Things to Do in West Hartford

At City Steam Brewery Cafe, the owners concoct some of the area’s finest beers, scoring “best of” awards from Hartford magazine and Connecticut Magazine. They also brew potent batches of laughter inside their 200-seat comedy show-room theater. Ensconced in the historic Brown Thomson and Co. building, which was the state’s largest department store in 1877, Brew Ha Ha once was known as the Last Laugh Comedy Club, where fledgling unknowns such as Ray Romano and Kevin James vied for laughs in the smoky rathskeller of a restaurant.

Reborn in 1997 under a new moniker, the standup speakeasy keeps its calendar packed with nationally touring comics and local joke slingers. During shows, guests can toast with mugs of handcrafted beer and make edible sculptures of their favorite comedian using menu’s custom burgers, pizzas, and omelets.

Lush tree cover, rolling hills, and lakes dot the landscape surrounding the Connecticut River that GrandView CampResort & Cottages calls home. With this nearly untouched terrain as the backdrop, guests camp along 22.5 acres of wooded hills in their own tent or a deluxe cottage that can accommodate a family of five. Nearby, they can take in whizzing views of the countryside from the 300-foot zipline or take their time while strolling their way through the onsite golf course. When not lounging by the pool or playing horseshoes next to horses playing humanshoes, guests venture to one of more than 20 nearby attractions such as Gillette Castle State Park or the historical Mystic Seaport. Back at the campsite, kids keep their hands busy with scheduled kids' crafts and their faces sticky during pie-eating contests.:m]]

Before IMAX movies and online social networks, roller skating reigned supreme as the favorite pastime of American youth. Ron-A-Roll smacks of this blissful era, with its colorful retro murals, classic beach-wood floors, firm prohibition of halter-tops and baggy pants, and the gratuitous use of the word "hogwash." The beeps and whistles of arcade games jingle across the 14,000-square-foot facility, faintly audible beneath the boom of '60s and '70s hits. Spotlighted by strings of hanging lights, skaters of all ages soar across the rink during open skate, skate lessons, and fitness-skating classes held throughout the week. The rink even boasts its own speed-skating team—the Ron-A-Roll Chargers—whose orange and yellow jumpsuits can be spotted at local competitions.

Off the skate floor, a team of technicians staffs a pro shop, peddling inline skates and gear for rental or purchase while extending mechanical expertise toward repair work, wheel rotations, and cleanings. Meanwhile, in the concession stand, servers dole out boxes of popcorn and pitchers of soft drinks to fuel laps around the rink and inspire skaters to experiment with their popcorn-float recipe.

For three days, the Jacksonville International Car & Truck Show turns the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center into the nation’s most exciting parking lot. Deluxe rides from the likes of Lotus, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche dazzle attendees with sleek lines and plush interiors, and innovative autos such as the Nissan LEAF and Chevrolet Volt show off their efficient electric engines. The newest models from more than 25 other manufacturers line the floor, doors open for guests to lean back in the seats or measure how large a ham can fit in the glove compartment. During daylight hours, a lineup of drivable cars idle outside to give curious patrons the chance to try their dream rides.

Whether you need a racket restrung in the pro shop or want to hear stories about the time he taught an up-and-coming Maria Sharapova, Glastonbury Tennis Club director Jim Melesko happily consults with visitors on all aspects of the game. Jim oversees the club's six championship courts, where he and his fellow professional teachers coach kids and adults alike. Their lessons cover game basics to tournament techniques, preparing students for both casual and USTA team matches. Spectators can observe practicing players from an observation deck in the lounge, which is equipped with daycare centers and free WiFi.

Newington Arena’s Zamboni smoothes the ice for a range of blade-based activities, from lessons and hockey matches to freestyle open-skate sessions. Experienced coaches teach new and experienced skaters alike to glide, spin, and casually levitate during learn-to-skate programs and figure-skating academies, and amateurs can independently master their triple axels during public-skate times. Hockey and speed-skating programs warm up the ice, and each Friday night, Ice Jam’s strobe lights and music flood the arena as students 11–15 years old weave around the frozen floor. Newington Arena also houses a snack bar and hosts birthday parties, allowing kids to brag that their shindig was, literally, the coolest.