Prestige/Barkley photographic design

Make your way to the checkered flag–the one that signals you've arrived for a good time at Checkered Flag Raceway. Located in Berlin just a few minutes from Hartford, this is undoubtedly the best outdoor go-kart racetrack in all of New England. This challenging but fun ¼ mile track will find you revving up the engine in your kart as you put the pedal to the metal. Plus, there is an excellent arcade with all the latest video games as well as a snack bar. It's high-speed fun and recreation for the whole family!

Hartford resident Harriet Beecher Stowe attracted plenty of attention when she published her anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom's Cabin. Her outspoken nature and desire to champion issues like human dignity and equality were hallmarks of not only her work, but of the woman herself. You can learn more about her and her various campaigns to end racism when you visit the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center. The center and museum of sorts hosts various exhibits that stand alongside Stowe's personal effects that all work together to tell the story of this courageously outspoken author whose battle is still being fought today. The center spotlights current projects that are still being implemented in Stowe's honor.

Hartford's Riverside Park is a popular outdoor spot that offers a little something for everyone. There's a boat launch, docking, volleyball, picnicking, and playgrounds. If you are feeling a little more adventurous, there’s also mountain bike and nature trails as well as fishing and athletic fields that always feature something fun and interesting to do and see. This park is also the home of the Greater Hartford Jaycees Community Boat House. Also, the park features various sculptures and other eye-catching attractions that make spending time here something truly special.