Parents’ Survival Guide to the First Days of School

Summer may have just begun, but chances are you’re already looking toward the 2018-2019 school year. Undoubtedly, there’s a lot to do between now and when you deliver your children for their first day, whether it’s at boarding school, college, or university.

The DELAMAR West Hartford is centrally located to many of the northeast’s premier schools, making us an ideal home base to well over 20 campuses, all within an hour’s drive. Among them: Miss Porter’s School (10 minutes), Loomis Chaffee School (15 minutes), Westminster School (20 minutes), Choate Rosemary Hall (30 minutes), Suffield Academy (30 minutes), the Taft School (40 minutes), and Pomfret School (1 hour).

Higher education is also within an easy drive. We’re convenient to: the University of Hartford (10 minutes), Trinity College (15 minutes), UCONN (60 minutes), Fairfield University (60 minutes), and Amherst College (75 minutes).

DELAMAR West Hartford

1 Memorial Road, West Hartford | 860.937.2500

While you’re in town, there’s no better send-off than a meal at Artisan, our award-winning and farm-fresh restaurant – a farm-to-table feast for the senses, featuring local and seasonal fare, New England-inspired cuisine, and a tip of our hat to European flair. And, to soothe your nerves or just to prepare you for the ride home, head upstairs to the DELAMAR Spa, offering a full spa menu, exclusive products from Switzerland and France, four treatment rooms, and a blow dry bar. Relax, rejuvenate, and restore after an emotional farewell.

The Connecticut Science Center

250 Columbus Blvd, Hartford | 860.724.3623

Spend a few free hours at the Connecticut Science Center, a nine-story museum offering more than 165 stimulating exhibits. While the museum offers a handful of kid-friendly programs – great for younger siblings along for the ride – don’t be fooled: there are plenty of exhibits geared toward adults, too, for example: Forces in Motion, which invites you to build (and test) your own heli-flyer; and the Butterfly Encounter, where you can join free-flying butterflies in a close-to-natural habitat.

Rockledge Golf Club

289 S Main St, West Hartford | 860.521.6284

Considered one of the finest 18-hole public golf courses in the United States, Rockledge Golf Club is well known for its spectacular landscaping and fine golf game. In addition to the par-72 (maximum total yardage: 6,436 yards) course, you’ll find two practice greens, a driving range, and a practice sand bunker. Equipment rental is available. Weather permitting, the golf season stretches from April 1 to November 30; in the winter, the course opens its scenic Rockledge Walking Trail for winter walking, jogging, cross-country skiing, and snow-shoeing.

Xfinity Theatre

61 Savitt Way, Hartford | 860.548.7370

There’s no end to fun at Xfinity Theatre, an indoor/outdoor amphitheater with capacity for 30,000. From concerts to sporting events, the theater hosts year-round events, including many guaranteed to top your must-see list. Among this summer’s lineup: the Dave Matthews Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Sam Hunt, Poison, and Counting Crows.

The Bushnell Performing Arts Center

166 Capitol Ave, Hartford | 860.987.6000

If your entertainment preferences lean more toward the performing arts, then book an evening in Hartford at the Bushnell Performing Arts Center. From the Bushnell Children’s Theatre to Broadway award-winners, The Bushnell promises something new every month, if not every week. Coming up: Disney’s The Lion King (Broadway’s award–winning Best Musical), On Your Feet!, and back by popular demand, Bring It! Live.

This August, stay at the DELAMAR West Hartford and treat your family to the best entertainment, best dining, and best pampering – the best family time, until the kids come home for the holidays.