travel waterbury connecticut

Explore The World

Welcome to Raylin Travel.

With over a decade of travel experience, we are the right choice to help you plan your next adventure!

RayLin Travel, 2018. | fTravel Theme Powered by WordPress

• Book a Flight
• Book a Hotel
• Corporate Travel

Corporate and Leisure Travel Concierge

Let's book your next trip together

Contact us today [email protected]

Our Background

Satisfaction guaranteed.

Sruly's Travel is a family owned travel agency founded in 2011, Located in Waterbury, CT. Specializing in Leisure and Corporate travel.

Our Services

Whether you're looking for  airline tickets, hotel accommodations, rental cars or the whole package, we have you covered! Simply tell us where you want to go and we'll help you figure out the rest. We are contracted with all the leading airlines and travel providers to ensure you get discounted fares on your upcoming trip. 

While working with us, we want you to be completely happy with the experience. If you have questions about us, our services, or even travel tips, get in touch! We hope you continue to book with us for many years to come. 

Copyright © 2020 Sruly's Travel - All Rights Reserved. ARC accredited agency.

Sruly's Travel

Waterbury, CT

(347) 414-3282

[email protected]

Home » Travel Guides » United States » Connecticut (CT) » 15 Best Things to Do in Waterbury (CT)

15 Best Things to Do in Waterbury (CT)

In Northwest Connecticut, Waterbury is a city with a rich manufacturing history. The nickname here is Brass City. Indeed, brass was the dominant industry throughout the 19th century until clockmaking took over. 

With manufacturing mostly in the past, downtown Waterbury is a blend of old and new, with grand 19th-century architecture and a lot of culture.

Along these lines, I’m in love with the Mattatuck Museum, with its excellent collections, and the Palace Theater, a sparkling entertainment venue for the city.  Both are in the very heart of the city, which has kept hold of the same central green since the 1680s.

The presence of several universities, including UConn and Post University, help infuse Waterbury with extra youthful energy.

Lets explore the best things to do in Waterbury :

1. The Palace Theater

This ornate Renaissance Revival theater is a beautiful anchor for downtown Waterbury. After a long closure starting in the 1980s, The Palace Theater (1921) was reborn in the 2000s as a hub for performing arts. 

This is one of only two surviving venues built by theater magnate, Sylvester Z. Poli (1858-1937), and is considered the finest example. 

The theater hosts a range of shows on offer including Broadway musicals, concerts, live comedy, author talks, children’s shows, and a lot more. 

I came to see El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico not long ago. Stepping into the opulent, gilt-trimmed auditorium, I was amazed that such a treasure had gone unused for two decades.

2. Mattatuck Museum

For those looking for a window into the history of the Central Naugatuck Valley, look no further than the Mattatuck Museum Arts and History Center.

This museum’s collections are wide-ranging, spanning everything from art by Alexander Calder to brass buttons. 

Indeed, this is the repository for the rich collections of the famed Waterbury Button Company. These buttons, numbering more than 15,000 are a compelling window on Waterbury’s past. 

The art exhibitions tend to be rooted in Connecticut. For example, when I came, Uprooted featured the work of two locally-based Afghan artists, displaced by the Taliban’s rise to power in 2021.

3. Waterbury Green

Downtown Waterbury converges on this rectangular grassy space. Waterbury Green spans 2 acres, and is the symbolic center point of the city. 

True to its name, the park now covers what would have been the original town commons, starting in the 17th century. Those original buildings have long since been lost to waves of development, including industrialization. 

Still, I can’t help but be excited to know everything that has happened at this spot. We’re talking, troop musters, rallies, demonstrations, and speeches by the likes of JFK and Robert Kennedy.

Of the monuments, check out the solemn Soldiers’ Monument (1884) at the west end. This 48-foot pillar is capped with a bronze Winged Victory, and honors local veterans of the Civil War.

4. Downtown Waterbury

A rewarding way to spend an hour in Waterbury is taking a look around the compact downtown area. Going through long-term regeneration, downtown Waterbury reflects the city’s diverse makeup, blending culture, dining, shopping and interesting sights.

Some big landmarks that I won’t cover in this article include the Elton Hotel (1904), the monumental Municipal Center (1914-1922), and the John Kendrick House (1860s), which is part of the Mattatuck Museum.

More than 130 buildings contribute to the historic district, interwoven with more modern architecture. There’s ample entertainment downtown, as I’ll show, and a smattering of places to eat.

5. Library Park

The largest green space in the heart of Waterbury surrounds the Silas Bronson Library. When I came by, Library Park had just been dug up and relandscaped, with flowerbeds, a winding trail, and a little plaza area by the library.

As well as being a leafy hangout, it’s the setting for outdoor events in the city. I’d check the local listings while you are in town to see what’s on. One of the big dates on the calendar is the Brass City Jazz Festival in August. 

At other times, it’s a spot for summer picnics, a few steps from local eateries, and with Union Station’s tower rising to the east.

6. Seven Angels Theatre

Known for being the only professional theater in the area, the Seven Angels Theatre currently showcases an amazing 200 performances every year. 

The theater has been going for decades now, with shows that reflect the tastes of the community. These range from Shakespearian theater to dramas and musicals, and are produced with the help of professional talent from across the country. 

Also look out for community productions, as well as concerts, tribute shows, and other specialty acts. 

Certainly if you are looking to check out the arts in Waterbury then this is another great place to come. Considering the quality of the performance I found the ticket prices reasonable, and the venue is a fine old building in Hamilton Park.

7. Hop Brook Lake

In the very south of Waterbury, this 270-acre lake overlaps into two other communities including Naugatuck and Middlebury. 

The lake was actually created from a dam that was built across Hop Brook in the 1960s. This was eventually followed by a 500-acre recreation area with a sandy beach, trails and picnic areas. 

These waters are known for being full of local aquatic life such as largemouth bass and panfish and there are also trout stocked in the lake every year. So if you like fishing then this is the place to do it. 

My tip for an extended adventure, is an out-and-back hike on the Larkin State Park Trail, which has a trailhead close by.

8. Waterbury Symphony Orchestra

Based at the Naugatuck Valley Community College, this famous ensemble was founded as long ago as 1938.

The orchestra is dedicated to bringing the enjoyment and appreciation of classical music to the people of Northwest Connecticut. To that end there’s an excellent series of concerts every season, with 100 talented performers from across New England involved.

These are held at the college’s Fine Arts Center, as well as other venues around Litchfield County, including the Palace Theatre. Personally I love it when they combine performances with film. 

This might be a festive screening of Home Alone, or soundtracking silent classics like The General.

9. Bank Street Historic District

In downtown Watrrbury, there’s an interesting terrace of commercial buildings between Market Square and Grand Street. 

As the surrounding cityscape has been transformed these four turn-of-the-century buildings have stood the test of time. 

The terrace includes a highly unusual example of a Queen Anne-style commercial building, which I’d never seen before. This is the theatrical Griggs Building, from 1884, sporting gabled dormers and Corinthian pilasters. 

There’s also one of just three examples of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture in Waterbury at the north end of the row.

10. Union Station

Exploring downtown Waterbury, my eye was constantly drawn to the elegant, 240-foot tower of the city’s defunct railway station. 

Located on Meadow Street, Union Station (1909) is the most iconic building in Waterbury. It’s also a nod to the city’s love of watches and clocks. 

The clock tower on the station was built in 1909  and has over 300 steps to get to the top. This structure is decorated with gargoyles in the shape of she-wolves, and is based on the 14th-century Torre del Mangia in Siena in Italy.

Once a busy passenger depot for the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, the building is now the HQ for the local Republican American newspaper.

11. Basilica of the Immaculate Conception

If I had to pick a favorite building in downtown Waterbury, it would have to be this church on the green. The Basilica of the Immaculate Conception is a striking Roman Catholic church, raised in 1928.

Designed by Boston’s Maginnis & Walsh firm, the building takes its cues from Rome’s Baroque Basilica of Saint Mary Major. 

Whatever your faith it’s worth taking a peek inside for a glimpse of the splendor, typified by the magnificent depiction of Christ in Majesty in the apse and the gilded baldachin below.

• 12.  Municipal Stadium

I’m a bit of a nerd for baseball history, and will always seek out a ballfield with a story to tell. 

Built in 1930, Waterbury Stadium, or Municipal Stadium as it is officially known, started out as a dog track before becoming the home of several local Minor League teams, like the Waterbury Timers. 

Some huge names have played at this very place, including Joe DiMaggio and Yogi Berra in an exhibition game in 1947. 

The stadium still hosts games to this day, including youth programs like the Waterbury Gamecocks, and has a capacity of over 6,000 spectators.

13. Hancock Brook Trail

It’s easy to forget that Waterbury’s hectic downtown is mere minutes from lovely tracts of nature. Closest of all, you can get onto a Blue-Blazed trail next to Hancock Brook in the city’s Waterville section.

The trail is on a curious linear loop, with two parallel trails connected at the north and south for a total 2.8 miles. Along this short route I was blown away by some of the scenery, namely from the 660-foot high point, Lion Head.

There are also evocative traces of 19th-century industry, including what’s left of a railroad track laid down next to the river in 1850.

14. Lakewood Lanes

For some relaxing fun in Waterbury, locals flock to the Lakewood Lanes. This is the largest bowling alley for miles. 

Lakewood Lanes has been a local fixture for some 60 years, and has  42 different lanes. Chances are, there will be availability whenever you come. These have a synthetic surface, and were in perfect shape when I bowled here. 

Every Saturday there’s a Junior League program, introducing young bowlers to the game. Then, weekend evenings bring Galaxy Bowling, with the music turned up and the lights turned down.  

In addition, there’s an arcade with two-dozen games, a prize redemption center, and a snack bar serving comfort classics.

15. Waterbury RollerMagic

This is the place to come for old-fashioned roller skating fun. Waterbury RollerMagic has an ultra-smooth maple skating surface, so skating here is a breeze, even if you’re not an experienced skater. 

You can rent a pair of skates—old-school skates or rollerblades—and cruise around the rink during public skate sessions. Wednesday Night is Family Skate, while the rink stays open late on Fridays and Saturdays. 

There’s also an arcade with a wealth of games, a prize redemption counter, and a full-service snack bar if you get hungry.

15 Best Things to Do in Waterbury (CT):

• The Palace Theater
• Mattatuck Museum
• Waterbury Green
• Downtown Waterbury
• Library Park
• Seven Angels Theatre
• Hop Brook Lake
• Waterbury Symphony Orchestra
• Bank Street Historic District
• Union Station
• Basilica of the Immaculate Conception
• Hancock Brook Trail
• Lakewood Lanes
• Waterbury RollerMagic

Waterbury, CT

Hamden travel agency, if you live in the waterbury, ct area, give us a call our travel agency today to start planning your next vacation.

Learn about Hamden Travel in less than 120 seconds by watching the video to the right.

If you are looking for an experienced travel agency, look no more. We have over 30 years of experience in planning vacations. Let Hamden Travel plan your next vacation. 

TRAVEL AGENCY SERVICES

Local vacation reservations, international flights, major theme parks, custom tours.

GRAND CANYON

FULL-DAY HIKING

SPORT ADVENTURE

DISNEY WORLD

CUSTOM TOUR

Set an appointment with a travel agent or start booking your vacation now, testimonials.

“Italy has some of the best food in the world! As cliché as it sounds, there really isn't anything better than eating pasta with your wife while sitting over a Venetian canal!”

John, New York

“Jerusalem is a beautiful city. So many ancient and sacred sites, such friendly people, and even a little night life as a treat, lol. Thanks Donna for such a beautiful experience!”

Dan, Chicago

“Finally, I could tell my kids we were going to Disney World and it wasn't just a trick to take them to the dentist! It's so much fun there. There's so many rides, tons of fun characters walking around. Watching the kids get excited every time they met an avenger is a memory I'll never forget!”

Shirley, Toronto

CONTACT OUR TRAVEL AGENTS

We will respond by email or phone..

Telephone: 203-288-7718

Fax: 203-281-7443

E-mail: [email protected]

Travel Agency

Expedia Rewards is now One Key™

Waterbury, ct.

Visit Waterbury

• Waterbury Hotel Deals
• Vacation Rentals in Waterbury

Reviewed on Apr 28, 2024

Reviewed on Apr 26, 2024

Reviewed on Apr 21, 2024

Reviewed on Mar 28, 2024

Check Waterbury hotel availability

Popular places to visit.

• Palace Theatre

Enjoy a show at Palace Theatre, a theater with a story to tell in Waterbury. Visit the shops in this family-friendly area, or simply enjoy its restaurants.

• Union Station Clocktower

You can find out about the history of Waterbury with a trip to Union Station Clocktower. Visit the shops in this family-friendly area, or simply enjoy its restaurants.

• Hop Brook Lake

Commune with nature and explore the great outdoors at Hop Brook Lake during your travels in Waterbury. Stroll along the lakeside or attend a sporting event in this family-friendly area.

• Brass Mill Center

You can browse for the perfect souvenirs at Brass Mill Center during your stay in Waterbury. Visit the shops in this family-friendly area, or simply enjoy its restaurants.

• Waterbury City Hall

After visiting Waterbury City Hall, make a plan to see the other sights and activities in Waterbury. Visit the shops in this family-friendly area, or simply enjoy its restaurants.

• Holy Land USA

Explore the great outdoors at Holy Land USA, a lovely green space in Waterbury. Visit the shops in this family-friendly area, or simply enjoy its restaurants.

Reviews of Waterbury

It's a quiet bedroom community. Not much to do during the winter. Maple's restaurant was a good spot for breakfast.

Went to a Mexican restaurant in Thomaston called Señor Pancho’s which is about a 14 min drive but the food and drinks were very good.

5/5 - Excellent

I miss living there.

2/5 - Disappointing

Route84highway MUCH IMPROVED.

Everyone we encountered was rude. Literally, everywhere we went.

Room 408 has the loudest toilet. It will wake up any sleeping guests in the room.

• Cities near Waterbury

• Places of interest
• Waterbury Green
• Ben Franklin Statue
• Carrie Welton Fountain
• Apothecary Building
• New Life Christian church
• Harrub Pilgrim Memorial
• Yale University
• Yale-New Haven Hospital
• Quinnipiac University
• Candlewood Lake
• Wesleyan University
• Lake Compounce
• Elephant's Trunk Flea Market
• Toyota Oakdale Theatre
• Connecticut Sportsplex
• Southern Connecticut State University
• Choate Rosemary Hall
• Connecticut River
• TPC River Highlands
• Central Connecticut State University

 What matters most when you are travelling from one location to another varies from one traveler to another. However, our top priorities like safety, convenience, punctuality and comfort are what make our business stand out from the rest. We are your partner in travel for any purpose and at any given time. Before you plan your next trip, make sure you give us a call and let us help you make your trip unforgettable.

We’ve been everywhere. If you’d like to join us as we travel to our next destination, we’d like to hear about your plans.

• Call us now !
• Find us on the map
• Send us an email

Sanditz Travel is a full-service, travel management company with an extensive range of services. Built on integrity, we are an award-winning company recognized for providing outstanding service and value to our customers. We are a growing, dynamic organization comprised of a team of experienced travel professionals.

Our company has been providing corporate, vacation, group and meeting planning services and value since 1960. We are an American Express Travel Representative office.

We are proud to support numerous local and regional organizations. We are active members of recognized and respected industry validating associations such as The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), The Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC), and The International Airlines Travel Agent Network (IATAN).

Our History

Sanditz Travel opened in 1960 in Waterbury , CT the original owners Herman & Lillian Sanditz.

One Sanditz Travel customer would play a key role in developing the future direction of the agency. Scovill, Inc. and its President Malcolm Baldridge. Mr. Baldridge was a proponent of quality management and when Scovill selected Sanditz Travel as its travel management company it started a tradition of outstanding quality in customer service.Mr. Baldridge later served as Secretary of Commerce and The United States Congress passed Public Law 100-107 in 1987 creating the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award.

After the death of Mr. Sanditz, Lillian managed the company until her retirement in 1985 when she sold the company to The North American Bank & Trust.

In 1989 North American Bank sold Sanditz to it current owner Henry Wrotniak and his partner at that time Joseph Biancanelli. Mr. Wrotniak acquired 100% interest in Sanditz in 1991 and remains it sole share holder.

Important Dates along the way

1991 - Opened Bristol Office

1991 - Acquired G.Fox / Connecticut Vacation Center (West Hartford)

1995 - Acquired Stone/Coughlin Travel (Middletown), All Points Travel (Simsbury), and Travel House (Torrington)

1996 - Acquired Woodbridge Travel, Sea-Aira Travel (New Haven)

1998 - Acquired Farmington Valley Travel (Canton)

1999 - Acquired Kops Monahan Travel (New Haven Office

1999 - American Express Selects Sanditz as Representative Travel Office

2000 - Acquired Travel Innovations

2001 - Acquired Globe Travel of West Hartford

2001 - Closed Canton , CT Office

2004 - Awarded American Express Excellence Award

2005 - Acquired Action Travel (Myles Travel, First Discount), Crestwood Travel

2006 - Merged Crestwood Travel with Waterbury, CT location in Watertown, CT Acquired Goshen Premier Travel (Herrick Travel and Personalized Travel) Merged Torrington offices

2007 - Acquired Gandolfo Travel (Canaan, CT)

2007 - Acquired Pearson Travel (East Providence Rhode Island) Sanditz Travel today maintains 9 full service office locations in Connecticut (East Windsor, Middletown, New Haven, Simsbury, Watertown, and West Hartford) and Pearson Travel in East Providence, RI.

Meet the team - Why Book With Us?

Sign up for our Newsletter

Find cheap bus tickets from Waterbury Travel Center Bus Stop

Easily compare and book your next trip with Busbud

Information about Waterbury Travel Center Bus Stop

Where is the station.

The address of Waterbury Travel Center Bus Stop is 188 Bank St Waterbury, CT 06702. View this Waterbury bus stop location on a map.

What other bus stations are close to Waterbury Travel Center Bus Stop in Waterbury?

• A - Park & Ride
• B - Waterbury Travel Center Bus Stop
• All stations

Why choose Busbud?

The best way to book bus and train tickets.

Busbud helps you easily search, compare and book intercity bus tickets on a worldwide scale with our comprehensive list of bus routes and schedules. With several language and currency options available, Busbud seeks to cater to international bus travelers no matter where they are in the world. Busbud partners with safe and reliable bus companies throughout the world such as Greyhound, Eurolines, ALSA, OUIBUS (BlaBlaBus), National Express and many others so you can buy tickets without a worry.

Other popular destinations from Waterbury

• Waterbury to Hartford
• Waterbury to New Haven
• Waterbury to New York
• Waterbury to Boston
• Waterbury to Summit
• Waterbury to Bridgeport
• Waterbury to Bennington
• Waterbury to Houston
• Waterbury to Mansfield
• Waterbury to shipshewana
• Waterbury to Syracuse
• Waterbury to East Lansing
• Waterbury to Kane
• Waterbury to Basin
• Waterbury to Hancock

Most popular airports and destinations

• New York to Port Authority
• Port Authority to New York
• Boston to Boston Airport

Interested in more? Receive travel deals, trip reminders and other updates by email!

• Make Campaign

Hubbard Park, Meriden

Mohegan Sun, Uncasville

Water Forest Retreat, Norwich

Bartolo, Ridgefield

Skydive Danielson, Killingly

Litchfield Distillery, Litchfield

Stella Blues, New Haven

Backyard Adventure UTV Tours, Canaan

Sleeping Giant State Park, Hamden

Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven

Inspiration

More Inspiration

Connecticut Science Center, Hartford

Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center, Mashantucket

George, Washington Depot

Hartford Athletic, Hartford

Avalon Nightclub, Uncasville

Pilobolus, Washington

Winvian Farm, Morris

Seaside Park, Bridgeport

Food & Drink Trails

Bantam Lake, Morris

Stegosaurus, Hartford

Spring Hill Vineyards, Washington

IN THE MOMENT

Travel planning assistance 888-CTvisit (288-4748)

Connecticut Office of Tourism

450 Columbus Blvd., Suite 5 Hartford, CT 06103

• Resources & Links
• Privacy Policy
• Disclaimers

© 2024 Connecticut Office of Tourism

• Media/Press
• Email Sign Up
• Partner Login

• The Gift of Travel
• Endorsed by Forbes Travel Guide
• This is Largay Travel

Plan A Vacation

• Find a Travel Advisor
• Honeymoon Registry
• Largay Travel’s Virtuoso Hotel Booking Tool

Ready to see the world? Get in touch with us to get started!

• Group Travel
• Corporate Travel
• In the Press
• Mentoring Program
• Hosting Program

Destination Expertise.

This is largay travel., largay travel: practitioners of the art of joyful commerce.

Largay Travel, established in 1969, is a full-service host travel agency that specializes in creating personalized, authentic, and extraordinary travel experiences around the world. As a Forbes Travel Guide Endorsed agency, branch of the Tzell Travel Group, and membership in the esteemed Virtuoso luxury travel network, Largay Travel has established deep connections and direct access to the world’s top hotels, cruise lines, and tour operators. These partnerships and collaborations enable them to curate elevated travel journeys tailored to a traveler’s specific interests and needs. Their Virtuoso membership and endorsement by Forbes Travel Guide, limited to less than 1% of all global agencies, also grants their clients access to complimentary upgrades, VIP amenities, and exclusive events and experiences worldwide, a privilege unavailable to non-Largay Travel clients. Embracing a hybrid approach, Largay Travel combines cutting-edge technology and innovation with personal relationships and human connection to foster an organizational culture attuned to desired services they provide to their travel advisors and the types of travel experiences that truly matter to their clients.

• Executive Team
• Management Team

Support Team

Paul Largay

CEO & CCC (Chief Culture Curator)

Amanda Klimak

President/ Co-Owner

Courtney Klimak

Assistant Marketing Manager

Maureen Dahlstrom

Director of Finance

Lori DelBuono Bartlett

Director of Operations

Melissa Russo

Director of Business Development

Vira Mastroianni

Director of Partner Relations

Scott Largay

Director of Business Strategy

Marketing Support

Client Relations Specialist

Ashley Moran

Administrative Assistant

Richard Antosca

Assistant Manager of the Air Department

Chris Moore

Marketing Assistant

Nicole Arruda

Mary Pepides

Lauren Chamberlain

Jane Darrah

Host Relations

Air Department

Air Department / Luxury Travel Advisor

Gail Miller

Diana Demers

Margie DeSoto

Sylvia Ryder

Rachel Caruso

Assistant Manager of Support Services

Kristie Cyr

Client Testimonials

-Charles G.

-Stephanie T.

Search Largay Travel

History - About Land/Jet

Travel with land/jet.

A Family Affair

In the early 1980s, the bus industry regulated and new motor coach companies sprang up throughout the U.S. Land/Jet Inc. of Waterbury, Connecticut, was one of them. For this company's founders - the Brady brothers - their motivation was saving their family's business interests.

When their father Joseph founded the Travel Center in 1955, there were plenty of customers and not much competition. Because he had a tour brokers license, a distinction coveted by many and possessed by only a few people throughout the U.S. until deregulation changed the marketplace, his individual and group tour planning services were a hot commodity. After deregulation, however, 11 bus companies with tour planning services popped up and threatened to take a chunk of the Travel Center's customers. That's when Brady's four sons, then in their 20s, stepped in.

To protect their family's interest, they bought two MCI motor coaches and launched Land/Jet in 1983. Charles Brady, 26 at the time, became the company's president, but all the brothers have a hand in the company's operations. "We're a family-run business, and the Travel Center and Land/Jet offices are in the same building, so whether someone comes into the Travel Center or Land/Jet, one of us will help them," says Charles Brady. When the brothers aren't pinch-hitting wherever needed, they stick to the tasks defined by their position in the company.

Long before the Brady brothers founded Land/Jet, their father took over management of Waterbury's bus terminal, which is housed in the same government-owned building as the travel agency and motor coach company. Through that facility, the Bradys established a close working relationships with several out-of-town bus operators that unload and pick up passengers at the terminal. During Land/Jet's early years, when it didn't have enough equipment to handle every customer request, Brady called on those reputable companies to pick up what his company couldn't handle.

Though they may not have known it, those same companies helped Brady develop a model for his own business. "I looked at the kinds of companies I wanted Land/Jet to emulate one day, which are all successful companies," Brady explains. "I looked at how they operated and saw that they attracted the best people and put out the best equipment. So, I followed their lead," he notes. They treated their customers and employees well, Brady adds, and he wanted to do the same.

Even though Land/Jet hasn't been in business nearly as long as its mentors, the company has reaped the rewards of name recognition, says Brady. For residents of Waterbury, Connecticut, and the surrounding area, Brady has been a well-known name in the travel industry for more than 55 years.

Charles Brady, President

Tim Brady, Vice President

Dennis Brady, Secretary

Raymond Brady, Consultant

Call Us Today At ♦ 860-631-6858

Operational Hours

Office hours:, in business since 1955.

Join CT Mirror and its members in the work of producing unbiased journalism for Connecticut.

Get Connecticut government news at your fingertips.

Subscribe to CT Mirror's free daily newsletters.

Connecticut's Nonprofit Journalism.

The problem with accessing opioid treatment in parts of CT: Getting there

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to print (Opens in new window)

State officials and nonprofit providers are spending millions of dollars to increase access to methadone in Connecticut and to eliminate one of the biggest barriers to that opioid treatment medication: travel times.

Several of the state’s methadone providers are in the process of siting and opening new methadone treatment centers in Connecticut, including the first clinic of its kind in Middlesex County.

At the same time, state officials are preparing to spend more than $4 million from a pool of opioid settlement funds to outfit two new methadone vans, which will be capable of dispensing the vital medication to patients in more isolated corners of the state.

Those investments are key to Connecticut’s larger goal of expanding medication-assisted treatment in the state, including methadone, which is widely considered to be the most effective treatment for people with a history of using heroin, fentanyl or prescription painkillers.

[RELATED: How methadone, other meds are helping to lower CT opioid deaths]

There are roughly 30 inpatient clinics located throughout Connecticut that dispense methadone to individuals seeking treatment for opioid use disorders.

But with many of those federally licensed centers located in the state’s larger cities, there is concern that pockets of Connecticut still don’t have a level of access that is necessary to combat the ongoing opioid epidemic, which claimed the lives of more than 6,300 Connecticut residents in the past five years.

To highlight that point, a team of researchers from Yale University and Virginia Tech University recently completed a study for Connecticut that calculated how long it takes for residents in every part of the state to travel by car, bus or train to the nearest methadone clinic.

That analysis showed that for people living in and around cities like Waterbury, Hartford, Danbury, New Haven, Bridgeport, Stamford, Torrington, Norwich and New London, it often takes less than 15 minutes by car to get to the nearest methadone clinic.

But in other sections of Connecticut, it can take more than 45 minutes to drive to the closest treatment center, which can be a major impediment for people who are undergoing methadone treatment while also attempting to maintain a job or care for their families.

“Imagine being stuck in traffic, knowing you have to get dosed and you have to get back to work or you have to get your kid on the school bus,” said Nancy Navaretta, the Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.

Unsurprisingly, the time commitment is even bigger for people who don’t have access to a car.

Large swaths of Connecticut have no public transportation, and even in places that do, the researchers found, it can take more than two hours in some instances for people to get from their homes to a methadone clinic via public transit.

During the early stages of methadone treatment, patients are often required to travel to the clinics daily for therapy and their liquid dose of methadone, which helps to reduce the most severe symptoms of opioid withdrawal.

Benjamin Howell, one of the Yale researchers who conducted the travel study for the state, said that means some people who are in the initial phases of treatment could spend three to four hours per day on a bus just to receive their medication.

That can be a major deterrent for people suffering from the most serious opioid use disorders, Howell said, because illicit narcotics like heroin and fentanyl can be more easily available to those individuals than the medication-assisted treatment.

“These are the people we should be championing — the people who are deciding to go get treatment,” Howell said. “We should be supporting those people as much as we can and lowering the barrier as much as we can.”

The long commute

Doug Schumann knows all too well the burden that travel times can present when attempting to access methadone treatment in Connecticut.

From 2015 to earlier this year, Schumann has been making the journey from his home in Middletown to a clinic in Hartford operated by the Root Center, the state’s largest methadone treatment provider.

Schumann wasn’t excited about making the 20-mile commute six days a week. He did so because, for the past nine years, the Root Center’s clinic in downtown Hartford was the closest medication-assisted treatment center available to him.

Schumann, who became dependent on opioids after initially being prescribed painkillers to treat the symptoms of pancreatitis, said during the first couple months of his methadone treatment in 2015, the distance between his home and the Hartford clinic was extremely difficult to overcome.

The car he was using broke down shortly after he began making the half-hour commute. That setback resulted in him taking a three- to four-hour round-trip bus ride to Hartford for more than a month, which was a major hassle while he was in the nascent stages of recovery.

Schumann said he was able to overcome the significant commute time by forming a daily routine, which required him to get up before dawn so that he could reach the treatment center by 5:30 a.m.

“It took me a long time to get where I am now,” he said.

But other Middletown residents who sought out treatment did not have the same success that Schumann did when faced with the prospect of traveling to clinics in Hartford, New Britain or Manchester every day.

“A lot of people that I know have dropped out because of the distance,” Schumann said.

Filling the gaps while fighting the stigma

The commute for Schumann and other people living in and around Middletown got a lot easier in April, after the Root Center began accepting patients at the first methadone clinic in Middlesex County.

The opening of that new center , along Washington Street in Middletown, will fill one of the biggest geographic gaps in methadone treatment in the state and ensure every county in Connecticut has at least one clinic capable of dispensing the highly regulated medication.

The travel study produced earlier this year showed that residents who lived along the lower Connecticut River valley in towns like Chester, Haddam and Lyme previously faced more than half an hour in a car or two hours on a bus to get to the nearest methadone clinics.

Steven Zuckerman, the executive director of the Root Center, said those travel times should be dramatically reduced now.

The creation of the new clinic was not easy, however. It took more than five years and a lawsuit against Middletown’s Planning and Zoning Commission to get permission.

The Root Center committed a substantial amount of time and money to building the treatment center, Zuckerman said, because the organization knew there was an unmet need for opioid treatment in the region.

That is reflected in the Root Center’s current list of patients. Zuckerman said his organization has 180 patients with Middlesex County addresses who have been travelling to the organization’s other clinics in Hartford County.

We’ve been stuck in this situation where it’s been stigmatized for so many years. Steven Zuckerman, executive director of the Root Center

Some of those patients, he said, testified during earlier meetings of the Middletown Planning and Zoning Commission about the need for a clinic in Middlesex County and the benefits it could provide.

But in return, Zuckerman said, those patients were met with “brutal comments” from other members of the public, who openly disparaged people who were receiving treatment for an opioid use disorder.

That type of local opposition to methadone treatment centers in Connecticut has not gone away.

A group of residents in Guilford is fighting a newly proposed clinic being constructed in that town by the APT Foundation, another nonprofit treatment provider headquartered in New Haven.

Despite the local zoning laws allowing the center to operate there, the opponents of that new clinic continue to complain about its proximity to homes and schools.

In response, Guilford’s first selectman and the executive director of the APT Foundation said the patients who will access that clinic already live in Guilford and surrounding communities. But that has done little to quiet the opposition.

The recurring complaints are representative of the wider stigma that surrounds the opioid treatment drug, several providers and methadone patients told The Connecticut Mirror.

“We’ve been stuck in this situation where it’s been stigmatized for so many years,” said Schumann.

A mobile solution

While the nonprofit providers continue to advocate for additional methadone centers in the state, Connecticut officials are working on another strategy to fill in any remaining gaps in the network.

In March, the members of the Connecticut Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee, which is responsible for managing the settlement funds, voted to spend $4 million over the next three years to help providers retrofit two vans to dispense methadone.

Navaretta, the DMHAS Commissioner, said the settlement committee chose to spend that money because it believes those roving clinics will increase the number of people who are enrolled in a methadone program and, ultimately, save lives.

“Over and over again, by various authorities, it’s been shown that medication for opioid use disorders is the most effective intervention,” Navaretta said.

DMHAS will accept bids in the coming months from licensed methadone providers who are interested in operating the vans. Agency officials said they could be up and running by sometime next year.

The state intends to give preference to treatment providers that will use the vans to cover Connecticut’s northeast corner, northwest corner, southeast corner or the central part of the state. All of those areas were identified as regions with significant commute times to existing clinics.

We wouldn’t be able to do it if there wasn’t the opioid settlement dollars to really provide seed money. John Hamilton, president and CEO of Liberation Programs

John Hamilton, the president and CEO of Liberation Programs, which runs methadone clinics in Stamford and Bridgeport, said that without the state’s financial support, nonprofit providers like his would be unlikely to build and staff the mobile methadone vans.

The cost for the mobile treatment centers is substantial, Hamilton said, because the vehicles need to meet strict regulations required by the Drug Enforcement Administration, which polices methadone because it is, itself, a narcotic.

The vans will need a bathroom, a safe that is bolted to the vehicle and all of the equipment that is necessary to dispense the liquid methadone to patients. All of those upgrades, state officials said, could cost up to half a million dollars.

The groups that operate the vans will also need insurance and licensed nurses to staff the vehicles, which is why the settlement advisory committee also set aside money to cover operational costs for several years.

“We wouldn’t be able to do it if there wasn’t the opioid settlement dollars to really provide seed money,” said Hamilton, whose intends to apply to run one of the two vans.

State officials believe the vans could serve multiple purposes.

Luiza Barnat, the agency’s director of opioid services, said the vans will increase public awareness of methadone and other recovery services in smaller towns, and she said they should increase the number of people who stick with the treatment.

“I think the vans really provide a lot of engagement and are able to reach the people that we’re currently not reaching at all,” Barnat said.

Officials also hope the vans will be able to travel to skilled nursing facilities and long-term care centers to ensure patients no longer need to wean themselves off the opioid-treatment medication while they are recovering from a surgery, an illness or an injury.

Hamilton said all of those additional services can help help get more people enrolled in a methadone program.

That’s vital, he said, when research has shown that only a small portion of the people who could benefit from methadone are actually accessing the medication.

Andrew Brown Investigative Reporter

Andrew joined CT Mirror as an investigative reporter in July 2021. Since that time, he's written stories about a state lawmaker who stole $1.2 million in pandemic relief funds, the state Treasurer's failure to return millions of dollars in unclaimed money to Connecticut citizens and an absentee ballot scandal that resulted in a judge tossing out the results of Bridgeport's 2023 Democratic mayoral primary. Prior to moving to Connecticut, Andrew was a reporter at local newspapers in North Dakota, West Virginia and South Carolina. His work focuses primarily on uncovering government corruption but over the course of his career, he has also written stories about the environment, the country's ongoing opioid epidemic and state and local governments. Do you have a story tip? Reach Andrew at 843-592-9958