Highest-rated free things to do in Connecticut by visitors

Written by:
September 2, 2025
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Highest-rated free things to do in Connecticut by visitors

Being an American can be incredibly expensive. While workers in the United States have seen a 1,015% increase in wages over the past 50 years, those gains haven't caught up with the ever-growing cost of living, according to a 2025 report from Consumer Affairs. Between 1973 and 2023, the national consumer price index increased by 586%.

Although Americans have about 63% more purchasing power than 50 years ago, that quickly dissipates when factoring in the increased costs of housing and education. Housing costs have jumped about 1,045%, private college tuition has risen by 158%, and public college tuition has increased by 177%.

That imbalance has put a huge strain on the average American. In 2023, a record-high 42.9 million households were cost-burdened, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.

It's no wonder that maintaining savings, paying down debts and mortgages, and regular expenses are taking precedence over vacations. But not everything that's enjoyable has to come at a high price. In fact, there's a roster of completely free things to do in Connecticut.

From touring landmarks and historical sites to getting out into nature, you can find all this and more without swiping your credit card or crossing state lines.

To help you find your next free activity, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated free things to do in Connecticut using data from Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, an activity with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of Aug. 18, 2025. Only locations that received at least 20 reviews were included.

Read on to start planning a weekend of free fun near you!

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Tripadvisor

#30. Tarrywile Park & Mansion

- Rating: 4.6/5 (179 reviews)
- City: Danbury
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#29. Tanger Outlets Foxwoods

- Rating: 4.1/5 (244 reviews)
- City: Mashantucket Mystic Country
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#28. Hubbard Park

- Rating: 4.4/5 (200 reviews)
- City: Meriden
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#27. Gouveia Vineyards

- Rating: 4.2/5 (362 reviews)
- City: Wallingford
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#26. Castle Craig

- Rating: 4.5/5 (84 reviews)
- City: Meriden
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#25. Bushnell Park

- Rating: 4.2/5 (207 reviews)
- City: Hartford
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#24. West Hartford Reservoir

- Rating: 4.7/5 (211 reviews)
- City: West Hartford
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#23. Greenwich Avenue

- Rating: 4.3/5 (209 reviews)
- City: Greenwich
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#22. Devil's Hopyard State Park

- Rating: 4.2/5 (147 reviews)
- City: East Haddam
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#21. Bluff Point State Park

- Rating: 4.5/5 (214 reviews)
- City: Groton Mystic Country
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#20. Yale Center for British Art

- Rating: 4.7/5 (368 reviews)
- City: New Haven
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#19. Connecticut State Capitol

- Rating: 4.6/5 (234 reviews)
- City: Hartford
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#18. Enders Falls

- Rating: 4.4/5 (64 reviews)
- City: Granby
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#17. Niantic Bay Boardwalk

- Rating: 4.5/5 (111 reviews)
- City: East Lyme Mystic Country
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#16. Jones Family Farm

- Rating: 4.5/5 (252 reviews)
- City: Shelton
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#15. Old Wethersfield

- Rating: 4.6/5 (70 reviews)
- City: Wethersfield
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#14. Sleeping Giant State Park

- Rating: 4.6/5 (307 reviews)
- City: Hamden
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#13. USS Nautilus

- Rating: 4.8/5 (169 reviews)
- City: Groton Mystic Country
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#12. East Rock Park

- Rating: 4.4/5 (186 reviews)
- City: New Haven
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#11. Mystic River Bascule Bridge

- Rating: 4.4/5 (807 reviews)
- City: Mystic Mystic Country
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#10. Elizabeth Park

- Rating: 4.7/5 (432 reviews)
- City: West Hartford
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#9. Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library

- Rating: 4.8/5 (286 reviews)
- City: New Haven
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#8. Silver Sands State Park

- Rating: 4.3/5 (435 reviews)
- City: Milford
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#7. Historic Downtown Mystic

- Rating: 4.4/5 (717 reviews)
- City: Mystic Mystic Country
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#6. Yale University

- Rating: 4.6/5 (838 reviews)
- City: New Haven
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#5. The Submarine Force Museum

- Rating: 4.7/5 (907 reviews)
- City: Groton Mystic Country
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#4. Mohegan Sun

- Rating: 4.1/5 (1,522 reviews)
- City: Uncasville Mystic Country
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#3. Yale University Art Gallery

- Rating: 4.8/5 (996 reviews)
- City: New Haven
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#2. Olde Mistick Village

- Rating: 4.1/5 (1,768 reviews)
- City: Mystic Mystic Country
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#1. Foxwoods Resort Casino

- Rating: 3.9/5 (3,448 reviews)
- City: Mashantucket Mystic Country
- Read more on Tripadvisor

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.

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