10 Best Things to Do in Storrs, Connecticut

By VacationIdea Staff on March 7, 2023 - Updated

Susan W/stock.adobe.com

Storrs is a village in the town of Mansfield in Tolland County, Connecticut, that is home to the main campus of the University of Connecticut. Named after Storrs hsa a bustling downtown neighborhood that is home to more than 80 businesses, two nature preserves with over three miles of hiking trails, the internationally-renowned Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry.

We recommend that you call the attractions and restaurants ahead of your visit to confirm current opening times.

1.The Adventure Park at Storrs

The Adventure Park at Storrs is a forested aerial park with bridges, climbing challenges, zip lines, and more for all age and skill levels. The beautiful park provides challenging, rewarding outdoor activities in the form of eight trails of varying levels of difficulty, seven of which consists of bridges made of rope, cable, and wood spanning between tree platforms creating over 80 unique challenges. There are also two zip lines; designated zip course called the Pine Rush trail and six zip lines including the highest and longest in the park. The park also features picnic tables and benches where families and friends can enjoy relaxing lunches, and the park caters for youth groups, summer camp day trips, school field trips, and corporate events.

2007 Storrs Rd, Storrs, CT 06268, Phone: 860-946-0606

2.Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts

The Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts center in Storrs that presents a variety of performances throughout the year. Located on the University of Connecticut's main campus, the theater was opened in 1955 and hosts an array of internationally acclaimed artists and entertainers from musicians and comedians to entertainers, dancers, and orchestras. The 2,600-seat theater draws 65,000 to 70,000 visitors every year who come to enjoy classical and contemporary music and dance recitals, comedy shows, a cabaret series, children's theater, lectures, and other cultural events. The Center also houses the Jorgensen Gallery, which showcases artworks by regional artists, and the 485-seat Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre, which is home to the Connecticut Repertory Theatre.

2132 Hillside Rd Unit 3104, Storrs, CT 06268, Phone: 860-486-4226

3.William Benton Museum of Art

The William Benton Museum of Art is a fine arts museum located on the main campus of the University of Connecticut that houses a permanent collection of over 6,500 artistic works from local and international artists. Named in honor of the prominent U.S. senator William Benton, the museum ’s collection includes paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, watercolors, and sculptures by notable artists such as Gustav Klimt, Edward Burne-Jones, Rembrandt Peale, Fairfield Porter, Georges Braque, Maurice Prendergast, Thomas Hart Benton, and Kiki Smith. The Benton Museum is a member of the Connecticut Art Trail and hosts an array of special events throughout the year such as concerts, exhibitions, campus art walks, and other functions. Designed and built in 1920 in the Collegiate Gothic style, the museum is one of the core campus buildings at the University and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

245 Glenbrook Rd, Storrs, CT 06269, Phone: 860-486-0173

4.Connecticut Repertory Theatre

The Connecticut Repertory Theatre presents plays and musicals in the Nafe Katter Theatre, the Studio Theatre, and the Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre, which is based at the Storrs campus of the University of Connecticut. Run by the Department of Dramatic Arts, which is a part of the School of Fine Arts, the theatre presents a subscription series of six plays and musicals each year, in each of the different theaters – two shows in the 240-seat Nafe Katter Theatre, two shows in the 116-seat Studio Theatre, and two in the Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre, which seats 485 people. In addition to award-winning plays and musicals, the Connecticut Repertory Theatre also runs the internationally renowned Puppet Arts program.

820 Bolton Rd #1127, Storrs, CT 06269, Phone: 860-486-2113

5.Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry

The Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry is a museum dedicated to puppetry. Operated by the University of Connecticut, the institute houses one of the three largest puppetry collections in the United States with over 2,500 puppets from all over the world including body puppets, rod puppets, glove puppets, marionettes, shadow puppets, and stage materials. The museum also houses a substantial media collection on puppetry owned by the Puppeteers of America, which features over 700 items and audio-visual material related to the history of puppet theater worldwide and is housed in the Kay Janney Library and Archives. In addition to collecting materials to support research, the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry hosts an array of events such as special exhibits, dramatic performances, concerts, and puppetry festivals throughout the year.

1 Royce Cir, Storrs, CT 06268, Phone: 860-486-8580

6.Shelter Falls Park

Shelter Falls Park is a 75-acre park in Mansfield that offers an array of outdoor activities for the community to enjoy such as hiking, mountain biking and picnicking. The beautiful wooded tract is home to both Nelson and Cedar Swamp Brooks, the latter of which has a section that becomes a waterfall near a sheltering rock formation after which the park is named. Shelter Falls Park offers access to the University of Connecticut's North Eagleville Tract, and a pleasant bike path runs along Hunting Lodge Road which is suitable for all levels of hiker and biker.

Storrs, Mansfield, CT 06268

7.UConn Dairy Bar

The UConn Dairy Bar is a classic ice cream bar and scoop shop that has been churning out award-winning ice cream and other dairy products for more than 60 years. Established in the 1953 and located in the George C. White Building, this student-run hotspot features walls adorned with posters showing the milk-making and dairy production and classic red checkerboard-pattern circles, and a beautiful case crammed with vintage milk bottles. An observation window allows visitors to look onto the ice cream-making area where all of the ice cream is made, which include 24 flavors of freshly made ice cream with flavors like banana chocolate chip, coffee espresso crunch, chocolate peanut butter, and seasonal flavors such as peach and peppermint stick.

4040, 3636 Horsebarn Hill Rd Ext, Storrs, CT 06269, Phone: 860-486-2634

8.Dog Lane Cafe

The Dog Lane Café is a relaxed, counter-serve spot that serves American and European fare such as sandwiches, salads, soups and freshly brewed coffee in a laid-back setting. Owned by Barry and Brian Jessurun, the café was established to offer the community an inviting place to gather with their dogs and enjoy great food and coffee. The Dog Lane Café is from early morning to late at night, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and offers a menu of seasonal, local and freshly-prepared food with daily specials, all of which are made to order and served with a smile. A self-service coffee bar provides locally roasted coffee, espressos, and cappuccinos, and diners can sit in the cozy dining room or on one of two patios in the warmer summer months. The Dog Lane Café also hosts beer and wine tastings every month.

1 Dog Ln, Storrs, CT 06269, Phone: 860-429-4900

9.Kathmandu Kitchen and Bar

Located in the Storrs Center on the campus of the University of Connecticut, the Kathmandu Kitchen and Bar is a casual restaurant that serves a daily changing menu of authentic Indian and Nepalese cuisine along with a range of vegetarian, non-vegetarian and halal meals. The restaurant features a separate bar and dining room and a creative menu of mouthwatering Indian cuisine with signature dishes like malai kofta, matter paneer, Khasi ko maasu, alu gobi, and an array of vegetarian, meat and seafood curries. Kathmandu Kitchen is open for lunch and dinner, seven days a week and offers delivery and to-go boxes.

3825 Bardstown Rd, Louisville, KY 40218, Phone: 502-202-1481

10.Gurleyville Gristmill

Explore the site of a 19th-century gristmill and learn about the rural technology in Storrs when you visit the Gurleyville Gristmill. Situated along the banks of the peaceful Fenton River, the Gurleyville Gristmill was built in 1750 and was used until the 1830s. It was replaced with the mill that still stands at the river today and is not preserved as part of The Joshua’s Tract Conservation and Historic Trust. What makes this particular gristmill so special is that it is the only stone mill of its kind in the entire state. Guests to the Gurleyville Gristmill can see a miniature version of the mill which operates like its original, and much larger, counterpart. Crank and turn the mill on your own to see how the mill used to operate in the past.

129 Stonemill Road, Storrs, Connecticut 06268; Phone: 860-429-9023