1. Praline’S Ice Cream
City: Berlin, CT
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (860) 828-3626
Address: 1179 Farmington Ave.
Description: With flavors like Graham Cracker Smacker, Espresso Ripple Bean, and White Russian, Praline’s Ice Cream just off the Berlin Turnpike is a fantastic stop for your family, near the junctions of Routes 9, 84, and 91, and easily accessible from all three. Perhaps a hike on Ragged Mountain followed by a caramel sundae? Praline’s also makes ice-cream cakes for parties and ice-cream pies to take home. The black bottom pie is so good that you won’t want to share (even though it feeds 8). Unlike some ice-cream shops, they are open year-round. This is decadent ice cream done right. Chocolate-dipped waffle cone, anyone? You know you want it.
2. Mickey Finn’S
City: Berlin, CT
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (860) 828-6547
Address: 874 Berlin Tpke.
Description: Right off Route 9 on the Berlin Turnpike, this double store is famous for its reasonable prices. The larger building has a huge selection of athletic shoes and cowboy boots and clothing for families, with hundreds of styles and choices not found even in large department stores. But the reason Mickey Finn’s stands out is the smaller store next door, with an unbeatable selection of work pants, jeans, jackets, work boots, and gloves, with brands like Carhartt and Dickies. On any day it is full of police officers, factory workers, and construction foremen picking through the racks for their work clothes. Don’t be put off by the rugged exterior—it’s how they keep prices so low. This is the way an independent clothing store used to be, and should be again.
3. Safari Golf
City: Berlin, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (860) 828-9800
Address: 2340 Berlin Tpke.
Description: There are actually several courses along the turnpike here, but Safari has been popular since 1985 and its prices seem to not have changed. Of course, you’ll find replicas of various jungle animals amid flowering plants and trees. Watch out for the water hazards like waterfalls and streams here, though obviously that’s what makes the course fun. They have benches and gazebos between holes for resting while the family ahead of you makes their final putt. Grab some ice cream at the snack bar afterwards, as a reward for making par. Bring cash, but the price is so low, you might be able to scrape enough coins from your car floor to buy admission. That’s a bonus, because this is one of the best minigolf courses in the state.