The Forgotten Magic of Public Libraries

Simsbury Public Library, Simsbury CT. Image courtesy of JCJ Architecture

Do you remember going to your public library as a kid, either to check out books or go to programming and events? Me too. With the convenience of online shopping and ebooks, many people don't frequent their public libraries the way that they used to.

Your local public library probably has a lot of free things that you don't even know about!

Since I live in New Haven, I am part of the New Haven Free Public Library. I am able to get free or extremely reduced price passes to many museums, theatres, and other establishments in Connecticut just by having my library card. If you're not already part of your local library, I suggest you go get a card (and a book) and see what things they have to offer in your community!

Here is a list of public libraries in Connecticut: http://www.publiclibraries.com/connecticut.htm

If, like me, you live in New Haven, here is NHFPL's webpage with all of their free and reduced price passes for this year: http://nhfpl.org/kids/museum-passes/

Don't forget about the program and events offered at the library itself, either! These are great, especially for families with children looking for engaging things to do while school's out: http://nhfpl.org/kids/programs-events/

Soak Up the Fun at West Haven Beaches

Looking for a beach to spend some time at this summer? Give the West Haven shoreline a try! West Haven boasts a 3.5 mile shoreline that makes up 25% of Connecticut's public beaches.


While the beach may be free, the city is enforcing parking fees this year, which for nonresidents is $75 for the season, or $10 a day before 5PM and $5 after 5PM.

However, there are many streets that offer parking, just make sure you don't park where it says "no parking." You could also take a bus, or Uber, or park at a friend's house if you know someone in town.

The West Haven shoreline also has a 1.7 mile recreational path that's accommodating of bicyclists, runners, and enthusiastic walkers (like me).

Have you ever been to the West Haven beaches? Let me know in the comments!

Where Do I Find Free Things in Connecticut?

Where do you find free things in Connecticut? You have to know where you look.

Here are some of my favorite resources:

Connecticut Office of Tourism

Two of my favorite resource come from the Connecticut Office of Tourism's website, CTVisit.

You can go to their calendar of events to see things happening throughout the state and search for specific dates. You will have to go through the events individually to find out what's free. You can also go to their "events" tab and click on "Things to Do this Weekend" to see what's happening just for this weekend!

Don't forget to signup for their e-newsletter so you can get this information sent right to your inbox, tailored to your interests!: http://www.ctvisit.com/contact-us

Visit New England - Travel Guides to all New England States

Visit New England, operated by Mystic Media, Inc. has websites serving the different states and communities that New England encompasses. 

www.visitconnecticut.com offers lists of things to do and see and upcoming events, as well as various guides to Connecticut. Check out their website and you're sure to find some free things!

Mommy Poppins

For this with kids, or even us adults who are still kids at heart, Mommy Poppins is a great website comprised of lists upon lists upon lists of things to do in Connecticut shared by local parents.

Check out their list of free Connecticut activities: https://mommypoppins.com/category/free-activities-0

You can also subscribe to their e-newsletter. Just select "Connecticut" and enter your email: https://mommypoppins.com/subscribe-to-our-newsletters

Hartford Courant's "Free Things to Do in Connecticut" Guide

Check out Hartford Courant's article on free things throughout the state, which includes an image gallery of each thing they highlight!: http://www.courant.com/features/hc-free-in-connecticut-pictures-photogallery.html

Atlas Obscura's Guide to "Hidden Connecticut"

For those of us who enjoy the more weird and quirky things in life, check out Atlas Obscura's Guide to "Hidden Connecticut" featuring "weird attractions and unusual things to do in Connecticut": http://www.atlasobscura.com/things-to-do/connecticut

CTNow

www.ctnow.com is operated by the Hartford Courant and gives an inside look as to what's going on across Connecticut. They highlight experiences, such as related to food and drink, festivals, and other community events.

Their website also has an event calendar: http://events.ctnow.com/events/ 

WTNH
WTNH offers a Community Calendar with user-generated events: http://wtnh.com/community/community-calendar/


Connecticut Magazine
Connecticut Magazine offers a calendar of events on their website: http://www.connecticutmag.com/Connecticut-Magazine/Calendar/

Frequently Asked Questions, Answered!

Who are you?
My name is Kimberly. I am originally from Long Island. I moved to Connecticut in 2013 to serve in AmeriCorps, and have been here ever since! I live in New Haven and am currently a graduate student at Sacred Heart University, studying Communication. I share my apartment with my cat and my boyfriend.

Why What's Free, CT?
When I moved to Connecticut, it was to join AmeriCorps VISTA, a federally funded national service program (think domestic Peace Corps). As a VISTA, you are given a living stipend based on the poverty line for the county you are serving (in New Haven, this was roughly $12,000 for the year). As a result, my fellow VISTAs and I were always looking for free or low cost things to do locally. Now, as a grad student, I find myself still on a very restricted budget.

Free things are really great for communities, especially families in the summer time. My hope is that this blog can help to let people know about all the free things in their communities. Connecticut has so much to offer, and I am so excited to share it all with you!

Where do you find out about free things to do/see/experience?
You can check out this blog post where I list a lot of the resources I use to find free things!

Hello! Welcome to "What's Free, CT?"!

Hello friends!

Welcome to What's Free, CT? where I will be sharing some of the adventures I take across the state of Connecticut that are free. Mostly, I will be attending community events, nature parks, museums, and other fun things throughout the state.

Generally, I will blog every week, recapping a recent adventure and let you know where my next adventure will be at the end of the post.

In addition to following my blog, you can follow me on Instagram and Twitter!

Username: whatsfreeCT