The Greater New Haven area offers a wide variety of recreational activities for both residents and visitors. Many parks, nature preserves, and hiking trails allow visitors to participate in outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, picnicking, and birdwatching. East Rock Park, West Rock Ridge State Park, and Sleeping Giant State Park are a few examples of scenic outdoor destinations in the region.
Located along Long Island Sound, this area provides access to beautiful beaches and waterfronts that offer various activities like swimming, sunbathing, kayaking, paddleboarding, and other water-based activities. Some popular beach destinations in the region include Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison, the West Haven beaches, and Silver Sands State Park in Milford.
If you’re a golf enthusiast, there are several public and private golf courses in the area where you can enjoy a round of golf, such as Orange Hills Country Club, Alling Memorial Golf Course, Grassy Hill Country Club, The Orchards Golf Course, and Laurel View Country Club.
Southern Connecticut experiences all four seasons, and each one offers a unique set of activities. In the spring, you can celebrate nature’s reawakening with the stunning Japanese cherry blossoms along Wooster Street, or witness the breathtaking Daffodil Festival at Hubbard Park. The summer season sparkles with the International Festival of Arts & Ideas, the Guilford Art Center Craft Expo, and outdoor summer concerts on town greens. In the fall, you can attend several fairs, such as the North Haven Fair and Guilford Fairs, which are timeless New England agricultural events with livestock, rides, and customary carnival treats. You can also head to the farms to pick your own apples and pumpkins or challenge your sense of direction in puzzling corn mazes. If you want to marvel at dazzling fall foliage, try Rt. 63 through Woodbridge and Bethany. If you’re a brave soul, you can track eagles and seals on their annual pilgrimages in frosty weather.
Hit the ground running, or cycling, on the many trails within the region. Trails can be found in every town in the region, with varying degrees of difficulty. Printable trail maps can be downloaded at scrcog.org.