Connecticut Feature

Antiquing

Although you'll find everything from chic boutiques to vast outlet malls in Connecticut, the state is an antiquer's paradise. The Litchfield Hills region, in the state's northwest corner, is the heart of antiques country. The Quiet Corner, east of the Connecticut River, runs a close second, with several hundred dealers and complexes. Mystic, Old Saybrook, Essex, and other towns along the coast are filled with markets, galleries, and shops, many specializing in antique prints, maps, books, and collectibles.

Fishing

Connecticut teems with possibilities for anglers, from deep-sea fishing in coastal waters to fly-fishing in the state's many streams. Try the Litchfield Hills region for freshwater fish: if you're just a beginner, don't fret—you'll be catching trout or bass in the Housatonic River in no time. Southeastern Connecticut is the charter- and party-boat capital of the state. Charter-fishing boats take passengers out on Long Island Sound for half-day, full-day, and overnight trips.

State Parks

Sixty percent of Connecticut is forest land, some of it under the jurisdiction of the state parks division, which also manages several beaches on the southern shoreline. Many parks have campgrounds. Trails meander through most of the parks—the hiking is especially spectacular around the cool clear water at Lake Waramaug State Park and the 200-foot-high waterfall at Kent Falls State Park. Popular Gillette Castle State Park in East Haddam has several trails, some on former railroad beds. Some state parks have no entrance fees year-round. At others the fee varies ($5-$14) depending on the time of year, day of the week, and whether or not your car bears a Connecticut license plate