Connecticut 's rural areas and small towns in the northeast and northwest corners of the state contrast sharply with its industrial cities , located along the coastal highways from the New York border to New London , then northward up the Connecticut River to Hartford .
Connecticut 's rural areas and small towns in the northeast and northwest corners of the state contrast sharply with its industrial cities , located along the coastal highways from the New York border to New Haven , then northwards to Hartford , as well as further up the coast near New London .