FIND • Art Kids Art Studio
760 Bantam Rd.
At FIND • ART Kids Art Studio in Bantam, art world veteran Krisitie Matuszewski fosters creative exploration, hands-on learning and making experiences for young artists.
Families with Kids
White Memorial Gift Shop
80 Whitehall Rd. | 860-567-0857
The White Memorial Conservation Center Gift Shop, located with the nature museum, features a selection of items for children and adults, including audio guides, Dover Books, stuffed plush animals, educational toys, posters, puzzles, and games. There’s a Connecticut Corner stocked with a variety of Connecticut-made crafts.
Little-ish
8 Cobble Court | 860-361-6272
Launched in November 2021, Little-ish is a lifestyle shop for little ones located in charming and historic Cobble Court.
JP Farm Animal Sanctuary
860-689-5954
The sanctuary located on a residential property and farm in the Milton section of town saves and cares for farmed animals, including cows and steers, pigs, turkeys, roosters, and more. Visitors are welcome for a tour by appointment.
Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy
55 Duck Pond Rd. | 860-567-2062
Founded by S. Dillon Ripley, former Secretary of the Smithsonian, and his wife, Mary Livingston Ripley, the conservancy is home to more 80 species, totaling 400 birds from around the world. It’s a breeding facility focused on maintaining genetic diversity of rare and endangered species, an education center for conservationists, and a great experience for families and visitors of all types.
Railroad Museum of New England (Thomaston)
242 E Main St. | 860-283-7245
Historic Thomaston Station, featured in the Leonardi DiCaprio-Kate Winslet film “Revolutionary Road,” is home to the RMNE, which has operated tourist trains since the 1990s. Diesel locomotives pulling vintage coaches take passengers south on the former Naugatuck Railroad to the Waterville section of Waterbury, and then back, rolling through scenic sections of the Naugatuck River Valley and past remnants of the region’s industrial past. The trains pass by Thomaston Station for a dramatic final flourish—a slow glide across the towering Thomaston Dam. A newer route takes riders north to Torrington, and there are lots of seasonal and special events.
Concerts on the Green
860-567-7569
The town’s Park & Recreation Department sponsors Wednesday evening concerts on the Litchfield Green in the summer. In 2020, Park & Rec partnered with area restaurants in businesses, which offered discount and specials for the concerts.
Tapping Reeve House and Litchfield Law School
82 South St. | 860-567-4501
The Tapping Reeve House and Litchfield Law School takes visitors on a journey through the 19th century life of a real student who came to Litchfield for an education at the Litchfield Law School—the nation’s first law school—or the Litchfield Female Academy. Touring the school showcases the evolution of law education and instruction, while exploring how Litchfield became home to such a valuable institution.
The Silly Sprout
503 Bantam Rd. | 860-361-9500
Our hometown children’s shop offers toys, books, clothing and more.
Arethusa Farm Dairy
(Bantam)
822 Bantam Road | 860-361-6460
Arethusa Farm Dairy in the old firehouse in Bantam, part of a much larger operation including the landmark farm, is where you find the gourmet ice that was named the best in Connecticut by Food & Wine magazine. The waffle cones are also homemade, the milkshakes are legendary, and you can also pick up Arethusa milk, cheeses, and more in the dairy story. (There are also Arethusa ice cream shops in New Haven and West Hartford.)