EAST HARTFORD

East Hartford sits directly across the Connecticut River from Hartford, a town of about 51,000 shaped by a century of aerospace manufacturing. Pratt & Whitney built engines here, and the company airfield they left behind became the town's largest venue.

Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field opened in 2003 on the former 75-acre airfield and seats 40,000. You can catch stadium-scale concerts and touring acts here alongside UConn football — the kind of shows that skip smaller Connecticut markets.

A practical, working suburb where the venue is the draw, not the surrounding streetscape. Major highway access from I-84, I-91, and Route 2 makes it a convergence point for the greater Hartford region.

Tip: Free parking surrounds the stadium, but lots fill fast for major shows. Arrive early and follow the Silver Lane approach for the shortest walk in.

Neighborhoods: Burnside • Silver Lane • Hockanum