PARKS  (back to top)

 
The Playscape at Compo Beach.
Westport
Formerly known as playgrounds, kids’ outdoor activity centers have grown sophisticated enough to be called “playscapes.” The one at the beach, rebuilt in April, has enough tires, ropes, climbing gyms, passageways and slides to delight and ultimately exhaust any visiting child.

For fees and restrictions, see westportct.gov/agencies.parksandrecreation or call Westport Parks & Recreation at 341-5090.
 

Longshore Swimming Pools.
Westport
The park maintains three — a wading pool, three-foot-deep kiddie pool and a twenty-five-yard lap pool — with plenty of lounge chairs for adults. Longshore also has a wooden playscape.

Contact Westport Parks & Recreation.

Sprinkler Park on Morehouse Highway at Lake Mohegan.
Fairfield
Timed water spouts on the beach at Fairfield’s Lake Mohegan will keep kids cool and occupied for longer than you’d think.

A day pass for residents costs $6 on weekdays, $8 on weekends; for nonresidents, it’s $15 and $18, respectively. 
 

Waveny Park
New Canaan
With 250 acres of parkland, three-and-a-half miles of shaded jogging or walking trails, recreation fields and a picnic area, what’s not to love? Many families enjoy flying kites or remote control airplanes in the wide-open grounds.

South Avenue, New Canaan
 

 
Mianus River Park
Greenwich
Mianus River Park in Greenwich is a great summer spot for families who enjoy hiking, jogging or horseback riding. The site also boasts fine trout fishing, but, sorry, no picnicking or camping. To cast a line, you must have a fishing license, which you can get at the Town Clerk’s office in Greenwich.

Cognewaugh Road, Greenwich. 203-622-0522
 

 
Cranbury Park
Norwalk
Chill out with the family or play the day away on 190 acres of public parkland. Choose from the kid-pleasing playground, pavilion, 18-hole Frisbee golf course or head to the wooded trails for a hike — some are even open to mountain bikes.

Grumman Avenue, Norwalk
 

Island Beach
Greenwich
Looking for a doable adventure that won’t tax little ones who still need an afternoon nap? Toddlers through tweens love the easy, breezy ferry ride to Island Beach, which runs every hour on weekdays and every half-hour on weekends ($2, adult resident; $10, nonresident over age 5, purchased at the Arch Street ferry dock). Explore the sandy beach – great shelling! – and either pack a lunch or buy snacks at the concession stand to eat at picnic tables. Additional beach amenities include a playground, restrooms, showers and lifeguards.

If you live on the east side of town, consider climbing on board the train (making sure it’s a local), riding one or two stops, getting off in Greenwich and walking the short distance to the ferry. It’s a real thrill for the smallest fry, and later in the day on the way back to the train station, you can grab a pizza-to-go from Pizza Planet on Railroad Avenue. Voilá! Dinner, too.

greenwichct.org/ParksAndRec/prBeaches.asp

 

 

MUSEUMS AND NATURE CENTERS  (back to top)

Earthplace.
Westport
The Nature Discovery Center in Westport is a sixty-two-acre wildlife sanctuary with easy trails, a bird and butterfly garden, wildlife and public nature programs and events. The center also offers a summer camp and a wildlife rehabilitation program

10 Woodside Lane, 227-7253; see more online at earthplace.org

Connecticut Audubon Center
Fairfield
The Center adjoins the beautiful 152-acre Roy and Margot Larsen Wildlife Sanctuary and features a birds-of-prey compound, an Algonquin wigwam replica, natural history library and nature store

2325 Burr Street, 259-6305; ctaudubon.org

 
Haydu Farm
Fairfield
Located at 3763 Congress Street, in the Greenfield Hill section of Fairfield, the twenty-two-acre, town-owned farm sells corn in the summer.

Call 259-3577.
 

 
Everett Children’s Adventure
Garden at the New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York
This 12-acre wonderland offers a hands-on way for kids to appreciate nature through its topiary gardens, waterfalls, wetland trails, and, best of all, meadow and boulder mazes. Activities encourage kids to dunk their hands in the touch tanks or build their own bird nests. For entrance to the Botanical Garden, which includes access to the Everett: Admission is $13 for adults; $5 for children ages 2 to 12; free for those under 2.

Bronx River Parkway and Fordham Ave., right across from the Bronx Zoo.
718-817-8700, website

 
Sound Cruise
Stamford
For a closer-to-home option, check out Soundwaters Ecology Sails from Brewers Yacht Haven Marina at the foot of Washington Blvd. in Stamford. Once aboard the 80-foot, three-masted schooner, you’ll help raise the sails and then examine sea creatures gathered from four different stations in Long Island Sound. These trips are led by trained naturalists, so you’ll get a chance to study marine life and ecology with experts. More fun: Enjoy a Fireworks Sail ($60). Prices: $30 adults; $20 for 12 and under. Check website for cruise dates and times.

1281 Cove Road, Stamford. Exit 7 off I-95, 203-323-1978; website
 

Essex Steam Train & Riverboat Ride
Essex
If you’re a family with young kids or train buffs of any age, head to the beautiful town of Essex. You can enjoy vintage steam trains and riverboat excursions from the historic Essex Station — both in a single afternoon. Young ones will love to see Thomas the Tank Engine. For lunch check out the Trackside Café housed in a gleaming train car. Until June 20 rides are offered on weekends only; after that, it’s seven days a week. Admission for both train and boat, $24 for adults; $12 for children age 3 to 11; free for children under 3.

Essex Station, One Railroad Avenue. 800-377-3987; website
 

 
Military Museum of Southern New England
Danbury
Teens interested in military history and little kids who just like big tanks will enjoy the largest private collection of heavy armored fighting vehicles and artillery pieces from World Wars I and II, the Korean and Vietnam wars and Operation Desert Storm. Time your visit for when the turret is open, usually the third Saturday of every month. Kids can climb inside and pretend to check for advancing enemy troops. Admission is $4 for adults; $2 for children 18 and under.

125 Park Avenue; 203-790-9277; website
 

 
Stepping Stones Museum for Children
Norwalk
Muggy, wet and even clear-but-scorching afternoons are well spent at this interactive and educational center for children, best for age 10 and under. The toddler terrain is a terrific place to tumble, try an art project or play with puppets. Older kids will want to take a flight in a simulated helicopter, walk through the Rainforest Adventure, splash around in the Waterscape Gallery and marvel at the 27-foot-high ColorCoaster, a giant mechanical toy. You can check out more educational toys and games — but these are for sale — in their exceptional gift shop. Did it stop raining? Stepping Stones has a fabulous playground outside. Then for a treat, take a short drive to Sweet Rexie’s, a candy store and toy shop on Washington Street in Sono.

Stepping Stones, 303 West Avenue, is open July 1 through Labor Day 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. everyday. Admission is $9 per person. steppingstonesmuseum.org; 203-899-0606

Maritime Aquarium
South Norwalk
The beauty of this center is that it awakens the passion for science in everyone, from grandparents down to grade-schoolers, who will never suspect that it’s (shhhhh!) educational. For instance, Dinosaur Island is a new “habitat” for eight lumbering, roaring, jaw-snapping robots, sure to get everyone’s heart pounding. More cardiac activity occurs on the Dino Island II 3-D computer-animated “ride,” which features Tony the T-Rex on the verge of volcano-induced extinction ($5.50 additional charge; kids must be at least 36 inches high). Come face-to-jaw with nine-foot sharks, sea turtles and 1,000 other marine animals. You can watch the harbor seals interact at feeding time and actually pet the rays in the Ray Touch Pool. One especially cool way to spend a sultry afternoon is in the IMAX Theater with its massive screen six stories high. Afterwards, leave the car parked and shop along Washington and Water streets — toy, skateboard, clothing and several home-design boutiques here — stopping into the Sono Baking Company & Café on South Water Street for panini, cold soup or a sticky bun.

Maritime Aquarium, 10 North Water Street, is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission: ticket packages available, but basic prices start at $9.50 for adults; $8.50 for children 12 and under.
maritimeaquarium.org; 203-852-0700

 

 

THEATER AND MUSIC  (back to top)

 
Levitt Pavilion.
Wednesday nights are devoted to the younger crowd, offering music and theatrical productions, while the rest of the family enjoys a picnic dinner under the stars.

See the calendar of events at levittpavilion.com or call 226-7600.
 

 
Westport Country Playhouse’s Summer Theater Program for Children.
Westport
Friday and Saturday afternoons in the summer are devoted to matinees for kids at the fabled theatrical institution.

To see this season’s schedule and to buy tickets, call the Playhouse box office at 227-4177 or visit the website at westportplayhouse.org. 25 Powers Court, Westport

 

 

 SPORTS  (back to top)

United Indoor Soccer.
Fairfield
Rainy days with visiting children can call for desperate measures. Rather than plop them down in front of the DVD player or drop them off at the movies, give them a soccer class at this indoor field or rent the whole place for a soccer party!

176 Lindwood Avenue, Fairfield, 319-0087
 

Public Sites in Wilton.
The many active and athletic places in Wilton to choose from include playgrounds, athletic fields, indoor and outdoor basketball courts and, at Wilton High School on Route 7, a lighted, all-weather track.

For site locations and hours, go to wiltonparksandrec.org or call 834-6234.
 

 
Westport playing fields and tennis courts.
Through the Parks & Recreation Department, Westport maintains playing fields and tennis courts at many of the public schools in town.

See restrictions and other information at westportct.gov/agencies/parksandrecreation/facilities.
 

Rock Climbing
Charlemont, Massachusetts
Zoar Outdoors’s parent-and-child clinics in the Berkshires are perfect for newcomers to the sport. Specially designed for children between the ages of 10 and 16, the one-day program teaches climbing techniques and use of equipment and promises a low instructor-to-student ratio. Zoar Outdoors also offers a range of clinics and climbing days for all levels.

Visit the website for available dates (and other adventures in kayaking, canoeing, rafting and biking). $80 per person for the parent-child clinic; $110 for climbing days.

Located in the town of Charlemont off Rt. 2 in western Massachusetts. 800-532-7483
 

Sports Complex
North Haven
The Only Game in Town is a 20-acre kid’s dream come true, complete with a golf range, mini golf, go-carts, batting cages, arcade and so much more. Admission is free, with activities ranging from $1 for 10 baseballs in a batting cage to $16 for a monster bucket of balls (160 of them!) at the driving range.

275 Valley Service Road, 203-239-4653; website
 

 
Lime Rock Park
Lime Rock
Come summer this pretty northwest-corner town is abuzz with New England’s sleekest racers and fanciest vintage cars. Hosting hundreds of events every year, there’s something for every auto enthusiast. For the rest of us, the slopeside viewing and picnicking are fun, too. Bring your own blankets, folding chairs and lunch (concession food is available). Admission varies per event, but for the Ferrari and Maserati Racing Days (July 8-9), for instance, adult advance tickets start at $20; children age 12 and under are free.

Rt. 112, 800-RACE-LRP; website

An All-American Weekend
Bridgeport, Westport, Greenwich
A baseball game, fireworks and ice cream. The Bridgeport Bluefish play at 7:05 most evenings, and if you can plan it for a Friday night, all the better — there are fireworks over Harbor Yard. On your way to the park, stop in for a hot dog and lemonade at Swanky Franks in Westport (1050 Post Road East; 203-226-5355). On another day, don’t miss Jazz on the Sound, the Dixieland Jazz concerts conducted on the Island Beach Ferry (three Sundays in the summer, leaving the dock at 4 p.m., returning at 6 p.m.). Or check out the schedule of concerts in Roger Sherman Baldwin Park (bring a picnic dinner) or performances by the Sound Beach Volunteer Fire Department Band (Sunday nights at Binney Park). And whatever you do, replace afternoon tea with a big ice cream cone from Gofers or Cold Stone Creamery.

The Bridgeport Blue Fish stadium is at Harbor Yard, 500 Main Street, Bridgeport. Tickets start at $6, with the big splurge being the “club” seats for $18 each. bridgeportbluefish.com; 203-345-4800, ext. 150 greenwichct.org (click on concert schedules)

 

 

SKATEBOARDING  (back to top)

 
Skateboarding Park.
For older kids and teens with a bite for thrills, check out the skateboarding park at Compo Beach. It costs $6 for resident skaters on weekdays and $8 on weekends; for nonresidents, the fees are $8 and $10, respectively — but those are the only fees you’ll pay, because you can drop off and pick up kids at the park without a parking permit. (Contact Westport Parks & Recreation.)

In Fairfield, the skate park at Fairfield Beach Marina at the end of North Benson Road costs the same for residents and non-residents: $9. For times, call the Fairfield YMCA, which maintains the park (255-2834).
 

 
Skateboarding
Ridgefield
Open noon to dusk, seven days a week, the 11,000-square-foot Graham Dickinson SPIRIT Skate Park in downtown Ridgefield features ramps, including many new and custom pieces — advanced ramps, grind rails and a new custom pyramid for more proficient skaters. The park is fully enclosed and staffed at all times. Pads and helmets are required. Range of lessons, clinics and camps for all ages and levels throughout the summer. $7 resident; $12 nonresident; 10-day pass, $60/$90.

60 Prospect Street, 203-431-2342

 

Skateboarding
Woodbury
Billing itself as New England’s oldest and biggest skate park, this three-acre site at Woodbury Ski & Skate Park boasts a 50-foot-long, five- to nine-feet deep, kidney-shaped concrete bowl, a variety of newly painted and reconditioned jumps, ramps and rails, and an indoor area. Use bikes, rollerblades or skateboards. It’s okay, Mom, there’s also a three-foot-deep foam pit for soft landings. Best of all, lights and music keep the area open and rockin’ until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Rentals and classes for skateboarding, in-line skating and street biking also are available. Prices are $15 per day; weekdays 10:30 a.m.-7 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-10 p.m.

Rt. 47, Woodbury. 203-263-2203; website

 

 

PAINTBALL  (back to top)

Paintball
Waterbury
Talk about conflict resolution! Extreme Paintball offers five different courses on its 75 acres, and all games are played under trained supervision. Have fun, as this operation takes safety seriously. Join open games on weekends or schedule a private game (15-player minimum)
for any day of the week. Half-day and full-day sessions are available, and all players have access to a covered picnic area. $24.99 (including equipment) for half-day sessions (9 a.m.-noon or noon-3 p.m.); $34.99 for full-day sessions (9 a.m.-3 p.m.).

203-596-7502; website
 

 
Antiques and Paintball
Stamford
For a group evenly divided between antiques-seeking adults and paintball-gun-toting teens
It’s not world peace, but we’re pretty proud of our ability to breach the great divide between radically different ideas about how to spend a Saturday. The magic lies in the close proximity of Paintball Madness on Canal Street and the Antique and Artisan Center on Jefferson Street, both in Stamford. Drop off your teens at Paintball Madness where all guns and gear can be rented. Then drive a few blocks north to browse stall after stall of antique furniture, jewelry and bric-a-brac from over 135 dealers. Next door, the Accessory Store has a mind-boggling selection of lamps and lampshades, as well as parts for antique lighting fixtures. Also sharing the Canal Street parking lot is another option for your teens: the very cool Go Vertical indoor rock-climbing facility, where you can hire an instructor to teach or belay your kids (358-8767). We’d love to send you somewhere for dinner, but half your group is going to be covered in either paint or climbing chalk (which reminds us: have them bring a change of clothes). Best stop: Aux Délices in Riverside for wonderful takeout chicken and salad. Then home for showers.

Paintball Madness, 633 Canal Street, is open weekdays, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., and weekends, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Check the website; hours vary seasonally.) Rates vary according to your rental needs but start at $15 per hour for walk-ins. stamfordpaintball.com; 203-975-2973

The Antique and Artisan Center, 69 Jefferson, is open Monday through Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and on Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. antiqueandartisancenter.com; 203-327-6022

 

 

AMUSEMENT PARKS  (back to top)

 
Lake Compounce
Bristol
Parents love Lake Compounce because it’s pretty, super-clean and landscaped, with charming Victorian-era storefronts and arcades. Kids head straight to Boulderdash, a wooden roller coaster that makes a mad and clattering dash through the woods. Cooler still are the rides and slides in the water park, which includes Clipper Cove, famous for its overhead 300-gallon bucket of water that periodically dumps its load. What’s new? The Lake Bear Factory where kids can stuff and dress their own bears. Also: foot massages for mom and dad!

Rt. 229, 860-583-3300; website
 

 
Playland Park
Rye, New York
America’s first amusement park — always referred to as Rye Playland —is an easy drive from Greenwich. There are fireworks every Wednesday and Friday nights and big band dance concerts on the boardwalk some weekends. As for the attractions, there are fifty of them, from the Jungle Jammin’ for toddlers to splashdown in the Playland Plunge for teens. On hot days, head for the beach or the pool. Don’t forget, when your gang gets tired of the crowds, you can always retreat to the patio at Seaside Johnnies (94 Dearborn Avenue inside the public beach area) for Bloody Marys, Cobb salad, a great raw bar, steel-band music, the works. Playland Park, Playland Parkway, has variable hours so it’s best to check its website. It’s closed Mondays and some Tuesdays.

Admission: free, with pay-as-you-go attractions. ryeplayland.org
 

Six Flags
Springfield, Massachusetts
Our closest, biggest theme park, Six Flags is fixed on children’s must-go-to list. It makes for a long (and exhausting) day but, to be honest, what self-respecting venue of this ilk doesn’t? It’s home to the Superman Ride of Steel, rated No. 1 coaster on the planet by Park World magazine, and something called The Mind Eraser, which we didn’t dare get on (if you do, call and tell us all about it).

Rt. 159, with its exit marked off I-91, 413-786-9300; website