For just a moment you might think you are in an exclusive French winery, elegant and inviting, but you are at the Chamard Vineyards in Clinton, about just north of exit 63 on I-95, about a half-hour drive east of New Haven. Situated between the Connecticut River and Long Island Sound, this winery has been producing award winning Chardonnays and other wines since 1983. Its wines are carried in hundreds of stores throughout Connecticut and appear on select menus in Manhattan. Before or after a tour of the winery, stop at the nearby Clinton Crossing Premium Outlets.

Built in 1930, this memorial theater is a must visit for all culture vultures. Connecticut's premier presenter of the performing arts, it has inspired audiences for more than eight decades and plays a leading role in the state's cultural life. It is a non-profit organization renowned for community programs. It is a leading educator and advocate of the arts. The Bushnell is an economic driver for the Greater Hartford region and the Connecticut state.

The XL Center, formerly known as the Hartford Civic Center, is a sports and convention complex. It was opened in 1975 and has been renovated several times over the past four decades. It houses an exhibition hall which is used for trade shows, conventions, banquets, craft shows, meetings and other events. It has held many notable concerts of Van Halen, U2, Coldplay, Luciano Pavarotti, Madonna, Tina Turner, Michael Jackson and more. The XL Center also hosts some of the larger crowd UConn men's and women's basketball games, and is also home to the Connecticut Whale (American Hockey League).

This arena provides an indoor and outdoor facility with retractable walls, and it is the best place to see a live concert in Connecticut. The Dave Matthews Band has graced the stage every year along with the Virginia quintet for one of the summer's most unforgettable performances. This is an ideal place for all you beer lovers, since beer is served in great quantity.

This new stadium, with a capacity of 40,000 people, is run by Madison Square Garden, and is the homeground of the University of Connecticut's Huskies. Chill out with your pals at a live music or dance concert. Watch your sports heroes in their trials and triumphs, in the company of your friends and family. Strike a deal with your partners or attend a conference with your business associates. Whether it's work or leisure, you can be sure that this is the right place to go to.

Durham Fairgrounds is home to a multitude of local fairs and festivities during certain times of the year. Every September, the people of Durham show their neighbors how to party! Going strong since 1916, the Durham Fairgrounds hosts the Durham Fair: an agricultural festival that is the largest of its kind in the state. A long list of competitions, pulling contests, educational exhibits, souvenir booths, games, rides, live music and other performances keep the community busy while a variety of different food vendors keep everybody's stomachs full of mouthwatering delicacies. Call the Greater New Haven Convention & Visitors Bureau for more details.

Hartford Stage is one of the leading resident theaters, known internationally for entertaining and enlightening audiences with a wide range of the best world drama, from classics to provocative new plays, musicals and neglected works from the past. The theater has earned many of the nation's distinguished awards. The Hartford Stage has maintained a strong commitment to community partnerships, educational programs and humanities initiatives. Many famous actors have graced this stage for years.

Ride the historic Essex Steam Train and Riverboat to take in the luscious scenery of the Connecticut River Valley. It is especially wonderful during the autumn with the lovely foliage, or at Christmastime with the Santa Special and the North Pole Express. The changing leaves along the river in the fall offer splendid views of the area from the comfort of an old-fashioned steam train. There are also opportunities for learning about locomotives with special programs designed to teach youngsters how to conduct these vintage trains. Adults can take a special dinner train and enjoy a three-course meal in restored Pullman cars. Check the website for schedules and pricing.

Built in 1876, the Goodspeed Opera House is a gem of American musical theater. Location of the first casts of Broadway hits such as The Man of La Mancha and Annie, the Goodspeed brings together some of the country's best musical theater performers for unforgettable shows, many from America's forgotten past. There are three new musicals done each season at the Opera House and new productions are done at the Norma Terris Theatre just up the road. Winner of numerous regional theater Tony Awards, the Goodspeed aims to provide a unique theater-going experience to everyone in the intimate, the 19th-century theater is a must-see of the Connecticut River Valley.

The University of Connecticut was founded in 1881, originally as an agricultural college. Today's its location about 30 miles (50 kilometers) from Hartford is evident of its past as strictly a school for farming students, and the school prides itself only only on the incredible men's and women's basketball teams, but also its Dairy Bar where premium ice creams are made and their high academic standards. The architecture is reminiscent of early 20th-century colleges, with gorgeous Gothic buildings alongside the modern facilities of the Co-Op, Gampel Pavilion and the newly designed science lab. UConn is one of New England's top-ranked public universities and is worth the trip to the serene countryside for a basketball game, see a show at the Jorgensen Center or some sightseeing in fall when the leaves are changing.