Travel Guide to Collinsville and Its 5 Best Attractions

A former factory hub 20 miles outside of Hartford, Collinsville, Connecticut, is a popular stop for hikers, trail bikers, canoers and kayakers who are out and about in the area. Renowned for its adventure and outdoors opportunities, Collinsville offers plenty of action activities, and is famed in particular for its kayaking and canoeing trips down Farmington River. Photography is another popular activity in the area, as the scenic river and small buildings make for great pictures.

Try your hand at kayaking on Farmington River with a rental from Collinsville Canoe & Kayak

Photo by Kelly Nigro/Flickr.

When the weather’s warm, there’s no better way to enjoy Collinsville than from the water. The serene, calm waters of the river make it a perfect spot for beginners to learn to paddle, and for a very reasonable price visitors can rent a kayak or canoe from Collinsville Canoe & Kayak. In just an hour paddlers can go from the rental shop to the bridge 1.5 miles down the river and back.

Do a spot of antiquing at the Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford

The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford has hundreds of thousands of antique items in one building – by building we mean one huge red barn. There’s furniture, jewelry, glassware, ceramics, pottery, silver, vintage clothing and garden items, all for a great price.

Biking and hiking through scenic Collinsville

There are three main routes that take you through the beautiful scenery of Collinsville: the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail, the Farmington River Trail and the East Coast Greenway Alliance. These scenic trails take visitors past 19th century mills, dams, waterfalls, rapids, ponds, forests and prairies.

Enjoy top-notch food at Crown and Hammer

Established in 2005, The Crown and Hammer Restaurant serves gourmet local food, such as its free range lamb shank braised in fresh herbs and red wine served with root vegetables. And with food this good, the restaurant is a huge hit with locals and visitors alike.

Get takeaway or dine in at LaSalle Market & Deli

A low-key restaurant with a market feel, LaSalle Market and Deli offers both dine-in and takeaway food. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, this relaxed venue has everything from breakfast specials, such as the breakfast wrap with scrambled eggs, peppers, onions, tomatoes and American cheese, to classic lunches, including egg sandwiches. Other menu options include fresh soups, sandwiches, burgers and pizzas.

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