CTMQ

Destroying the myth that there is nothing to do here

green mountain modern house
  • CTMQ’s Town Guides
    • Town Completion Celebrations
  • Museums
    • Museum Visits
  • Hikes, Bikes, & Paddles
    • CFPA Trails & Blue Trails Challenge
    • State Parks, Reserves, Preserves, Forests, NAPs, WMAs, & Campsites
    • Land Trust Trails
    • Town Trails
    • Audubon, Nature Conservancy, RWA, and US Army Corps of Engineers Trails
    • Highpointing and Peakbagging
    • Cycling, Multi-Use, & Rails-to-Trails Paths
    • Water Trails
  • Food & Drink
    • Best, Historic, & Unique Restaurants & Foods
    • Classic Diners & True Taverns
    • Homemade Ice Cream, Cheese, & Chocolate Trails
    • Breweries, Brewpubs, & Cideries
    • Wineries & Meaderies
    • Distilleries
  • Everything Else
    • National Designations
    • Firsts, Onlies, Oldests, Largests, Longests, Mosts, Smallests, & Bests
    • Geography
    • Animals, Farms, Gardens, Plants, Trees, Rocks, Waterfalls, & Caves
    • Sports, Thrills, Cruises, Trains, Fairs, Parades, & Events
    • Houses, Communities, Urban Legends, Lighthouses, Libraries, Schools, Businesses, & Theaters
    • Towers, Bridges, Forts, Tunnels, Roads, Canals, Dams, Fishways, Airports, & Ferries
    • Religion, Remembrances, Statuary, & Outdoor Art
    • Cultural, Heritage, & Historic Trails
    • CT Books, Movies, People, & Stories
  • Non-CT
    • Travel & Vacations
    • World Soccer Stadium Tour
    • Highpointing & Peakbagging
    • Books & Reading Challenges
    • Oscar Movies Project
  • About
    • FAQ
    • Family
    • Smith-Magenis Syndrome
    • Press
CTMQ > video

Wagner Woods & Hall farm

January 22, 2025 by Steve Leave a Comment

Nature Show Simsbury Land Trust's Wagner Woods, Simsbury September 2013 & November 2024 The Hall Farm parcel was added to Wagner Woods after I first published this page. I hiked the new parcel 11 years later. Wagner Woods I'll apologize up front. This is one of those pages that I put together for me and my … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hikes, Bikes & Paddles, Land Trust Hikes, New Post Tagged With: Calvin, Damian, Hikes with my Boys, Simsbury, Simsbury Land Trust, video

The Dinosaur Place at Nature’s Art Village

March 23, 2021 by Steve Leave a Comment

Digging Into Your Wallet Montville (Google Maps location) June 15, 2014 I'm wavering. Do I spend three paragraphs lamenting the prices at this place or do I celebrate the fact that Connecticut has an honest-to-goodness tourist trap? Actually, I think I can do both. And for the record, I don't consider our few … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Museums, New Post Tagged With: Calvin, CT Dino Trail, Damian, Dinosaurs, Hoang, Montville, Outdoor Museums, video

281. Ritz Crystal Balloom Lighting and Style Museums

February 8, 2020 by Steve Leave a Comment

Just Plain Crackers Torrington (Google Maps location) November 1, 2014 The Ritz Crystal Room and Ritz Cafe have permanently closed, but everything on this page remains open as as January 2021. This place confuses me. It confused me when I visited and it confuses me now as I write. The confusion stems from the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Museums, New Post Tagged With: Calvin, Damian, Free Museums, Hoang, Not Really a Museum Museum, Torrington, video

TSTL’16.7: James L. Goodwin Forest

October 3, 2016 by Steve Leave a Comment

The Sky's the Limit 2016 Hiking Challenge #7 James L. Goodwin Forest, Hampton June 26, 2016 Nobody ever thinks about Hampton, Connecticut. Your mind is probably drifting away from the thought of Hampton right now. Stop doing that – focus! Sometimes you’ll see Hampton mentioned in geo-oddity blurbs because … [Read more...]

Filed Under: CFPA Hikes, Hikes, Bikes & Paddles, Hiking Challenges, New Post, State Parks, Reserves, Preserves, Forests, NAPs, WMAs, & Campsites Tagged With: Blue Trails Challenge, Calvin, Damian, Hampton, Hikes with my Boys, Hiking Challenges with Rewards, James L. Goodwin State Forest, Sky's the Limit Challenge, video

Mystic Aquarium

January 16, 2016 by Steve 4 Comments

Lion(fish) and Tiger(sharks), Oh My! Mystic section of Stonington (Google Maps Location) October 11, 2007, etc. I've been to the Aquarium a few times since the initial visit that most of this page is based upon - and have gained a greater appreciation for it over the years. In 2016, I fixed up the pictures here a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Biology & Geology, Museums, New Post Tagged With: "See Before you die" list, Animals, Aquaria, BEARS!, Birds, Calvin, Damian, Fish, Mystic, Stonington, video

BLT: Martha Brower Sanctuary

November 28, 2015 by Steve 4 Comments

It’s All About the Farting Mushrooms BLT Greer Road Red Trail November 22, 2015 If that title doesn’t draw you in... you are dead inside. I’m not saying that it will inspire you to pack a snack and hit the road to the backwoods of backwoodsy Burlington, but... actually, it should. Farting mushrooms?! … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hikes, Bikes & Paddles, Hiking Challenges, Land Trust Hikes, New Post Tagged With: Burlington, Burlington Land Trust, Hikes with my Boys, Plants, video

TSTL’15.2: Haystack Mountain

August 11, 2015 by Steve Leave a Comment

The Sky's the Limit 2015 Hiking Challenge #2 Haystack Mountain State Park, Tower Norfolk May 24, 2015 My love for Norfolk is well-documented on this website. I love its goofy claim to fame - "The Icebox of Connecticut," its affinity for curling, its beautiful and eclectic "downtown," and its state parks. The … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hikes, Bikes & Paddles, Hiking Challenges, New Post, State Parks, Reserves, Preserves, Forests, NAPs, WMAs, & Campsites Tagged With: Calvin, Damian, Great Views, haystack mountain state park, Hikes with my Boys, Hoang, Norfolk, Observation Towers, Sky's the Limit Challenge, video

Leatherman’s Cave via Park Road

December 15, 2014 by Steve 1 Comment

"'Leathahman' Slept in Here, WHAT?!” Leatherman's Cave via Park Road, Watertown December 13, 2014 This page will not spend too much time getting into the whole Leatherman thing. That was done over here, on a page about another nearby Leatherman’s Cave. I have no idea which cave was used more by the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Biology & Geology, Everything Else, New Post Tagged With: Calvin, Caves & Dens, Cool Rocks, Damian, Dubious Claims, Hikes with my Boys, Leatherman, video, Watertown

Campbell Falls State Park

April 21, 2014 by Steve Leave a Comment

Campbell Falls State Park Norfolk April 19, 2014 Phew. This is hard work. I’ve had a page about Campbell Falls for several years up on CTMQ, but it always bothered me. I visited this place in 2010 with my older son Damian and we merely parked and made the quick .4 mile round-trip walk down to the highlight of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hikes, Bikes & Paddles, State Parks, Reserves, Preserves, Forests, NAPs, WMAs, & Campsites Tagged With: Calvin, campbell falls state park, Damian, Hikes with my Boys, Massachusetts, Norfolk, video

Massacoe State Forest (Great Pond Block)

September 22, 2013 by Steve 2 Comments

Great Pond... Or Greatest Pond? Massacoe State Forest (Great Pond Block), Simsbury September 2013 Sure, I have (literally) over 100 other pages to write about older experiences for CTMQ, but whatever. I’m writing this one from yesterday first. Because I can. And because I am one proud and happy dad. Sort of. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hikes, Bikes & Paddles, State Parks, Reserves, Preserves, Forests, NAPs, WMAs, & Campsites Tagged With: Calvin, Hikes with my Boys, Simsbury, video

  • Bluesky
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Goodreads
  • Instagram
  • RSS

Press & Media Inquiries

Latest Museum Visits

The heart of CTMQ

Totally Random Post!

Berlin’s Town Trails

Sponsored Links

Recent Comments

  • Sérgio Horn on Matchbox & Lesney Toy Museum
  • Bismi Caterers Chennai on Afghanistan: Shish Kebab House of Afghanistan
  • Jean Harvey on Farm Implement Museum (Closed)
  • Lawrence Haggerty on Churaevka (Russian Village)
  • Lawrence Haggerty on Churaevka (Russian Village)
Disclaimer
Mission Statement
Copyright © 2025 - CTMQ