Hotel at a Glance: The Fox Tower at Foxwoods Resort Casino

It’s hard to get bored at the luxurious 4-star Foxwoods Resort Casino—a sprawling entertainment and hotel complex amid acres of Connecticut woodlands. You can go shopping at the many designer boutiques, play 10 frames at the bowling alley, and dine at your choice of more than 30 restaurants. In the summer months, the action moves outdoors to the resort’s pool and its pair of Rees Jones-designed golf courses.

• Awards and accolades: AAA’s Four Diamond award and TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence in 2013
• Where to eat: You can redeem your dining credit at any onsite eatery, including the David Burke Prime steakhouse, a Connecticut Magazine readers’ choice winner for “Best Brunch.”
• Press your luck at the enormous onsite casino, where you’ll find 300 table games, a racing book with 50-feet digital screens, and more than 4,500 slot machines.
• Room with a view: Woodland views surround the stylish deluxe rooms and suites, which have marble accents, an iHome clock radio, a mini bar, Monaco linens, wireless Internet, and Parisian bath amenities.
• G Spa and Salon: Lounge at this luxurious, adults-only facility, which features a waterfall pool.
• Take a dip in the outdoor pool in warmer months.
• Shop at the new Tanger Premium Outlets.
• Enjoy a cocktail at Liquid Sundays at the outdoor pool, a weekly 21+ summer event with drink specials and celebrity DJs (there’s a cover charge).

Ledyard, Connecticut: Sprawling Woodlands with Rich History in Mashantucket Reservation

Thousands of acres of birch, maple, and sassafras forests span a broad swath of southeast Connecticut, from the Rhode Island border down to the Thames River. This natural wilderness is home to the Mashantucket Pequot tribe. Opening in early May, visit the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center and learn about the reservation’s history through lifelike dioramas, Native American art and artifacts. Climb to the top of the museum’s 185-foot tower to see panoramic views of the wooded landscape and nearby swamplands.

Less than 20 minutes south is Mystic, a town that still presents life in 18th-century coastal New England. In the town’s Olde Mistick Village, costumed performers parade down brick-lined walks lined with stores that sell imported knickknacks, artisanal cheeses, and handcrafted jewelry. The seaport’s Museum of America and the Sea chronicles the area’s maritime culture with 19th-century ships and an old-fashioned village. Kids can watch sea lions dance, pet reptiles, and have staring contests with Beluga whales at the Mystic Aquarium.

Love to travel? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for travel tips, inspiration, and photos from around the world.