Treasured Spots In The City Of Hartford

It’s a beautiful summer morning, the sun is out and shining, but you realize that you didn't plan anything after your visit to Trinity. You know there is plenty of fun to be had in Hartford, but you don't know where to start. Lucky for you, Ailani is here to the rescue! These are the top places you should visit while here in Hartford!

Food and Drinks

1. 

   Story and Soil Coffee
   Address/Hours: 387 Capitol Avenue/ Mon-Fri 8am-5pm, Sat & Sun 8am- 5pm
   What’s college without a good cup of Joe? Story and Soil is located right in downtown Hartford. This coffee shop is just a 5-minute drive from campus and a 26-minute walk if you decide to save some money on gasoline. It’s the best place to not only get an insanely good cup of coffee but also a gorgeously decorated latte. They also serve really amazing breakfast sandwiches that you can grab on the go. To top it off, the owner is a Trinity grad!

2. Bear’s Smokehouse Barbecue
   Address/Hours: 25 Front Street/ Sun-Wed 11am-9pm, Thurs- Sat 11am-10pm

   

   Wow wow wow! Just looking at the food starts to make me hungry! My next favorite spot is Bear’s Smokehouse Barbecue, and this place has mac and cheese to go all around the table! Bear’s is a local BBQ restaurant here in Hartford that has delicious comfort food such as mashed potatoes and coleslaw. Just like Story and Soil, this place is actually owned by a Trinity alum! I can say, hands down, this Trinity alumnus is doing an amazing job with Bear’s and you will not regret taking the time to check this spot out!

3. Capital Ice Cream
   Address and Hours: 389 Capitol Avenue/ 12pm- 8pm

   

   Just remember, there’s always room for dessert! Capital Ice Cream is the best place to go if you’re looking for a sweet little pick-me-up or a dessert to end an amazing meal. This is also the perfect spot to end a stressful week of finals—because college finals week will definitely drain all your brain cells! Capital Ice Cream is open for just a few hours each day, which means you have to actively make time to go. However, this shop is absolutely worth the effort as you’ll find amazing combinations that are truly out of this world. Go ahead and visit, and consider planning a bike trip there too—it’s less than 10 minutes from campus.

Fun Activities & Entertainment

1. Ducks on the Ave
   Address and Hours: 572 Farmington Avenue/ Fri 6pm- 10pm, Sat 1pm- 11pm, Sun 1pm – 7 pm
   Ducks on the Ave isn’t your regular bowling alley. Every time I go, I feel like I travel back to 1939, to a world in which you have to manually enter scores and bowling balls are super small. Nonetheless, the older and original elements are what I personally love and make the alley so unique to the city of Hartford.
2. Launch Trampoline Park-Hartford
   Address and Hours: 91 Brainard Rd/ Thurs 3:30- 8 pm, Fri 3:30- 9 pm, Sat 10 am- 9pm, Sun 10am-7pm

   

   You’d better have some energy if you decide to check out Hartford’s Trampoline Park. This park is not only full of trampolines, but also offers dodgeball and laser tag! It’s a fun place to check out on a Saturday afternoon with some friends. You can have a competitive round of dodgeball or laser tag against your friends or members of the Hartford community.

3. Elizabeth Park Rose Garden
   Address and Hours: 1561 Asylum Avenue/ Mon-Sun 8am-7pm

   

   Go on a fun stroll after brunch to the rose garden here in Hartford! Elizabeth Park is just 15 minutes away from campus and is a beautiful destination to explore with family and friends. You can go for a walk and stop to smell the lovely roses while snapping amazing photos for Insta! It’s also a scenic place to just relax and unwind before finals season approaches!