Overview
Located on the Connecticut River, Hartford is known not only as the capital of Connecticut but also as the insurance capital of the nation. The 21 towns that comprise the Greater Hartford Tourism District offer something for everyone – whether it's history, art or culture. The lively downtown district gives visitors plenty of entertainment, dining, and shopping options. Top tourist sites include the Old State House (properly named since it's the oldest in the country) and the Wadsworth Athenaeum, which is the first public art museum in the country and spans some 5,000 years of art history. Other attractions are the eerily appealing ancient cemetery at Center Church; and Bushnell Park, which employs the ideas of natural landscaping architecture developed by Hartford native Frederick Law Olmsted. Of course, no first-time visitor to Hartford should pass up a visit to Nook Farm, which showcases the Victorian-style homes of Harriet Beecher Stowe and Mark Twain.