Hartford Parks and Gardens

(Hartford, Connecticut - CT, USA)

Many attractive green spaces, parks and informal gardens line the banks of the Connecticut River, offering recreational possibilities galore in and around Hartford city center.

Picnicking at the Great River Park is a popular activity for both locals and tourists in Hartford, as are strolls along the 2-mile / 3-km paved waterfront. Numerous stylish sculptures are sited alongside pathways, while a spacious amphitheater seating up to 350 people is also based here and regularly hosts local events and live music.

Located within the city center and edged by Asylum Street, Ford Street, Jewell Street and also Trinity Street, Bushnell Park covers approximately 20 hectares / 50 acres and is of particular historical significance, since it is actually the oldest park to be publicly funded in the whole of the USA. It was initially planned in the middle of the 19th century, at a time when the importance for open public spaces was beginning to be identified and understood.

Bushnell Park

Address: Jewell Street, Hartford, Connecticut (CT), 06103, USA
Tel: +1 860 232 6710
The man who was the driving force behind Bushnell Park was its namesake, American Congregational minister Reverend Horace Bushnell (1802 to 1876). Landscaping duly commenced and strategically placed groups of trees were planted, paths were laid and seating was added. At this time, the Park River flowed through the park and was a major feature, but after continual flooding problems in the winter months, it was decided to bury the river through pipe work and eventually, a sizeable pond (named the Lily Pond) was added to provide a focal point again. Other highlights include the Corning Fountain, the Horace Wells Monument, and the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch, as well as a vintage carousel
Open hours: daily
Admission: free

Elizabeth Park

Address: 1561 Asylum Avenue, Hartford, Connecticut (CT), 06117, USA
Tel: +1 860 231 9443
Elizabeth Park lies on the northwestern side of Hartford, on Asylum Avenue, close to the campus of the University of St. Joseph. This surprisingly spacious public parkland spreads out over more than 40 hectares / 100 acres and came into being when a wealthy local banker named Charles Pond left his estate to the city upon his death in the year 1894, requesting that the land be turned into a public park named after his wife, Elizabeth. The services of acclaimed landscape designer Frederick Law Olmsted were obtained (perhaps best remembered for his hand in creating Central Park in New York). Today, Elizabeth Park is managed by a team of keen volunteers, who maintain its historical rose garden, which is amongst America's oldest and largest, boasting in the region of 800 different varieties. There is also a well-stocked herb garden, a large greenhouse, several gazebos, an informal pond and an eatery named the Pond House Cafe, where summer weddings are often catered for.
Open hours: daily
Admission: free

Pope Park

Address: 99 Pope Park Drive, Hartford, Connecticut (CT), 06106, USA
Tel: +1 860 722 6531
Standing close to Interstate I-84 and Hamilton Street, Pope Park is to be found within Hartford city center, where it sits close to Trinity College and the Zion Hill Cemetery. The park was kindly donated to the city at the end of the 19th century by Lieutenant-Colonel Albert Augustus Pope (1843 to 1909), who made his fortune after setting up the hugely successful Pope Manufacturing Company (producing bicycles and automobiles) right here in Hartford, in 1878. The original pond is still in place, being accompanied these days by a recreational center, tennis courts, a baseball field and an open-air swimming pool.
Open hours: daily
Admission: free

Riverfront Recapture and Great River Park

Address: 301 East River Drive, East Hartford, Connecticut (CT), 06108, USA
Tel: +1 860 713 3131
The non-profit Riverfront Recapture and Great River Park offers an important recreational space in downtown Hartford. Visitors are able to make use of the pathways and playing fields, while there is also a covered stage where local events and concerts take place. Cruises down the Connecticut River depart from here and are a pleasant way to spend a sunny afternoon. Of note, pedestrians can use the Founders Bridge to cross the river and head into East Hartford if required.
Open hours: daily
Admission: free