Wethersfield Cove is an inlet which connects to the Connecticut River. There were warehouses built…read morein the 1600s, to store goods such as food and lumber to be sent out to trade with places like the West Indies; products traded in return were rum, molasses, and sugar. The Cove Warehouse Museum still stands today and is open seasonally to the public. There is the heritage trail that runs through it, a boat ramp, rocky beach, picnic tables, porta potty, and a huge parking lot. As far as beach goes, I wouldn't advise swimming in it because of a huge sewage leak back in the 1990s. It is a beautiful spot to walk, picnic, and just enjoy the vista. I'm sure it's fun to go boating on it too. Overall, a nice little neighborhood park with tons of history.

This little hidden spot is a gem if you're looking to get away from the busy life. It is peaceful,…read morewith manicured grass, a little stream of the Connecticut River, and some geese staying cool in the water. It is super easy to access, just an easy drive down the road from Old Wethersfield and past the dreaded DMV. You can bring your lunch here and have it on the bench. Be sure to dispose of your litter in the trash can. There was a very kind older gentleman who was working to pick up the litter of the ground, he said "it gives me something to do". There's no reason for this, as there's a substantial amount of trash cans. This is a nice place to go on a boat ride down the Connecticut River, and to try to catch some fish. The Wethersfield Cove is a beautiful place to rest your mind and your eyes.

The Veteran's Memorial Park is a small park, located by Stop & Shop in Berlin. It is an interesting…read morelocation, but nonetheless a beautiful and well maintained park. This park is dedicated to the brave man and women who lost their lives in several wars. There are plaques, indicating a brief history of the wars and the number of lives lost. There is a small pond with a lovely fountain. There are a few tiny fish, no geese or ducks. There was a sign indicating not to feed the geese. I'm not sure what happened to them though. There are benches and a cute gazebo. This is a nice little park, to take your kids for a bike ride or let your dog out! They have dog poopy bags available for your convenience. This is a very nice local park that's very well maintained. Enjoy!

Mikey's Place is a beautiful playground located in Wethersfield. It has two sections, one is for…read morelittle kids up to age five, and the other section is for older kids. This is a very thoughtfully designed playground for every child, despite their physical abilities. There are ramps for wheelchairs, so wheelchair users can access the playscape. The ground is in part wood chips and in part padded. If anyone should fall the injuries would be at worst minimal. The playground features swings, slides, a sandbox, see-saws, and much more. My friend's three year old son had a great time playing here. I even took a swing on the swing myself. This playground is dedicated to a little boy named Mikey, who died at just under three years old, from a rare neuromuscular illness. Mikey's Place has brought countless kids together, allowing them to play, laugh and build friendships.

One of the larger playground near the DMV. This is a wheelchair accessible playground which is…read morelocated in Standish Park. It's created to honor the memory of Mikey, a toddler with spinal muscular atrophy. There were two areas: toddlers from 2-5 years old, which was fenced in and an older kids section. There is a small parking lot, benches, and adult swings. When you first walk in, you will see a "Grandpa Boat" which is a swaying boat. My toddler loved the cars; you can push your child around the playground. I saw a free little library as well as trash receptacles. I saw a gazebo which is nice to sit in on a sunny day. This is definitely one of the nicer playgrounds I've been to.

Beautiful hike, not too hard, but not necessarily for beginners either. I wood bring water and good…read moreshoes

I hosted a birthday hike at Quarry Park and brought a bag of spray paints- we had a blast! The hike…read moreis fair, not easy but not difficult. The graffiti was beautiful art. The only downfall is that we put bug spray on, but I came home with 42 mosquito bites- but I will go back when there's not as many mosquitoes!!

Loved coming here for the nature hike and exploring the grounds…read more Dogs are no longer allowed on the trails

This is a fun spot that's a little underwhelming in terms of the attractions. Part museum, part…read morepark, when we went it was covered in snow, so we only really were able to experience what's inside. It's $6, and small kids are free, which was an appropriate cost. You'll walk into a few small animals in exhibits - snakes, frogs, etc. - which are fun, and then get to the fossils and stuff. They have one of those topographical sand tables, which are fun for little ones (also saw some teens playing with it, so fun for all ages). They have a bunch of fossils, mostly fossilized footprints, and one mostly complete dinosaur specimen, as well as an impressive room that must've been 100 ft wide that shows tracks that different dinosaurs made over the eons. That part was very cool. But, it's a pretty small spot, and you can walk through it really quickly, probably in 15 mins or so if you're quick. We have a small kid, so we spent probably closer to an hour and ran through it a couple times. Ultimately, it was a good stop, but not something I'd really go out of my way to do again.

Beachland Park used to be a dairy farm owned by the Beach Family in the 1800s. 12 acres were…read moredonated to the Town of West Hartford in 1932. The Vine Hill Creamery building was remodeled to become a clubhouse and storage. There's definitely quite a bit of history here. There's a large pond and a smaller retention pond next to it. The Canadian geese were everywhere so watch your step with their poo. There's a baseball field, soccer field, and basketball courts. For summer recreation, there is a splash pad and pool. On this visit, we went to the playground which had two playscapes; one for younger kids and the other for older kids. There were picnic tables throughout and a short, paved trail. Overall, we had a fun time exploring the park and it's a nice quiet place to get away from the hustle and bustle of the town.

What will you find in Beachland Park?…read more A huge pond, lots of geese on the grass and in the water, soccer fields, a baseball diamond, basketball courts, a swimming pool, splash pads, very pretty scenery, and two playgrounds. There are all sorts of jogging and bike paths that snake through the park including one that took us clear out of the park into a residential neighborhood and then onto New Britain Avenue near Pepe's Pizza. Just a heads up to keep your heads down and eyes peeled on the trails and paths. There was a lot of goose poop on the trails, and I suppose you can't blame the geese for that. But we also saw a lot of canine poop that you can blame the selfish, inconsiderate, slugs of human beings masquerading as dog owners who can't be bothered to pick up after Fido does his thing on the walking path. Shame on them....

The walk was nice. It was a beautiful day. There were lots of people walking in the park with their…read moredogs. However, It was disappointing to see the tiles of names were torn up out of the ground. There were neat buildings and information to see. They also do have concerts in this park during the summer months.

This is a vast park, and we found it somewhat confusing at times. After a complete circuit, we…read morefinally found what we were looking for - a spectacular rose garden and a World War one memorial. If we are ever here again, we will take advantage of the enormous walking possibilities.

This place is just great. We visited last night for a kids Valentine's Day event. The staff was so…read moregreat with the kids. Arts and crafts. Play room. And we can't forget all the animals. Such a great time.

What a sweet little nature center! I wandered in this afternoon after a very un-fun visit to the…read moreDMV across town. If you are ever stuck at the DMV for a few hours, visit this place to unwind. ;) I happened to be the only visitor at the moment, so I got to chat for a while with the woman working there. She introduced me to all the birds (Merlin, Thomas, and Bonnie) and got to try to make them talk to me. Merlin (the gorgeous red macaw) said a couple of words in response to my cell phone's alarm. Thomas (an African Grey) wished me a good morning and then mumbled at me a bit. ;) I also was allowed to hold Bonnie and she showed me her trick of climbing from one hand to the other if you hold your fingers out like ladder rungs. There are bunnies, ferrets, lizards, turtles... I tend to turn to mush around animals anyway, so this was the best place to possibly do to clear my head this afternoon. They also host birthday parties for kids... I asked if I could come back and visit for my 34th. The woman there said there was no reason I couldn't. ;) My friends may be getting some animal-themed invitations this year! :)