Connecticut's nightlife, or rather the lack of it, was bemoaned by almost 42 percent of the respondents to our survey, though the number kept dropping over the course of the week. One voter suggested we forward the results to city planners around the state. We don't, of course -- we're pretty sure they can take their own, more scientific surveys, and this is just for fun.
But "fun" at night is apparently not what comes to mind when folks are asked about what city to go to in the state. Hartford and New Haven got some support, but Connecticut's other population centers fared poorly. The 10-percent-plus vote for "other" indicated, to us, that any number of towns not specifically on the ballot could have done as well as, say, Stamford or Bridgeport. Cheshire was mentioned. So were Stratford and Willimantic.
No doubt, had we included the Indian casinos, the tally would have come out different. But we were more curious about how nightlife was viewed in various towns than attempting to compare the action in downtown Hartford with that of the Mohegan Sun or Foxwoods.
The final results were:
Q: Connecticut's best nightlife is in ...
- Hartford - 1,344 (17.5%)
- New Haven - 1,211 (15.8%)
- Stamford - 238 (3.1%)
- Bridgeport - 239 (3.1%)
- Danbury - 250 (3.3%)
- New London - 425 (5.5%)
- Other - 775 (10.1%)
- Connecticut HAS no nightlife - 3,191 (41.6%)
Here are your comments:
"Definitely hit the nail on the head with this one! CT HAS no nightlife ..." P.S.
"A few years ago my husband and I were having dinner at a small
restaurant in Gales Ferry. We were the only patrons except for a sailor
who was sitting at the bar talking to the waitress. She asked if he had
been in there before. When he said "no", she asked, "Why not?" His
answer was, "Well, this isn't exactly the hot end of town, you know!" My
husband and I nearly fell in our soup! The restaurant is gone but the
phrase lives on ... Perhaps, with New York at one end and Boston at the
other, CT doen't need to be "the hot end of town!" N.W.
"These people stating CT has no night life never go out at night." C.H.
(Connecticut's best nightlife is ...)"Home in bed." P.C.
Editor's Note: That takes this week's prize for succinctness.
"Connecticut has a nightlife in Ledyard -- Foxwoods." T.C.
"Connecticut is Called "The Land Of Steady HABITS" because we all live like nuns." J.G.
"As baby boomers whose children have left the nest, my husband and I find
very few things to do in Connecticut. (Or we've been there, done that &
bought the tee shirt ...)
"As sports fans we were happy to here the patriots are probably coming to
Hartford, but, I'm not sending Mr. Kraft money now to maybe get a
seasons ticket in 20 years, when they are in Hartford, then I'll get on
the waiting list. (It's not nightlife but its something to do.) We were
whalers season ticket holders, and are now indoor arena football season
ticket holders. (We can't root for the rangers after all these years -
even if the team is in Hartford. ...)
"First night - great - if you have kids - but after reading the itinerary
this year, i didn't bother getting buttons - not enough to interest us.
"I am not sure what it is we are all looking for, but what ever it is CT
- at least Hartford doesn't have it. How about some plays that ordinary
people would understand - we aren't all artsy types.
"We enjoy the Twain Days - we go every year to the daytime activities
(the ones for adults) and to at least one of the concerts.
"How about a new fiddle contest - those were fun, and didn't create big
problems." J.L.
"I think the best fun is at the Sub Base enlisted men's club in Groton!
There is always something fun going on up there, and you can always meet
a friendly face!!!" S.A.
"How about the casinos? Can you call that a life, though?" G.H.
"I love the nightlife, I love to boogie ...
Connecticut has no nightlife!!!! Everyone goes to New York." J.E.
"Each of these cities has "some" nightlife - however, Connecticut can
not compare to places like New York City or San Francisco. It is not a
major entertainment area. Of the cities listed, I chose New Haven - though it was a tossup ... Hope you pass the survey results on to the planners who market their city's tourist attractions -- look what happened with Indian Bingo!" A.M.
"I'm sure Connecticut has a night life, butI have no night life. Between
sports, volunteer activities and work, who has the time?" L.C.
Previous survey results are available.
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