GSO Guide to Student Life
What's There to Do Around Here?
Farmington resides in the Greater Hartford Area. West
Hartford, Avon, New Britain, Bristol, Hartford, and Newington
are some of the adjoining towns. Farmington, West Hartford and
Hartford are the three towns where one finds the most to do.
Good places to look for listings of weekly activities are the
Thursday Calendar section of the Hartford Courant (call
860-525-5555 for subscription information) and the Advocate, a
free paper available for pickup on Thursdays at the academic
entrance to the Health Center.
Sports to Play
Farmington is a great area for many summer and winter
sporting activities such as bicycling, hiking, rollerblading,
running, tennis, golf, basketball, soccer, swimming, volleyball,
ice-skating and skiing.
Biking/Hiking/Camping/Rollerblading
Bicycling, both mountain and street, is probably the most
popular. Perhaps the two best mountain-biking locations are the
West Hartford Reservoir, located on Farmington Avenue just a
mile down the road from the Health Center, and Avon Mountain,
located off Route 44. The trails on Avon Mountain are contiguous
with those of the West Hartford Reservoir. Both of these
locations offer dirt and paved trails. At the West Hartford
Reservoir, many people also run, walk, hike and rollerblade.
Roller-blade rentals are available at Play it Again Sports
(860-523-4692) in West Hartford Center. The roads of Farmington,
West Hartford and Avon are very scenic for walking, running and
bicycling. There are also many multi-use trails across the
state; you can find more information on these trails by visiting
the Department of Transportation
Pathways through Connecticut
website. This site includes detailed information on path
locations, path descriptions, recommended activities for each
trail, etc.
Additionally, you can find information on the many state
parks in Connecticut by visiting the
Connecticut
State Parks website.
Basketball/Soccer/Track Fields
At Conrad High School (West Hartford), Hall High School (West
Hartford), and Farmington High School (Farmington), fields for
baseball, soccer and track-and-field along with tennis courts
can be used by the public, as well as Stanley Quarter Park in
New Britain. During the academic year, many students participate
in an indoor soccer league at Oakwood Sports Center
(860-633-1536) in Glastonbury. There is also an outdoor soccer
league on Wednesdays at Irving Robins Middle School (20 Wolf Pit
Road, Farmington).
Badminton
There is a UCHC Badminton Club that plays at either Irving
Robins Jr. High or Farmington High School in the Spring and
Summer. For more information, visit the
club's website.
Golf
There are also many good public golf courses within 15 minutes
of the Health Center. Here’s a few:
Buena Vista Golf Course: A short 9 hole golf course. Prices are
reasonable. Rockledge Country Club: A nice 18 hole golf course.
Moderate/expensive.
Stanley Golf Course: Probably the best 18 hole public golf
course in the area. On weekdays $11/9 holes for residents
($18/18 holes), $16/9 holes for non-residents ($26/18holes) of
New Britain. Be sure to bring a copy of your lease if you live
in New Britain, but that’s not the address on your driver’s
license.
Bel Compo Country Club: A very good 18 hole course. Conditions
are excellent. Prices are expensive.
Swimming
Many towns have public swimming pools. However, at many pools,
usage is restricted to town residents. In West Hartford, parks
located on South Quaker lane, Oakwood Avenue and Fern Street
have pools that can be used provided you live in West Hartford.
Sometimes, a small fee is required for entrance. In New Britain,
you can find a pool in A.W. Stanley Park (2159 Stanley Street),
and paddle boats at Stanley Quarter Park (451 Blake Road). For
the serious swimmer, West Hartford also has the Cornerstone
Aquatics Center (860-521-3242), located on Buena Vista road,
directly next to both the ice-skating rink and the Buena Vista
Golf Course. The center is expensive but does provide quality
facilities, including Nautilus equipment and several pools.
Canoeing/Kayaking/Tubing
To enjoy the Farmington River, Collinsville Canoe & Kayak
(860-693-6977) has tubing rentals and gives Kayak lessons; two
fun events for a hot summer day. If you are going tubing, bring
sneakers to wear in the river! The bottom is very rocky.
Ice Skating
Turning to winter sporting activities, the only ice-skating
places that are reliable are the town ice-skating rinks. The
skating rink closest to the Health Center is the Veterans
Memorial Skating Rink (860-521-1573), located on Buena Vista
Road in West Hartford. You might also want to try the
International Skating Center of Connecticut (860-651-5400),
where several Olympians have trained. You can find it on Route
10 in Simsbury.
Skiing
There are a few ski resorts in Connecticut:
- Southington Ski Area, Southington, CT: A small beginners
mountain.
- Mohawk Mountain, Cornwall, CT: Probably the best ski
area in Connecticut.
- Ski Sundown, New Hartford, CT: Comparable to Mohawk and
has a few expert trails.
We believe that only Mohawk Mountain has trails for
cross-country skiing. The West Hartford Reservoir may also have
cross-country skiing. All of the above mountains are not very
challenging. For the advanced skier, head north to Vermont to
ski the black diamond trails of Killington (4 hours), Okemo (3
hours) and Mt. Snow (2.5 hours).
Fitness Clubs
There are many good fitness clubs around the Health Center. Most
towns have a YMCA/YWCA (Youth Men's/Women’s Christian
Associations). They usually offer swimming, basketball,
racquetball, weight-lifting and daycare. YMCA/YWCA's are
generally less expensive than the more advertised clubs such as
Bally's Holiday Fitness Centers. WOW-Fitness at 99 Shield Street
in West Hartford (860-953-3488) is also a popular workout spot
that offers good prices and student discounts; many UConn Health
Center students use this facility.
Sports to Watch
What about those of you who want to WATCH a sport, without
the inconvenience of working up a sweat? Go see:
UConn Basketball
The national championship women’s and men's basketball teams
play home games at two venues: Gampel Pavilion on the Storrs
campus and the Hartford Civic Center in downtown Hartford.
Season tickets usually go on sale in Sept. and require an
application which will be provided at the time the tickets go on
sale. Watch your email for information. In the Spring there is
also a lottery system set up for post-season March Madness
tickets; again, information regarding this will be forwarded via
email. You must present a valid UCHC ID when you pick up your
tickets
UConn Football
The UConn football team plays their games in the recently
constructed Rentschler Field in East Hartford and averages about
6 to 7 home games per season. Season tickets are handled in the
same way as the basketball tickets with an application form to
be filled out; last year the 7 home game package was $42.00
total and students could purchase up to 2 season tickets. Again,
you must present a valid UCHC ID when picking up your tickets.
Connecticut Sun
The Connecticut Sun is a professional WNBA team that plays at
Mohegan Sun casino in Uncasville. Tickets run $6 to $50 per
person and you can buy up to 6 tickets at a time. For more info,
call 1-800-477-6849 or visit
http://www.wnba.com/sun/.
Hartford Wolf Pack
The Hartford Wolf Pack is an AHL team whose parent team is the
NY Rangers. Games are played at the Hartford Civic Center in
Downtown Hartford. Ticket prices/packages vary; visit their
website at
http://hartfordwolfpack.com or call 860-246-7825 for more
info.
New Britain Rock Cats
The New Britain Rock Cats are an AA Eastern League team whose
parent team is the Minnesota Twins. Games are played at 230 John
Karbonic Way in New Britain and tickets run about $5 to $10 per
game. For more info, visit
http://rockcats.com or call 860-224-8383.
Movie Theaters
There are many theaters to see the current box office hits.
There are several Showcase Cinemas in the neighboring towns,
including Southington, East Hartford, and Manchester and Loews
Cineplex in Plainville.
For more esoteric movies, the
Cinestudio Theater
(860-527-3811), at Trinity College, offers many foreign and art
house movies, as does
Cinema City 4 on Brainard Road in
Hartford (860-549-0030).
Museums
The best source for museums would be the Hartford Yellow
Pages; more than 35 are currently listed. These include:
Shows (Plays, Musicals, Concerts)
In Connecticut, there are two good places to see professional
performances. They are The Bushnell, located in Hartford, and
the Shubert Performing Arts Center (student rush tickets
available), located in New Haven. Depending on the show, ticket
prices can vary from about $20 to $80 per person. The Shubert
also offers half price student rush tickets on the day of a show
with valid student ID. In the past, Broadway musicals such as
The Producers and Rent have appeared. But if you are a theatre
enthusiast, Broadway in New York City is only a two and a half
hour ride by train via Amtrak. During your five year stay at the
University of Connecticut Health Center, you should definitely
consider seeing a show on Broadway. It is an experience you will
never forget!
There are also several local theatres, including
Hartford
Stage and TheaterWorks in Hartford, and
the Hole in the Wall
Theater in New Britain, and productions at local universities,
such as Central Connecticut State University in New Britain and
Saint Joseph’s College and University of Hartford in West
Hartford. Also, at the Jorgensen
Center for Performing Arts at the Storrs campus,
you can see a variety of performance genres including dance,
music, theater, and a children's series. Student pricing for
tickets is available, but ticket prices range drastically
depending on the performance and seating. Parking is free and
located across the street from the auditorium.
Concerts can be seen at the XL Center,
Toad's
Place (New Haven), The Webster Theater (Hartford),
Dodge Music
Center (Hartford), as well as
Foxwoods (Ledyard) and
Mohegan Sun
(Uncasville) casinos.
For music aficionados, try the
Hartford Symphony Orchestra,
with musical director Edward Cumming. The HSO was founded in
1934 and presents over 60 concerts annually. Student season
tickets are very reasonable for nosebleed seats at the Bushnell.
Parking for all events at the Bushnell is free and immediately
across the street. Call HSO Ticket Services for information and
tickets at (860-244-2999); student rush tickets are sometimes
available 1 hour before performances with a valid ID.
There are also two major independent amateur orchestras in
the Hartford area. They are almost always looking for string
players and the conductors will do wind auditions on request
depending on chair availability. Call for details about the
groups. Concerts held by these groups are generally very good
amateur performances, but quality can fluctuate depending on
string composition. The tickets run around $10, which is
reasonable.
Salmon Brook Trio Plus!: email:
Chambermusic1@yahoo.com,
phone: 860-653-0228 or 860-267-8774
Manchester Symphony Orchestra and Chorale: email:
fdegiacomo@snet.net,
phone: 860-528-0906
Dance Connecticut (formerly Hartford Ballet) in a company of
20 full-time professional dancers and apprentices. Led by
artistic directors Peggy Lyman and Enid Lynn, Dance Connecticut
performs a diverse and exciting repertoire ranging from
classical and contemporary ballets to modern works. Most
performances are located in downtown Hartford at the Bushnell,
with convenient free parking across the street. While the
quality of the dancers may not match those seen in New York and
Boston, the performances are truly enjoyable. The dance company
also sponsors visiting companies such as Baryshnikov's White Oak
Project. Student discount tickets are available, for more
information call (860-525-9396).
Bars/Nightclubs
Some good local bars are:
- Murphy and Scarletti's - Farmington, (located directly
across the street from the Health Center); live music
Tuesday through Saturday
- The Spigot Café - West Hartford
- Coach’s Sports Bar and Grill - Hartford, this is a
sports bar owned by the infamous Jim Calhoun (coach of the
UConn Huskies men's basketball team). A great place to eat
dinner and view a men's/women's basketball game on the large
screen TV.
- Cool Moose Cafe - Hartford, $1 Mooseheads (beer) on
Tuesdays.
- J Timothy’s - Plainville, free Rolling Rock when you buy
a bucket of wings on Friday nights
- The Half Door - Hartford, traditional Irish pub
- City Steam - Hartford, brewery café - half price
appetizers and $2 drafts Monday through Friday, 4 to 7 p.m.
- The most frequented night clubs are in Hartford. A few
are:
- Bourbon Street - not a true night club. Has a good bar,
o.k. dance floor and a room of pool tables. Food is not bad.
- The Brickyard - a relatively new nightclub to Hartford.
Also contains 3 floors. Presently, a very popular bar.
For bars with an alternative atmosphere, try:
- The Loft - Hartford
- The Gotham Lounge - Hartford
- Bar with No Name - Near the Civic Center in Hartford
- Municipal Café - Main Street in Hartford
Casinos
Presently there are two casinos in Connecticut. One is
Foxwoods on the Mashantucket Pequot Indian Reservation located
in Ledyard, Connecticut (they claim it is the biggest casino in
the Western Hemisphere). The other is
Mohegan Sun in Uncasville
created by the Mohegan Tribe.
Beaches
One good public beach is at Hammonassett State Park in
Madison, CT. An entrance fee is required. Fees currently run $9
to $14 on the weekends/holidays and $7 to $10 on weekdays. This
beach can be very crowded. Due to the position of the beach
within Long Island Sound, the water is not very clean. The park
does designate areas for camping which currently run $15.00
(also see more information on the
Connecticut
State Parks website). If you're ambitious, a better beach to
go to is Misquamicut State Beach in Rhode Island ($7 to $14 on
weekends/holidays; $6 to $12 on weekdays). Misquamicut is
approximately 75 miles from the Health Center. The water is
cleaner. The waves are bigger. The food is better.
Area Restaurants
Also check the Advocate (available free at the Academic
entrance) for additional listings.
American
Black-Eyed Sally's
350 Asylum Avenue, Hartford, CT
860-278-7427
Specializes in barbeque and Cajun cooking.
The Elbow Room
986 Farmington Avenue
West Hartford, CT
860-236-6195
A chic bistro-style restaurant serving clever variations on
traditional favorites--the mussels are out of this world, and
the fish and chicken dishes are consistently excellent.
Price range: $10 to $20 (average meal/person, w/o drinks)
The Grist Mill
Restaurant
44 Mill Lane
Farmington, CT
860-676-8855
German style and American cuisine served in a dining room
overlooking the Farmington river. Price range: $15 to $25
(average meal/person, w/o drinks).
Little Mark’s Big Barbeque
279 West Main Street (Route 44)
Avon, CT
860-674-9256
Great barbeque, large portions, reasonable prices.
Chinese
Butterfly
831 Farmington Avenue
West Hartford, CT
860-236-2816
Good Chinese food in a nice setting.
Price range: $10 to $20 (average meal/person, w/o drinks)
Cheng Du
923 Farmington Avenue
West Hartford, CT
860-232-6455
Good food and many loyal customers. Price Range: $7 to $15
(average meal per person without drinks).
China Buffet
132 New Britain Road
Plainville, CT
860-793-8810
Wide variety in buffet, sushi, grill-to-order items. Price
range: about $15 for dinner, less for lunch.
Great Taste
597 West Main Street
New Britain, CT
860-229-7373
An excellent restaurant in an unlikely location that serves
traditional dishes with imagination and flair, with a special
emphasis on fish dishes. Price range: $10 to $20 (average meal
per person, without drinks).
Green Tea
1067 Farmington Avenue
Farmington, CT
860-678-8880
Delicious food and good lunch specials including Dim Sum. Price
range: $7 to $15 (average meal per person, without drinks).
Diners
Gold Roc Diner/Restaurant
61 Kane Street
West Hartford, CT
860-236-9366
Typical diner fare – good quality, open 24 hours, and breakfast
anytime you want. Price range: less than $10 (average meal per
person, without drinks).
New Britain Diner/Restaurant
1130 Corbin Avenue
New Britain, CT
860-827-1215
Amazingly wide variety of sandwiches and entrees; breakfast
served 24 hours. Several specials each day.
Greek and Middle Eastern
Arugula Mediterranean Cafe
953 Farmington Avenue
West Hartford, CT
860-561-4888
Fresh, flavorful, Middle Eastern and Italian cuisine and
award-winning house-made desserts, now open for dinner as well
as lunch. Price range: $10 to $20 (average meal per person,
without drinks).
Shish Kebab House of Afghanistan
360 Franklin Avenue
Hartford, CT
860-296-0301
Delicious kebabs and other middle eastern specialties served
with fragrant rice. Price range: $10 to $20 (average meal per
person, without drinks).
Tapas
1150 New Britain Avenue
West Hartford, CT
860-521-4609
126-130 Ann Street
Hartford, CT
Mediterranean food with lots of spices. Good place if you need a
good gyro. Price range: less than $10 (average meal per person,
without drinks).
Indian
Taste of India
139 South Main Street
West Hartford, CT
860-561-2221
216 Broad Street
Windsor, CT
All kinds of your basic Indian food like curry and tandoori. Try
the lunch buffet…lots of Indian food at one low price. Price
range: $10 to $20 person (average meal) lunch buffet
approximately $7.
Italian
Andy's Italian Kitchen
230 Farmington Avenue
Farmington, CT
860-676-0800
Your basic sub/pizza shop located across the street from the
health center. Casual atmosphere with televisions. Price range:
$5 to $10 per person (average meal per person, without drinks).
The Olive Garden
860-741-6616
Buckland Hills Mall
Manchester, CT
Good pasta and meat dishes, plus all you can eat salad, soup and
breadsticks at the start of your meal. Price range: $10 to $20
(average meal per person, without drinks).
Japanese
Japanica
270 Farmington Avenue
Farmington, CT
860-677-5633
Flavorful sushi, sashimi and more—conveniently located across
the street from the Health Center. Price range: $10 to $20
(average meal per person, without drinks).
Osaka
962-A Farmington Avenue
West Hartford, CT
860-233-1877
An attractive, spacious spot with screened, tatami-lined private
booths and excellent yakitori bar. Price range: $15 to $25
(average meal per person, without drinks).
Szechuan Tokyo
1245 New Britain Avenue
West Hartford, CT
860-561-0180
Features both Szechuan and Japanese food; live jazz on Tuesday
nights.
Toshi
Riverdale Farms (Route 10)
Avon, CT
860-677-8242
Definitely the best sushi in this area as well as other Japanese
dishes. Price range: $10 to $20 (average meal per person,
without drinks).
Mexican
El Sombrero
151 Queen Street
Southington, CT
860-621-9474
Main courses run $9 to 14. Live mariachi band on Sundays.
Puerto Vallarta
980 Farmington Avenue (West Hartford Center)
West Hartford, CT
860-231-1612
Pizza
Bella Gourmet Pizzeria
125 Fenn Road
West Hartford, CT
860-667-0330
Bertucci's Brick Oven Pizzeria
330 North Main Street
West Hartford, CT
860 676-1177
A national chain featuring real brick oven pizza of very high
quality and imaginative combinations. Price range: around $10
(average meal per person, without drinks).
Harry's Pizza
1003 Farmington Avenue
West Hartford, CT
860-231-7166
Thin, slightly charred crust and an impressive variety of
toppings. They even give you a little taste of homemade lemon or
grapefruit sherbet afterwards. Many loyal fans and an elegant
setting for a pizza parlor. Price range: less than $10 (average
meal per person, without drinks).
Naples
838 Farmington Avenue
Farmington, CT
860-674-8876
Great pizza! Try the bianca with spinach and ricotta cheese.
Price range: less than $10 (average meal per person, without
drinks).
Uno Chicago Bar and Grill
West Farms Mall,
West Hartford, CT
860-561-3113
Deep-dish Chicago style pizza is featured, along with a variety
of entrees. Entrees run about $8 to 14.
Thai
Lemon Grass
7 South Main Street
West Hartford, CT
860-233-4405
Terrific food, beautifully prepared and graciously served. The
soups are particularly outstanding, and there's a huge menu of
chicken, seafood and vegetarian dishes. Price range: $10 to $20
(average meal per person, without drinks).
East West Grill
526 New Park Avenue
West Hartford, CT
860-236-3287
Great little diner serving Laotian-Thai cuisine. Wide variety,
friendly service.
Vietnamese
Pho Boston
144 Shield Street
West Hartford, CT
860-953-8678
Excellent and inexpensively-priced – wonton and beef noodle
soups – HUGE BOWLS. Price range: $5 to $10 (average meal per
person, without drinks).
Cafés
Zuzu's Coffee Bar
Downtown Hartford near the Civic Center Art Gallery
Peter B's Espresso
West Hartford
Border's Bookstore
West Hartford, near the West Farms Mall
Starbuck's
West Hartford Center (and everywhere else in the known universe)
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