3 Best Sights in New Haven, Mystic, and the Coast, Connecticut

At this site are the remnants of a Revolutionary War fort whose American defenders were massacred in 1781 by British troops under the command of the American traitor Benedict Arnold. The 134-foot-tall Groton Monument is a memorial to the fallen; you can climb it for a sweeping view of the shoreline. The adjacent Monument House Museum has historic displays.

The Mohegan Tribe, known as the Wolf People, operate this casino west of Ledyard and just south of Norwich, which has more than 300,000 square feet of gaming space, including 6,000 slot machines and more than 250 gaming tables. Also part of the complex: the Kids Quest family-entertainment center, a 130,000-square-foot shopping mall, more than 40 restaurants and food-and-beverage suppliers, and a 34-story, 1,200-room luxury hotel with a full-service spa. A 10,000-seat arena, home to the WNBA's Connecticut Sun, draws major national acts, while a swanky 300-seat cabaret hosts intimate shows and comedy acts. Mohegan After Dark is a 22,000-square-foot complex with three nightclubs.

The world's first nuclear-powered submarine, the Nautilus was launched and commissioned in Groton in 1954 and spent her 25-year active career as a showpiece of U.S. technological know-how. She is permanently berthed at the Submarine Force Museum, where you're welcome to climb aboard and explore. The museum, outside the entrance to the submarine base, is a repository of artifacts, documents, and photographs detailing the history of the U.S. Submarine Force component of the U.S. Navy, and has educational and interactive exhibits.