The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
‘A BIG STATE FOR DAY TRIPS’
‘Staycations,’ a good bet for residents, businesses and tourism officials say
Connecticut travel and tourism officials hope to make a strong case to keep residents spending their vacation dollars within the state’s borders.
That is in part because a new study from Connecticut Economic Resource Center says 78 percent of Nutmeg State residents expect to take an out-of-state vacation in the next six months. But the state’s top tourism official says Connecticut has a lot to offer those who stay closer to home this summer.
“We think it’s great that residents are feeling good about their finances and want to travel,” said Randy Fiveash, the director of Connecticut’s Office of Tourism. “While we’d love for all of our residents to vacation right here in Connecticut, 100 percent of the time, we understand that’s probably not very likely. We do anticipate that many of those same residents will also book vacations in Connecticut, go for day trips, and introduce their friends and families to Connecticut’s many cultural and tourism assets — and we know they won’t be disappointed.”
The Tourism Office website, which suggests “travel less, experience more,” contains numerous links for events, deals and attractions, and notes “Connecticut spans just 110 miles from east to west. And 70 miles from north to south. But across our diverse yet compact regions, you’ll find everything you need to both unplug — and recharge.”
To encourage Connecticut residents interested in spending their summer vacations here, more than 200 attractions, historical sites, museums, theaters and other venues offered either free admissions or discounts. The promotion, known as Connecticut Open House Day, held June 10, has been in place for 13 years.
Attractions that participated in last year’s Open House Day reported between two and four times as many visitors than on a typical Saturday.
Fran Mayko, a spokeswoman for AAA Southern New England, said the top destinations for most state residents to travel to are in southeastern Connecticut: Mohegan Sun, Foxwoods, Mystic Seaport and Mystic Aquarium.
“This is a big state for day trips,” Mayko said. After the southeastern Connecticut destinations, the next most popular are the state’s water parks at Lake Compounce in Bristol and Quassy Amusement Park in Middlebury.
But if you are looking to spend the night instead of doing a day trip, there are plenty of choices, depending upon your budget.
For unique experiences, you can’t beat Winivan Farm in Morris, which Mayko said has attracted such well-known guests as Bill Gates and the late actor Jason Robards.
The luxury resort experience includes 18 individually designed cottages with different themes. Among the themes that guests can choose from are spending the night in a fancy tree house, a green house or a musical conservatory.
“It’s for people that really want to get away from it all,” Mayko said.
But solitude doesn’t come cheap at Winivan Farm: Rates start at $549 for a Tuesday night stay to nearly $1,500 a night for a Friday and Saturday stay during September and October.
For those looking for luxurious pampering with an ocean view, the Water’s Edge Resort and Spa might be a good pick.
The Westbrook resort begins the summer season with new furniture, draperies and other furnishings in its guest rooms and time share units. The indoor pool at Water’s Edge, along with the resort’s gift shop and health club were refurbished.
Water’s Edge has also made upgrades to its Sunset Bar & Grill, which has views of Long Island Sound.
Mohegan Sun in Montville has made its Sun Terrace Pool a little more posh with new cabanas that hold up to 10 people and come with a television, mini-refrigerator and towels. The cabanas feature sturdy shutters around the perimeter that provide both sun protection and privacy for guests.
For staycationers with more modest budgets and children, there are also some unique activities this summer.
Parents whose children have an interest in space travel may want to attend a July 5 event at the Wallingford Public Library, which will host a downlink with NASA astronaut Jack Fischer from the International Space Station.
Fischer will answer as many questions as possible during the 20-minute downlink.
Children ages 5 and up can visit the Children’s Department and submit a question they would like to ask the astronaut during the downlink.
Families with children ages 5 and up can call the library at 203-284-6435 to sign up for the downlink, which is free of charge, but requires advance registration due to space constraints.
Adults with a sense of adventure may want to take the Passport to Connecticut Farm Wineries challenge.
The Connecticut Department of Agriculture promotion gives participants the chance to compete for a wide variety of prizes, including the top prize, a two-week trip to a wine-producing area of Spain.
Participants get a booklet that looks much like a passport and get a stamp for every winery that they visit. Connecticut has 37 farm wineries and participants need at least 16 stamps to qualify for the December prize drawing.
For those who like wine and have a strong sense of history may want to consider the Wallingford Historic Preservation Trust’s June 29 event in Branford.
The group’s Wine By the Shore event will be held at the Isaac C. Lewis Cottage in Branford’s Stony Creek section, which overlooks the Thimble Islands. The event, which costs $40, includes wine, light fare and tours of the Victorian home.
The Lewis Cottage was the summer home of Isaac C. Lewis and Harriet Pomeroy Lewis. Lewis was the founder of what became the International Silver Company, as well as a mayor of Meriden.
Call 203-774-5002 for more information.