Hartford CT to NYC road trip: Drive time, distance & best stops

Planning a Hartford CT to New York City road trip itinerary

The Hartford CT to New York City drive links the capital of Connecticut to New York’s Big Apple.

The grand Connecticut State Capitol Building is the obvious centerpiece of Hartford CT, but the city has a strong collection of cultural attractions. The Connecticut Museum of Culture and History tells the state’s story, and the Wadsworth Atheneum Art Museum is home to more than 50,000 works. There’s a good mix of European and American art, plus plenty of Egyptian bronzes.

The two highlights are right next to each other, however. The Harriet Beecher Stowe Center and Mark Twain House celebrate the works and lives of two great American authors.

The top accommodation options in Hartford are the proudly grand Delamar West Hartford and the heritage-laced Goodwin.

Highlights of New York City include the Empire State Building, the 9/11 Memorial Museum, the Museum of Modern Art and the American Museum of Natural History.

For great New York tours, try the boat trip to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, a night time city lights helicopter flight and a Greenwich village food tour.

More unusual options include catacombs tours, a round-Manhattan architecture cruise and a guided exploration of Grand Central Station’s secrets.

You seriously need to shop around to find affordable New York City accommodation. Start looking for deals here.

Hartford to New York City distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Hartford CT to New York City is 117 miles. You can expect a driving time of around two hours and five minutes.

The best stops to add to a Hartford to New York City road trip itinerary are New Haven CT, Norwalk CT and Rye NY. For more suggestions, check out the guides to individual legs of the journey:

Hartford to New York City drive: New Haven CT

New Haven CT is home to Yale University, which provides the city’s top attractions. The Yale Center of British Art hosts the biggest collection of British Art outside the UK. Yale University Art Gallery covers a broader, global range. And the Yale Peabody Museum does natural history, evolution and dinosaur skeletons.

You can also do self-guided smartphone walking tours of the Yale campus, or a story-packed ghost walk.

New Haven’s other claim to fame is New Haven-style pizza. It’s close to a traditional Neapolitan style, with a thin, chewy base and very little melted cheese.

Good quality, academia-themed accommodation options in New Haven include the Study at Yale and the Graduate.

Best stops between Hartford and New York City: Norwalk CT

Norwalk CT offers a few beaches on Long Island Sound. Calf Pasture Beach is arguably the nicest, but it’s a fair detour from the town centre. Otherwise, the main reason to stop is the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk. The beloved harbor seals of Pinniped Cove are usually the favourites here, with the 4D theater an enjoyable bonus.

The best Norwalk accommodation choice is the Hotel Zero Degrees.

Hartford to New York City road trip attractions: Rye NY

Most of Rye’s charm lies along the waterfront. Here, Playland Park manages to combine old-fashioned amusement park vibes with rollercoasters that adults enjoy as much as kids. Rye Playland Beach is next to the park, and it curves round into Rye Beach.

The Lower Manhattan skyline in New York City.
The Lower Manhattan skyline in New York City. Photo by Brandon Jacoby.

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