If you like touring historic mansions, this place is superb! Our docent Midge was extremely…read moreknowledgeable and an excellent storyteller. She demonstrated a passion for the history of the mansion, the time period, and the complicated inter-relations between the involved individuals which was truly inspired and fascinating. She answered all our tour group's questions with great skill and delight. We reserved our spots online for the 90-minute noon tour today, featuring the first and second floors, the main entertainment rooms, bedrooms, and servants' quarters. On-site parking for free. The mansion has been closed for two years to renovate the electrical/HVAC system and recently reopened for public tours. They'll be opening the basement floor to show the bowling alley and vault sometime next year. If you're in the area on Dec 14, they'll be open for a festive Christmas event.

Wow!!! What a great museum. A coworker highly suggested it and I wasn't disappointed. It's truly…read morebeautiful, one of a kind. You are required to take a tour and there are one hour tours of just the downstairs or two hour tours of the first and second floor. I did the first and second floor and I would highly suggest that. Additional, my docent was A+++!

This was our second visit to The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, and we really enjoy coming back…read more It's on the smaller side, but there's still plenty to see and do. For its size, they have a great variety of touch tanks -- from jellyfish to sturgeon to stingrays -- and my son felt brave enough to touch almost everything this time and loved it. I also appreciate that there are hand-washing stations everywhere. We love the jellyfish exhibits, and the shark tank is very cool -- this visit we even got to see a diver inside answering questions. They offer short 4D movies for $8, though it may be better for older kids (my 2-year-old got a little scared). Paid parking is across the street, and overall it's an easy, fun outing for families. We've heard they offer overnight experiences too and might try that next time!

Norwalk, CT - this is a nice daytrip from NY/NJ. The aquarium is of a manageable size, just two…read morefloors and not too big, with many interesting exhibits, animal encounters, and a kids play area on the upper level. We especially loved the shark demo in front of the dramatic shark tanks where you can watch these majestic creatures glide by, the touch tanks (sting ray and Atlantic sturgeon), and the reservoir near the entrance where a large turtle would playfully swim up and seemingly interact with the humans staring up in awe. It makes quite a first impression! Also very cool is the interactive digital display on the ground floor, where you can paint a sea animal on a computer screen and transfer it to the large screen as a 3D rendering swimming in the Long Island Sound. There's a snack bar right by the entrance which is perfect for a quick break or a pre-game feed as in the case of my child who cried hunger as soon as we stepped in. There's also a proper café upstairs - really nice, with an open and airy layout and exposed red brick, à la an industrial Brooklyn loft. We only ate fries & ice cream (ha!) so I can't tell you how the food is. Parking: there are a couple of options. The Maritime Aquarium parking garage is $2/hour with a maximum of $8 + tax. Or street parking via ParkMobile which costs $4.85 but is limited to 3 hours. The Stepping Stone Children's Museum is very close if you have bandwidth to make a full day of it (we didn't!).

"But the enemy I see wears a cloak of decency All…read morenon-believers and men stealers talkin' in the name of religion And there's a slow, slow train comin' up around the bend" (Bob Dylan) You've probably seen maps of train or subway lines before. A spaghetti like graphic of different colored lines, sometimes running parallel to each other, sometimes crisscrossing each other like a spider web on LSD. So how do train lines manage all that switching and changes of direction without crashing into other trains? It's all computer driven today, but way back in the day things were done manually by throwing huge levers in a Switch Tower, and you can learn all about it and see the 100+ year old equipment in this very cool free museum. The museum is on three stories, and you have to walk up a metal staircase all the way to the top because that's where the tour starts. Our guide on the 3rd floor was John and he was fantastic. We saw the gigantic old switches, and he did a great job explaining the technology of the day and how it changed over the years. Next, we walked down to the second floor where Joe took over and he explained the switches and system in deeper detail. Finally, we walked down to the gift shop on the first floor with all sorts of railroad memorabilia, mugs, and hats are available for sale. John and Joe are volunteers, and their love of trains was quite evident. If you like learning about how mechanical things work, or you have a train buff in your family, you really can't go wrong with a visit to this niche museum.

Wonderfully restored historic building. The tower and docents were excellent....knowledgable,…read morefriendly and you could tell, very much train enthusiasts. The tour was quite interesting and satisfying. GO....you'll learn something...about how they used to 'switch' trains on the New Haven line

Love it here! I love…read morethe lattes, artwork and the food. This space is so cool. They have limited parking and a nice outdoor space too. Inside, they have a coffee bar with amazing breakfast and lunch items. They have fresh pastries and coffee drinks. There is artwork throughout their space. I highly recommend this spot if you're looking for a good brunch or coffee spot.

We encountered this cool place while waiting for our tour of the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion to start…read more It's a great space with dual purpose of art gallery and cafe. Currently, the gallery space showcases "Being Seen" featuring 45 local artists' work, conceptualizing self-perception in multimedia artistic expression. We ordered mochas which were mild, very chocolatey but not overly sweet. If we lived here, we would definitely visit here regularly. They offer art classes on site as well.

It's easily one of the best children's museums, especially for toddlers and slightly older…read more They have a wide array of activities, including the fake bus of course, and a cool fake shopping area. I've never seen such a clean and well maintained children's museum. The staff is constantly putting things back - they're like waiters at a high end restaurant. Go.

So I haven't been to many children's museums yet but this one came highly recommended by some…read morefriends. I really enjoyed all the play stations here, this is definitely geared towards little ones around 3-5 years old. They have a tiny tot area where they have soft play area for babies and infants. Then they have an older area with miniature town, slide and other science stem activities. They also have a kitchens are, a music area, a play stage where they have story time. The water play area looks fun for older kids. They have a mechanical dinosaur inside. I hear in the summer they have bubble stations and outdoor fun foam play blocks. Looking forward to coming back.

A hidden gem right in your own backyard! Who knew? Sure they ship these ultra fresh oysters…read morewholesale all over the country because that's what this area is famous for, blue points, although they have their own unique name for them. Most excellent oysters! A little cute retail shop of all things coastal for enetertaining & decorating. But this is a RETAIL shop too! Ultra friendly staff who gave us a tour of the facility. Unbelievable! Such an impressive set up. Too, they've acquired quite an impressive, collection of all things oyster related: antiques, artifacts, tools, baskets, nautical maps, and a massive oyster tin collection from this past century, which is housed in the rear "museum". Come support these guys!

I love going to get seafood at the source, so i took my first vacay to drive out here and pick up…read moreSEVENTY oysters. these oysters were only 60¢ a piece, so we couldn't help but go a little crazy! we shucked a few at the oyster farm itself and then brought the rest back to finish up since it got way to cold to keep shucking outdoors. the first box was super light in flavor, not too briney, a bit sweet, slightly creamy, and had a really springy texture. the second box (even though they were the same oysters) had a much brinier profile! soooo yum and worth the price! FYI - these were the hardest oysters we've ever shucked. but well worth the effort and drive! if you're not as crazy as me, you can order them online to have them shipped to your door!

Absolutely amazing space, and such an incredible artist. Every time I see Oksana's art, my mind is…read moreblown and I'm overtaken by emotions. 10/10 recommend.

Oksana is an extremely talented and intelligent artist. The range of her talent is truly…read moreextraordinary. Her paintings range from fashion art, replete with 3 dimensional fabric and Swarovski crystals, all the way through to conceptual art which makes a powerfully relevant social statement. On a personal level, Oksana is a delight. She is easy to work with; accommodating and considerate from the very first meeting and thereafter. I have known her for several years and have 6 of her beautiful pieces in my home, ranging from watercolors to an oil painting which I commissioned her to paint. She has been a pleasure to work and am proud to be among her collectors. If you haven't seen her art I strongly recommend you do so; you're missing something very special.

My boyfriend and I went for a mini vacation in Norwalk, CT and I booked the Sunset Harbor…read moreLighthouse Tour which we went on this past Sunday evening from 6:30-8:30, on 8/10/25. This tour was definitely a highlight of our trip! Captain John and Charlie were great and all the passengers aboard had a great time! We passed three lighthouses-Peck Ledge LH, Sheffield Island LH and Green's Ledge LH. Charlie, co-captain of Captain John, had just toured the inside of Green's Ledge LH the day before which is listed on Airbnb for $6,000! He went around the ship showing everyone the floor plan. It especially exciting to be on the Long Island Sound and to see the red and white towers from Northport, since I live on Long Island!! We were able to see several different viewpoints of the sunset and osprey nests as well. Definitely recommend to residents of Norwalk AND tourists alike!

What a treat! If you live in the area, you need to put this on your summer to-do list. I've lived…read morein the area for five years but didn't learn about this cruise until this summer. Be warned, book tickets online and in advance. They sold out for day/time we wanted to take the cruise, but there were 20 tickets still available the night before. Plan accordingly. We arrived for a 3:30 cruise on a beautiful August afternoon. The cruise seemed to be full, and there was a mix of couples and families on the boat. The boat ride is smooth and relaxing. The boat staff was offering a "guided" tour, but it was tough to hear, so I gave up trying and just enjoyed the experience of being out on the water. The boat ride is about 30 - 40 minutes each way. You won't get wet, at least we didn't, and there are enough seats/room for everyone. Once you arrive at the island, you have about 1.5 hours to explore. They have a guided lighthouse tour, a small concession stand, a small beach (not one that you would lay out at, so no need to bring a suit), volleyball courts, nature trails, etc. This entire experience is set up to be calm and relaxing. There isn't too much to do on the island, but that's kind of the point. You are only there for 1.5 hours, and there's no way you can get that bored in that period. Just unwind and take in the scenery for a few minutes, it will clear your mind. They offer limited food at the concession stand, but you can always bring your own snacks as well. Next time, I will bring a few snacks for us, especially since our trip was over dinner time. The bugs - BEWARE. They don't spray for mosquitos, and as a result, they are everywhere. I didn't know bugs would be a problem in advance, but the cruise provides spray upon arrival for free! I brought my own SPF, but they also provided that as well. The staff is lovely and do anything they can to make your experience as pleasant as possible. This is the perfect low-key day trip, and I highly recommend it to anyone in the area.

I've heard about this event for a long time, but this was the year I finally attended the Norwalk…read moreOyster Festival and it did not disappoint. The price was $15 for adults and $8 for kids aged 5-12. All children are free on Sunday. What perfect timing, we passed by the Mohegan sun booth right in time for the 4pm Tao chef demo session. I've eaten at Tao before, so I was eager to participate. All I had to do was place a $25 bet on the app and it granted my party of 4 admission. The chef was very entertaining. We got a delicious BLT bao bun each and each got a ticket to redeem a $10 drink from a nearby juice truck, Ta' Deliciozo. The juices were made fresh with quality ingredients. To top it off, under our chairs was an envelope with a prize listed. We won merchandise and credit in the app. This was a very good steal! Definitely got our money's worth. We stop by a few tastyfood trucks then watched some of the 6pm Ready Go Dog Show. I enjoyed this event and will definitely be back next year!

I had an amazing time @ the Oyster festival! It was actually my 1st time. I know Milford has one…read moreevery year(which is closer to me) as well. I came here w/ my sis & her bf/daughter. We walked around & ended up @ the Mohegan Sun booth 1st. Any one of us (except my niece) could have bet $25 for a free appetizer & drink for each of us. My sister volunteered. The food was from Tao in Mohegan. It was a mini thick bacon sandwich w/ lettuce,tomatoes,& a special sauce. It was pretty good. The drinks were from Ta'Deliciozo truck(Norwich). I'm not gonna lie I found 4 free drink tickets so we all had 2 drinks each. Score!!! I got the guava & then the soursop juice. When I tell you those fresh drinks were soooooo yummy! I then saw a Mr. Softee ice cream truck. I had to get me a vanilla cone w/ rainbow sprinkles. That is my forever order. If you never had Mr.Softee ice cream I don't know what to tell you. You have no idea what you're missing. I also tried vegetable dumplings & bbq breaded chicken cutlets w/ nacho fries . I forget the name of the places. It wasn't that good anyways. Finally, to end it all I attended the dog show! Pretty cool experience overall. I will be back next year!