Hubbard Park and Castle Craig...Welcome to my indepth look at CT in Meriden!

It's Castle Craig.  It's the very first tourist attraction that I visited on my very first visit to Connecticut.  It was one of the reasons that I fell in love with Connecticut.  It sits above Hubbard Park in Meriden Connecticut.

Walter Hubbard donated the castle and the land of the park to the city back in 1900.  As the marker says, no one know as much as they would like to about the castle that is more of just a turret.  What it does is give you an amazing view off the top of the mountain, and on a clear day you can see Long Island Sound.  You can also see many other things.

You can see the city, the park below, the highway going by, and the rest of the park which includes a reservoir, trails, roads and the whole top of the mountain.  It's an incredible spot, and in the fall it becomes truly amazing.  I was there a little early for the peak season foliage, but it was still gorgeous up there.  You can climb the metal stairs to the top for an even more spectacular view.  It is a well visited park, and just like every other well visited spot in Connecticut, it has had it's issues in the past.

The entrance to the mountain and the Castle is directly under I-691 in Hubbard Park.  Hubbard Park is exit 4 in Meriden off of I-691.  The entrance is gated and closes at 4:45 pm every day.  It opens at 10 am every day.  This is strictly enforced because of safety issues that have come up in the past.  If you try to drive to the top of the mountain after 4:45, park officials will run you down and ask you to leave, because they are about to close the gate for the night.  It happened to me once.  Oops!  But, during the day, you can't beat the view.

That being said, the rest of Hubbard Park is spectacular as well.  They have an outdoor pool for summer, they have an amphitheater for concerts, they have one of the best playscapes around, they have an amazing lake with fountains and a house for the ducks and geese to use when it's cold.  The park is beautifully designed with pretty buildings, bridges, ponds, waterfalls, fountains, pavilions, and trails.  Just driving through the park on it's many little roads is scenic and peaceful.  It is my favorite city park in the state.  In the winter they have one of the best drive through Christmas light displays that I have ever seen.  I rarely if ever drive to a city more than one time to go to a park.  Aside from Central Park in New York City, Hubbard Park is the only park that I revisit any time I get the chance.  It's all worth the visit over and over again so check it out.

That's the official word.  That being said, when you drive the road to the castle, there is a point where it splits.  The left goes to the castle, and the right goes to the utility towers on the other section of the mountain.  You need to visit that part.  If you like a great view, this is your best spot.  The views from the unofficial trails next to the utility towers provides the best views off the mountain.  The cliffs are dramatic and this spot is not for the feint of heart. It's a long way straight down.  But, if you like landscape shots with your camera, you can't miss this.  None of the trails are long, and it's like nothing you'll see anywhere else in Connecticut.  I highly recommend these trails, especially during foliage season. It is all part of the same road, however, and that means that you need to be out by 4:45 pm.

So, the town is Meriden.  Not far from the park is a discount mall with great shopping.  Meriden has great restaurants and is an Amtrak stop if you want to take a train.  It is a working man's city with beautiful old churches and big old factories, but the park is where everyone gets away from it all.  Hubbard Park and Castle Craig is one of the great spots in Connecticut to get out and not spend a dime.  There is no entrance fee to the park or the castle or the rest of the mountain or the drive.  It's the perfect place to come, relax, have fun with the family and enjoy the view.  If you feel the urge to walk right over a major interstate or hike to the top of the mountain, there are trails that do that too.

So, whether it's a drive or a walk, a picnic or a swim, a Christmas visit or a stop to feed the birds; Hubbard Park and Castle Craig is one of those places that you just shouldn't miss.  It's my personal oldest attraction that I've visited in the state, and I keep coming back.  Enjoy!

http://www.cityofmeriden.org/content/Hubbard_Park/
http://www.ctvisit.com/events/meriden-farmers-market
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http://patch.com/connecticut/meriden/leaf-peeping-season-find-the-best-fall-color-in-conneaf5a170178
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http://www.booking.com/city/us/meriden.en.html?aid=306742&label=msn-93nkj9SqsR4Yt9VHfbkpbg-8491434924&utm_campaign=CT:+Connecticut&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=bing&utm_term=93nkj9SqsR4Yt9VHfbkpbg
https://www.hotels.com/de1406675/hotels-meriden-connecticut/?PSRC=G21&dateless=true&destinationid=1406675&rffrid=sem.hcom.US.bing.003.00.02..kwrd%3DZzZz.ydAwCzBQ.0.8944367144.1020ang18768.d.c
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https://www.fictionpress.com/u/530752/Nina-Kindred

When You've Had Enough Beer at Oktoberfest, Get Out of Munich and See Some Castles!

It's coming up on October, and that means one thing around the world.  It's time to have a beer and celebrate Oktoberfest.  And, there's no place quite like the origin of the festival to celebrate; Munich, Germany.  More than a million people visit this festival every fall however, and it gets a bit rowdy and crowded.  It's great to party, but sometimes it's good to take a break and go to see something else.  I mean, you've gone all the way to Germany, you should take in some sights.

There's a museum in Hohenschwangau that tells you what you need to know before you go out to see palaces and castles.  The Museum of Bavarian Kings tells you all about just that.  From Medieval times to the early 1900's the family Wittelsbach ruled Germany, and the most notorious of kings was Ludwig II.  Why might that name ring a bell?

Ludwig II was known by many nicknames, but the most famous one was the Mad King.  Ludwig II is infamous for building Neuschwanstein Castle.  The castle was designed to be something right out of a fairy tale.  He succeeded.

Neuschwanstein Castle is one of the most famous castles in the world.  There are more pictures of it on postcards and puzzles than any other castle.  It wasn't ever fully finished and it was still being built when Ludwig died.  Today it is a famous tourist attraction, and a great day trip from Munich.

Linderhof was another one of Ludwig's palaces.  I bet you didn't even know the guy had more than one.  This one is smaller than Neuschwanstein and easier to get to.  It has a fabulous fountain and a grotto.  What it isn't, is finished.  Ludwig was the last of the kings and the one who spent all the money.  So it goes.  But, the palace here looks finished.  It's just that the original design called for a much bigger palace.  You will enjoy the grandeur though and the elaborate decor as well.

Just like the French palaces, Ludwig made each room a showpiece, including the bedrooms.  Linderhof is another great day trip from Munich.

If the fact that Ludwig II had two palaces built isn't enough of a surprise for you, there is Herrenchiemsee or the new palace.  This one was modeled after Versailles.  The French set the standards in Europe for palace building up to and including the 1800's.  Ludwig II wanted to keep up.

Once again, this palace isn't quite finished, but what is is amazing.  The staircase is one of it's best features.  Once again, the bedrooms are also out of this world and the ballroom is outstanding.

So, Munich is home to the world's first and most famous Oktoberfest.  Second, you can only drink so much beer and endure so many crowds of rowdy people.  Third, Bavaria is home to some beautiful Alps and amazing people, so you should get out and see it all.  Fourth, Ludwig II aka the Mad King made some incredible castles and palaces.  Fifth, you can include a trip to Oberammergau while you're out and if you get to go on a decade year like 2020; you will have a chance to see the Passion.  That's the reenactment of some of the passion of the Christ.  They only do it every ten years, so if you aren't going in 2020, you won't get to see the play.

There are a ton of things to do in Bavaria.  It seems like a shame to miss it if you've come all that way to go to Oktoberfest.  So, make sure you save a little time to get out of Munich and see the countryside.  Europe is full of castles and palaces.  This is a really interesting cluster of them and their history is something that fairy tales come from.  So, take the time to check out the fairy castles of Ludwig II and the history of the kings of Bavaria.  Enjoy!


http://www.oktoberfest.de/en/
http://www.germany.travel/en/towns-cities-culture/towns-cities/munich.html?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=Munich&utm_content=8520530381-21259258608&utm_campaign=AN:GNTO|PB:M|TT:SN|CD:Locations|CS:Cities
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Pumpkintown USA

Welcome to East Hampton, CT and more of my travels throughout the state.  East Hampton is a small city on the east side of the Connecticut River.  It sits squarely on Route 66 east of Portland.  Yes, we in Connecticut have our own section of the famous highway, and it is scenic.  I highly recommend a drive on Connecticut's Route 66.  That being said, I traveled all the way over there to see this, because I was intrigued.  I'm glad I went.

Pumpkintown USA is an entire village of pumpkin people.  Sure, it appeals mostly to little kids, of which I saw many of them having a splendid time while I was there.  But, I came to see it for a reason.  This is one of the most inventive breast cancer fundraisers I've ever seen.

Sandy Peszynski was the creator of this fine fund raiser.  She was a breast cancer patient for 25 years.  She did die in 2007 after her long battle.  But, in 1993 she decided to do something to help the cause.  Pumpkintown USA has grown steadily since it's creation and the family keeps it going every year in Sandy's memory.  The price of admission is only $2 during the week and slightly more on the weekend.  They have a hayride every half hour for only $7 and slightly more on the weekend.  They also sell souvenirs in the shop.  All the proceeds from these things go to breast cancer research.  And what great timing.  They are open now through October, which also happens to be breast cancer awareness month.

Now, anyone who's ever met me knows that I don't do hay.  I'm so allergic.  Here's the great part.  When I told them that, I got to go see the part of Pumkintown that's in the woods on an ATV.  Very good hosts, these folks are.  I told them I was writing about it, so they wanted to make sure I saw it all.  Very gracious.  Much appreciated.

As I said, the attraction is geared towards young children, so the standies for pictures and the corn maze is for kids.  I can say, first hand, that the kids really like it.  There are also two shops on the property.  This is a working farm with a garden shop.  You can buy most things there that you could buy at a Tractor Supply Store, so they have great merchandise.  In the farm stand connected to Pumpkintown, they have all the produce and some really great pumpkin butter.  There are other great items for sale too.  They have scarecrows and painted pumpkins and all kinds of stuff for fall and Halloween.

Pumpkintown USA has a little something for everyone.  I am old, and I enjoyed my time there.  I believe it's not just for little kids.  It's for a great cause, and it's held in memoriam of a beloved family member.  It's a great way to spend some fall afternoon time and enjoy the season.  It's been voted Connecticut's best non-scary Halloween attraction and it's something that everyone should check out.  So come and see some cute pumpkin people, help out a great cause, and get out and enjoy the weather before it all goes wrong and winter is upon us.  Come to East Hampton and see Pumpkintown USA.  Enjoy!

http://www.pumpkintown.com/
https://www.facebook.com/PumpkintownUSA/
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