Near Waterbury
Near Waterbury Connecticut is a region where the Naugatuck Valley, central Connecticut's industrial history, family attractions, wooded hills, reservoirs, farms, and small-town communities all come together. Here you will find more variety than its reputation might suggest. You can spend the day at an amusement park, explore a historic theater or museum, walk beside a river, hike to a waterfall, visit a working chocolate factory, or disappear into the woods without traveling very far.
Towns Included:
Bristol, Waterbury, Beacon Falls, Cheshire, Middlebury, Naugatuck, Oxford, Plainville, Prospect, Seymour, Southington, Southbury, Wolcott
The Main Cities Of This Region Are:
Waterbury feels like a working Connecticut city with a strong industrial past and a distinctly urban character. It is denser and busier than most of the surrounding communities, with older neighborhoods, commercial districts, major roads and a traditional downtown. The city's history as a manufacturing center is still visible in its architecture and layout, while newer businesses and redevelopment have brought additional activity into parts of the city. Waterbury feels more urban and lived-in than polished, with a strong local identity and a sense that you are in a real working city rather than simply a large suburb.
Bristol feels like a comfortable small city with established residential neighborhoods, older commercial areas, newer development, local businesses and a relatively strong sense of community. The city is more spread out and less urban than Waterbury, with plenty of wooded areas and open space around its developed sections. Bristol feels active and established without feeling overwhelming, giving it the character of a small Connecticut city with easy access to both Hartford-area suburbs and the countryside.
Major regional draws
Major Attractions & Entertainment
Lake Compounce & Crocodile Cove
ESPN
Palace Theater
Holy Land USA
Fascia's Chocolates
Museums, History & Local Heritage
Mattatuck Museum
American Clock & Watch Museum
New England Carousel Museum
Naugatuck Historical Society
Bristol Historical Society
Parks, Waterfalls & Outdoor Recreation
Southford Falls State Park
Naugatuck State Forest
Whittemore Glen State Park
Naugatuck River Greenway
Hop Brook Lake
Rockwell Park
Hoppers Birge Pond
Woodtick Recreation Area
Meet Adoptable Shelter Dogs In This Region
The Main Highways In This Region Are:
I-84: The primary east–west highway through the region, running directly through Waterbury and providing connections to Danbury, Hartford, Bristol, Southington and central Connecticut.
Route 8: The major north–south highway through the Naugatuck Valley, connecting Waterbury with Naugatuck, Beacon Falls, Seymour and the lower Naugatuck Valley before continuing toward Bridgeport.
I-691: Runs along the southern portion of the region around Cheshire and Southington, connecting I-84 with Meriden and I-91.
Route 72: Major east–west highway connecting Bristol and Plainville with New Britain and the central Connecticut highway network.
The Main Routes In This Region Are:
US 6: Major east–west route through Bristol and surrounding communities, connecting the region with Thomaston and western Connecticut.
Route 10: Important north–south route through Cheshire and Southington, connecting the area with New Haven and the Farmington Valley.
Route 63: Major north–south route through Middlebury and Naugatuck, connecting Waterbury with the New Haven-area communities.
Route 67: Major east–west route through Southbury, Oxford and Seymour, providing an important connection between the western part of the region and the Naugatuck Valley.
Route 69: Runs through Waterbury, Wolcott, Prospect and toward Bristol/Burlington, forming an important north–south connection on the eastern side of the region.
Route 70: Connects Waterbury with Cheshire and Prospect, providing an important east–west connection across the southern portion of the region.
Route 68: Connects Naugatuck, Prospect and the surrounding communities, providing another important east–west route across the southern part of the region.
Route 188: Runs through Southbury, Oxford, Seymour and Middlebury, connecting several of the region's smaller communities.
Route 42: Connects Beacon Falls and Cheshire and provides access between the Naugatuck Valley and the Cheshire area.
Route 64: Runs through Middlebury and provides an important connection between Waterbury, Middlebury and the Cheshire/Woodbury area.
Route 229: Connects Bristol and Southington and provides an important local alternative to the interstate system.
Route 322: Runs through Southington and connects the region with the Meriden area.
Route 71: Connects Bristol, Plainville and the New Britain area and serves as an important local north–south corridor.
To the North of this region is “North Central West” and “Lower Litchfield Hills” Region
To the East is the “Central West” Region
To the South is the “Near New Haven” Region
To the West is the “Near Danbury” and the “Lower Litchfield Hills” Region
Meet Emma at Prospect CT Animal Control