There’s so much to learn and do at a convention, sometimes it can trigger stress with attendees. Fortunately, Connecticut has plenty of ways to relax, from a spa day to a riverboat ride. History, golf, hiking, wine tastings—no matter how groups like to kick back and unwind, this state has it covered.
Elemis Spa at Mohegan Sun, Uncasville
Nothing says relaxation like a spa day. Mohegan Sun, best known as a meetings and gaming venue, also offers the ultimate place to relax and recoup with a 22,000-square-foot facility complete with 15 therapy rooms and two exotic spa suites. Its well-trained staff can soothe away stress with reflexology, aroma stone therapy, Swedish massage or an Elemis Visible Brilliance facial. Clients can pick and choose therapies or go for one of the Spa Ceremony packages. Ten cultures are represented in treatments on the spa menu, and there’s something for everyone, including men: the Urban Cleanse or Skin I.Q. facial treats masculine skin, which often bears the brunt of daily shaving and no skin care regimen.
The spa also features a number of detoxifying spa sessions, including an Exotic Lime and Ginger Salt Glow, Citrus Body Gloss or Ionithermie Cellulite Reduction Program. There are also facilities for couples massages, separate relaxation areas for men and women, plus a beauty salon and fitness center.
Tours and Hiking Trails at Wadsworth Mansion, Middletown
Built in the early years of the 20th century, Wadsworth Mansion, also known as Long Hill, originally served as the summer home of Col. Clarence Wadsworth and his wife, Katharine. The estate was ahead of its time with its environmentally cognizant design, including 500 acres of managed forest and pasturelands. Now, after an ambitious and citywide restoration project on the mansion and the land, Wadsworth is open for tours and trail hikes.
Groups can start with a guided tour of the mansion on Wednesday afternoons and follow up with self-guided trail walks throughout the surrounding Parklands at Long Hill. Trail brochures and signage along the way add to the story of the Wadsworths. If groups want a bigger challenge than the 1.5-mile Perimeter Trail or half-mile Inner Trail, more trails are available in the adjacent Wadsworth Falls State Park.
Golf at Foxwoods Resort Casino, Mashantucket
In addition to gaming, shows, shopping and other activities, Foxwoods Resort Casino also offers some of the best golfing in the state. The resort’s north course is 7,300 yards of challenging play designed by renowned golf architect Rees Jones, and five sets of tees at each hole means players of every skill level, from beginner to advanced, can join in. The Lake of Isles course was even approved by Golf magazine as one of the “Top 100 Courses You Can Play,” and groups can combine a teambuilding or competitive golf tournament with an event at the clubhouse, which can handle up to 300 people in its banquet hall.
Before taking to the green, planners can set up private group lessons with the resort’s golf academy, so attendees can fix those swings and improve their scores.
Essex Steam Train and Riverboat
“A wonderful off-site experience for groups is a ride on the historic Essex Steam Train, combined with a Connecticut River cruise aboard the Becky Thatcher riverboat," said H. Scott Phelps, president of the Connecticut CVB. “Viewing the Connecticut River Valley from the rails and the river offers a unique perspective, as you pass historic sites and can see eagles and herons in their natural habitat.”
Indeed, the combined journey of vintage steam and river power is an excellent way for attendees to kick back and enjoy the journey. Groups board the steam train, meet the riverboat for a cruise, then travel back on the train. The entire trip takes only two and a half hours and shows off some of the state’s loveliest scenery. Planners can also arrange for a dinner train package where attendees enjoy a meal aboard vintage dining cars from the 1920s, or a lunch excursion, which includes the dining car and a riverboat ride afterward.
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New England Air Museum, Windsor Locks
When a museum has this much history, it’s only fair that groups slow down and take their time to see it all. The New England Air Museum offers centuries of air travel in three hangars, from exhibits on airships and dirigibles to row upon row of historic planes from all decades. There’s even one prize no other facility can top: a basket used by Connecticut native Silas Brooks as part of a hot-air balloon rig in the 1870s. The basket is the oldest surviving American-built aircraft and an amazing piece of aviation history.
There are also displays for the World War II Flying Tigers, along with many other groups. Planners can also arrange events in the hangars, so attendees can dine under the wings of classic planes from Boeing, Lockheed and many more. In fact, the museum has more than 100 planes on exhibit inside and outside on the grounds, from gliders and helicopters to supersonic jets and SeaBees.
The Mark Twain House and Museum and the Harriet Beecher Stowe House, Hartford
There’s magic in the air where great artists lived, and these two houses capture it perfectly. Mark Twain wrote The Adventures of Tom Sawyer while residing in his Hartford home, and Harriet Beecher Stowe moved to a home located next door. Although she was a prolific writer, her best-known work, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, threw a national spotlight on race relations in the 19th century. Both are open for tours and have museums where attendees can learn more about these legendary authors.
Groups can also get a behind-the-scenes tour of the current preservation project happening this year at the Stowe house. For something relaxing and reflective for small groups, planners can look into the various writing workshops held at the Mark Twain House throughout the year. There are also freewriting sessions available, where inspired and aspiring writers can have three uninterrupted hours to work on their own masterpieces in Mark Twain’s own library.
Chamard Vineyards, Clinton
“Another memorable Southern New England experience is touring the many scenic wineries and vineyards around our state, with their samplings and special events,” Phelps said. “A great place to begin is the Connecticut Wine Trail.”
More than two-dozen wineries belong to the Wine Trail, hosting events and preparing wine tastings for groups. One stop on the list is Chamard Vineyards, which has been bottling its own fine wine since 1988. The facility offers plenty of options for a relaxing day, from meeting space in the Red Barrel Room, the original wine library of the estate, to casual parties in The Barn.
Planners can also schedule private tours and tastings, or hold an event and select a menu from the Bistro. Great wine and fresh New England clams and oysters from the Raw Bar make a terrific combination, or planners can choose from a brunch buffet or hors d’oeuvres.
Mystic Seaport: The Museum of America and the Sea, Mystic
Since the dawn of time, the sea has called out to humanity; people find comfort in a sunset reflecting over the sparkling surface, or seek out adventure and new worlds hidden in its waves. Mystic Seaport allows attendees to explore history not just in the museum’s galleries, but on the ships themselves. There are nearly two-dozen ships to explore in the seaport, from a tugboat to a whaling ship.
Groups can charter the Mystic Brilliant schooner for a trip on the Mystic River, or get hands-on aboard a fully-rigged, 1882 training ship. Afterward, they can get their land legs back with a lesson in steering via the stars thanks to the museum’s planetarium. There’s also a seafaring village on the grounds, populated with authentic 19th century buildings brought in from around the state and staffed with historians. All the attractions make for a truly enlightening trip back in time, when life was run at the pace of the sea.
