Sightseeing Sunday: Weird Things to Do in Connecticut
Looking for weird things to do in Connecticut? We’ve been collecting roadside oddities, giant candy dispensers, oversized whales, quirky museums, and stops that make you wonder who looked at a bridge and thought, “You know what this needs? Giant frogs.”
Fun Facts About Connecticut
Connecticut is home to the PEZ Visitor Center, where you can learn how the world’s most famous candy dispensers became collectibles.
Willimantic’s Frog Bridge features four enormous frogs sitting on top of thread spools, celebrating the town’s textile history and one very strange local legend.
Conny the Whale was once one of the world’s largest model sperm whales. After the Children’s Museum closed, the whale was literally cut in half, with the tail finding a new home in West Hartford.
Connecticut is one of the smallest states in the country, but it’s packed with quirky museums, historic villages, and roadside surprises.
Connecticut mixes classic New England charm with giant frogs, candy factories, pottery studios, chocolate experiences, and one very unfortunate whale. We haven’t made it to Connecticut yet, so all of these are still waiting for a future road trip. Until we get there, we’ll send you to an official site whenever we can find one.
Connecticut Weirdness, Town by Town
Showing 7 of 7 stops
Cornwall Bridge
Cornwall Bridge Pottery Tour — Call ahead to see which pottery-making processes are available during your visit. Factory ToursNot visited yet
Danbury
World's Tallest Uncle Sam — A 38-foot fiberglass Uncle Sam at the Danbury Railway Museum — built for an Ohio restaurant chain in the 1960s, greeter at the Danbury Fair through the '70s, then 37 years at a New York theme park before Danbury bought him back and stood him up again in 2019. The tallest Uncle Sam standing on the ground; his identical twin in Michigan needs a platform to beat him. 120 White Street. Weird Roadside & OdditiesNot visited yet
North Haven
EcoWorks Creative Reuse — Connecticut's only creative reuse center — bins of low-cost scrap and surplus art supplies, plus a reBoutique selling upcycled goods by Connecticut makers. 89 State Street; hours are limited, so check before you go. Creative ReuseNot visited yet
Orange
PEZ Visitor's Center — Learn the history of PEZ, browse the collection, and see how one of the world's most recognizable candies became a pop culture icon. Factory ToursNot visited yet
Waterbury
Fascia's Chocolates — Join a hands-on chocolate experience or simply stock up before continuing your road trip. Factory ToursFood & TV LegendsNot visited yet
West Hartford
Conny the Whale — For 47 years a 60-foot sperm whale statue outside the Children's Museum; when the property sold, only the tail could be saved. The 22-foot tail now sits along the Trout Brook Greenway, swimming away. Weird Roadside & OdditiesNot visited yet
Willimantic
The Giant Frog Bridge — Four enormous bronze frogs perched atop giant thread spools. Weird Roadside & OdditiesNot visited yet
Plan Your Connecticut Road Trip
We’re always adding new weird things to do in Connecticut, so check back for more roadside attractions, quirky museums, oversized oddities, and future road trip discoveries.
Where to next? Explore more New England adventures in our Rhode Island roadside attractions guide, browse our complete roadside attractions by state, get our best tips for traveling with pets, or head back to the Right At The Light homepage.
Interactive Map: Weird Roadside Stops We’re Tracking
This map includes weird roadside attractions, big-rig friendly stops, and places still on our running road trip list across the country.