Consider a Connecticut Vacation $1,000 Gift Card Sweepstakes

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Are you thinking about taking a vacation this year to a state where you can find a wonderful diversity of things to see and do? Where there are quaint towns, stone walls, historical sights, waterfalls, covered bridges, farm stands full of local produce, wineries, antiques, art galleries, designer outlets, world class casino resorts, fine dining and recreational opportunities, as well as scenery that will take your breath away? If so, consider visiting the beautiful state of Connecticut! Connecticut tourism, along with BlogHer, asked some bloggers to tell you why we love to visit Connecticut and is sponsoring a $1,000 gift card give away to one lucky commenter -- see the rules at the end of this post.



My husband and I have been regular visitors to Connecticut since the first year of our marriage. Above are some vintage mid 70's photos of us on a trip to Connecticut's Mystic Seaport and the Museum of America and the Sea, the nation's leading maritime museum. It is a wonderful place for the entire family to visit, and we brought our children here often as they were growing up. In Mystic Seaport you can explore American maritime history first-hand as you climb aboard four National Historic Landmark tall ship vessels, stroll through a re-created 19th-century coastal village or visit the on site Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard, where you can observe as historic vessels are restored using traditional methods and tools. For young children's enjoyment there is a Children's Museum Discovery Barn and playscape area, while older children and adults would appreciate visiting Mystic Seaport's Treworgy Planetarium.



Now that our children are grown and we have an empty nest, my husband and I love to take an occasional long weekend "get away" trip to stay in a romantic bed and breakfast located in one of the eight counties in Connecticut. We love to explore new towns and enjoy the wonderful hospitality we always find at each location. We also enjoy visiting the Foxwoods Resort and Casino on the Mashantucket Pequot Indian Reservation in Ledyard, to see big name entertainers perform. On other occasions we've attended a play at the top notch Westport Country Playhouse in Westport, or attended one of the many craft, art, food or music festivals that are held throughout Connecticut during the year.

The scenic West Cornwall Covered Bridge over the Housatonic River

Litchfield County is one of our favorite Connecticut destinations because we enjoy all its natural attractions including the Housatonic River, Lake Waramaug, Lime Rock, the Appalachian Trail, and Mohawk Mountain for skiing.



Autumn is my favorite season, and Connecticut can rival any other New England destination as far as having the most spectacular fall foliage! I took all the photos above on our last fall trip. Now is the time to make plans and reservations for a trip to Connecticut this autumn, where you can take a scenic drive along winding country roads and keep your camera busy taking photo after photo of the crimson, orange, and yellow trees.

*As full disclosure, I am being compensated by Connecticut Tourism and BlogHer for this post, but my opinions and love for the state of Connecticut are all mine.

Which Connecticut destination would you like to visit? Leave a comment below and you will be entered into a sweepstakes from BlogHer to win $1,000 to help you plan your trip!
For travel information and inspiration, visit CTVisit.com!
Visit BlogHer.com to read other Connecticut travel stories.

If you find you are having difficulty leaving a comment in the special BlogHer aggregate comment box below please go directly to the BlogherSweepstakes page on this link where you enter the $1,000 CT Tourism Sweepstakes there. Thank you and good luck!

Sweepstakes Rules:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 6/14 – 8/8.

New Michelob ULTRA Light Cider - A Refreshing New Taste

Attention New York ... and almost the rest of the USA!

There is a new beverage in town that I know you will want to try!

When Anheuser-Busch's Michelob ULTRA announced the newest addition to its portfolio, Michelob ULTRA Light Cider, a naturally sweetened and gluten-free cider made from crisp apples, I could not wait to try it, as I've been searching for a new refreshing light alcoholic beverage to offer guests other than beer or wine.

Featuring one-third fewer calories (120) and a more mellowed sweetness than traditional ciders, Michelob ULTRA Light Cider is ideal for year-round enjoyment and provides a light, refreshing alternative to white wine, champagne and heavier ciders. The fact that it is naturally Gluten Free, is a bonus to me, as members of my family are gluten sensitive. When I was asked by Anheuser-Busch, through Blogher, to do a review of the Michelob ULTRA Light Cider I decided to serve the cider at my first backyard barbecue of the season.

Michelob ULTRA Light Cider tastes crisp, light and refreshing. It has 1/3 less calories than an average of the leading regular hard ciders, 120 cal./serving in light hard cider vs. 180 cal./serving in an average of the leading hard ciders. It's lightly sweet taste and sparkling bubbles complimented my antipasti course of cheese, sun dried tomatoes, olives and marinated artichoke hearts perfectly!

For dinner I served grilled toasted sesame ginger crusted salmon, along with roasted fingerling potatoes, and a roasted cauliflower with a tri-color pepper and capers medley. The chilled Michelob ULTRA Light Cider was a wonderful and refreshing accompaniment to our meal and a drink that I would be able to enjoy year round. I enjoyed my cider served over ice, and my husband drank his cider straight, using his favorite frosty mug.

Michelob ULTRA Light cider will be available nationwide (excluding CO, UT, WY and OK) beginning May 7, 2012, and will be available in six-packs of 12-ounce clear glass bottles.

Naturally sweetened and made from hand-picked apples, the cider was so good I popped a few of my garden's first strawberries into my glass and drank another cider as dessert! Michelob ULTRA Light Cider will be a welcome addition to my beverage selection year round. I hope you will look for it at your local store and give it a try.

Which favorite summer meal or activity do you think would go best with Michelob ULTRA Cider? I'd love to know!

Want more information about this product or where to find it? Go to the sponsor's website on this link:Michelob Ultra website and check out the promotion for ULTRA Light Cider page on BlogHer.com on this link.

As full disclosure, I have been compensated to buy and try Michelob Ultra Light Cider, by Anheuser-Busch and Blogher, but all opinions stated are my own.

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