
You might think you know a lot about CT, but there are some things that only a true Nutmegger would understand. Whether you’ve lived here your whole life or you’ve just moved to CT, you’ll come to realize that these 13 things are the pillars of Connecticut culture.
1. Autumn Is The Best Time of the Year & Anyone Who Says Differently Is Wrong

Autumn in when CT locals are at their most powerful. The plaid flannels and Sherpa lined boots are ceremoniously taken out of the closest and all the state is out basking in the foliage. “Do you want to go apple picking” isn’t even a question: you’re already at the orchard with cider in hand. It’s not just that our state is better than everywhere else in autumn, but we just do autumn activities better than all the rest.
2. You Live X-Minutes Away From The Nearest City

You’ve long given up telling the name of your hometown when someone asks where you live, especially from out of state. Everything is so close to each other, but no one knows the name of your tiny town. Naturally you just say how far away from NYC you are and everyone smiles and accepts it. (In fact, one of the reasons people move to CT is because it’s so close to the big apple!)
3. CT? Like Gilmore Girls!

You also get asked how far away you live from Stars Hollow. Incredibly far. Never been there. It doesn’t exist.
4. Game Day? Time To Watch Friendly Neighbors Turn Into Bitter Rivals

One of the reasons you love CT is that there are so many sports to watch…but choose your side wisely. Half of the neighborhood will root for NY. The other half will cheer on Boston. Tensions run high on game day when these 2 cities face off and CT gets caught in the middle.
5. Pizza: Go Thin Crust Or Go Home

New Yorkers like to brag about their pizza. Please. They make some pretty good stuff over there, but good luck finding a high quality thin crust pizzeria. Let them have their thick, doughy crusts. You’ll take CT’s thin crust any day of the week.
Find Thin Crust Pizza Near Your Aspen Community:
Hartford County Thin Crust Pizza
Little City Pizza
(860) 658-4001
152 Simsbury Rd,
Avon, CT 06001
Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana
(860) 644-7333
221 Buckland Hills Dr,
Manchester, CT 06042
Joey’s Garlic Manchester
(860) 643-1500
31 Redstone Rd,
Manchester, CT 06042
Tunxis Grill & Pizzeria
(860) 688-6429
3 Tunxis St,
Windsor, CT 06095
New Haven County Thin Crust Pizza
Eli’s On Whitney
(203) 287-1101
2392 Whitney Ave,
Hamden, CT 06518
Odie’s Place
(203) 288-6343
3352 Whitney Ave,
Hamden, CT 06518
6. You Know What A Package Store Is (Hint: It’s not UPS)
This is some genuine local vocab. If you don’t know it, you’re not from here. Plain and simple.
7. I-95 Is The Forbidden Road
Every true Nutmegger worth his salt knows to avoid this highway at all costs. You have your GPS permanently set to seek out back roads. Your commute (and your stress levels) each day depends on it.
8. Dave Matthews Band Is Playing? You’ll Be There.

Seeing a concert at The Meadows is practically a rite of passage, but what really seals the deal is a Dave Matthews Band concert. No matter what time of year, you can’t wait to get out your plaid and rock on!
9. Field Trips Were Always To A Colonial Historic Site
As one of the original 13 colonies, CT has a lot of Revolutionary history. This was incredibly convenient for school field trips. It seemed like every year you went to a colonial historical site. Come on. With so much to do in Connecticut, couldn’t the teachers think of something else?
RELATED:
Historic Sites You Must Visit at Yale University
Attractions in Hartford, CT
10. You Have High Ice Cream Standards

Like thin crust pizza, ice cream needs to meet the mark, and few states can even compare to CT’s quality. While autumn is the best time of year, summer comes in second with beaches, lighthouses and ice cream. We’re not talking good store-bought tubs. This is homemade, fresh off the farm ice cream and nothing compares to it.
Hartford County Farm Ice Cream
Arethusa Farm Dairy and Café
975 Farmington Ave,
West Hartford, CT 06107
(860) 726-4593
Bloom Hill Farm Ice Cream
696 Cottage Grove Rd,
Bloomfield, CT 06002
(860) 243-0511
A.C. Peterson Farms Restaurant
240 Park Rd,
West Hartford, CT 06119
(860) 233-8483
Frisbie’s Dairy Farm
951 Farmington Ave,
New Britain, CT 06053
(860) 357-2520
New Haven County Farm Ice Cream
Wells Hollow Creamery
5 Beard Sawmill Rd,
Shelton, CT 06484
(203) 926-0101
Milkcraft New Haven
280 Crown St Suite 100,
New Haven, CT 06511
(475) 202-6482
Wentworth Homemade Ice Cream
3697 Whitney Ave,
Hamden, CT 06518
(203) 281-7429
Plasko’s Farm Creamery & Café
1185 Whalley Ave,
New Haven, CT 06515
(203) 891-7302
11. The Worst Letters In The Alphabet: C.M.T.
No one likes tests, but here in CT, you had to take to a special, awful one: the Connecticut Mastery Test. Fill all the bubbles in completely. Beat the clock. Try not to panic. (But, hey, you did it!)
12. The Hartford Whalers? Yup. Still Bitter.
Why did your favorite ice hockey team have to move to North Carolina? WHY?! You just might never accept the “Carolina Hurricanes.”
13. Mystic Seaport Has Always Been A Top Daycation

Connecticut has a lot of beautiful waterside locals, but the Mystic has always been a crowd favorite. This history town has all the quaint attraction of CT, with the excitement of water activities, museums, an aquarium and great shopping!
Whether it’s time to move out of your parents’ home, you need to be closer to your new job in NYC, or if you are looking to move to CT for the first time, Aspen has the rental apartment for you!