Discover Cheshire

Cheshire combines historic buildings and collections with arts offerings and outdoor trails. When choosing a hotel in Cheshire, you can first decide which of these themes you want to shape your stay.

Outdoor Trails and Activities

Cheshire has more than 1,500 acres of publicly acquired open space intended for passive recreation such as hiking. At Roaring Brook, a stream drops 80 feet; a red-blazed trail passes the waterfalls there. In Brooke Preserve, blue-blazed trails loop around the entire preserve. The red trail at Roaring Brook and the blue loop in Brooke Preserve therefore offer different experiences.

The Farmington Canal Linear Trail is seven miles long, paved and intended for pedestrians and cyclists. It runs alongside the Farmington Canal and through all of Cheshire. Ball & Socket Arts offers pedestrians and cyclists direct access to the trail. Cheshire Park includes the Ruth C. Burke Trail System. Mixville Recreation Area has hiking trails and a pond for swimming; sledding is possible there in winter. Bartlem Park has walking paths.

Canal History and Historic Sites

Lock 12 Historical Park features a restored, 150-year-old canal lock and the lockkeeper’s house on the Farmington Canal. The park also has a picnic pavilion and public restrooms. The Cornwall Avenue-Town Center Historic District is one of two historic districts in Cheshire and was officially designated in 2004.

The Hitchcock-Phillips House is a colonial house built in 1785. A tour of the house can offer insights into 18th-century life; check in advance whether tours are currently available. Ives Farm is home to Cheshire’s last windmill of its kind.

Art and Local Programs

The Cheshire Historical Society holds lectures, tours and educational programs for the public. Artsplace offers art classes, holiday programs and workshops for people of all ages and abilities. It is on the second floor of Ball & Socket Arts, above Sweet Claude’s, at 493 West Main Street in Cheshire.

Outside Building 2 of Ball & Socket Arts, The Artcade is a public space for extraordinary visual art that can be viewed around the clock. The Barker Character, Comic & Cartoon Museum in Cheshire houses nearly 80,000 objects. The cultural offerings vary in how visitors can engage with them: Artsplace offers classes and workshops, The Artcade offers public art, and the museum and Historical Society round out the range with collections and educational programs.

When choosing a hotel, it can help to have a clear focus for your stay: a cultural focus connects with historic sites, art and programs; for a stay that includes time outdoors, trails, parks and seasonal sledding take center stage. Compare hotel deals in Cheshire based on your travel plans.

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