CT Summer Bucket List 2026
Gotta be honest- I think Summer 2026 is going to be our most epic one yet! We’ve got our friends at CT Kids Passport creating some fabulous discounts and adventures. There’s a BRAND NEW playground coming to CT Science Center– and we’re refreshing the CT Playground trail to boot!
Other exciting things:
- Powder Ridge is offering an awesome summer camp– plus all their usual family fun adventures like zip lining, mountain biking, paintball, slide the slopes and more!
- The Dinosaur Place has an all new, even more epic T-Rex Tower- plus a HUGE splash pad, and over 100 LIFE SIZED dinosaurs. You can also pan for gold, mine for gems, epic mini golf and more!
- Join us for a Yard Goats Game or check out the Hartford Athletic– which has an all new women’s team!
- Take a ride aboard the Essex Steam Train– and solve mysteries during the all new Caspin’s Clues experience!
- Beat the Heat with an incredible indoor playground/class- like the Book Club, which brings reading to life; the Slime Lab, which is an epic sensory play experience or Wallingford’s Stay and Play, which offers everything from Cooking Classes to an incredible indoor children’s play area- plus Georgie the axolotl!
- Enjoy the music at any number of local town concerts (they’re mostly free!) or test out your singing at SOLA Karaoke!
- Cool off at the beach, the pool, the splash pad, or a water park!
Want to print one or start your own from scratch? Click here for a link to Google Drive.
Celebrate America 250
It’s been 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence and towns are planning BIG celebrations. It’s a great time to reflect on the ideals that began our nation, and to consider how we continue our realization of those ideals today. CT Humanties has established the America 250 committee, which is creating events that help us understand the power of place while telling inclusive stories.
There are hundreds of events all over CT all summer long. Just a handful:
- May 23: Wethersfield 250 Jubilee*
- May 30: Wethersfield Cove Park Fireworks*
- May 30: Marlborough America 250 Celebration*
- June 13: Bethel 250 Celebration*
- July 1-5: Long Weekend Hartford*
- July 3-4: Plymouth America 250 Celebration*
- July 4: Party in the Park, Ridgefield*
- July 4: Let freedom Ring in Litchfield*
- July 11-12: Manchester America 250 Celebrations*
- September 26: Glastonbury America’s Birthday Bash*
Spend a Day at the Beach (Or Local Swimming Hole!)
Connecticut is sort of the perfect young child beach destination. Small waves, sand to dig in, and best of all- all state park beaches are FREE for CT Residents! Not feeling the beach? CT has a ton of amazing swimming holes and lakes too!
Some of our favorites:
Head out to the Ball Game
Summer Baseball is a favorite tradition- and here in CT we have a TON of fun opportunities to watch the game!
Yard Goats Games are among our favorite – with tons of special promotions and family-friendly activities, they are about as Kid-Friendly as it gets. Want special swag? Bring your CT Kids Passport for an awesome gift.
Some other fun teams:
Day at the Museum
What better place to beat the heat than at our state’s many museums? Best of all? Many of these museums can be accessed for free/extremely reduced cost. Check out our guide!
Children’s Museums:
- New Britain Youth Museum/Hungerford Nature Center (Free with a Library Pass)
- Lutz Museum, Manchester (50% off with Library Pass)
- Everwonder Children’s Museum, Newtown (50% off with a Library Pass)
- Stepping Stones Museum for Children (BOGO with a Library Pass; BOGO with CT Kids Passport)
- KidsPlay Children’s Museum, Torrington (Half off with Library Pass)
- Kidcity Museum, Middletown (Free with a library pass!)
- Niantic Children’s Museum ($5 with a library pass)
Step Back in Time:
- Connecticut Museum of History and Culture (Library Pass)
- Connecticut Trolley Museum, Windsor (Library Pass, 50% off Kids Admission with CT Kids Passport)
- New England Air Museum, Windsor Locks
- Danbury Railway Museum
- Peabody Museum, New Haven (Free)
- Railroad Museum of New England (Ice Cream train; kids ride free on certain excursions)
- Essex Steam Train- Caspin’s Clues
- Mattatuck Museum ($3 with CT Kids Passport)
- Mashantucket Pequot Museum (Free admission for kids with CT Kids Passport)
Cool off at the Splash Pad/Go for a Swim at the Pool
Connecticut has a TON of Splash Pads statewide- and many of them are free! We did a round up above, but here are some highlights:
- Dinosaur Place Splash Pad
- Connor’s Place/Macie’s Place- Somers*
- Quassy Amusement Park, Middlebury
- Lake Compounce, Bristol
- West Hartford Splash Pads*
- Scalzi Park*
- Veteran’s Park Middletown*
- Nevers Park South Windsor*
Pools: If the pool is more your thing, there are:
- Hubbard Park Pool, Meriden
- Community & Horwitz Pools, Vernon
- Glastonbury Town Pools
- YMCA Pools
- Goldfish Swim Schools– as a bonus check out their FREE community events too!
Summer Reading/Math Challenge
It may not sound like the most exciting thing in the world, but there are some truly great summer learning challenges for people of all ages. Libraries are AMAZING (see below for that list) and offer literally hundreds of opportunities- plus epic prizes!
Some more of our favorite summer reading freebies:
- Yard Goats Summer Reading Challenge
- Hartford Athletic Summer Reading Sundays
- Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Program: Free Book
- Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge: Free Digital Program.
- Celebrate Reading with the Book Club in West Hartford!
Connecticut reads has some great options on their site as well!
We’re also working on making a list of local places who do summer reading challenges for families, so stay tuned for that!
Don’t Forget Summer Reading!
Connecticut Libraries do a truly incredible amount of summer events – we’re talking cooking classes, art projects, bubbles, concerts, and SO MUCH MORE. They go ALL OUT.
Many are still putting together their summer reading events line up (don’t worry, we’ll have a big post up when they come out!), but here’s a sneak peak:
- June 18: East Hartford Library Summer Kickoff Party*
- June 25-Enfield Public Library Summer Reading Kickoff Magic Show*
- June 26: Bristol Library- Ice Cream Social*
- June 26: Glastonbury’s Welles Turner Memorial Library Summer Kickoff*
- July 6:Bloomfield Library- Meet the Ballarina*
- July 15: Farmington Library: Cupcake Wars*
- July 18: Bloomfield Library- Pokemon in the Park*
- July 29: Plainville Public Library: Ice Cream Storytime*
- August 3: Newington Public Library: Bring the Hoopla*
Even if you don’t want to hang out at an event there are still TONS of great indoor library play areas- like Wallingford, Avon, and Berlin!
Bonus- the Book Club in West Hartford has some INCREDIBLE reading programs that take summer to the NEXT LEVEL. It’s also a great way to prep your kiddos for school- especially since it’s run by teachers!
Summer Fair/Festival/Carnival
It’s summer, and you know what that means: it’s Carnival/Fair/Festival Season! Whether you want to eat cotton candy on the boardwalk, sample oysters at a festival, head back to the medieval ages, or just take part in a good old fashioned Carnival, there is something for everyone.
We’re workong on a full list is above, but here are some highlights:
Fireworks
What says “summer fun” more than fireworks? It’s a Fourth of July tradition that often starts Memorial Day and extends into August. There are 60+ displays statewide. Just a few:
- All Saturday Home Games: Fireworks with the Hartford Yard Goats
- May 30: Wethersfield Cove Fireworks*
- June 5: Norwich Sea Unicorns Fireworks
- June 13: Great Griswold Get Together
- June 20: Milford Kickoff to Summer Fireworks*
- June 27: Middletown Fireworks & Festival*
- July 1: Stafford Summerfest*
- July 4: Hartford Bonanza*
Head to the Dinosaur Place
Did you know that Connecticut is home to one of the most incredible dinosaur trails in the world? The Dinosaur Place at Nature’s Art Village in Montville is truly an incredible place:
- Over 100 Life Sized Dinosaurs on 1.5 miles of trails
- HUGE splash pad
- Dino Maze (with a SLIDE to get out!)
- Hands on discovery stops
- Volcano that erupts
- HUGE Playground
- T-Rex Tower
PLUS, over at Nature’s Art Village, you can:
- Mine For Gems and Pan for Gold
- Do some epic mini golf
- Check out the Genius Museum!
PS- Need free alternatives? Check out one of these sites:
Take a Boat Ride
It’s not summer without a fun boat ride! There are tons of ways to get out on the water here in Connecticut- including some FREE options (Marked with a * ) :
- June 20: FREE Family Boating Day, Lake Waramaug State Park*
- July 18: FREE Family Boating Day, Mansfield Hollow Dam*
- August 8: Saltwater Fishing Day, Fort Trumbull State Park*
- August 22: Boating Day at Hopville State Park*
- Mystic Seaport Museum: (Check this list for discounts): Head to the boat house to rent a Sailboat, Paddle Boat, or Row Boat, all included with admission.
- Catch Some Fish with Black Hawk Sport Fishing
- Sheffield Island Tours/ Clambakes
- Rent Kayaks at Wethersfield Cove
- Adventure Mystic Boat Rentals
Cheer on the Hartford Athletic
Connecticut’s Soccer Team just got a whole lot cooler with their all new W League!
We’ll be doing giveaways all season long- and if you bring a CT Kids Passport, you can get a special prize!
Plus- SUMMER READING SUNDAYS are back! Kids can head to the field one Sunday per month. Afterwards, they’ll enjoy soccer clinics with pro players AND pizza. Best of all? It’s a totally FREE experience!
Photo Credit: Fun In Middletown
Beat the Heat (or the Rain!) with some indoor fun options
Tons of places to beat the heat or head inside on rainy days- and many of them are free!
Some of our indoor playgrounds:
- Stay N Play, Wallingford: This play area is ADORABLE for littles AND they offer some great character meet and greets AND cool classes like cooking!
- My Kids Place, Colchester: Another absolutely adorable spot with open play & sensory play.
Arcades and Areas for Bigger Kids:
- Nomads Adventure Quest (BOGO Wild Cards with CT Kids Passport)
- Kidzone Manchester (Toddler Area Available too!)
- Galaxy Zone Watertown
- Bounce Town (25% off and tokens with CT Kids Passport)
- Dave and Busters (Fame Chips Deal with CT Kids Passport)
- Escapism Southington (BOGO Admission with CT Kids Passport)
Save at more spots with your CT Kids Passport:
- It’s Play Time Avon- 20% off and a prize from the treasure chest!
- Peek-a-Brew Play Cafe Old Saybrook– $4 off admission
- Perfect Playdate Milford- $5 off play pass
- The Slime Lab Co. 10% off admission
- Pez Museum- FREE landyard and Pez Dispenser with admission (also library pass option avilable)
- Totsy Turvy Cafe & Play Wilton- Free beverage with play pass
- Tumble Jungle- 25% off open gym
- MiniTown Cafe & Play Fairfield- $5 off admission
Bowling:
Even more spots:
Outdoor Concert/ Drive in Movie
Tis the season for tons of free family concerts! Free concerts on the town green are a quintessential Connecticut tradition- and it’s always such fun to get a chance to pack a picnic, relax outside, and listen to some local hits. Click the link above for a 2026 round up.
Just a small sample of what’s out there:
- Summer Concerts at the Florence Griswold Museum*
- Wednesdays: Mystic Summer Concert series*
- Thursdays: Concerts at CT River Museum,Essex*
Another fun tradition? Drive in Movies! Our favorites:
- Downtown New Haven: Movies in the Plaza*
- Florence Griswold Museum First ever outdoor movie*
- Many YMCAs host “Dive In Movies” where you can watch from the pool.
Want to host an outdoor summer movie of your own? Many Libraries rent out projectors!
Spend a Day at a Science Center
The Connecticut Science Center is always a family favorite (they’re also a sponsor for this blog, but they were a favorite before they became one!)
Not only do they have a super fun indoor water play area for young kids, and about a billion other super fun exhibits, but they’re also constantly putting on family fun events.
They also have an ALL NEW INCREDIBLE PLAYGROUND that opens this summer- and a super cool (literally) new Sharks exhibit.
Check their events page for events all summer long- like:
You can also save on admission with your CT Kids Passport, or by becoming a member (We wound up getting literally thousands of dollars out of our membership one year!)
They also have an incredible access membership for families with Husky/SNAP.
Farm Day
It’s the season of Pick-Your-Own everything, and we are here for it!
Some of our favorites:
We also have TONS of Farmer’s Markets going on all season long. Many have FREE entertainment and activities, and End Hunger CT allows SNAP recipients to double the fruits and vegetables they purchase at participating farmers’ markets across the State.
Some of our favorite Farmer’s Markets:
Spend Some Time with Animals at the Zoo, Nature Center, or Aquarium
It’s not summer without a visit to see some animals, and there are TONS of options here in CT!
- Mystic Aquarium
- Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk
- Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo, Bridgeport
- Meig’s Point Nature Center (Free)
- New Britain Youth Museum/Hungerford Nature Center (Free with Library Pass)
- Stamford Museum and Nature Center (Free with Library Pass)
- Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center (Free with Library Pass)
Ice Cream Outing or Outdoor Food Spot
Connecticut has some of the best Ice Cream in the US- and we’ve been working on a whole Ice Cream Trail.
Also, many summer reading programs are doing ice cream making classes/ other freebies!
- Arethusa Farm, Litchfield (Bantam), New Haven, West Hartford
- Buttonwood Farms, Griswold
- Fish Family Farm, Bolton
- UConn Dairy Bar, Storrs:
- Robb’s Farm, Glastonbury
- Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream, Mystic
- Rich Farm Ice Cream: Oxford, Bristol, Brookfield
- For Free Options: Check out Summer Reading Events!:
- June 12: Pride Picnic at Simsbury Library
- June 20: Summer Reading Kickoff and Sno Cones at East Hampton Library
- July 15: Ice Cream Caper: Cracking the Cold Case at Granby Library
- Every Friday from June 27 through August 15: Picture Books and Popsicles: Plainville Library
- June 17: Touch-a-Truck Summer Reading Kickoff Party with Sweet Treats!
- June 12: Pride Picnic at Simsbury Library
In terms of fun outdoor food: Several local places offer kids spots to play:
- Jessica’s Garden, Marlborough (Small Play area, lake, rope swing)
- Lenny and Joe’s, Madison (Carousel for everyone to ride)
- Hank’s Dairy Bar, Plainfield (Small play area, arcade games)
- Dog Watch, Mystic (Play Area)
- Sandpiper, East Haven (Splash Pad Adjacent)
Some of the best (or just unique) outdoor food:
Family Fun at Powder Ridge Park
Powder Ridge really is just an incredible year round destination for families of all ages- they do an incredible job with adventure! Not only are there tons of concerts and events, but this year, they’re really taking summer fun to the next level with:
Also, if you’re after Water Park Adventure- head to Brownstone Discovery Park over in Portland!
Explore CT’s State Parks
One of the best parts about being a Nutmegger is free access to every state park! Beaches, waterfalls, lakes, fabulous hikes- it’s easier than ever to get outdoors.
Some of our favorite spots:
- Fort Trumbull
- Old Newgate Prison
- Hammonasset
- Salmon River
They also offer tons of amazing events via the No Child Left Inside Program- most are totally free!
Some fun things to look forward to:
Adventure/Theme Park
Connecticut is home to a variety of theme/adventure parks- and they are so much fun!
- Best Rides: Lake Compounce
- Best For Young Kids: The Dinosaur Place at Nature’s Art Village
- Best for Families with Multiple Generations: Quassy Amusement and Waterpark
- Best Water Park: Brownstone Adventure Park
- Pay as you Go: Sonny’s Place (BOGO Mini Golf with CT Kids Passport. Also- Pro Tip- Buy each child all day admission to Sonny’s Playland for $10. It definitely kept our kids happy for a good part of the day!)
- Free Amusement Park Replacement: Ride the Carousel at the Carousel Museum in Bristol. Follow it up with a visit to Rockwell Park in Bristol- amazing playground, great Splashpad!
- Other great outdoor park options include Storrs Adventure Park!
Picnic at the Playground/Park Day
Connecticut has some SERIOUSLY amazing parks. We have been working on a map of all of them, and it’s incredible to see just how many there are.
Some of our favorites:
- Jonathan’s Dream, West Hartford (Free; Fully Fenced in and Free Access, Accessible, some shade)
- Nevers Park, South Windsor (Free; Great Accessible playground, brand new splash pad, fun hiking trails)
- Macie’s Place/Connor’s Place, Somers (Free; Fenced in SplashPad, accessible playground)
- Williams Beach Park, Mystic (Free beach access next to the playground!)
- Stonington Playground (Fully Fenced in, next to the fishing pier, super scenic)
- Kids in Motion Playground, Cheshire (Fenced in)
Mini Golfing
A summer fun tradition- and there are tons of CT places to visit!
- Hidden Valley Mini Golf
- Safari Mini Golf, Berlin
- Copper Creek Mini Golf
- Saybrook Point Mini Golf, Saybrook Point
- Sonny’s Place, Somers (BOGO with CT Kids Passport!)
- Nomads- Indoor Option (CT Kids Passport Wildcard Deal)
- Library Summer Events- some have mini golf!
Bonus- check out the Youth on Course program! Members have access to play rounds of golf for $5 or less at thousands of golf courses in the U.S., Canada, and Australia.
Get Creative- Arts, Theater, Museums!
Did you know that there are TONS of art museums and activities around CT- there’s no better time to get creative!
- Discovery Sundays at Florence Griswold Museum (Free Library Pass; Art Trail Passport)
- Art Classes at NBMAA
- Mattatuck Museum Summer Activities for Families
- Creative Art Jam
- My Little Sprigs
- Eventful Craft Studio
Theater and Live Shows:
- June 20: Family Matinee at CT Ballet
- Middletown Children’s Circus
- Plus- Check out Free Art Programs at Connecticut Libraries
CT Kids Passport
Need a way to explore CT? The CT Kids Passport is a great option!
CT Kids Passport is your family’s go-to guide/discount booklet for discovering the best kid-friendly activities, attractions, and local businesses across Connecticut — without breaking the bank!
Designed for parents who want to make the most of their weekends without breaking the bank, this interactive passport helps families explore new places, earn exclusive discounts, and create lasting memories together.
With hundreds of fun stops — from museums and farms to indoor play spaces and seasonal events — the CT Kids Passport makes it easy to plan outings, support local businesses, and save both time and money while keeping your kids engaged and entertained all year long.
Summer Bucket List Giveaway!
As a bonus: We’re giving some away! Want to enter? Fill out this form and we’ll draw names on Mondays while supplies last!
Happy Exploring!
There you have it- this list links to over 1,000 things to do across various websites (CT 250 and Libraries are coming in on that front!), and we’ll be adding more as the season goes on.
As always, please check in with event organizers before heading out. Things change often.
Happy summer all!
