Connecticut
Connecticut Why should some of the most exhilarating sports – car racing, ocean kayaking, moonlight ballooning, navigating underground rivers and more – be left to the experts? In the air, on land or in the water, Connecticut boasts many adventures for anyone looking to make a fantasy come true this season.

Water Sports

Connecticut offers a wide range of coastal and river boating adventures throughout the spring and summer. Stony Creek Kayak in Stony Creek provides “no experience necessary” guided kayak trips through the enchanting Thimble Islands and the Connecticut River. For a romantic getaway, the company also hosts daytime, sunset and moonlight trips ranging from three to five hours. Kayak Tours in Norwalk features six-hour kayak day trips of the Norwalk Islands for paddlers of all abilities. Connecticut Coastal Kayaking in Lyme offers tours of the lower Connecticut River and the Long Island Sound as well as private instruction.
Mountains Unlimited Whitewater Adventures in Waterbury provides licensed guides for whitewater rafting on the Housatonic and Farmington rivers as well as hiking and mountain biking. Clarke Outdoors in West Cornwall features a ten-mile guided canoe, kayak or raft trips on flatwater and whitewater and Champaign Canoeing offers whitewater open canoe instruction trips as well as two-day weekend camping and canoe trips. Main Stream Canoe Kayaks in New Hartford features flat and whitewater canoe day trips and moonlight trips and kayak adventures.

For an exotic scuba adventure, look no further than Portland and the home of the Brownstone Exploration and Discovery Park, which offers scuba diving for all levels. Diving takes place in two large freshwater quarries with water depths of up to 85 feet and visibility often more than 30 feet. An underwater navigation course with surface and underwater markers and training platforms have been constructed at various depths. In addition to Scuba, Brownstone offers swimming, canoeing, kayaking, mountain biking, hiking, water toys for the kids and a perfect setting for family outings and picnics.

Huck Finn Adventures takes their excursions down under with guided, three-hour Underground Canoe Trips on the Lost Park River – through miles of spacious tunnels that were buried under Hartford as part of a flood-control project. Farmington River Tubing provides excursions on the Farmington River in inner tubes that begin at Satan’s Kingdom State Recreation Area where rentals include the tube, a personal flotation device and a ride back to the start. The schooner Brilliant offers a hands-on learning experience at sea for youth groups throughout the spring and summer and adults for spring and fall weekends from its home port of Mystic.

For a cruising experience, try out the 110-foot Mystic Whaler in New London, a re-creation of a New England schooner which offers one to five day sailing excursions, a lobster dinner cruise and a chance for adventurous sailors to help navigate the vessel. Voyager Cruises gives visitors a chance to sail aboard the Argia which is a 19th century schooner that offers excursions to Fisher’s Island Sound in the form of private charters and public sailing trips.

Air Sports

For those who love being airborne, skydiving is an option with Connecticut Parachutists in Ellington and the Boston/Hartford Skydiving Center in Danielson where visitors can take a dive with a USPA-certified instructor. Powerchute/Aerochutes (860-651-4441) in West Simsbury features a one or two passenger aircraft as well as pilot instruction, and for the ultimate in airborne, try the unique experience of riding wind currents strapped beneath a giant kite with Tek Flight in Winsted offering expert hang gliding instruction for adventurers.

For an elevated perspective, Connecticut is home to more than 18 hot air balloon operators, many seasonal but several year-round. From the Litchfield Hills in the northwest to the scenic landscape of southeastern coast, they offer a range of excursions over the Housatonic, Connecticut and Farmington River Valleys. Whether you marvel at the sunset during an early morning flight or choose “moonlight glow” evening adventures, every flight offers spectacular views of four states.