Roaring Brook Nature Center

Roaring Brook Nature Center is a fantastic place for kids and adults alike to spend a few hours learning about local animals and trees (with really excellent live animals and exhibits — tarantulas aren’t local to here, but they’re still really cool!). There’s a fantastic series of hiking loops behind the nature center that are perfect for ANY and ALL hiking abilities. The loops are of varying lengths and you can create any length hike.
The Center offers an incredible array of programs for kids from toddler age to adults — night time moonlit trail walks, toddler reading/​learning programs, summer camps for every age child.
We are very lucky to have this resource so near to us. If you have a membership to the Children’s Museum in West Hartford, admission is free. But I’m still always happy to donate some money to them each time I go.