Location: Orange
Top Things to do in Orange
Top 10 Things to do in Orange, United States
Orange is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 13,956 at the 2010 census. The town is governed by a Board of Selectmen.
Restaurants in Orange
1. PEZ Visitor Center
Overall Ratings
4 based on 433 reviews
Come see and experience the PEZ brand in person. Over 4,000 square feet dedicated to all things PEZ! See the largest, most comprehensive collection of PEZ memorabilia on public display in the world, PEZ motorcycle built by Orange County Choppers, the world's largest PEZ dispenser, viewing area into our production area, PEZ trivia game, factory store, interactive historical time line and much more. Learn about the brand that has been inspiring and innovating since 1927! Open 7 days! Easy access off I-95 at exit 41 in Orange, Connecticut. Plenty of free parking!
Reviewed By blacksteps2017 - Richmond, Virginia
We raced to get there - even calling from the road to plead our case - we'd been driving since Maine and traffic on I-95 wasn't under our control. When we arrived at the factory we were forced to buy an extra ticket because apparently they "don't do tours for less than 5 people"! Admittedly, my adrenaline was pretty high since we'd hauled ash to get there for the last tour of the day so to be told pay up or you don't get a tour really rubbed me the wrong way at the time; that was Monday and now it's Thursday and I'm still annoyed because after my husband and I paid for the extra ticket (with my husband "shushing" me for complaining), some grandparents and their grandkids decided to take the tour! That was four additional people - did we get a refund of our useless ticket? No. Anyway, it was interesting and the guy who did the tour was kind of a Pez celebrity, so that was neat.
2. Yale University Art Gallery
Overall Ratings
5 based on 786 reviews
Yale University Art Gallery is the oldest college art museum in America. The Gallery’s encyclopedic holdings of 200,000 objects range from ancient times to the present day and represent civilizations from around the globe. FREE and open to the public. On December 12, 2012, the Yale University Art Gallery celebrated the grand opening of the renovated and expanded museum. The expanded Gallery transforms the visitor experience of both the museum and its esteemed collections. The project united the 1953 modernist structure designed by Louis Kahn, the 1928 Old Yale Art Gallery, and the 1866 Street Hall into one continuous structure while maintaining the distinctive architectural identity of each.
Reviewed By kzsull01 - Windsor, Connecticut
My husband and I visited the Yale University Art Gallery in New Haven, Connecticut on Sunday, March 4th, 2018. This museum is excellent and offers a comprehensive view of various types of art. It has quite an impressive and beautifully curated collection of objects. We have visited this museum multiple times in the past and have always found it to be very enjoyable, interesting and educational. Each different type of art on display is in its own gallery, usually having multiple rooms, and has a very nice overview describing the art as well as such aspects as its historical, cultural, political and religious impact, depending on what is applicable. We spent about an hour in the museum this time and did not see all the exhibits. Our focus this time was on the special exhibits on the fourth floor as well as a few of the galleries on the second floor that we did not have the opportunity to spend as much time in as we would have liked during our last visit. It would probably take at least four hours to see the entire museum. This museum is definitely worth the visit and has a very nice added bonus of free admission. The only drawback of this museum is that it does not offer free parking and you may have to pay to park depending upon where you park and when you come.
The ‘Japan’s Global Baroque, 1550 – 1650’ special exhibit was exquisite with elegant objects illustrating the critical role that both imported and domestic goods played in Japanese art and culture during the momentous period of the 16th and 17th centuries. The ‘Pompeii: Photographs and Fragments’ special exhibit highlights the changing representations over time of Pompeii, a city destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79 and since then frozen in time through excavation and preservation. Large-scale photographs of Pompeii are on display and show the ongoing cycles of deterioration and preservation that mark it as a living landscape. Images of reliefs, frescoes, paintings and sculptures as well as fragments of ancient Roman wall paintings and a number of other different types of domestic objects from the period and region are also displayed within this exhibit making it both very interesting and unique. Both these special exhibits were nicely done and worth seeing.
In addition to the special exhibits, we went to the second floor. On the second floor was beautiful European Art, including vibrant Italian Renaissance paintings, a gallery of Dutch Art as well as excellent paintings by such artists as Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas and many others. Also on this floor was a large collection of Asian Art, including exhibits on the ‘Line as Design in Japanese Art’, the ‘Origin of Chinese Writings’, art from the Safavid (modern day Iranian) dynasty, art of a popular, playful, and powerful Hindu god Krishna, with the ‘Krishna: The Divine Cowherd’ exhibit, and much, much more.
Below I included what we saw during our visit in late November 2017 to give highlights on the remaining galleries in the museum to provide a complete review of the entire museum and all it has to offer, which is definitely quite a bit.
On the first floor we enjoyed the African Art exhibit highlighting major themes that unite different local traditions to understand the aesthetics, meaning, and historical depth associated with this art. On display were many items, including masks, sculptures, statuettes, chairs, jewelry, ceramics, textiles and horns. This was a nicely done exhibit. Also on the first floor was Ancient American Art, with art of the Maya, from Mexico to the Andes. There was also Art of the Ancient Mediterranean with objects providing insights into politics, culture and religion, including statues, coins, wood carvings, vases, ceramic figurines, numismatic curiosities as well as many other artifacts. The next gallery on the first floor was the Dura-Europos (modern day Syria) gallery. Included was Tomb24 in the Necropolis at Dura-Europos. Also in the exhibit was armor, the shrine to the god Mithras, jewelry, pottery and textiles. In addition, there was the first known painting of the Virgin Mary and the earliest surviving house church. All the exhibits on the first floor were very interesting, enjoyable and educational, with much historical significance.
On floor 2E there was American Art before 1900, with historical paintings on the American Revolution, including George Washington at Princeton and Trenton and other paintings by John Trumbull depicting such subjects as the Declaration of Independence and the Battle of Bunker Hill. As we continued through the American Art galleries there were portrait miniatures, self-portrait prints, sculptures by Augustus Saint-Gaudens and landscape paintings of multiple places, such as, the Catskills, Niagara Falls and Mount Katahdin, all very beautiful.
There was also quite an extensive collection of American Decorative Art housed in multiple galleries, broken down into time periods, from the 17th century to the present day. In these galleries were many items, such as, furniture, including chairs, chests and highboys. There was also silver, tin glaze earthenware, pottery, dinnerware, and rooms from both a North Branford and a Hebron home, among many other items. In addition, there was an impressive exhibit on American coins, medal and silver from 1670 to the present as well as Benjamin Franklin items on display.
The third floor had an Indo-Pacific Art Gallery, with the art of maritime South East Asia, as well as a Modern and Contemporary Art and Design exhibit with paintings, including some by Pablo Picasso, sculptures, furniture and decorative arts.
We highly recommend this museum. It definitely has a lot to offer, much more than what I have mentioned here. I only provided some highlights in this write-up based on our experience during our visit. We hope that you have the opportunity to visit it and enjoy it as much as we did.
3. Silver Sands State Park
Overall Ratings
4 based on 350 reviews
Reviewed By ItIsSunny
Parking is free and, after leaving the parking lot, the paved & wooden walkways are well-kept. The walkways do drop abruptly into the sand, causing an unexpected drop & twisted ankle if you're not watching. The only toilet was a portable type in the parking lot. There were a few benches from which one could sit and watch the beautiful shoreline. Nice place to walk. Beaches were well-maintained.
4. Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library
Overall Ratings
5 based on 200 reviews
Reviewed By acukiert - sao paulo, Brazil
This is a fantastic place to visit, although it could be seen in less then an hour. The architecture is fantastic, qnd the books....no words. If you are part of a research protocol, you would have access to some really old books. Simply amazing.
5. Monster Mini Golf
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 11 reviews
Reviewed By Anders G - Milford, Connecticut
This place doesn't look much from the outside, but the interior is really cool with really cool lighting and "monsters". The mini golf course itself may not be the most challenging but it's great fun and a different experience in this environment. We visited for a children's birth party and it was well organized.
6. Yale Center for British Art
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 290 reviews
Note: The Center is temporarily closed for building conservation through February 2016. We apologize for any inconvenience. The Yale Center for British Art is a public art museum and world-renowned research institute. Presented to Yale University by Paul Mellon (Yale College Class of 1929), the Center houses the largest collection of British art outside the United Kingdom. The collection of paintings, sculpture, prints, drawings, rare books, and manuscripts reflects the development of British art and life from the Elizabethan period to the present day. Works on view include masterpieces by Thomas Gainsborough, J.M.W. Turner, and John Constable, as well as artists from Europe and America who lived and worked in Britain. Perhaps its greatest treasure is the building itself, a masterpiece of modern architecture designed by architect Louis I. Kahn. Located in downtown New Haven, the Center is near many of the city's best restaurants, theaters, and shops.
Reviewed By sundown_10 - Maryland
My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed the vast collection of British art. The museum presents the works in an artistic way where the art is accessible to view.
7. Grassy Hill Country Club
Overall Ratings
4 based on 6 reviews
Grassy Hill Country Club offers a French country flair at a convenient location. It offers country club staples such as an 18-hole championship golf course, a pro shop and complete golf packages and a spacious meeting and dining facility. Grassy Hill offers menu options for a variety of catered occasions, including weddings, social and corporate events, bat and bar mitzvahs, proms and many others.
Reviewed By Joan K - Seymour, Connecticut
Went for a "Y" Annual meeting, large crowd, nice place to hold it, staff pleasant, nice appetizers and crudite out. Dinner was excellent and serviced very quickly. Attentive staff, there were over 200 guests. Acoustics were good for the presentations and awards.
8. Woodlawn Duckpin Bowling
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4 reviews
Reviewed By ct-cruisers - Connecticut
The Woodlawn Duckpin Bowling alley is a nice spot in the area for family events. Their prices are reasonable and we have enjoyed bowling there over the years.
9. Sports Center of Connecticut
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 58 reviews
SportsCenter of Connecticut offers a premier weather-protected golf practice facility, 18-hole miniature golf course with waterfall and river flowing, baseball & softball batting stadium, jungle themed lazer tag arena, fun bowl bowling, game zone and the world’s only double-decker ice arena! With fitness center, food court, banquet rooms and more it is a fun day for the entire Family.
Reviewed By Catherine L - Shelton, Connecticut
They have something for everyone here. An amazing double decker skate rink, bowling, golf range, paintball (targets), arcade, batting cages mini golf and more. Yes, bring some cash because it can add up but it's a lot of great family time. I do wish they would add some free type activities because we avoid going at times because of the cost, but would go for one activity if there other free things to do there!
10. Yale University
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 657 reviews
One of the country's oldest and most prestigious universities.
Reviewed By Norfaryanti K
I love the architecture of the buildings on this campus. The campus has various facilities catered to the visitors, from the Visitor Center, cafes, restaurants, clothing shops, and others. I recommended the tourist to go for their Visitor tour at the Visitor Center, and you are entitled to 15% discount at the Yale Bookshop.
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