One of the best parts about living in Albany is that it’s in a great location for day trips.* On any given Saturday, especially in the summer, it isn’t at all uncommon for us to find ourselves wandering randomly around Lake Placid, taking in the scenery in Vermont, or hitting the outlets (and the Trader Joe’s!) in Massachusetts.
Lately, one of my favorite day trips has been to Connecticut – specifically to New Haven and the Peabody Museum. We discovered it last summer, and I couldn’t believe that I’d live so close to it for so long without ever hearing about it! It’s a small museum, but it’s full of really cool stuff like dinosaur bones and mummies (it doesn’t matter how old I get, I’ll always think those things are awesome). Through this past January, they had a temporary exhibit of x-rayed fish – it sounds strange, but they were absolutely beautiful. I even went into the gift shop to see if they sold prints, but unfortunately I was out of luck on that one.
It looks like it’s time for me to make another trip down there – their new multi-media exhibit about health, culture, and the evolution of eating is right up my alley. “Big Food” looks like a pretty powerful exhibit – since it opened in February, over 50,000 people have used their online app to pledge to improve the health of themselves, their families, and their communities by doing everything from watching less TV to celebrating Meatless Monday to buying local products and working to improve the quality of foods served in schools. (You can check it out and make you own pledge here.) 
[print_this]
Meatball Salad
Yields 2 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 110 minutes
After walking around the museum for a few hours I’m usually starving. Food in New Haven tends to be pretty typical for a college town but I really like the patio at Box 63. The nachos are awesome, and I’m always intrigued by the meatball salad. I’ve never ordered it there, but I’ve recreated it at home and it’s really good – and a nice alternative for those of us who love meatballs but don’t always want the heavy carbs that usually accompany them them. Of course, you can always seek out a Connecticut Style Lobster Roll, too.
Ingredients
- 4 cups chopped Romaine
- 4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Lemon, juiced
- 2 ounces soft Blue Cheese (such as Roquefort or Cashel Blue), crumbled
- Roasted Red Peppers and Sliced Red Onion
- 6 Meatballs in Sauce
Preparation
- Put the romaine in a large bowl. Dress with the olive oil and lemon juice. Add blue cheese, roasted red peppers, and red onion slices. Gently toss to combine the ingredients.
- Divide the salad between two serving bowls. Top with meatballs.
[/print_this] (I’ll also let you in on my Connecticut secret – the Saks in Westport? Small, unintimidating, and soooo much less picked over during sale-times than the NYC location. (Especially the shoe section – I bought some gorgeous Jimmy Choos for less than you’d pay at Nine West). And there’s an Anthropologie right down the road. And across the parking lot from that is a super cute French antique store.)
*Yes, I just said that the best part of living here is how easy it is to leave.
Which Connecticut destination would you like to visit? Leave a comment below and you will be entered into a sweepstakes from BlogHer to win $1,000 to help you plan your trip!
For travel information and inspiration, visit CTVisit.com!
Visit BlogHer.com to read other Connecticut travel stories.
Sweepstakes Rules:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 6/14 – 8/8.
New London, perhaps this neat Seaport town-most historic in CT. for the discerning traveler.
I’d like to go to New Haven to visit the IKEA! And, of course, the Yale British Art Museum, lunch at Claire’s (fab vegetarian food) and dinner at Sally’s (world famous pizza).
I would want to stay at the shore for several days. I always take my family on day trips, with coolers full of food and drinks. The ride home always seems so long and just once I want to stay overnight and shower and get dressed up for dinner on the beach. (And maybe a cocktail or two and catch some local musical flavor).
I’d like to visit the mystic seaport!
tweet
https://twitter.com/buzz8/status/233396927360819200
I would go to Hartford
Tweeted:
https://twitter.com/anashct3/status/233390238309941248
Thanks for the chance to win!
email: anashct1 [at] yahoo [dot] com
i want to visit either rich farm or kent falls! Thanks for a super giveaway!
tweeted
https://twitter.com/daveshir2005/status/233372542591721472
Gulf Beach
I would love to visit Washington Depot.
Blogged: http://insanityisforthelame.blogspot.com/2012/08/big-food-at-peabody-meatball-salads.html
I would love to visit Sherwood Island State Park.
Mystic.
Hartford!
Tweet – https://twitter.com/willitara/status/233256385893240834
I love visiting museums and art galleries but I’d most like to visit the seaports. Mystic especially interests me; I think it’s the name. It just sounds fascinating.
I shared on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mail4rosey/status/233235367367692288
I would like to visit the Essex Steam Train in Essex, CT.
I would love to visit the northwest corner and stay at one of the inns in Woodstock. Some antiquing would be fun.
I would like to go to “DARIEN, CT.”
My husband and I took a road trip from Pa. to Maine. We stopped at a place called Mystic Seaport and I loved it. Looking forward of going back.
kat_emerick@yahoo.com
I tweeted!
https://twitter.com/PopFitLife/status/233197297452863488
I would love to visit Kent during the fall. I’d also like to take a day trip to see Mark Twain’s house/museum. I just moved to CT from GA last week, so I’m looking forward to exploring what CT has to offer!
Alec
https://twitter.com/fdp4life/status/233193875865477120
I would love to visit Country Rambles and Ambles – #13 and forget my 21st-century troubles in eastern Connecticut.
susansmoaks at gmail dot com
https://twitter.com/dddiva/status/233191870644232192
Coastal Lighthouse
I would like to visit and stay at some of the B&Bs, since I am very interested in some of the historic homes that have been converted.
I’d like to visit Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens
Connecticut Dinosaur Trail
Tweeted
https://twitter.com/jillyrh/status/233119708273057793
I’d love to visit Mystic
Tweet.
https://twitter.com/lizzieboo1961/status/233101701186469889
I would like to visit New London.
https://twitter.com/slehan/status/233100933041639424
I’d like to go to Mystic.
Thanks for the contest.
I’d love to visit hartford
Tweeted – https://twitter.com/ilovetoclap/status/233075965041979393
I’d love to visit New Haven.
I’d love looking at old cemeteries there.
tweet:https://twitter.com/jhoneypie411/status/233039999405268993
I’d like to visit the city of hartford, ct
I used to work at the Peabody museum behind the scenes and loved it there, so I’d love to visit again!
I tweeted here: https://twitter.com/MsTofuFairy/status/233031174367371264
I would love to visit Brookfield Center with my hubby because he spent a few years living there when he as a child and I would love to see it with him now as an adult!
https://twitter.com/LuckyKrys/status/233026374984663041
The Museum looks really awesome! Would love to visit.
tweet https://twitter.com/Ardy22/status/233017873721880577
always wanted to visit Hartford!!!!
brich22 at earthlink dot net
I’ve always wanted to visit Mystic, Conn.
I would like to visit New Haven. Thanks.
CONNECTICUT RIVER MUSEUM
vmkids3 at msn dot com
I tweeted
https://twitter.com/Ilikefreestuff9/status/232950023774695424
I’d love to visit the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art!
https://twitter.com/klp1965/status/232902027850690560
id love to visit the CONNECTICUT RIVER MUSEUM
I didn’t know Stars Hollow was based on Washington Depot! Now I want to visit there too. I’ve never been to CT. I know I would love the seafood.
tweet
https://twitter.com/MistySunrise/status/232873557842067456
itsjustme62613 at gmail.com
I would love to visit Kent
itsjustme62613 at gmail.com
The beach in madison!
I’d like to try the Outdoor Sports Center Rock Climbing in Wilton!
ericacarnes(at)gmail(dot)com
I heard great things about Mystic Aquarium.
hartford, my parents lived there for a bit
My family would love Dinosaur State Park.
Most definitely the Connecticut Ice Cream Trail!
I would LOVE to go to the Peabody Museum in New Haven! I love going to museums, but I’ve never been to one with a lot of exhibits.
I WOULD LIKE to visit all the great attractions in Hartford. The old state house looks so cool.
I have always wanted to visit Hartford!
Washington Depot or Hartford. I always wanted to visit Washington Depot because it is the town Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls is based on.
How did I not know that?! I need to go there now, too!
tweet https://twitter.com/annedoggett/status/232164734357602304
I would enjoy visiting Hartford. I was there a couple of times in the Fall for work and it was lovely.
Mark twain house.
The Peabody Museum looks awesome!
https://twitter.com/bleush/status/231599264764157952
the Mystic Aquarium’s Titanic exhibit
I have officially put Connecticut on my life’s list of places to visit. Wow. Mystic Seaport and Peabody Museum look so interesing. It would merit more than a day trip….
I’d like to go to Mystic Seaport
We would visit Mohegan Sun!
Essex Connecticut Griswold Inn Love this quaint town
Essex Steam Train & Riverboat
I was born and raised in Norwalk, Ct. Had lived in Ridgefield when my children were small. I now live in Va. Beach, still have family in Ct. I have so many wonderful memories of growing up in Norwalk, would love to have the opportunity to visit all areas that are in my memory.
I tweeted https://twitter.com/eyzofblu63/status/230670472856076289
I would love to take the 5-hour tour with Captain John to see the lighthouses
Looking forward to our trip CT,and visiting the Peabody museam would be great!
i would like to see mystic
Love to visit the wineries in CT! Sharpe Hill and so many others! There are so many great places!
I tweeted about this giveaway here:
https://twitter.com/SweepinPoodle/status/230457486296109056
I would love to visit the Mystic Aquarium and then Mystic Pizza. My Dad always loved the movie and would make me watch it with him when I was growing up, so it would be fun to go and visit.
Can’t wait to take the kids to the Peabody!
This would be a tweet for CT and the blog! https://twitter.com/DiverSheila/status/230343116551491585
The Peabody Museum looks really interesting! My family loves things Egyptian, so we’d like to see that exhibit. And who doesn’t love dinos???
I would really like to visit Mystic! I hear there is a ton of history there and a great aquarium!
Love Connecticut
It would definitely be Mystic for me! Between the aquarium and gorgeous seaport, my days would be filled with beauty!
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthy-delicious.com%2F2012%2F06%2Fbig-food-at-the-peabody-meatball-salads%2F&h=UAQHwCZm4AQHqKt2Yb2LvAtAaDvGLKBan2KRk8XvWSbFKqQ&enc=AZO2D8sZjezBhj5mvRYAVfNJv8VjIfKqTez6LrPdynlTV312veFUoBvGu86mFLIEp3ll0_2zkvtk2OEGbTtbM-fE
I would visit my dad and sisters who i do not get to see very often. I would like to see the museums and amusement parks and go to a Wendys!
I love taking the ferry and visiting Mohawk Mountain Ski area.
I’d want to hang out with Martha Stewart at her home
I would love to go to Mystic Seaport. I would have to do a road trip!
I would love to take the grandkids to Peabody museum. I took their parents there as kids and I’m sure it’s even better now.
I’d like to spend a few days in Niantic to walk around Rocky Neck State Park, while away many, many hours in the various Book Barn locations (a fabulous used book store), and take short trips to Mystic and other nearby towns and sights along the shore.
Here is my twitter link 🙂
https://twitter.com/farmerbrie/status/229759612243566592
I would take my little man to the Peabody Museum and then for pizza in New Haven!!
I miss New England. In all the years I lived there, I never visited Mystic Seaport. But I’d love to go!
There is so much to do in CT, would love to go to the Mohegan Sun or Dinosaur State Park, which I think the little one would love.
I think it would be fun to see the Mystic Aquarium’s Titanic exhibit. thank you!!
I am long overdue for a nice long hike with the dog in the woods of the northeast corner of the state…hoping to get there for the fall foliage!
wolverina401 at gmail dot com
Hello again! I just tweeted about this at
https://twitter.com/omyc_blog
I’m not sure how else to link to it, but I don’t tweet that often, so it should be very easy to find!
I would love to bring my five-year-old up to Litchfield County, an area of the state that we haven’t explored much. From what I’ve seen of it, it is beautiful and there’s a lot of history there.
I would stay in Hartford for Connecticon at the Convention Center.
I would love to take my husband to Mystic it looks beautiful and have never been to CT. All the beaches are calling my name!!
Would like to take all the kids and husband to the shore for a week.
I would stay in Mystic. I love it there and go shopping and then a day at the casinos!
We would love to vist Mystic and the Aquarium, the Peabody Museaum and ofcourse would love to walk on the beach and enjoy the ocean
My favorite daytrip is to take a train ride in Essex and then the boat ride past Gillette Castle. Later in the day I enjoy having a picnic supper on the Gillette Castle grounds, which are so pretty.
I would love to do Hogsback
writing a song about conneticut
Love to take my grandkids to oakdale to the dinosore place
I want to visit the Essex Train and various museums.
I would love to explore the state ‘East of the River’. I have never spent any time there, and I hear that it is beautiful!
Frank Pepe’s Pizzaria and Libby’s Italian Bakery on Wooster St. in New Haven, Foxon Park Soda Co.(Best Birch Beer), Hammonasset Beach, Foxwoods Casino and a walk at Fort Nathan Hale Park.
Having 5 kids ranging in age from 18 to 6 I would have to say mystic aquarium & seaport.
See my mom and take her out to enjoy the hot spots in Milford CT
Atlantic City
I would love to visit family and friends and take my children to Mystic and The Maritime Center.
I would visit the Mystic area and then drive over towards Old Saybrook,Westbrook and Clinton. In Mystic there is plenty to keep you busy and happy; the seaport,aquarium and even shopping. Old Saybrook and surrounding towns has great beaches, restaurants and again great shopping including some terrific outlets. You can have beaches, scenery, food and shopping all within the same area; the CT shoreline.
Lets see…so many places to choose from! I would love to go to the Barnum museum and then the Dolphins Cove in Bridgeport for lobster. I used to go there and enjoy sitting on their large deck at the waters edge. I would also visit the many beaches to collect shells, sea glass and driftwood. Another stop I would make is the Essex train ride around Halloween. I loved the costumed affair as a kid and have many fond memories. Connecticut is beautiful and I hope to live there, once again, in the future.
I would visit all the wonderful art museums and galleries in Connecticut, starting in Greenwich with the Bush Holley House and the Bruce Museum, working my way through the state, all the way to Mystic. My favorite is the New Britain Museum of American Art. Many do not realize how rich we are in art.
I would take my 3 children to the shore for a week of “Just them & me”!!
Living in CT, if I won I would take my grandchildren on a tour of all the great museums, the aquariums, the zoo and more!
I’m from Boston and would love to take my daughter to the Mystic Aquarium. I hate to say this but I will. The Boston aquarium is soooo boring. I love animals and would also like to visit the Beardsley zoo. So the zoo and aquarium would be on my to do list in Connecticut.
I would love to celebrate my 25th anniversary on the shoreline in Mystic!!
Maybe Mystic or Niantic again or I see people like the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat sounds nice
I would like to visit the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat
I love taking the grandkids to the Stepping Stone in Norwalk.
I’ve heard downtown Milford is really awesome 🙂
Mystic seaport and Mohegan Sun are places I would love to go.
I would love to visit some of the wonderful vineyards along the CT Wine Trail!
always wanted to do the essex train ride in the fall
Love to go to Gillette Castle
I want to vacation, and Conneticut sounds like a wonderful place to spend lots of time and probably money 🙂
i’d be tickled pink to win
I would like to visit the “quiet corner” an poke around the shops.
I would love to take my husband to connecticut and treat him to the best vacation I can give him for taking care of me all year when I have been very sick. I had gastric bypass surgery that went bad. I was on a ventilator and almost died. my husband has endured more than anyone can expect. he has been my walk and I would love to repay him with my love in a vacation and his favorite meal to take them out for a lobster dinner.
I would love to visit Stonington and Mystic. They are beautiful.
I would like to stay at a Bed & Breakfast any where and treat my ROCK of a husband, for taking care of me and my illness for one year. I had gastric bypass that went bad was on a ventalatorand almost died. I have been ill for over a year and now healthy to travel enough to surprise my husband for sticking by me. It was very difficult for him to see me sick all the time.
Foxwoods for an adult night out
My boyfriend is from Mass. I would love to share with him how beautiful Connecticut is and take him to Mystic.
I would explore the “Quiet Corner” of Ct, slowly and quietly!!!
Danbury, to see long lost relatives
I would love to visit Kent in the Fall.
Mystic. I would go to the aquarium and the shops and my husband could go to the seaport. We would meet up later for dinner.
Meandering through the entire state to explore areas sometimes missed by tourists as well as known areas of interest is my desire!
I would love to venture into Litchfield county in the fall and see all the covered bridges, stay at a quaint Bed and Breafast Inn, window shop at some of the antique shops and have a nice relaxing meal.
I would love to go back to our honeymoon stop at Foxwoods.
I would love to take the Essex train ride and Connecticut River boat ride again…and then for a steak dinner at Mario’s in Saugatuck! They just don’t have places like that in the midwest!
Would love to take my daughter to Mystic Seaport. I remember
going as a little girl.I want her to have those memories. Such a beautiful
area, just which We lived closer.
I would head up to Litchfield County and explore the area and stay at the Interlaken Inn which looks beautiful! Catamount Adventure Park would be one of the stops on our adventure!
Exploring the Connecticut River and Essex Area looks like a great place for me. I live in western Connecticut and haven’t explored that side of the state as much as I should.
I would go to Waterbury. Everyone there seemed to be really nice. 🙂
I would like to meander through the entire state as Connecticut has not been explored by me yet!
I would like to meander through the entire state as Connecticut has not been explored by me other than Hartford!
I’ve been really wanting to take my boys to the Peabody. Also, would love to go to Mystic.
I would love to explore Mystic or the CT wine trail. :-0
I tweeted about your promotion!! Thanks!!
https://twitter.com/rkosully/status/228985602341740547
I would visit Mystic and check out Kitchen Little’s new location!
Niantic!!
I would love to visit for a week and see the Pequot Museum, Mystic Seaport, the New London Naval Submarine Base, and lots of other attractions!!
We have been looking to go to Mystic for a long time. We have never been there. Now we will add Peabody Museum to the list and go to one of them in the next few weeks!
I would visit Mystic, Connecticut.
If I win a trip to Connecticut I would love to visit Rocky Neck State Park in East Lyme, Connecticut. I love to hike and my husband loves to fish so we would love to spend time exploring the beautiful beach on Long Island Sound. Then I would take my husband for a romantic stay at the Inn at Harbor Hill Marina in Niantic Connecticut. A very relaxing and romantic bed and breakfast where we would dine outside with water views 🙂 perfect
I have resided in Florida for 16 years and its nice to be home….Ohhhhh New England.
I want to move permanently to New London County, so I want to visit Waterford again.
I would love to go anywhere in Connecticut…The Tall trees , I miss most…Being a native New Englander, I feel Just to enjoy Connecticut , for the first time in such a long time…that would definitely do it for Me. Sterling is nice, an I wouldn’t mine seeing the largest casino “foxwoods” again, its been a long time. Guess I will keep my fingers cross that I get that chance.
I wold love a vacation in Mystic. We Just visited Maine, and we were told Mystic has as much beauty 🙂
I love Mystic and the Aquarium, not far from the old ships.
Lovely restaurants and old houses nearby. Reminiscent of a great Era in American History.
Id love to go to mystic for a girls weekend with my sister. We both need to get away!
tweeted!
https://twitter.com/methhamfetabean/status/228981090235338752
We’d love to visit New Haven 🙂
Savin Rock: The beach, the ocean, Aps, Jimmies and close to New Haven!!!
Gotta visit Super Duper Weenie in Fairfield and then hit up the Mohegan Sun!!!
I would like to visit the Mystic area!
If I won the $1000 I would like to sample wine and take a tour at Haight-Brown Vineyard in Litchfield, CT. It is something I have never done and would love for a chance for some extra money to take a long weekend getaway for rest and relation at the vineyard. Please pick me 🙂
I have family in the Fairfield through New Haven area. To be more specific, a majority of them being in Stratford. It’s been almost twenty years since I’ve been up there to see them. And unfortunately, and sorry to put it this way, they’re getting older and starting to drop like flies. One of my Aunts passed away last year and the surviving Aunt and Uncle are in their late eighties. To say the least, I’d love to win a trip since I am currently unemployed. But one of the things I’d do while I’m there is go to Pepe’s pizza in New Haven and order a pie. It’s been way too long since I’ve enjoyed a bite; in need of my fix!!!
p.s. I discovered four years ago that I had many lost distant cousins in the area too. Many of them are now my Facebook friends and have truly never met them. This would give me the opportunity to meet them too.
I would go to Putnam. I have dear Aunts, an uncle and cousins that live there. They are getting older and I would love to see them.
would love to take a trip to Mohegan Sun, go to a concert, shop and check out their restaurants!
anywhere … I have not been to many places in CT except Mystic and my girlfriend would enjoy experiencing anything in CT … thank you for the chance to win ; )
The salad looks amazing. I would visit Mystic Aquarium, the Dinosaur Place and the Peabody museum. I would love to see the Dino Tracks in the Conn Valley then of course I would want to visit with my brother, who lives in CT who I haven’t seen in years.
What a fun day trip!
I’ll take healthy-delicious.com’s advice and make “New Haven and the Peabody Museum” one of my ddestinations
Edgerton Park sounds interesting. Thanks.
Hartford…I hear it’s beautiful! alittlenosh AT gmail.com
I’d like to see Charles Island
I’d go to Avon
the meatball salad sounds great, GOD BLESS AND KEEP YA’LL SSAFE IN HIS LOVING ARMS.
I’d visit Old Saybrook for a seafood dinner.
https://twitter.com/clc408/status/228807190050402304
I’d like to visit Groton.
I have never been to Connecticut but my friends have and they have told usnot to miss Mystic.
Woodbury – Carole Peck’s Good News Café – creatively prepared dishes using organic, locally farmed ingredients – yum!
I would like to visit Mystic Conn.
I would like to visit Mystic Harbor. Thanks
I tweeted: https://twitter.com/peg42/status/228654165910511616
Thanks so much
rickpeggysmith(at)aol(dot)com
I’d really like to visit Mystic. There’s a number of attractions there that I think my family would love.
Thanks so much.
rickpeggysmith(at)aol(dot)com
Gotta visit Mystic Harbor when you are there.
tweeted
https://twitter.com/BBirdie2/status/228363248360124416
I’d like to explore the Middletown area and eat at Its Only Natural
Meatball Salad? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? That looks awesome! New Haven it is, then.
mmm, this meatball salad looks delicious!