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Beautiful park overall and Silver light festival here was amazing. Free Christmas lights. Drive thru Hubbard park and look at the beautiful silver Christmas lights. They also have a Santa's workshop that you can look at too.
This is such a staple for long-time residents of Meriden, or folks passing through! Hiking trails, a pond for fishing, a band shell where events take place throughout the year, and tons of open green space-- this is the heart and soul of Meriden!
I live nearby and come here often. I really like this park year round. It's beautiful and the trails are great! Love taking strolls here, too. In the winter, they have beautiful holiday lights up, there's the daffodil festival, and so much more. There are always people at the park which is nice. Great for families.
4th July fireworks and celebrations. Food was fantastic but I wish there was more to choose from. Music entertainment and the ribbon of the night FIREWORKS !!!!!
"No short-haired, yellow-bellied, son of Tricky Dicky Is going to Mother Hubbard soft soap me" (John Lennon) When you visit a park, what are some of the features you'd like to see? Probably lots of aesthetically pleasing natural beauty, with a huge lake, ducks, maybe a few bridges and waterfalls? Probably lots of lush greenery, flowers and flowering trees, right? You'd probably want to see some hiking trails to get your steps in, correct? How about tennis courts, an entertainment pavilion, swings and playground equipment, grills and picnic tables? How about some DINOSAUR TRACKS??? How about a venue for local events like 4th of July celebrations, and festivals galore - ethnic celebrations, Silver City Winter Lights, and a Daffodil Festival? And coolest of all, how about a spectacular historic castle on the park's 1,800 acres? Ladies and Gentlemen, beautiful Hubbard Park has all that and more.
So beautiful this time of year with all the daffodils bloomed!! Nice to walk around and take pictures or just enjoy the fresh air and beautiful flowers ! I just wished people would stop feeding bread to the geese!!
I love how Hubbard park does a free light show for the holidays. I was more excited than my lils to see all the displays. Be prepared to have a wait to actually enter the park. You can make it fun with music and holiday treats. They allow you to park and walk through as well. Patience is a virtue, some ppl weren't in the holiday spirit and honked as I was trying to take pictures. Unfortunately most of my pics are blurry. All in all a must do for my family in warm comfy Christmas pajamas.
Beautiful park! I came for a morning walk which was great. Not too crowded around 8:30-9am. Good trail around the water for walking ... some parts do not have gravel or a heavily walked area to follow for a walk but it's easy to figure out how to complete the circle. I saw a stage and a tennis court and I believe there is a driving trail. I was there for a workout therefore I was mainly near the lake and the area with all the steps. Just watch out for poop spots and muddy areas. Overall pretty clean park with pretty friendly people.
COVID-19 era review: this is an excellent place for social distancing, whatever your definition of park may be. If park means ponds, birds, and grassy knolls, you're home. If it means rugged boots, blazes, and boulders, you're also at home. Lightly walk the pond or reservoir, or bring your boots and climb one of the two traprock ridges (Castle Craig is the East Peak side, with views of Sleeping Giant and the LI Sound). Waterfowl congregate at the duck pond, and there's a few folks fishing. The sign at the pool says if you have a city pass, you can swim from 1-5, but I didn't see anyone after 1-work day drought or COVID closure, I wish I could tell you, but the huge playground was open and occupied. Come back in autumn for great foliage, winter for the amazing holiday lights display, and Spring, post-COVID, for the Daffodil festival.
Hubbard Park is a great place for hiking while maintaining social distance, with easy and harder trail options that go past fantastic view points. We picked up the Metacomet trail by parking just east of the Elsmere Reservoir on highway 71, and took a pleasant walk through the woods and over the Merimere Reservoir dam. The trail got wet in places but wasn't impossible to manage. After crossing the dam, there is a confusing sign that seems to indicate that the trail continues straight up a waterfall! A helpful family told us the trail actually continues up to the left. This part of the trail is pretty hard with lots of rock scrambles and pretty vertical ascents (I wouldn't recommend doing this when the rocks are slick), but the views over Merimere Reservoir through the trees are just superb. The viewpoint at the top is amazing - with the reservoir, a small island, the surrounding hills, and the buildings in Meriden all filling the horizon. From here, it's reasonably easy going up to Castle Craig, a stone observation tower. To avoid a tough slog with lots of vertical descents, we'd instead recommend circling back to the dam on Peak Drive, which is right in front of Castle Craig; you can walk along the road all the way down to the reservoir and then retrace your steps to the highway.
Yesterday my dog and I decided to visit Castle Craig which is perfectly situated for a fantastic view of the park itself plus much of Meriden. Though this year's peak fall colors were muted and a bit past, it was still enjoyable. read more
Hubbard Park in Meriden is about 1800 acres of woodlands, streams , a man-made lake for fishing, tennis courts and various picnic areas located throughout the park. You'll find, joggers, runners, walkers, fishermen/women and family's all enjoying the natural beauty and recreational facilities of this scenic park located in the western part of the city. read more
1 year ago
Came for the daffodils before the festival, where a majority of the flowers are already passed bloom read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
Beautiful park overall and Silver light festival here was amazing. Free Christmas lights. Drive thru Hubbard park and look at the beautiful silver Christmas lights. They also have a Santa's workshop that you can look at too. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
This is such a staple for long-time residents of Meriden, or folks passing through! Hiking trails, a pond for fishing, a band shell where events take place throughout the year, and tons of open green space-- this is the heart and soul of Meriden! read more
I live nearby and come here often. I really like this park year round. It's beautiful and the trails are great! Love taking strolls here, too. In the winter, they have beautiful holiday lights up, there's the daffodil festival, and so much more. There are always people at the park which is nice. Great for families. read more
"No short-haired, yellow-bellied, son of Tricky Dicky Is going to Mother Hubbard soft soap me" (John Lennon) When you visit a park, what are some of the features you'd like to see? Probably lots of aesthetically pleasing natural beauty, with a huge lake, ducks, maybe a few bridges and waterfalls? Probably lots of lush greenery, flowers and flowering trees, right? You'd probably want to see some hiking trails to get your steps in, correct? How about tennis courts, an entertainment pavilion, swings and playground equipment, grills and picnic tables? How about some DINOSAUR TRACKS??? How about a venue for local events like 4th of July celebrations, and festivals galore - ethnic celebrations, Silver City Winter Lights, and a Daffodil Festival? And coolest of all, how about a spectacular historic castle on the park's 1,800 acres? Ladies and Gentlemen, beautiful Hubbard Park has all that and more. read more
So beautiful this time of year with all the daffodils bloomed!! Nice to walk around and take pictures or just enjoy the fresh air and beautiful flowers ! I just wished people would stop feeding bread to the geese!! read more
I love how Hubbard park does a free light show for the holidays. I was more excited than my lils to see all the displays. Be prepared to have a wait to actually enter the park. You can make it fun with music and holiday treats. They allow you to park and walk through as well. Patience is a virtue, some ppl weren't in the holiday spirit and honked as I was trying to take pictures. Unfortunately most of my pics are blurry. All in all a must do for my family in warm comfy Christmas pajamas. read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
Beautiful park! I came for a morning walk which was great. Not too crowded around 8:30-9am. Good trail around the water for walking ... some parts do not have gravel or a heavily walked area to follow for a walk but it's easy to figure out how to complete the circle. I saw a stage and a tennis court and I believe there is a driving trail. I was there for a workout therefore I was mainly near the lake and the area with all the steps. Just watch out for poop spots and muddy areas. Overall pretty clean park with pretty friendly people. read more
2 years ago
COVID-19 era review: this is an excellent place for social distancing, whatever your definition of park may be. If park means ponds, birds, and grassy knolls, you're home. If it means rugged boots, blazes, and boulders, you're also at home. Lightly walk the pond or reservoir, or bring your boots and climb one of the two traprock ridges (Castle Craig is the East Peak side, with views of Sleeping Giant and the LI Sound). Waterfowl congregate at the duck pond, and there's a few folks fishing. The sign at the pool says if you have a city pass, you can swim from 1-5, but I didn't see anyone after 1-work day drought or COVID closure, I wish I could tell you, but the huge playground was open and occupied. Come back in autumn for great foliage, winter for the amazing holiday lights display, and Spring, post-COVID, for the Daffodil festival. read more
Hubbard Park is a great place for hiking while maintaining social distance, with easy and harder trail options that go past fantastic view points. We picked up the Metacomet trail by parking just east of the Elsmere Reservoir on highway 71, and took a pleasant walk through the woods and over the Merimere Reservoir dam. The trail got wet in places but wasn't impossible to manage. After crossing the dam, there is a confusing sign that seems to indicate that the trail continues straight up a waterfall! A helpful family told us the trail actually continues up to the left. This part of the trail is pretty hard with lots of rock scrambles and pretty vertical ascents (I wouldn't recommend doing this when the rocks are slick), but the views over Merimere Reservoir through the trees are just superb. The viewpoint at the top is amazing - with the reservoir, a small island, the surrounding hills, and the buildings in Meriden all filling the horizon. From here, it's reasonably easy going up to Castle Craig, a stone observation tower. To avoid a tough slog with lots of vertical descents, we'd instead recommend circling back to the dam on Peak Drive, which is right in front of Castle Craig; you can walk along the road all the way down to the reservoir and then retrace your steps to the highway. read more
4 years ago
Great place to walk and great scenic views. Felt safe in this area as I am not a local! Beautiful place and well kept! read more
4 years ago
Just north of downtown Meriden, Hubbard Park is a neighborhood gem in New Haven county. Great for lunch breaks, morning strolls, or a quick day-hike, people from all over come to check out the flower gardens, playgrounds, and hiking and mountain biking trails Hubbard park offers. It is also home to a variety of local festivals and concerts throughout the year. Daffodil Festival, Food Truck Festival, Festival of Lights, -- I've honestly never been any of the festivals here. The views from Castle Craig are what call to me. I've never hung out much in Hubbard Park, but the tower is part of the 1,800 acre Hubbard Park. Castle Craig Tower is a round stone observation tower atop East Peak in Meriden. Built of native trap rock, it is 32 feet tall and stands at an elevation of just over 1,000 feet. Walk up the interior stairway and you get can beautiful and expansive views from the observation deck. On most days, you'll catch a glimpse of Sleeping Giant to the south, a glimpse of New Haven, and even the glistening waters of Long Island Sound. When the lot is open in warmer months, take the kids, bring some food and drink to enjoy, and stay a little. There are several hiking trails to the Tower as well as a road which is open to vehicles from May through October from 10am-4pm. For an easy morning walk, take the paved road up to the tower and it'll be a 3+ mile adventure that's about 1 hour (if you maintain a good pace) But, if you're up for more of a challenge, near the beginning of the paved road, there will be a trail-blazed path that will take you about 15-30 minutes up. Keep an eye out for yellow, white, and double-white marked paths. They range in difficulty and are all a lot faster than the paved road. The double-white is my favorite, it's more of a scramble up and takes the least amount of time, even if you walk, to get to the Tower. FYI: - No bathrooms at the top of Castle Craig, but there are portable bathrooms in Hubbard Park near the playgrounds - No trash receptacles at Castle Craig, take with you what you brought in - Be mindful of sunset, as people forget how long it takes to come back down the trail from the Tower read more
5 years ago
Best park in all of CT. I forget which park it was modeled after (I think manhattan park), but the creator is famous for building other beautiful parks around the US. There is a statue of him somewhere in the park with an explanation of this. The christmas lights are gorgeous, the tennis courts are well maintained and kept far away from the road incase a ball suddenly flies over the gate, the hiking trail is well maintained, and the daffodil festival is the best around. I have been on many dates here, gone for many hikes, and played tennis a few times here. Connects to Castle Craig which gives an awesome view of 691 and the park, as well as Meriden and Southington. Free wifi, plenty of parking, and the best CT has to offer. It is the place to be on a nice summer weekend. read more
6 years ago
7 years ago
Hubbard Park is very beautiful. It has a bunch of fountains and in each of the Fallons they have the spray fountains I guess they're called that spray water up and there's a bunch of waterfalls around the park there's a nice little foot bridge and you can actually see castle Craig from the park and when I went there was a bunch of ducks which I love because I love ducks. There was also Canadian geese. It's a really nice place to check out I also heard it was designed by the same person who designed Central Park. You can drive up to Castle Craig see it or you can hike up to it it's a really nice area. It's in the area of the hanging hill so there's also a bunch of other hikes you can do and reservoirs you can see in the cool things like that to do. Look at my pictures for more details read more
7 years ago
Hosts the Daffodil Festival, Puerto Rican Festival, & Silver City Winter Lights. Hubbard Park itself looks mediocre but the trail to the Castle Craig is absolutely stunning. read more
This lovely park offers so many faces. At its entrances (and be cautious about these; they sneak up on you from Main Street), Hubbard Park has broad lawns, carefully crafted ponds, gardens, graoves, children's play areas, and so on. If you look carefully you'll find an old spring house from the days when Meriden residents would come here to get water. In winter, light displays welcome evening visitors driving the park lanes with wide eyes. On my last visit, the one of the smaller park roads was merrily hosting a soapbox derby meet. All this is lovely. But wait - there's more. Rising above the manicured park to the north is a steep ridge. Hiking trails (and a road you can drive yourself) bring you to Castle Craig, a stone tower at the summit with dramatic views in all directions. You can see Hartford to the north and New Haven to the south when the weather is clear. Interstate 691 manages to run straight through the park, but you almost have to look for it to realize it's there - there is a trail that crosses it on a pretty dramatic footbridge. When the holiday lights are up, drivers will see a show of their own: bright snowflakes adorn the trees on the south side of the highway. I call that a nice touch. Hike, bike, let the kids run, relax. Enjoy. read more
4 years ago
I came to this park for the Food Truck Festival on 4/18/2015 and was impressed by the park! It's a large park with pretty hills, view, and waterfront. The landscaping was very pretty. They had a very nice pond which had a "boat" launch, which I imagine is good for canoes, paddle boats, etc. Parking is a little bit of a pain and it's so large that you'll end up being very far away from your car at the end of the day if you go explore the park. As with most parks, it's open from dawn to dusk, so hours are variable with the season. My only regret was not exploring more of the park. read more
9 years ago
So much space to walk/play around in. The playground looks wonderful and the hiking trails to and around Castle Craig are so good! My only complaint is that down in the civilized part of the park there don't seem to be enough water fountains. read more
5 years ago
I'm not sure if I can honestly describe this park. It's massive. It's old. It's beautiful. There are wide open spaces, hiking to Castle Craig, ponds, pavilions... the list goes on. I'm going back! It's probably the nicest planned park I've seen in Connecticut. (Not taking State Parks into account.) This is a jewel. Meriden you're definitely lucky! My only criticism is that it's clearly showing it's age, but it's still worth visiting, especially families - Dinosaur Footprints! But... if you look closely at the actual signs, bridges, paths, buildings, masonry, they're all in a state of disrepair. The road to Castle Craig is very simple, but it could be so much more. The hiking trails are challenging but the blazes are terrible! Let me repeat this, they're terrible! I wish there was a map posted showing hiking trails... I couldn't find one. I still recommend going, it's really beautiful. It could be so much grander though. Again, CT you have such natural beauty, you're letting the future down! Meriden this was a gift, and I hope Meriden residents don't take it for granted. Also, how about a few food vendors in the park? Or an ice-cream stand at the top of Castle Craig? Make it fun for kids. I'm not sure what weekends are like and I did see that bands perform here. And possibly an acting troupe. Just throwing out an idea or two. A big city would love to have this treasure! Alright I'm done. I really hope you go. Even if this review sounds critical. If you decide to hike in the Spring or Summer, bug spray!!! read more
15 years ago
We love coming to Hubbard Park, there is always so much to do! The geese and ducks are very friendly here and come right up looking for food. We usually spend as much time as we can feeding them before moving on to any other activities. There are a few different hiking trails. We are big fans of the short trails we can hike in under an hour. As for longer trails, like the one that leads to Castle Craig, we drive up. Castle Craig is a small tower at the top of the mountain over looking New Britain. There are metal stairs inside the tower that will lead you to the top, and railings have been built in to prevent any falls. Do remember to keep your little ones close at hand when exploring this castle's surrounding areas, there are some areas where railings or walls are not in place and a trip over the edge would not be fun. My children's favorite spot at Hubbard Park is the playground. It's a large playground, well kept, with lots of unique equipment. Hours have been spent exploring the different climbing, crawling, sliding, and swinging areas. It's wonderful that the playground is fenced in, so if you do lose sight of your child you know they are within the fence. During the Holiday season, Hubbard Park is famous for their gorgeous light display! You could walk around and take photos with various lights strung up in the shapes of animals or you could drive through and see it all in a winter wonderland experience. This park is a Connecticut treasure and a must visit for any age! read more
15 years ago
Hubbard Park is a part of Meriden. People who grew up in this area remember feeding the ducks as little kids, playing on the playground (The old one I played on has since been removed and replaced with a newer, even bigger playground in a different part of the park), walking in the dinosaur feet, visiting Castle Craig, and enjoying the annual daffodils and Daffodil Festival. We went for hikes with our families and scout troops as we got older. We took pictures in front of the waterfall before prom. We drove through every year to see the lights at Christmastime. Hubbard Park is just a great place for anyone, of any age, to stop in for a short time to feed the ducks or have a picnic, or spend the day and go for a hike. The trails are clear, and the scenery is beautiful. If you can make it all the way up to Castle Craig, you can see miles over the city. You can also just skip the hike and drive to Castle Craig, which makes for a fun excursion. There's tons of open space around the main part of the park to picnic, spread out and relax, play catch, or even attempt to fly a kite. The band shell houses wonderful concerts with both local groups (I played there with my concert bands in elementary and high school), and also some bigger acts in the spring and summertime (I saw Chuck Berry for Meriden's 200th birthday - for free!). There's plenty of free parking either along the edge of the lake, at the entrance of the hiking trails, or in a large parking lot, so everything's easily accessible. In the springtime, the road around Mirror Lake is lined with daffodils, and the park is the home to the beloved Daffodil Festival for a weekend. In the summertime, the pool is open to residents who buy a pool pass. (I haven't swam in it in years, but I do remember taking swimming lessons there.) In the fall, the foliage is absolutely beautiful to hike through. In the winter, the place is filled with Christmas lights in the form of snowflakes, castles, poinsettias, swans on the lake, turtles, deer, squirrels, camels, elephants, and other creatures. It's a wonderful experience driving through at night, and in my mid-twenties, I still drove through with my family this past Christmas season. Hubbard Park is really great in any season, on any day, and I'm happy to have it here in my hometown. read more
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