5 Things You Must Do in Wallingford

Wallingford Car Rental

Wallingford, Connecticut (population 44,000), is five miles south of Meriden, 13 miles north of New Haven, and 78 miles northeast of New York City. Settled in 1670, it is on the banks of the Quinnipiac River. In its early days, Wallingford was noted for its silversmithing, and had several factories of the International Silver Company.

1 –   Sleeping Giant State Park: This park is named for two miles of mountaintop resembling a large man lying in repose. A 1 ½-mile scenic trail leads to a stone observation tower on the peak of Mount Carmel, which provides an excellent view of Long Island Sound and the New Haven area. The park has 30 miles of hiking trails and fishing in a lake.

2 –   Lock 12 State Historic Park: This park celebrating the history of America’s inland waterways transport system contains a pavilion, picnic area, restored 150-year-old canal lock (one of the original Farmington Canal’s locks from 1828-48), and museum. The park also includes a lockkeeper's house, helicoidal bridge, and a 2.9-mile hiking/biking trail.

3 –   Barker Character, Comic & Cartoon Museum: In nearby Cheshire, this quirky museum houses over 80,000 items, including toys and character collectibles from 1873 to present. It has Western, TV, and advertising collectibles; cartoon memorabilia; and a sculpture gallery; and is the official museum for Celebriducks, the California Raisins, and Gumby.

4 –   Wharton Brook State Park: Located on wooded, sandy knolls, Wharton Brook offers solitude for a quiet, peaceful picnic. In 1918-20, it is known as a travelers’ wayside where motorists could stop to have their cars serviced and enjoy lunch. It was the forerunner of the rest areas developed by the State Department of Transportation. Swimming is enjoyed at the park’s river beach.

5 –   Peabody Yale Museum: Due south of Wallington is New Haven, home to Yale University, one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in the U.S. A campus must-see is the Peabody Museum’s natural history exhibits with an emphasis on vertebrate zoology, botany, geology, astronomy and ornithology. The museum is also known for its ethnography and anthropology displays.