Stamford CT to Hartford CT drive: Distance, best stops & time

The best road trip stops on the Stamford CT to Hartford CT drive are Norwalk CT, New Haven CT and Powder Ridge Mountain Park. The distance from Stamford CT to Hartford CT is 79 miles, with a 1h17m driving time.

Finding the best things to do between Stamford CT and Hartford CT

The Stamford to Hartford drive connects Long Island Sound to the Connecticut capital.

Stamford CT is on Long Island Sound, and has a handful of enjoyable parks. But its two top attractions are well to the north of the city centre. The Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens provides extensive botanical pleasures, while the Stamford Museum and Nature Center has enjoyable nature trails. You can see otters here.

Track down the best Stamford accommodation deals here.

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.

Stamford CT to Hartford CT distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Stamford CT to Hartford CT is 79 miles. That makes for a driving time of around one hour and 17 minutes. The quickest route is along the I-95 and I-91.

The best stops to add to a Stamford to Hartford road trip itinerary are Norwalk CT, New Haven CT and Powder Ridge Mountain Park. For more suggestions, check out the guides to the separate chunks of the journey:

Best stops between Stamford CT and Hartford CT: 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.

Stamford CT to Hartford CT road trip attractions: 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.

Stamford CT to Hartford CT drive: Powder Ridge Mountain Park

Powder Ridge Mountain Park is hardly America’s greatest ski resort, but in this less mountainous corner of New England it’ll do the job. Winter offers skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing and snow bikes. Then, when summer comes around, there’s a different menu of activities. Mountain biking, ziplines, summer tubing and paintball are on that menu.