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Hartford, Connecticut: It's A Good Thing (Flight Not Included)
Spend a weekend in Martha's neck-of-the-woods lingering in gardens, delectable restaurants, and historic hotspots.

Place we love, even if it's touristy: No whitewashing of the fence here, but you can visit the home where the famed writer and satirist Mark Twain lived and worked from 1874 to 1891. The house (a mansion, really) is a paragon of the Gilded Age, with 19 rooms filled with Tiffany lamps, all with a whimsical sense of symmetry. At the adjacent museum, you can appreciate the great writer's legacy.

History lesson: Just across the street lies the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center, where the city's other most famous writer lived and committed herself to the abolitionist cause. Here, she penned the groundbreaking Uncle Tom's Cabin. Today, you can tour the carriage house and meander through the Victorian gardens. Pick up your suffragist souvenirs at the gift shop.

Best excuse for packing a coat and tie: The Bushnell Performing Arts Center hosts hundreds of events throughout the year, from Broadway to the symphony, with an emphasis on local arts and community productions. Sitting smack dab downtown, behind-the-scenes tours reveal historic halls, backstage areas, and an incredible 14-foot chandelier in Autorino Great Hall.

Did we mention it's free? Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Elizabeth Park Rose Garden has been blooming for 100 years. Although you can follow your nose to the herb garden, prance around the perennials, and connect to your inner Buddha nature in the rock garden, the real highlight is the rose garden itself. Here, you'll find an astounding 800 varieties and 15,000 plants.

Chill-out spot: Head to Riverfront Plaza and hop onboard one of the tour boats cruising the Connecticut River. This national heritage river is a great place to take in the downtown skyline, as well as state history and scenic beauty. From jazz and dancing, to brunch and eagle-watching, find the sailing that suits you best, and bring your camera to capture your moments afloat.

Get out of dodge: Seek out pizza in New Haven, home to Yale University and a large Italian-American population. Many locals claim New Haven creates the best pizza in the world. Decide for yourself at Pepe's, where the brick ovens churn out crusts so teasingly thin and delicious you'll go to bed dreaming about more. Other places to score the 'za is at Sally's (Pepe's major rival) and Modern (more of a locals place).

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