Central East Region
Central East Connecticut is where the Hartford region begins to feel more rural, wooded, and connected to the Connecticut River and its surrounding landscapes. The area is made up of small towns, historic villages, farms, forests, lakes, rivers, reservoirs, local restaurants, orchards, and outdoor recreation, with Glastonbury providing the strongest suburban and commercial presence. It’s a region where you can still be close to Hartford while quickly finding quieter roads, open land, and communities with a distinctly small-town feel.
Towns Included:
Glastonbury, Colchester, East Haddam, East Hampton, Glastonbury, Haddam, Hebron, Marlborough, Portland, Salem
The Main Cities Of This Region Are:
Glastonbury feels like a comfortable, established town that blends polished suburban life with a strong connection to farms, orchards, and the Connecticut River. The town has plenty of restaurants, shopping, services, and attractive residential areas, but it doesn’t take long to get away from the developed areas and find farmland, wooded roads, and open space.
Glastonbury feels active and well established without feeling crowded, giving you the convenience of a suburb with a noticeable sense of place.
Major regional draws
Major Attractions
Gillette Castle State Park
Goodspeed Opera House
Brownstone Adventure Sports Park
Devil's Hopyard State Park
Comstock Covered Bridge
Gay City State Park
Connecticut River & Water
Connecticut River
Rocky Hill–Glastonbury Ferry
Eagle Landing State Park
Hurd State Park
Lake Pocotopaug
Riverfront Park
Kayaking, boating and river cruises
Hiking & Adventure
Salmon River State Forest
Cockaponset State Forest
Airline State Park Trail
Machimoodus State Park
Gay City State Park
Devil's Hopyard
Hurd State Park
History & Culture
Goodspeed Opera House
Gillette Castle
Historic East Haddam Village
Thankful Arnold House
Palmer-Warner House
Nathan Hale Schoolhouse
Saint Clements Castle
Farms, Vineyards & Rural Connecticut
Priam Vineyards
Arrigoni Winery
The Farm at Carter Hill
Seasonal orchards and farms
Hebron Harvest Fair
Zagray Farm Museum
Meet Adoptable Shelter Dogs Waiting For Years:
The Main Highways In This Region Are:
I-91: Runs along the western edge of the region, providing access between Hartford, Middletown and New Haven.
I-84: Just north of the region, providing access to Hartford and central Connecticut.
Route 2: Major east–west highway connecting Hartford with Glastonbury, Marlborough, Colchester and southeastern Connecticut.
Route 17: Major north–south route connecting Glastonbury with Middletown and the Connecticut River Valley.
The Main Routes In This Region Are:
US 44: Runs east–west through the northern portion of the region, connecting the area with Hartford and eastern Connecticut.
Route 66: Important east–west route through Portland, Marlborough and toward Columbia and eastern Connecticut.
Route 16: Connects Middletown with Portland, East Hampton, Colchester and surrounding communities.
Route 17A: Connects Glastonbury with surrounding communities along the eastern side of the Connecticut River.
Route 149: Runs through Glastonbury and Hebron toward Columbia and the Quiet Corner.
Route 85: Important north–south route through Hebron and Colchester.
Route 151: Connects East Hampton and East Haddam with the surrounding Connecticut River communities.
Route 82: Runs through Haddam and East Haddam toward the Connecticut River and southeastern Connecticut.
Route 9: Provides access to the western edge of the region around Middletown and the Connecticut River Valley.
To the North of this region is “North Central East” Region
To the East is the “Lower Quiet Corner” and the “Near Norwich” Regions
To the South is the “Shoreline” Region
To the West is the “Central West” Region
Meet River at West Haven animal control