Special Edition: Hamden Winter Itineraries

Beautiful. Diverse. Community.

Jan 11, 2025

Whether it be with family visiting from out-of-state, a few friends from across CT, some of your Hamden neighbors, or simply your own family and kids, here are some itineraries for winter exploration and fun across Hamden. Some daytime options, plus some evening excursions.

Note: Some of the suggested itineraries & excursions listed below have limited schedules. Please confirm beforehand.

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Itinerary #1: Trains, Trails, Toys, & Treats

Part 1: Trains… The hands-on model train exhibit at the Eli Whitney Museum and Workshop, a holiday-season tradition enjoyed by Hamden kids and families for decades.
Part 2: Trails… The trails hugging and crossing the Mill River through East Rock Park adjacent to the museum. Easily customizable hikes — short, moderate, longer.
Part 3: Toys… Shopping at Evan’s Toy Shoppe — just a few minutes up Whitney Avenue from the park and museum — loaded with toys, games, arts & crafts kits, etc.
Part 4: Treats… Across the street from Evan’s is Cantean, which offers fresh baked treats, homemade gelato, and much more.

Itinerary #2: Fire & Ice

Part 1: Ice… Head out with family and friends to enjoy one of the many great ice skating spots in The Land of the Sleeping Giant. A winter tradition for generations of Hamdenites. (Brooksvale Pond, Butterworth Brook, Lake Wintergreen, Johnson Pond, etc.)

Part 2: Fire… Warm up and fill up with a Hibachi dinner Kumo or Sakura Garden.

What is a Hibachi Grill? - BBQGrills Learning Center

Itinerary #3: Fan Favorites (National Champs!)

Part 1: Drive in to the iconic Glenwood Drive-In for a pre-game meal. Ranked #1 in CT. And save room for Hamden homemade ice cream at Kelly’s Cone Connection next door.

Part 2: Slide over to the world-class M&T Bank Arena at Quinnipiac University to cheer on the 2023 National Champion QU men’s ice hockey team (schedule here). Save time for photos with the National Championship trophy.

Itinerary #4: Creative Cocktails & Cozy Concert

Part 1: Savor the creative cocktails at Wildcat (plus their creative cuisine).

Part 2: Just a minute or two away is QU’s cozy Theatre Arts Center, which hosts the annual Frank J. Natale Concert Series every winter.

Itinerary #5: Ice Skating & Ireland

Part 1: Open skating every Sunday afternoon at the Hamden ice rink.

Part 2: Warm up at The Playwright Irish Pub. Live Irish music every Sunday at 4pm served with traditional Irish food, beer, and spirits.

Itinerary #6: Indoor Family Triathlon (+ Treats)

For families with stir-crazy, cooped-up kids who need to burn some winter energy…

Part 1: Start with indoor rock climbing at City Climb Gym in Science Park, just across the town line.

Part 2: Bounce over to Hamden’s huge indoor trampoline park, Funz.

Part 3: Just a block or so away, enjoy a tasty treat at the legendary DiSorbo’s Italian Bakery with over 50 years serving Hamdenites.
Part 4: Swing by Ninja Academy for their indoor obstacle courses.

Itinerary #7: Sunday Funday

Part 1: Start with Sunday Brunch at Mikro Depot in the historic train station adjacent to Sleeping Giant State Park - every Sunday beginning at 11am.
Part 2: Enjoy expert-guided tours of Sleeping Giant State Park. SGPA offers several different themed tours on various Sunday afternoons at 1pm, such as “Winter Animal Tracking" and “Winter Tree Identification”.

Itinerary #8: Pins & Pies

Part 1: Pins… Start downstairs with a round of duckpin bowling at Johnson’s Duckpin Lanes, a Hamden institution for over 65 years!

Part 2: Pies… Next, move upstairs to DiMatteo’s Pizza (directly above the bowling alley), serving fresh pies in Hamden for over 50 years!

Itinerary #9: Fan Favorites (Hoops & Scoops)

Part 1: Hoops… Start with a local basketball game. The 2x defending State Champion Hamden High girls’ basketball team, or a Division 1 NCAA game at Quinnipiac.

Final 2024 Top 10 CT Girls High School Basketball Poll

Part 2: Scoops… After an HHS game, head to Ashley’s Ice Cream next door. After a QU game, head to Wentworth’s or Kelly’s Cone Connection - both just minutes from the arena.

Itinerary #10: Hops Around Hamden

A tasting tour of taps at local micro-breweries, leading to a delicious dinner and evening entertainment…

Part 1: Sample the creative craft beers at East Rock Brewing Company.
Part 2: Only a short distance down State Street, enjoy more tastings at Twelve Percent Beer Project.
Part 3: Just minutes away, finish at Haven Beer Company in the heart of Hamden. In addition to their own popular homebrews, HBC also offers taps from other popular micro-breweries in the area and region. A wide-ranging kitchen menu is available every day and night, with various events & entertainment (trivia, music, etc) some evenings.

Itinerary #11: Hands-on STEM

Part 1: Design, build, create at Hamden’s Eli Whitney Museum. Free hands-on STEM projects for kids & families inside the museum/workshop (10am-3pm) every weekend. During the holiday season, the annual American Flyer train exhibit is an added bonus. Or, checkout the LEGO Innovation Station open each winter after the train exhibit closes.
Part 2: Make the short drive down Whitney Ave from the Eli Whitney Museum to the renovated, redesigned, and expanded Yale Peabody Museum.

2005 - Bronze Torosaurus Statue Unveiled

Peabody Museum Rendering - SE Aerial View

Part 3: Stroll over to the Yale Observatory & Planetarium (just off Whitney Ave, a few blocks from the Peabody Museum) for an evening of hands-on intergalactic science and astronomic exploration and the new planetarium show “Unseen Universe”.

Itinerary #12: Art Tour

Part 1: Visit the YUAG gallery to appreciate world-class art right at our doorstep. Monet, Picasso, Van Gogh, Manet, Degas, Cezanne, Rodin, Seurat, Dali, etc. Free, with docent-guided tours every Saturday & Sunday. Plus, frequent kid-focused hands-on activities and tours many weekends.
Part 2: Explore an assortment of art related to Ireland’s Great Famine of the 19th century in the Lender Family Special Collection Room at the QU Library. Wander through the library a bit to see more original artworks related to The Great Hunger.
Part 3: Visit Hamden’s Messy Hands & Happy Hearts during their “Open Studio” time to create your own art with family and friends.

Itinerary #13: Jazz Night

Part 1: Enjoy an upscale meal with fine food and beverages at Salvatore’s Steakhouse or Cafe Amici - both in Spring Glen just a few blocks away from BVFCC…

Part 2: After dinner, stroll over to Best Video Film & Cultural Center for a live jazz performance at their monthly “Jazz Night.” Enjoy wine, beer, coffee, and snacks from the BVFCC Cafe.

Jazz Night with Tom Flammia and Friends - Yonkers Downtown

Itinerary # 14: Dinner & A Movie

Part 1: Enjoy a delicious dinner at the popular Cumin Indian Restaurant, just a few blocks away from BVFCC…
Part 2: After dinner, trust the experts at Best Video Film & Cultural Center as they select, present, and discuss curated, critically-acclaimed films every Tuesday Night at BVFCC at 7pm in Spring Glen. Enjoy wine, beer, coffee, and snacks from the BVFCC Cafe. Free popcorn at every show.

Itinerary #15: Rock & Rolls

Part 1: Sushi Rolls for dinner… choose from several great sushi restaurants in Hamden: Sushi Palace, Jasa, Roishi, Kumo, Sonobana, Sakura Garden, Genki Sushi, Donburiya.
Part 2: Catch live rock concerts (and other genres, too) several nights per week, year-round, at Hamden’s popular Space Ballroom or The Cellar on Treadwell, which draw a wide-range of performers from across the region and the nation.

Itinerary #16: Create Your Own

Take any combination of the above activities and rearrange them to fit your own interests and tastes for your own customized Hamden Day Trip or Evening Excursion with family & friends.

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Please share with your Hamden neighbors, friends, and community groups. Thank you!!