# Enfield (Connecticut)

Enfield is a city of 42,000 people (2020) in the Connecticut River Valley. The Enfield Historical District is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

## Get in

Enfield is a smaller town that is spread out for the most part. It is partially farm based off of tobacco farms and the other half is shopping centers. The more historic areas are in and near Powder Hollow. The time lines here are rich in history. As for the other parts of town it is very modern it is not a stuck in the past area. You can find almost anything here that you can find in a larger city.

### By car

North/south: Interstate Route 91, exits 46-49 or State Route 5.
East/west: State Route 190.

### By air

* Bradley International Airport (BDL), Windsor Locks, Connecticut. The nearest large airport, approximately 15 minutes away.
* Boston Logan Airport (BOS). Another international airport, approximately 2 hours away.

### By bus

Enfield is served by CTTransit bus service.

## Get around

Like most suburbs, Enfield is extremely difficult to get around without a car. There is little public transportation in place, and sidewalks can be scarce at times. It is possible to bicycle around the town, but a good deal of time and patience is required. Although you can use cab services and in the more rural areas you can usually walk from place to place. Average walking distances are less than a mile if you live in the right area.

### By car

Traveling by car is the best way to visit Enfield—like most suburbs, Enfield is extremely difficult to get around without a car. There are no paid parking garages in Enfield, but there are plenty of free parking lots and gas stations around Enfield.

### By foot

It is hard to get around Enfield by foot, as it is hilly and some areas have scarce amounts of sidewalks. However, the urbanized areas of the Thompsonville district (near the Town Hall) have many sidewalks, & so do dense suburban areas such as the northern Presidential District (called that because of its street names) & the Hazardville area. If you do plan to walk, remember that it requires time and patience.

### By bus

The buses that serve Enfield are CT Transit’s 905 Windsor Locks-Enfield Express (which goes from Hartford to Enfield), and Enfield Transit’s Magic Carpet Bus Service.

#### CTTransit

CTTransit-’s 905 Windsor-Locks Express is the best way to get from Hartford to Enfield by bus. The route starts at Bushnell Park in Hartford, and ends near Mass Mutual in Enfield. The bus route is divided into zones, with the fare prices depending on the zone.
Enfield is one zone, as is Hartford, and Windsor & Windsor Locks are combined into one zone. For one-way travel through 1 or 2 zones, the fare price is $3.20. For one-way travel through all 3 zones, the fare price is $4.10.

#### Magic Carpet Bus

Magic Carpet Bus is Enfield’s own bus service. All fares are waived until March 31st, 2023, so all rides are free.
The Bus Service runs on two lines: the Blue Line & the Yellow Line. There is information on bus stops & lines here.

## See

Things to see in Enfield are very limited due to its size. The only historic areas are around Powder Hollow and these are very scattered. While some may be right in front at the Powder Mill Barn others are lost deep in the woods around the Scantic River. The Scantic River itself is a very beautiful river surround by a great deal of Northeastern wildlife. You can go here to hike, camp, walk, or even to simply have a picnic. It is now considered a park however and opens at dawn, while closing at dusk. Even with these new rules in effect it is a great place to spend a day because of all the nature you get to see, or even if you simply wish to go fishing. The fish in the area are common ones and run average in size. The most common fish are Rock bass, small mouth bass, large mouth bass, catfish, trout (rainbow, brown/brook), and of course pumpkin seeds. The river itself is stocked with trout each year and is a very popular place to bring the kids to fish. Should you venture deeper into the woods you will find that there are multiple trails that all lead around the area. Some take you to the gravel pits, while others take you to the Stoker's Cattle Farm. They all are around the river. Though some of the trails go up and away from the river a little bit they are still within a distance that you can safely not get lost. This is also a popular area for quadding and dirt biking because of these dirt paths that are set down all over the woods.
* 41.976111-72.5936111 Enfield Historic District. It runs along Enfield Street/King Street (U.S. Route 5). Many old homes dating back to the mid-18th century were built from 1106–1492 Enfield Street. Varying styles of architecture are noted including Late Victorian, Georgian and 19th Century Revival. The Enfield Town Hall museum and a fine Greek Revival Congregational Church can be found here.

## Do

* Powder Mill Barn, 32 South Maple Street, ☏ +1 860-749-4494. A very historical barn from the Hazard Power Co. that supplied a great deal of gunpowder during the Civil War. Now used for parties, dances, and other events. It can be rented for any even excluding the use of alcohol. Also dances and auctions are sponsored here weekly.
* Scantic River Park. This is a park that has taken over a local rover called the Scantic River to hel preserve its natural beauty. Its hours are dawn till dusk. It is a popular area for most outdoor activities such as fishing, hiking, biking, quading, and other things.
* Grassmere Country Club, 130 Town Farm Road, ☏ +1 860-749-4580. This is a nicer golf course area that has average golfing rates $18 for 9 holes and $23 for 18 holes. However the course itself isn't giant—it only has 9 holes to it. The grounds are kept in excellent condition when in use and are always good to golf on. They also offer the area to weddings and banquets, if those are needed you can call ahead to plan for them. They also have carts for rental for those who need them at fair pricing. (updated Feb 2023)

## Eat

* Danny's Pizza, 535 Hazard Av., ☏ +1 860-763-5511. A small pizzeria owned by Danny. Pick up or delivery. (updated Jun 2020)
* Figaro Restaurant, 90 Elm Street, ☏ +1 860-745-2414. One of the more expensive restaurants, it has a variety of Italian foods including pasta, veal, and a great deal of other options. This is a more "class" place to eat although it does not require a dress code.
* Sarapes, 95 High St, ☏ +1 860 745-7781. An authentic Mexican restaurant. It's unassuming facade masks a delicious dining experience. The menu includes a number of traditional, including all those you would expect. Prices run around $12 per meal (but can be considerably lower, depending on what you get.
* Collin's Creamery, 9 Powder Hill Road, ☏ +1 860-749-8663. A small creamery that sells ice cream and shakes. They also have livestock out where you can see them. A good place to bring the kids for a nice evening. During the fall months they offer hay rides and sell pumpkins.
* Astros Pizza Restaurant, 1593 King Street, ☏ +1 860-745-1944. This is another smaller pizza shop, but a lot of people favor there food. It is a very cheap place to eat for a decent meal. You will on average spend about $12 on a full meal for one person, but you can easily get some higher quality foods if you want to pay a little more. The chef is very friendly and can usually meet quaity issues with food if something is need extra or less from it.

## Drink

* Silvia's Restaurant, 23 North Main Street, ☏ +1 860-741-6969. noon-10PM. Silvia is from Romania, this restaurant specializes in Eastern European food, also German and Italian. Silvia's caters and hosts wedding receptions and other events. $25.
* Chicago Sams, 95 Elm Street, ☏ +1 860 741-2936. This is a conventional sports bar that has select bargain days. A favorite day the is celebrated here is Wing Night (40c per wing), which is held on Wednesdays. On Thursday they have draft beer for cheaper pricing than usual.

## Sleep

* Fairfield Inn & Suites Springfield Enfield, 1 Bright Meadow Blvd, ☏ +1 860 741-2211.
* Motel 6, 11 Hazard Avenue, ☏ +1 860 741-3685, fax: +1 860 741-5539.
* Red Roof Inn, 5 Hazard Ave, ☏ +1 860 741-2571.