Hotel at a Glance: Crowne Plaza Hartford - Cromwell

This upscale hotel is located in Cromwell, which is just 13 miles from downtown Hartford. It features onsite dining, a pool, and spacious guest rooms—a great place to kick back after exploring Hartford's charms.

• Driving time from downtown Hartford: less than 20 minutes
• Dive in to the indoor pool, or work up a sweat in the fitness center.
• Onsite dining: Fork up casual American cuisine at Sheffields Restaurant, where menu options include grilled salmon with lemon butter sauce and NY strip steak.
• Spacious rooms feature plush beds and Sleep Advantage kits.
• Take a day trip to nearby Brownstone Exploration and Discovery Park.

Hartford, Connecticut: Leafy Parks and Historical Museums in State Capital

Hartford inspired Connecticut's nickname, "The Constitution State," after early settlers founded the town in 1636 and drafted what they claimed was the world's first written constitution. Nearly 400 years later, a lavish, gold-domed Capitol Building gleams as the centerpiece of downtown.

Like most New England cities, Hartford is chock full of historical sites. You can tour the ornate Victorian home where Mark Twain and his family lived for many years, including during the period when the author wrote The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The city's oldest historical site is the Ancient Burying Ground, where some of the gravestones date back to the mid-17th century.

At Elizabeth Park, nature trails will take you through one of the oldest public rose gardens in the country. Art lovers will want to carve out some time in the itinerary for Wadsworth Atheneum, which houses contemporary European and American art, as well as special collections of Hudson River School paintings and Colt firearms.

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