A community center in many towns and cities is an out dated school or an old industrial building…read morewith a meeting room or a gym. In Ridgefield Ct. a beautiful estate hosts the community's events. Known better as the Lounsbury House, this beautifully preserved property is the place to have your wedding or event. Originally named Grove Lawn, the Lounsbury House at 316 Main St., was built in 1896 by a former Connecticut governor, Phineas Lounsbury, who was born and raised in Ridgefield. While he attended the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, also known as the Columbian Exposition, he saw a replica of the Connecticut State Building on display. He commissioned the original Bridgeport architect to build a replica of the Connecticut State Building, so that upon his retirement from politics, he would have it to serve as his residence in Ridgefield. The Georgian Revival house exhibits the elegance and style he wanted to reflect Connecticut's hospitality. Lounsbury and his wife Jenny lived and entertained their friends at the house until his death in 1920. Since they did not have any children, the house was passed onto their heirs. Eventually, the house was purchased by the Town of Ridgefield. In 1953, it became the Ridgefield Veterans Memorial Community Center. Now on the National Register of Historic Places, the Lounsbury House is a non-profit association and proceeds from its fund-raisers, membership fees and rentals go towards the preservation, maintenance and operational cost of the home. I was present for the Ridgefield "Gone Country" barbeque contest which raises funds for the local Rotary club. The association hosts house tours, concerts, luncheons, picnics, fireworks and more. The July 20, 2018 Lobster & Clambake featuring 1 1/2 lb Maine lobsters, steamers and muscles is not to be missed.

From the owner: Lounsbury House, a Ridgefield landmark since 1896, is a place to celebrate life's memorable…read moremilestones. Since becoming the town's community center over 60 years ago, the House and classical gardens have served as an exceptional venue for weddings, corporate meetings, art gatherings, festivals and special events for all seasons.

After you park, cross the road to the little red house. Here starts your journey at the ranger…read morestation and an art gallery in one. Art kits and a stack of cushions are found on the porch, and three different Junior Ranger activities --and a unique JR badge--await. The grounds are open even when the buildings aren't, so enjoy the scenery, but remember that the bathrooms are only seasonally available. This is a perfect spot for a picnic, so plan on making the time here! Depending on docent rotation, JA Weir's and Mahonri Macintosh Young's studios are also open seasonally. As an American Impressionist spot, you might find easels throughout your walk, and those artist kits will have you joining the plain air painters.

Weir Farm is a wonderful, beautiful property for a hike, a stroll, a walk or a picnic. The farm…read moresits atop a mountain and dates back over 100 years. There are educational programs and exhibits throughout the year. It's pure New England charm, operated by the US National Park Service.

Always a terrific experience, attending a concert at the Ridgefield Playhouse. My only complaint is…read morethat in recent years, the prices have gone through the roof, and many times are no longer in my budget. Still at the end of the day, I'm thrilled to have Ridgefield Playhouse as part of my community.

Expensive popcorn, high prices on drinks and candy. We enjoyed the show! Rock of Ages performance…read morewas a great experience. Professional performance

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 hired Phil to perform at my daughter's Bat MItzvah luncheon. He did a wonderful job…read more This was a pretty diverse audience -- jaded post-Millennial middle schoolers, 40-something parents and 70-something alterkakers all under the same roof. Phil effortlessly moved from group to group entertaining with close-up sleight of hand. If I needed to find him in the room, all I needed to do was look for a crowd of pre-teens -- he was always right in the middle of it. I'm a big fan of sleight of hand and Phil is excellent. There are some crappy strolling magicians out there, but Phil is a consummate pro. A magician's magician if you will. In addition to the great performance, Phil was also VERY easy to work with leading up to the event. He was responsive to both e-mails and phone calls and flexible when we needed to make some small changes to the schedule. If you've ever thrown a Mitzvah party you'll know the value of a reliable professional. Hiring Phil gave us a great entertainer with no worries or angst. Highly, highly recommended.,

Philip is amazing, he is personable, entertaining and the best magician in the Tri State area. If…read moreyou are looking for some fun for any age, Philip is your guy.

I HAD to go back to this because it's such an amazing experience. I'm sure they do more than "Fall…read moreFoliage" trips but that's when I visited in the past. Despite my best efforts in the past to do Fall train rides, which turned out to be disappointing only because there was never any good colors on trees, this by far is the very best fall foliage experience I've ever had in my life. You get great views of the tree color transitions and just great photo opportunities. It does get cold on the water so bring a jacket. Experience is as excellent as last time with beverages and snacks for purchase. If you enjoy fall colors, great scenery and boats then you have to do this at least once.

A peaceful Hudson River cruise from Peekskill to Bear Mountain. Beautiful views and a truly…read morerelaxing experience! Such a wonderful way to spend the day. Very pleased with this cruise!

I have removed a previous negative review. Clerical errors contributed to me not receiving what I…read morehad purchased, which was 2 email questions. I have been contacted personally by Thomas John to rectify the situation, and received responses specific to my questions as well as some clarification and insight as best as he was able to provide given the format of only two questions. I would like to publicly thank him for his sincerity in what he does, and just let everyone reading this know that he truly is able to make with contact the other side.

I purchased mentorship services in 2023 and paid an additional $300 to upgrade to a private…read moreone-hour Zoom reading. Since then, there have been nearly 10 reschedules or no-shows -- all initiated by Thomas John. The reasons have included illness (his or his dog's), personal matters, and being out of the house. I've requested a refund multiple times. Instead, I've been offered another session and an "upgrade," which appears to be the same service I already paid for, now presented as more valuable due to increased pricing. Most recently, I received another apology and attempt to reschedule. When I requested a mailing address to send formal small claims notice, I was told he does not provide his address. This has been my experience.

My office and I went on a tour with Long Island Bike Tours for our annual summer outing August…read more2013. Not only was the tour a value (it included bikes, helmets, wine tastings, lunch, non-alcoholic drinks, and snacks) but also Tom, the owner, and his team were very accommodating to our strict schedule (we had come in from the City). He worked with us every step of the way and was very responsive. The tour was lovely and even paced. The wine was good (I got two bottles). We got personal attention and even a car to accompany us throughout the tour. We all really enjoyed the experience. Good wine, a nice relaxing bike ride, and great customer service. You can't go wrong.

Gifted my daughter with a North Fork Bike Tour...it was the perfect gift and we both enjoyed it…read moretremendously. Everything is provided to make this tour go smoothly - even rain ponchos! Our guide was professional, considerate and sensitive, mindful that Mom (me) had not biked in ten years. The roads traveled were absolutely beautiful, off the beaten path, so we got to enjoy scenery and neighborhoods that we otherwise would never get to see. The wineries were fun, the catered lunch was delicious, and the experience was awesome! Another bike tour is certainly in our future...