Author: misstinafamilycenter

This is a beautiful walk through a massive garden–right here in New London! Following the signage posted near the stone steps near the street, you can take a walk through grassy hills, dense forests, and even out to a large pond! This year, the managers of the arboretum installed a floating dock on the pond, and a raised boardwalk over a bog along the major arboretum trail. These are great places to spot crayfish swimming in the water, or frogs sunning themselves in the moss! Along the major trail is an immaculate covered pergola and gazebo with views of the pond, and a large grassy field resting at the bottom of a small hill. My kids have vivid memories of playing games with their summer camps on this hill!

The Conn College Arboretum is located near the Lyman Allyn Art Museum in New London. It is an easy drive to the edge of town that is always worth the trip, no matter the time of year. Whether its for the last days of summer, or as a break during back to school time, Miss Tina hopes you enjoy your trip to the Arboretum!

Fort Trumbull is a great spot for walking, playing in the field and running up and down the hills and following the windy path.The lower loop is flat with no cars and is a great spot for kids to scooter and ride bikes. There are a few picnic tables through out the park. The side path alongside the maintenance building leads to a hidden spot where coastal birds like to rest. The fishing pier is a great spot to watch the ferry boats come and go. The Thames River Water Taxi stops here , tickets can be purchased online or on the boat. Parking is free.

Harkness Park is a state park located on the waterfront in Waterford, CT. This is a large, grassy park, with paved, car traffic-free roads to learn how to ride a bike on, fields to fly a kite in, gardens to explore, a beach to look for treasures on and a nature trail where you can examine all the wildlife neighbors that make their home in Southeastern Connecticut. It’s easy to see squirrels and a variety of bird species here, but what is most interesting is the amount of bunnies you can find! They’re very shy, so walk carefully and quietly, and you’ll be sure to find many along the hedges along the beach and on the nature trail. You can find the trail just at the edge of the parking lot as you come in on the right , and travels out toward the beach through the Goshen Cove National Wildlife Sanctuary!

The UCONN Avery Point campus is home to a seaside walk along the shoreline where the Thames River meets Long Island Sound. Along this walk are various sculptures, permanently on display outdoors. Near the parking area for the sculpture walk is the Children’s Cognitive Garden, adjacent to the campus security and student center buildings. This garden promotes cognitive development through sensory-based play in a crab shaped garden housing a variety of plants, insects, and treasures to find. Miss Tina thinks this is the perfect place to rest her feet while watching the sunset above the big crab!

Ocean Beach Park has the beach, boardwalk, and more, including its very own nature walk. Starting in the parking lot near the rides and waterslides, this path follows the waters of Alewife Cove. At the end of this path is a small observation tower, where one can see the beach, ocean, and Ledge Lighthouse laid out before them. This is where Miss Tina likes to watch the birds with her friends from New England Science and Sailing!