Norwich, Connecticut

The J. F. Slater Memorial Museum is an art museum located in a historic building built in 1885 on the grounds of the Norwich Free Academy in Norwich, Connecticut. Designed in the Richardsonian Romanesque style, it is considered the finest work of architect Stephen C. Earle. It is part of the Chelsea Parade Historic District. The museum has a collection of plaster casts of famous Egyptian, Roman, Greek, and Renaissance statues. It also exhibits 18th to 20th century American paintings and decorative arts, 17th to 19th century European paintings and decorative arts, colonial historic artifacts, sculptures from Africa and Oceania, and Native American artifacts. The attached Converse Art Gallery organizes six new exhibitions every year. The museum was gifted to the Norwich Free Academy by William A. Slater, son of John Fox Slater.

108 Crescent St, Norwich, CT 06360-3556

Senator Thomas J. Dodd Memorial Stadium is primarily a baseball stadium in Norwich, Connecticut. In 2010 it became the home of the Connecticut Tigers, the New York–Penn League. Until 2009 it was the home field of the Connecticut Defenders minor league baseball team. After that, the Defenders moved to Richmond, Virginia, and became the Richmond Flying Squirrels. Dodd Stadium was built in 1995 and can seat more than 6,270 spectators. It got its name from Thomas Dodd, a United States Senator and Representative from Connecticut. Dodd Stadium hosted the 12th and final Double-A All-Star Game in 2002. After that the three AA leagues started holding their own separate All-Star Games. The stadium has also hosted the New England Collegiate All-Star Game, the Big East Conference Baseball Tournament, a TNA Wrestling event, and several concerts including from Willie Nelson, the Beach Boys and Bob Dylan.

Dodd Stadium, 14 Stott Ave, Norwich, CT 06360

Built around 1675, what is today the Leffingwell House Museum was one of the finest examples of New England colonial architecture. It was built as the elegant home of a Norwich Patriot who, with his family, lived in it until 1776. The house shows the architectural development typical to Connecticut. Originally a two-room home, it eventually evolved into a typical pre-Revolutionary tavern. Today a house museum, it is filled with a diverse assortment of objects that show its architectural evolution. The objects date from the founding of Norwich in 1659 through the Civil War, and clearly evoke the lifestyle of early America. The museum is open to the public on Saturdays, April through October.

348 Washington St, Norwich, CT 06360, Phone: 860-889-9440

What to do if you are traveling with kids:

Located in the industrial part of Norwich, Connecticut, Yantic Falls are 40 feet high at the main plunge below the dam. While dammed, the falls are mostly natural. After the falls, the Yantic River runs through a narrow, beautiful gorge before ending with a descent into a large pool. Above the falls, there is a pedestrian bridge and a railroad bridge. The pedestrian bridge is also a good observation point. According to the legend, in the 1640s, Yantic Falls was a favorite camping ground for the Mohegan Native Americans. During a battle against the Narragansetts, a major rival tribe, a group of Narragansetts jumped into the Yantic River rather than surrender to the Mohegans. The Yantic Falls were instrumental in industrial development in Norwich. Waterpower in this area was used for a grist mill in the 1600s by John Elderkin, and later industries used it for making paper, cotton and nails.

210 Yantic St, Norwich, CT 06360-4210

The Norwich Arts Center was originally established in 1987 by a group of local artists and art lovers as the Norwich Arts Council. Their inspiration came from the region’s vast cultural possibilities. Today, the center’s mission is to provide affordable programming in a range of arts. The programs aim to reflect the rich diversity of the area and increase the residents’ arts appreciation. The center, located in a historic building in downtown Norwich, has two galleries on the first floor, the offices of the NGO that runs the center on the second floor, and the 134-seat Donald L. Oat Theater on the third floor. The theater offers community theater productions, live concerts, and other events. The center is run by volunteers and is not for profit. The visit to the galleries is free of charge and the tickets to the theater are always affordable and their cost depends on the type of production.

62 Broadway, Norwich, CT 06360, Phone: 860-887-2789

Founded in 1988 at the waterfront of Norwich’s downtown, the Marina at American Wharf is located at the confluence of the Yantic and Thames rivers and provides a lively social gathering place and access to the boaters to the Connecticut’s major attractions. The 200-slip marina offers modern dockage and a complete range of services to all boats, from fishing and recreational boats to luxury yachts, seasonal and transient. The marina can accommodate vessels up to 200 feet in length and offers not only a full-service marina but also a facility for all kinds of social events, a swimming pool, a restaurant, and more. Since 1988, the Marina at American Wharf has been hosting the traditional annual Norwich July 4th Extravaganza and fireworks display.

1 American Wharf, Norwich, CT 06360, Phone: 860-886-6363

Activities and Attractions for Couples and Singles:

Chestnut Street Playhouse is a 67-seat black-box theater located in downtown Norwich, Connecticut. Chestnut Street Playhouse is the town’s place for entertainment, education, and live arts. This tiny, intimate professional black-box theater specializes in producing high-quality innovative, off-Broadway, and regional theater productions with a particular focus on new works. The playhouse is located in the former Central Fire Headquarters building, an exquisite Queen Anne style house. When the fire house was converted to the Chestnut Street Playhouse in 2000, it continued to be a crucial part of the Norwich community by providing high-quality entertainment at an affordable price.

24 Chestnut St, Norwich, CT 06360, Phone: 860-886-2378

Located along the Yantic River, Uncas Leap (aka Indian Leap) marks the spot of the historically significant Battle of the Great Plains between the Native American Mohegan and Narragansett Tribes. The battle took place in 1643 and the site has been sacred to the Mohegan Tribe since then. Today the site is owned by the City of Norwich and is being developed into a park to commemorate the battle, during which many Narragansett tribe members leapt to their death across the gorge. The site is open to the public year round and offers a couple of interesting walking/hiking trails. Features of the site include the ruins of a 19th century mill, a very beautiful river gorge and a breath-taking waterfall.

Uncas Leap, 196 – 200 Yantic Street, Norwich, CT 06360, 860 823 3700

Lazizah Bakery is a hidden jewel of cafe located in quaint Yantic Village at the northern end of Norwich, Connecticut. This eight-year-old spot serves authentic Lebanese and Mediterranean dishes made with the best ingredients and fresh vegetables from local, mostly organic farms. Their healthy and nutritious soups and fresh breads made every day from scratch are legendary. Lebanese native Iffat Salahi uses family recipes to produce delicious falafel, tabbouleh, baba ghannuj, and other Middle Eastern traditional dishes in her tiny bakery and market. Try the chicken and sweet potato soup flavored with chipotle, it will warm your soul, but do not leave the place without at least one piece of the baklava. Layers upon layers of flaky, transparent-thin phyllo sheets hold combinations of nuts and sweet syrups and every Mediterranean country has its own special kind. You will have to try them all to know for sure which one you like best.

125 Yantic Road, Yantic, CT 06360, Phone: 860-889-2542