Hartford Travel and Things to Do Guide
The Greater Hartford Area is a destination built for meetings of all kinds. In Downtown Hartford, the expansive Connecticut Convention Center, a wide variety of accessible downtown hotels, easy access to the airport and the highway, and a free downtown circulator DASH shuttle leaves you with more time to meet, explore, and connect in this vibrant redeveloped downtown.
This Central Connecticut Region stretches north and south along the Connecticut River, the centerpiece to the Greater Hartford/ River Valley region, soothingly meanders from Suffield to Old Saybrook. Along the way, visitors can stop in Hartford, the Constitution State’s Capital, for a glimpse of Connecticut’s history, or explore the River Valley for rest, relaxation and family fun.
Charming authentic riverport villages provide all types of activities and unique venues like the Connecticut Science Center, The New England Air Museum, the New Britain Museum of American Art, the Connecticut River Museum, Essex Steam Train & River boat Cruises and the Spas at Saybrook Point Inn or Waters Edge Resort.
At the center of it all in downtown Hartford is the Connecticut Convention Center and the Front Street Entertainment Convention District. Combining ample meeting space – including 140,000 square feet of exhibition space, a 40,000-square-foot ballroom, and 25,000 square feet of flexible meeting space – with visually stunning touches and unparalleled service the Center is the premier meeting destination in the Northeast.
Greater Hartford also boasts a variety of historic and unique venues for off-site events or smaller meetings. In downtown, the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art is a classic space for large or small events, while the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts' famed Art Deco interior lends a stylish feel to dinners and receptions. Or, head to the new Dunkin' Donuts Park, a 6,056-seat baseball park in downtown that also has several suites and party decks available, as well as group seating.
Getting from work to play has never been easier when first-class entertainment and restaurants are just minutes from your Hartford area meeting. Enjoy tantalizing bites at over 30 independent restaurants, see a show at one of the nation's leading resident theaters, the Hartford Stage, or catch the pulse pounding action of the Hartford Wolf Pack hockey team at the XL Center. Or better yet, do it all. Venture outside of downtown for shopping, dining, and activities from wine tasting to pristine golf courses.
Attendees are happy to discover that reaching Greater Hartford and its array of attractions is quick and convenient. More than 23.5 million people live within a two and a half-hour drive from Hartford. Nowhere in the United States are you closer to as many people, except for Manhattan. Located at the intersection of two major U.S. interstates, visitors from across the Northeast can easily reach the city by car. Air travel is also a breeze, with the city's Bradley International Airport only 13 miles away from downtown Hartford. Bradley is serviced by the top airline carriers in the U.S. and offers nearly 300 national and international flights each day. In the Northeast, we ride the rail- Amtrak, and Metro North connection via the Hartford Line connect the region easily to New Haven, Stamford, New York City, Springfield and Boston, Mass. And through New England to the Canada border at Montreal.
No matter where your attendees come from, they'll find getting to Greater Hartford convenient and hassle-free, which will allow you to virtually guarantee attendance, if not increase it significantly. Any group type can probably find a connection to local attendees in Connecticut whether via industry specific- insurance, healthcare, aerospace, manufacturing there are hundreds of corporate headquarters and office located here. Enhance that with over 100 colleges & universities in the region, UCONN, University of Hartford, Trinity, Wesleyan to name a few. Connecticut has the resources, subject matter experts industry support and student member base for your meeting or event.
This Central Connecticut Region stretches north and south along the Connecticut River, the centerpiece to the Greater Hartford/ River Valley region, soothingly meanders from Suffield to Old Saybrook. Along the way, visitors can stop in Hartford, the Constitution State’s Capital, for a glimpse of Connecticut’s history, or explore the River Valley for rest, relaxation and family fun.
Charming authentic riverport villages provide all types of activities and unique venues like the Connecticut Science Center, The New England Air Museum, the New Britain Museum of American Art, the Connecticut River Museum, Essex Steam Train & River boat Cruises and the Spas at Saybrook Point Inn or Waters Edge Resort.
At the center of it all in downtown Hartford is the Connecticut Convention Center and the Front Street Entertainment Convention District. Combining ample meeting space – including 140,000 square feet of exhibition space, a 40,000-square-foot ballroom, and 25,000 square feet of flexible meeting space – with visually stunning touches and unparalleled service the Center is the premier meeting destination in the Northeast.
Greater Hartford also boasts a variety of historic and unique venues for off-site events or smaller meetings. In downtown, the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art is a classic space for large or small events, while the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts' famed Art Deco interior lends a stylish feel to dinners and receptions. Or, head to the new Dunkin' Donuts Park, a 6,056-seat baseball park in downtown that also has several suites and party decks available, as well as group seating.
Getting from work to play has never been easier when first-class entertainment and restaurants are just minutes from your Hartford area meeting. Enjoy tantalizing bites at over 30 independent restaurants, see a show at one of the nation's leading resident theaters, the Hartford Stage, or catch the pulse pounding action of the Hartford Wolf Pack hockey team at the XL Center. Or better yet, do it all. Venture outside of downtown for shopping, dining, and activities from wine tasting to pristine golf courses.
Attendees are happy to discover that reaching Greater Hartford and its array of attractions is quick and convenient. More than 23.5 million people live within a two and a half-hour drive from Hartford. Nowhere in the United States are you closer to as many people, except for Manhattan. Located at the intersection of two major U.S. interstates, visitors from across the Northeast can easily reach the city by car. Air travel is also a breeze, with the city's Bradley International Airport only 13 miles away from downtown Hartford. Bradley is serviced by the top airline carriers in the U.S. and offers nearly 300 national and international flights each day. In the Northeast, we ride the rail- Amtrak, and Metro North connection via the Hartford Line connect the region easily to New Haven, Stamford, New York City, Springfield and Boston, Mass. And through New England to the Canada border at Montreal.
No matter where your attendees come from, they'll find getting to Greater Hartford convenient and hassle-free, which will allow you to virtually guarantee attendance, if not increase it significantly. Any group type can probably find a connection to local attendees in Connecticut whether via industry specific- insurance, healthcare, aerospace, manufacturing there are hundreds of corporate headquarters and office located here. Enhance that with over 100 colleges & universities in the region, UCONN, University of Hartford, Trinity, Wesleyan to name a few. Connecticut has the resources, subject matter experts industry support and student member base for your meeting or event.
Weather and Seasonality
Greater Hartford experiences four distinct seasons, ranging from warm summers to beautiful snowy winters. The average annual rainfall is 44 inches and annual snowfall averages 48 inches, occurring most heavily from mid-November to late March. The city's warmest month is July, with average high temperatures in the mid-80s. January is the coldest month, with average high temperatures in the mid-30s. Late spring and early fall are popular times to visit Hartford, as mild temperatures range between the 60s and 70s during these times. Fall visits are especially ideal, as the season offers a spectacular display of colorful foliage and crisp, fresh air.
| Month | High/Low °F | Seasonality |
|---|---|---|
| January | 34°/17° | Low |
| February | 37°/19° | Low |
| March | 46°/28° | Medium |
| April | 60°/38° | High |
| May | 71°/47° | High |
| June | 80°/57° | Medium |
| July | 85°/62° | Low |
| August | 82°/60° | Low |
| September | 74°/52° | Medium |
| October | 64°/41° | High |
| November | 51°/33° | Medium |
| December | 38°/22° | Low |