always considered Connecticut an
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| | hotels, high profile entertainment acts,
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| overlooked state when people choose
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| | and top-rated restaurants. They are both
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| destinations and attractions for a New
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| | close to each other and located in the
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| England vacation. As you'll discover here
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| | eastern region of Connecticut, and close
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| a Connecticut vacation offers
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| | to museums, scenic drives, and the
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| excitement... or peace and quiet,
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| | Connecticut vacation attractions in
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| depending on your mood.
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| | Mystic.
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| Let's take a quick look at seven reasons
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| | HISTORIC HOMES OF CONNECTICUT
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| why you should consider a Connecticut
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| | Perhaps the most famous home to see on
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| vacation for your next New England trip.
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| | your Connecticut vacation is Mark Twain's
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| THE MUSEUMS OF CONNECTICUT
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| | in Hartford, which is now a museum as
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| With more than 14 diverse theme museums
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| | well full of many artifacts he
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| in Connecticut, there's bound to be
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| | accumulated in the 17 years he lived
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| something to suit your taste. Here's a
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| | there. Also in Hartford is the home of
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| quick rundown...
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| | Harriet Beecher Stowe - of Uncle Tom's
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| Bridgeport is home to The Barnum Museum
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| | Cabin fame. Another famous woman's home
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| and Discovery Museum, and at Danbury
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| | is the academy run by Prudence Crandall
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| you'll find the Military Museum of
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| | in Canterbury - it's the site of the
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| Southern New England and the Danbury
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| | first academy for black women in New
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| Railway Museum. Keeping with a train
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| | England. Your trip to Connecticut should
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| theme Thomaston hosts the Railroad Museum
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| | include the town of Litchfield where you
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| of New England and Naugatuck Railroad.
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| | can view museum quality preserved
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| In Bristol you can find The New England
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| | colonial homes, and the Litchfield
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| Carousel Museum and period time pieces at
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| | History Museum and Tapping Reeve House
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| the American Clock and Watch Museum. Just
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| | and Law School.
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| a little south in Waterbury is Time Expo,
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| | Connecticut includes many historic homes
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| and a chance to celebrate the heritage of
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| | that played an important role in the
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| the Litchfield region at the Mattatuck
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| | Underground Railroad and the
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| Museum. At the Connecticut Antique
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| | African-American journey from slavery to
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| Machinery Museum in Kent experience
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| | freedom.
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| machinery that once drove commerce in the
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| | ESSEX STEAM TRAIN AND THE CONNECTICUT
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| area.
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| | RIVER
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| Windsor Locks is not just home to Bradley
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| | The historic 1892 Essex station is your
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| International Airport but also to the New
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| | kick-off point for a unique vintage Steam
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| England Air Museum and south in East
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| | Train and Riverboat Cruise along the
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| Haven experience another form of
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| | Connecticut River. This combined tour
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| transportation at the Shore Line Trolley
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| | takes 2 and 1/2 hours. In the summer it's
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| Museum.
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| | cooling, and in the fall stunning with
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| And rounding out our must-see list is
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| | the turning of the leaves. The
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| Mystic's Museum of America and the Sea,
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| | Connecticut River Museum is also in Essex
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| and the fabulous Mashantucket Pequot
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| | and vividly brings to life the river's
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| Museum in nearby Mashantucket.
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| | history as told through paintings,
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| THE CONNECTICUT WINE TRAIL
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| | artifacts, and interactive exhibits.
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| Wineries in Connecticut? Yes, in fact
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| | THE TOWN OF MYSTIC
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| there's 16 of them scattered throughout
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| | Mystic Seaport and the Mystic Aquarium
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| the state, and they make a perfect basis
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| | are magnets for visitors to Connecticut.
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| for a Connecticut Vacation. The climate
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| | The seaport is billed as The Museum of
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| in Connecticut is mild compared to the
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| | America and the Sea and depicts an
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| rest of New England and wines produced
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| | authentic 19th century seafaring village,
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| include: Chardonnay, Cabernet, Merlot,
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| | tall ships to tour, and a Preservation
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| and Riesling. While Connecticut wines
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| | Yard where master shipbuilding skills are
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| have only been produced since 1978, many
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| | still practiced. The Mystic Aquarium
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| farms where the grapes are grown are
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| | includes a delightful array of indoor and
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| hundreds of years old. The wine tasting
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| | outdoor exhibits, including Beluga
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| room will usually be open but call ahead
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| | whales, and a stunning model of the
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| for a tour time. You'll find these
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| | Titanic.
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| wineries not geared for large bus loads,
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| | THE ANTIQUE RUNS
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| but on the plus much more intimate than
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| | Connecticut is famous for its
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| wineries in Northern California.
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| | concentration of antique shops, and draws
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| The wine trail is split into two major
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| | thousands of treasure hunters each year
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| regions and it's suggested your tour is
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| | who take a Connecticut vacation just to
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| split up over three to four days. But
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| | stock up on bargains and specimens to
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| because the trail takes you near so many
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| | collect and decorate their homes. The
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| other destinations and attractions in
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| | village of Woodbury is known as the
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| Connecticut let yourself be distracted
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| | "Antiques Capital of Connecticut" and has
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| and enjoy the jaunt through scenic and
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| | over 45 dealers, but the fact is you're
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| historic New England towns.
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| | never too far from that special purchase
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| FOXWOODS AND MOHEGAN SUN
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| | no matter where you are in the state.
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| Combined Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun make
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| | Just sometimes its nice to take the time
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| the largest casino complex in the world.
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| | to follow your nose along a scenic New
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| Foxwoods in owned and run by Mashantucket
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| | England road and see where it takes
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| Pequot Tribe, and Mohegan Sun by Mohegan
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| | you... you can bet if it's in
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| Tribe on lands they own in Uncasville.
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| | Connecticut, it'll take you close to an
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| These are sophisticated high-style
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| | antique shop.
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