Plot Your Fall Color Adventures Now

If you live in Hartford or anywhere else in the Northeast, you’re no stranger to awesome fall foliage. While no one really understands exactly why trees do turn colors, who cares — they’re beautiful! 

Living in Park Place Towers is beautiful in its own right with the park right behind our buildings but driving or hiking to see the fall foliage is a rite of passage in the Northeast. And since this blog coincides closely with the first day of fall, this could be a good time to plot your fall leaf viewing adventures. 

Here are some renowned locations around Hartford for seeing the blazing glory of autumn. 

•     Castle Craig at Hubbard Park — Castle Craig is in Meriden and offers some crazy views of Connecticut. You can walk up to the Castle and enjoy 360-degree views. There are a series of trails down in Hubbard Park, as well.

•     Farmington River Trail — The Farmington River Trail can be found just behind the Yoga Center in downtown Collinsville. The trail starts at a beautiful historic bridge and ambles on for a mere 18+ miles. Of course, you don’t need to cover the entire length, but you could. Explore the historic town of Collinsville after your hike and to grab a well-deserved bite or beverage!

•     Naugatuck Valley Railroad — At the Connecticut Railroad Museum in Thomaston you can get on a short train ride of about 30 minutes that takes you through the woods and their brilliant colors. The train then arrives at a pumpkin patch, and you get off for 20-30 minutes and pick a pumpkin. You get back on the train with your newfound orange friend and return to the station — what a great way to get this year’s pumpkin!

•     Talcott Mountain — If you want to have a great view of the Farmington Valley, there’s no better place than Talcott Mountain over in Simsbury. You’ll find a 2.6-mile hike that loops around Heublein Tower at the top. The trail starts out steeply, but don’t be discouraged, as it flattens out.

•     Gillette Castle — Remember Castle Craig from above? Gillette Castle treats that castle like a redheaded stepchild. This stone mansion was designed by and lived in by William Gillette, the man who played Sherlock Holmes in the early 1900s. The estate is open to the public from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, and you’ll find amazing views of Connecticut and the fall colors. To get to Gillette Castle you can take the Hadlyme Ferry for $5. Then you drive over to the castle, or you can hike from the terminus.

•     Devil’s Hopyard State Park — Since you’re in the area, after seeing Gillette Castle be sure to stop at Devil’s Hopyard State Park and take the trail to Chapman Falls. The falls look beautiful framed with the reds and oranges of the surrounding trees.

OK, so you already knew Park Place Towers was THE place to live in Hartford. Now you also know just where to find some great fall foliage adventures around the area! If you have any questions about Park Place or leasing or anything else, please call us at (860) 951-3400.