Harwinton

Harwinton is a small town in the Litchfield Hills region of Connecticut that was founded in 1737.

Understand

The name Harwinton comes from the combination of three towns: Farmington, Hartford and Windsor. It has a population of about 5,300 and has an area of about 31.1 square miles.

Get in

Plane - The closest airport to Harwinton is Bradley International Airport (Bradley International Airport, Schoephoester Road, Windsor Locks), the major airport in Connecticut, which is an hour away.

Get around

The best way to get around Harwinton is by car, since there are no sidewalks to walk or bike on.

It's suggested that you rent a car if you don’t have one already.

See

• Harwinton Recreation – This park is right off Litchfield Road at the only stop light in town, and is very quiet and pleasant. There are trails and a small pond, along with tennis courts, a volleyball court, and a playground. Dogs are welcome and it’s usually not very crowded if you just want a place to relax and be by yourself.

Do

• Green Lady Cemetery - (Upson Rd, Burlington)- In Burlington, the town next-door, ghost hunters can visit the haunted Green Lady Cemetery. Legend has it that a couple lived next to the cemetery, and one night the lady drowned in the swamp while her husband watched and refused to help. There have been reports of strange lights and green mist around the graveyard, perhaps being the Green Lady forever haunting the area. There’s also a tree with a hidden book that you can sign to prove that you went to Green Lady Cemetery that only the locals know about. So if you’re into spooky things, take a look at this locally famous cemetery.
• Harwinton Fair. By far, the most well known event to take place in Harwinton is the Harwinton Fair. It occurs during the month of October, and has rides, games, animals, craft contests, face painting, horse shows, and tons of food. This is best for those with younger kids that don’t mind spending a good amount of money on random toys, some frozen lemonade, games, and fresh fried dough. The great thing about the fair is that it appeals to most people and takes place the first full weekend in October. 
• Fairview Farm Golf Course, 300 Hill Rd. This golf course is fairly new and is fair priced. Mostly locals go here and it's never too crowded. 

Buy

• ATMs - If you’re looking to get some cash, there are two ATMs in town. One is at the Thomaston Savings Bank (160 Litchfield Rd, Harwinton) and a Visa ATM is at the Daily Mart (157 Litchfield Rd, Harwinton) right across from the Thomaston Savings Bank.
• Malls - There are two nearby malls, both sixteen miles away from Harwinton. One is the Westfarms Mall in Farmington/West Hartford (1500 New Britain Ave, West Hartford) and the other is the Brass Mill Center in Waterbury (495 Union Street, Waterbury). Out of the two malls, Westfarms is cleaner and has more of a variety of stores, so it’s suggested to go to Westfarms since they’re both the same distance away from Harwinton.
• The Shoppes at Farmington Valley, 110 Albany Turnpike, Suite 925, Canton – This shopping plaza has quite a few popular stores, including American Eagle, Dick’s, Gap, among many others. Check the site for a full store directory.

Eat

• Landing Zone Grill, 525 Burlington Rd, ☏ +1 860-485-2733. – The overall atmosphere is very relaxed and the food here is excellent quality but it’s often so busy that it requires shared seating with strangers and it needs to be cleaned up a bit. 
• Hometown Pizza II, 157 Litchfield Rd, ☏ +1 860-485-2786. – Great pizza at an affordable price, along with other Italian foods on the menu. Delivery is not an option, but if you call ahead they’ll have it ready in twenty minutes unless it’s a Friday during dinner time. 
• Harwinton Pizza, 122 Litchfield Rd, ☏ +1 860-485-0535. Very friendly staff with good pizza, but there is no delivery available and the restaurant is very small and can get crowded easily. 
• Dunkin’ Donuts, 122 Litchfield Rd, ☏ +1 860-485-1429. If you need your morning coffee, this Dunkin’ Donuts is usually not crowded and the employees are all friendly. 

Drink

• K C Dubliner Grille & Pub (292 Spielman Highway, Burlington) - This bar is in the next town over, but it’s worth the fifteen-minute drive. It’s a very friendly Irish pub and has a consistent good quality of food.

Sleep

There are no hotels or motels directly in Harwinton, but there are a few in the nearby towns of Torrington and Litchfield. They may not be the fanciest hotels on the planet, but if you want a place to put a roof over your head they'll do.

Go next

• Hartford - This is the capital of the state of Connecticut and has many activities for all different kinds of people. You can catch a concert of your favorite band or attend a basketball or hockey game in the Hartford Civic Center/XL Center (225 Trumbull Street, Hartford). You can also go to a concert at the New England Dodge Music Center (61 Savitt Way, Hartford).
• Torrington – This is the little city next door that has Walmart, McDonald’s, Target, and movie theaters if you need to get out of tiny Harwinton. There are sometimes local shows playing at the Warner Theater, so you could catch a play or some music if there’s anything showing. It isn’t the prettiest area, but it’s good enough if you just want to get out of the more rural/suburban Harwinton.