Things to do & places to visit in Essex, Connecticut, United States

Essex city in Connecticut, United States. Timezone: America/New_York, current date and time: Thursday, May 02, 2024, 1:55.

Top things to do (15)

Top places to visit (17 attractions)

5.0 RiverQuest (146 reviews)
- Tree swallow cruise
Thursday: 12:00 PM - 8:00 AM River Rafting & Tubing

It was a beautiful evening as we cruised south on the Connecticut River to see the Tree Swallows. Along the way we saw Great white egrets, Great blue herons, cormorants, swans, eagles, osprey and a few others. The crew were both knowledgeable and delightful. The hundreds of thousands of Tree Swallows did not disappoint as they showed up right around sunset. I highly recommend. See more..
5.0 Essex Indoor Golf Center (44 reviews)
- Great place to host a private party or event!!!
Thursday: 9:00 AM - 12:00 AM Spent 1-2 hours Game & Entertainment Centers

Essex Indoor Golf Center is a year-round golf entertainment and training facility located in Essex, Connecticut. Experience an amazing 3D golf adventure within our 6 Simulator Bays! Work on your game, challenge your family for mini-golf bragging rights, or choose from more than 70 world-famous golf courses (plus 3 mini-golf courses!) And we are part of aG Locker! See more..
5.0 Essex Library Association (15 reviews)
- Great library, huge kid section
Thursday: 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Libraries

Love this library and love the friendly staff, especially The children's librarians. They are very active with events, readings, crafts etc. A perfect place for a rainy day with the kids or on a sunny one, stop in, grab a book and head out to the park across the street. See more..
5.0 Cooper & Smith Gallery (3 reviews)
- Large Gallery with a nice array of art
Thursday: 10:30 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Art Galleries

Cooper & Smith is committed to making available the best in contemporary fine art. With 5,000 square feet of exhibition space, the gallery offers a range of genres and styles, from representational to abstraction. Located at the head of Main Street in historic Essex, Connecticut, the Cooper & Smith Gallery is just off the I-95 corridor, mid-way between Boston and New York City and bisecting the main artery between Newport and Greenwich. See more..
5.0 Fitness on the Water (1 review)
- amazing classes ! Connecticut Riverfront Gem!
Spent < 1 hour Health Clubs • Yoga & Pilates

Fitness on the Water is located waterside in the historic village of Essex. Small, private and overlooking the water, our studio offers a cardio room plus small group classes including barre, yoga, spin, meditation and fusion. In warmer weather, we offer popular Yoga on the Water and Tai Chi on the Water classes taking in the gorgeous river view. Classes & Workshops are open to the public. See more..
4.5 Essex Steam Train & Riverboat (750 reviews)
- lovely old fashioned train ride with a narrated enjoyable river cruise
Boat Tours • Scenic Railroads

On a fall clear day this little ride on a steam train and then onto a narrated river cruise is just the "ticket" ;) My friend and I started at Gillette Castle first and then on to the train/boat cruise which is a perfect combo. The views are stunning from the Castle home and well worth visiting. Downtown Essex for lunch in between is also well worth it. Enjoy, fellow travelers. See more..
4.5 Connecticut River Museum (204 reviews)
- Wonderful museum in Essex, CT
Thursday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Speciality & Gift Shops • Speciality Museums

The Connecticut River Museum introduces the important stories of maritime history of the Connecticut River Valley and its people. CRM plays an important role in collecting and protecting manuscripts, books, art, and artifacts of regional significance. See more..
4.5 Main Street Park, Essex Village (24 reviews)
- Great shady park that goes to the water.
Spent < 1 hour Points of Interest & Landmarks • Scenic Walking Areas

Large and shady town park the runs from Main Street to Middle Cove. There are large clean restrooms there for visitors . See more..
4.5 Truffle Shots (18 reviews)
- Great Chocolate Items
Thursday: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM Speciality & Gift Shops

Truffle Shots® brand chocolate truffles are the patent-pending, International Chocolate Award-winning creation of mother-daughter chocolate lovers in Essex, Connecticut. The duo has replaced the chocolate shell of a traditional chocolate truffle with a sealed shot glass to create new levels of truffle indulgence for all the senses. The decadent, silky ganache of Truffle Shots® brand chocolate truffles melts on the tongue in sensory bliss in 30 amazing flavors like Fig Balsamico, Tellicherry Cardamom, Minted Grapefruit, Caramel Beurre Noisette, Miel Habanero, Castelvetrano Olive, and Champagne Vinaigrette, to name a few. Truffle Shots® brand chocolate truffles are made fresh, in small batches, with premium ingredients—and no preservatives, and are perfect for personal indulgence, dinner parties, wedding favors, business and personal gift giving, and more. Truffle Shots® contain no alcohol, making them ideal for chocolate lovers of all ages. See more..
4.0 Pratt House (5 reviews)
- Very nice historic house, helpful docent
Historic Sites

Home of one of the area's original settlers, William Pratt. See more..
4.0 Glass Basket Christmas Barn (4 reviews)
- Great shop
Speciality & Gift Shops
Shop selling Christmas collectibles all year long. See more..
3.5 Black Seal (37 reviews)
- Busy but Still Good
Thursday: 11:30 AM - 9:30 PM Bars & Clubs

Lively little place! Enjoyed the Two for $24 entree special on Monday night. Delicious blacken mahi mahi with pineapple salsa and rice. Veal parm was just okay... Been coming for decades and they never disappoint. See more..
Essex Wellness Center (0 review)
Health Clubs • Yoga & Pilates • Spas
Located on Main Street in the historic village of Essex, Essex Wellness Center offers naturopathic & Chinese medicine, acupuncture, Reiki, Counseling and Coaching, Nutritionist and other holistic services. Renew Spa offers therapeutic massage, bodywork, facials and more in luxurious, serene surroundings. See more..
Joy Chocolate Co (0 review)
Speciality & Gift Shops
Quaint chocolate shop in historic Essex village. Offerings include chocolate items and small batch caramels made on site along with hot chocolate and coffee. You will also find a selection of sweets from around the world, greeting cards and treats for your four legged family members. See more..
DePaula Jewelers (0 review)
Speciality & Gift Shops
Fine and Estate Jewelry. Custom design and professional full service fine jewelry repair. Over 50 years experience and over 20 years in beautiful Main Street, Essex, Connecticut See more..
Hattitudes (0 review)
Speciality & Gift Shops
Exotic hat shop. See more..
Sweet Martha's (0 review)
Speciality & Gift Shops
Ice cream and chocolate shop. See more..