Hartford

You won’t find love songs or great films written about Hartford, but the Insurance City is something of a sleeper when it comes to golf. The surrounding region is home to nearly 80 golf courses, with a good handful of pleasant private clubs mixed in with dozens of public-access facilities.

Greater Hartford has made huge strides in the last 20 years on the golf front, thanks to two big municipal golf projects. In 2004, architect Pete Dye donated his design services to the town of Bloomfield, and longtime collaborator Tim Liddy oversaw the building of Wintonbury Hills Golf Course. A decade later, the City of Hartford invested heavily in Keney Park Golf Club, a 1920s gem in an Olmsted Brothers-designed park, with architect Matt Dusenberry leading a restoration of the layout’s Golden Age charm. Now, it is one of America’s great munis, playable even by non-residents for less than $50.

Off the course, Hartford is well-stocked with attractions. The Wadsworth Atheneum is America's oldest art museum, while in the summers, Dunkin' Donuts Park regularly sells out when the minor-league baseball Hartford Yard Goats are in town. Fall foliage is often spectacular as well.