American Clock & Watch Museum
Historical Museum
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- SEP22
MusicBrunch: Madz MusicDaryl's House12:00 AMSEP22MusicJon McLaughlinDaryl's House7:00 PM - SEP22MusicJon McLaughlin Plus Leo SawikinDaryl's House7:00 PMSEP22Arts & TheatreThe Price Is Right Live - Stage ShowHartford HealthCare Amphitheater7:30 PM
- SEP24MiscellaneousThe Langan BandKatharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center7:30 PMSEP25MiscellaneousSlapshotSpace Ballroom7:30 PM
Bristol is a suburban city located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States, 20 miles (32 km) southwest-west of Hartford. The city is also 120 miles southwest from Boston, and approximately 100 miles northeast of New York City. The city is part of the Naugatuck Valley Planning Region.
- Lake Compounce
- New England Carousel Museum
- American Clock & Watch Museum
- Imagine Nation
- Bristol Historical Society
- Harry C. Barnes Memorial Nature Center
- Hoppers-Birge Pond Nature Preserve
- Bristol Blues Baseball
- Bristol Mum Festival
- Greer’s Chicken
Lake Compouncetops the list of the things to do in Bristol, CT for good reason. Lake Compounce is the oldest operating amusement park in the United States, having opened in 1846 when Gad Norton built a path around what was known at the time as Compound’s Lake. Norton opened the lake to swimming and boating, set up picnic areas, and installed a conc...
The New England Carousel Museum, in downtown Bristol, maintains a collection of over 200 restored carousel figures and an operating carousel in a 33,000 square-foot building. The carousel figures date from the early 1800s to the present. The Carousel Museum’s carousel pieces include Coney Island, Philadelphia, and Country Fair carving-style horse...
Bristol was a major clock manufacturing center. One of the clock manufacturers making Bristol its home was the Ingraham Clock Company. In 1952, Edward Ingraham developed the idea of building a museum to preserve Bristol’s clock heritage. In 1954, the Bristol Clock Museum, now the American Clock & Watch Museum, opened its doors. One of the few museu...
Bristol’s ImagineNation is a museum geared to kids aged 2-8. Inspired by Italy’s Reggio Emilia approach to post-World War II early childhood education, this children’s museum has eleven distinct studios. Each studio is designed so that kids can experiment with sound, air, and motion, using critical thinking, creativity, confidence, and their own cu...
Established in 1971, theBristol Historical Societymaintains a collection of historical artifacts and documents pertaining to Bristol’s history and heritage. The Society hosts events, special exhibits, and lectures on the city and region’s history. Previous exhibits focused on postal history and 100 years of fashion. A unique Historical Society proj...
The Harry C. Barnes Memorial Nature Centersits on 68 acres of land in north Bristol held by the non-profit Environmental Learning Centers of Connecticut. The center’s goal is to be a community center where everyone can learn about the natural world and its importance. The Center’s exhibits focus on animals, plants, and Native American artifacts, Hi...
The Hoppers-Birge Pond Nature Preservewas purchased by the City of Bristol in 1973 and became part of Bristol’s Parks and Recreation System. Located in northern Bristol, Hoppers-Birge Pond sits on 200 acres and features walking and hiking trails, picnic areas, and a pond for fishingand boating. The Nature Preserve has been featured on Channel 3 and...
The New England Collegiate Baseball League fields fourteen teams, including the Bristol Blues. The players on each team are college student-athletes. The Bristol Blues play a 44-game schedule during June and July, with playoff games in August. The Blues run a variety of promotions and events during the season. Previous promotions included fan, firs...
Held annually since 1962, the Bristol Mum Festivalcelebrates chrysanthemums, which, up until 1986, were grown in abundance in Bristol. The city’s nurseries grew 80,000 mums each year, attracting 10,000 visitors. Today, hosted by the Bristol Exchange Club, the Mum Festival is a multi-day event celebrating Bristol and the people who live there. The f...
Greer’s Chicken is Bristol’s best-known takeout restaurant. The restaurant has been featured in Connecticut Magazine and the Hartford Courant, on Channel 3, and in Food Network Magazine. Greer’s got its start in the 1930s as a poultry farm. In 1963, the poultry farm closed and was converted to a restaurant. Greer’s specializes in Southern-style fri...
- New England Carousel Museum. In a capacious old factory I was dazzled by this wonderfully presented array of vintage carousel memorabilia. The museum holds many masterfully rendered horses, as well as lions, tigers, ducks, cows, giraffes and pigs.
- Lake Compounce. America’s oldest continuously operating amusement park is right here in Bristol. The origins of Lake Compounce can be traced back to 1846, when the local entrepreneur Gad Norton opened a lakeside park with rowing, rides, swimming and a gazebo for concerts.
- American Clock & Watch Museum (ACWM) The ACWM is a world leader when it comes to American industrially-produced clocks from the 19th and early 20th century.
- Downtown Bristol. When I last visited Bristol the downtown area was undergoing a transformation, with a lot of work being done to the streetscape around Riverside Avenue and Divinity Street in particular.
Things to Do in Bristol, Connecticut: See Tripadvisor's 3,651 traveler reviews and photos of Bristol tourist attractions. Find what to do today, this weekend, or in September. We have reviews of the best places to see in Bristol. Visit top-rated & must-see attractions.
- The top attractions to visit in Bristol are: The Carousel Museum Lake Compounce Imagine Nation Bristol Public Library Rockwell Park See all attract...
- The best outdoor activities in Bristol according to Tripadvisor travelers are: Rockwell Park Harry C. Barnes Memorial Nature Center Page Park India...
- The most popular things to do in Bristol with kids according to Tripadvisor travelers are: The Carousel Museum Lake Compounce Imagine Nation See al...
From the natural beauty of picturesque hills and fall foliage, to the high tech satellite dishes of ESPN, Bristol’s “City sized” with a small town vibe, offering wonderful memories no matter your pace.
Bristol, Connecticut is where a diverse spectrum of neighborhoods means a place for every personality or interest! From quaint residential areas, to vintage Victorians and newer developments by the farm lands, Bristol’s got just the place for you!
Bristol is situated in Central Connecticut, 20 miles southwest of Hartford with easy access to all major highways. It is a wonderfully diverse and family friendly community that offers a wide range of historical, entertainment, and dining opportunities.
