If you’re new here, no I’m not visiting 50 states in 50 days. I’m reviewing 50 states in 50 days in alphabetical order. Today’s subject is Connecticut, the Nutmeg State. The Nutmeg State? “According to CTstatelibrary.org “the Nutmeg State, is applied to Connecticut because its early inhabitants had the reputation of being so ingenious and shrewd that they were able to make and sell wooden nutmegs.” Really?They’re shrewd because they made fake nuts out of wood? C’mon Connecticut, I’m doing a review here. You’ve got to give me something better than that to work with.
Connecticut is a state I know well from many work visits. It’s capitol is the city of Hartford, like the insurance. Hartford, Connecticut is a nice medium sized city that doesn’t give you a big city feel. It’s an easy city to get around and find parking. Hartford, can easily be mispronounced as Fart-herd, after a couple drinks, although I have no experience with that. The city of Hartford is the United States epicenter of insurance. There’s about ten big, big buildings in the city of Hartford and they are homes to different insurance companies, which is why you’ll only want to visit there instead of living there. Who wants to be surrounded by insurance salesmen and women constantly? Remember Ned Ryerson from Groundhog Day? That’s about 50% of the Hartford population. The other 50% are the best insured people in all the world!
Ok, enough of my wisecracks. Let’s really look at Connecticut. Outside of Hartford (you just thought Fart-herd didn’t you?) are a million quaint little New England towns. In the fall when you want to see leaves change, skip Vermont and go to Connecticut and stay in a bed and breakfast in one of these quaint towns. But make sure you get the heck out of there before fall is over because a brutal northeastern winter is coming.
In the summer you’ll want to visit for all the seaside towns with beautiful beaches. Mystic, Connecticut of the famous Mystic Pizza movie has a great beach and at the end of the day you can get pizza served to you by Julia Roberts at the real Mystic Pizza.
The beach near Mystic has a world of entertainment for the kids so you can just relax on the beach while they run off to entertain themselves.
All in all, Connecticut isn’t a bad place to visit in the summer and fall. Hartford also has a nice, relatively small airport that is easy to get in and out of. If you want that New England type of vacation without paying Cape Cod money, Connecticut isn’t a bad way to go. Enjoy your Nutmegs! (but don’t eat them because they’re made of wood)
Safe travels! ~Phil
