City: Hebron, CT

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (860) 478-5954

Address: 347 Gilead St.

Description: If you’ve never been to a Renaissance Faire, get rid of any preconceptions. These are enjoyable days out for the whole family, or a fantastic place for a date. You don’t even have to dress up in costume (though that can be a lot of fun). Connecticut runs two, the Robin Hood Springtime Festival on Lovers Lane in Guilford and the King Arthur Fall Harvest Faire, which runs on Sept and Oct weekends at the fairgrounds in Hebron. You’ll see jousting, yes, but also comedy shows, musicians, acrobats, fire eaters, puppets, parades, and general good fun. There are numerous shops full of handcrafted items: leather, costumes, jewelry, metalwork, woodwork, toys, and games. You can go to a psychic or get a massage. And the food? Have you ever munched a turkey leg while watching two knights collide on the field of sport? C’mon! It’s a rare pleasure these days, and one you’ll only find at the Renaissance Faire.

City: Hebron, CT

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (860) 295-9523

Description: This is one of the ghost towns of Connecticut, also known as Factory Hollow, and is filled with stone foundations covered in grapevines and creepers. It was settled in 1796 by a religious sect, named for the second leader, John Gay. They built a town of 25 families, a sawmill, 2 gristmills, and a woolen mill. The ruin of one of those mills is along the Blackledge River straight up the main path from the parking lot. On the way you’ll pass an old cemetery filled with some of the abandoned village’s residents. Any of the several loop trails you can make in Gay City are easy and pleasant walking, but bring bug spray during the summer months. There is also swimming available at a large pond, and in the winter this is the perfect place to cross-country ski, with the stone walls blanketed gently with snow.