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.

Solid hiking here. We went during a beautiful day and enjoyed getting lost on the trails for an…read morehour or so. The mansion is closed for renovations, but there was more than enough to enjoy without it.

After almost two years living in Norwalk, I finally discovered this shady oasis from All Trails…read morewhen dog sitting. The trail system is super well maintained and an easy loop to follow. There are multiple green spaces and designated dog areas around the mansion. Cranbury park is super shady and a quiet place to unwind from city noise.

A very benevolent…read moreghost Penfield Reef is a nasty place. The long, curving and extremely treacherous reef has claimed many a ship over the years and decades. Even today with the lighthouse and modern navigational aids several boats every summer manage to find the reef. The reef was well known and feared by mariners but it wasn't until 1874 that the present lighthouse was finally constructed. It is made of granite and wood and is one of the very last "unique' lights. Most of the ones built after it are the cheap, efficient, spark plug cast iron ones. Since the reef has claimed so many victims over the years it's a pretty spooky place. The reef has very sharp rocks that are just under the surface at low tide and even in a small craft like a kayak one has to be very aware of what is lurking just under the water. The area got even spookier in 1916 when the lighthouse keeper, Fred Jordan, decided to row ashore and see his family for Xmas. Well the area can get really feisty, really quickly and poor Fred got blown out to sea, never to be seen again. Even since that time people have claimed to have seen Fred. Sometimes rowing around the reef near the light and sometimes at the lighthouse itself but always looking seriously spooky. Fred never seems to bother anyone and it fact in 1942 he is even credited with saving some young boys that got lost out by the light in a small boat. They said a strange man in a small dory guided them to shore. They said the man that saved them didn't say anything and wouldn't come ashore even though the weather was getting really bad. The boys recognized that their savior was good old Fred from an old picture that was shown to them. Whether or not you believe the stories of Fred is up to you. This unique lighthouse that stands about a mile off shore, on the end of a very nasty reef is still a very spooky and cool place. If you go out there you better keep track of what is lurking just under the water and make sure you wave if you happen to see a guy in a small boat. A very spooky looking fellow named Fred.

I would like to visit PENFIELD LIGHTHOUSE.I am a author of a triology series about a haunted…read morelighthouse.MY first book of the triology has been released by LULU.COM AVAILABLE UNDER MY AUTHOR NAME RICHARD SATTANNI.THE title of the first book is''TALES FROM THE HAUNTED LIGHTHOUSE''A series of mysteries focused around a fictional lighthouse with ghost visits,sharks,sea monsters,as well as mermaids and of course murders of various nature,A good read for SUMMER wheter at the beach or at home in a hammock.UNFORGETTABLE characters,photos and great story lines.ORDER yours today. SINCERELY RICH SATTANNI/AUTHOR

"They took all the trees put 'em in a tree museum And they…read morecharged the people a dollar an' a half just to see 'em" (Joni Mitchell) The Fairfield Museum is undergoing renovations and we could just see two exhibits. The admission fee was accordingly waived for us. One exhibit was on quilts. The exhibits were drawn from their extensive textile collection. These colorful scenes of early New England life were gorgeous. If you ever wanted to know how quilts are pieced and stitched together or if you're just a quilt lover, you will enjoy this exhibit. The second exhibit was a biggie -it drew a TV crew (Cable Connecticut 12) into the room to film a segment. Guess who made a 2 second guest appearance in their piece? Ever seen those childrens books abiut "Busytown" by Richard Scarry? He was a Fairfield native and quite a few of Fairfield's businesses and landmarks ended up in those books. The exhibit is an immersive experience that allows you to select one of his animal cartoon figures and walk through the colorful streets of Busytown. You can teach your kids how communities work, what jobs people have, learn about transportation and all kinds of interactive exhibits- think opening doors and reading things inside the door. This has got to be a blast for kids or a nostalgic visit for anyone who grew up on Scarry's books.

Great local history museum! The front desk had great resources and the exhibits were wonderful.read more

Came here with family on a 2 hour weekday tour…read more Our tour guide Sara(h?) was very informative, clear and engaging. She made the experience great. She also made sure guests who needed to take breaks and sit were accommodated. The compound itself is incredible. The buildings, vision, art collections - all very interesting. Even if you're not super into art, I bet you would enjoy the diversity of things to see here. Highly recommend!

I recently spent a long weekend in Connecticut with my husband and some friends. The impetus for…read morethe trip was - in part - to visit the Glass House. It definitely lived up to my pretty high expectations. So what is the Glass House? Also known as the Johnson House, it's a house designed by American architect Philip Johnson for use as his own residence. Johnson lived at the house (and the rest of the property, more on that below) on weekends for over 50 years. The house is one glass-enclosed room, which includes a kitchen, dining area, bedroom, and living space (as well as one bathroom that is contained within the black cylinder in the right side of the structure. Because the house is almost entirely of glass, you can see through it to the landscape beyond, making it blend in to its surroundings and beautiful but different in each season. The house is an important piece of American architectural history and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1997. Now owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, you can sign up for a tour to visit the home - you cannot visit or even see the house without signing up for a tour (the house is not visible from the street!). Tours are available April-December, typically, so check dates before you book a tour. They offer several different tour options: a 1-hour "Glass House Tour," which allows you to see the Glass House and the Brick House; a 2-hour "Glass House + Galleries Tour," which allows you to see the Glass House, the Brick House, the Painting Gallery, the Sculpture Gallery, outdoor sculptures, and Da Monsta, a visitor center and exhibition space); an extended tour lasting 2.5 hours; a self-guided tour (currently offered on Sundays only); group/private tours; and an in-depth 3-hour tour. The website has all of these options spelled out so you can choose the option that is right for you. We selected the 2-hour "Glass House + Galleries Tour," and I'm so glad we did. I wouldn't have wanted to miss the painting and sculpture galleries! You meet your tour at the visitor center (there isn't parking there, but there are paid lots nearby) - you cannot drive yourself to the property. Then you board a little shuttle bus with the rest of your tour and you're on off on a very short drive to the property. We walked down a path, while our guide pointed the studio and a few other notable things on the grounds (a Donald Judd sculpture that is enormous and very cool, just in front of the house, being one). Then you're at the Glass House. First a view of the outside while the guide explains the architecture and context of the design. Then you can wander through the interior of the space. It's minimalist (duh), but it's also incredibly beautiful. I found it an inspiring design. (FYI - no air conditioning in the house, so in the summer, it can be quite steamy in the house.) Since we were there for the Glass House, I was surprised by just how much I enjoyed touring the other spaces! Then we were off to the Brick House, the Glass House's opposite, just a few steps away. The Brick House was such a pleasant surprise; it has a bedroom, reading room, and bathroom, connected by a skylit corridor. The design of the Brick House is so different from the Glass House (bright, colorful, lush - that bathroom with all its marble, that colorful reading room, and the vaulted ceiling and Fortuny-covered walls of the bedroom!?), but I loved it entirely. I could certainly see why Johnson would have spent quite a bit of his time in the Brick House. Then our guide pointed out a few more features and sculptures on the grounds before we visited the Painting Gallery. The gallery contains works by Frank Stella, Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, and more, so it's worth a visit to see what they have on exhibit. But it also features some amazing design features! The exterior of the gallery is a grass-covered mount, and the gallery's art is displayed by use of a rotating "poster-rack," which is operated manually (Johnson preferred to view six works at a time, but the system allows for the storage of 42 paintings). Then it was time for a visit to the Sculpture Gallery - another incredible building (this one inspired by the architecture of the Greek isles). Because I'm running out of characters (I have a lot to say about this experience), I will just say that the our tour ended at Da Monsta. Then it's back to the visitor center via the shuttle bus, where you can do some shopping at their very cool design shop. Our tour guide was lovely - informative, interesting, incredible well-versed in everything Glass House-related. It was a hot day, so I got a bit sweaty and overheated at times, but it was worth it to visit this bit of American architectural history. It was an American travel bucket list item for me, and I'm so glad to have made it there finally. I'd go again!

What a great little historic spot tucked along the Hudson River. We were trying to kill time before…read morean afternoon wedding and I came across this place while searching online. This historic site was home to pivotal decisions during the Revolutionary War, made by George Washington himself. The museum/buildings themselves have limited hours (which are listed on the parks website) but we were able to walk the grounds freely which was nice. There are gates/fencing surrounding the site, which were locked as we went around - but toward the opposite side of the site (where I believe their designated parking lot is? We weren't sure but it looked like their lot) there is an opening where you can walk a gravel path that will take you through the site. It was really cool being able to see the buildings here. Even though the park is nestled in a neighborhood/town, I felt pretty immersed in the history just walking along the paths. We got to see the buildings that George Washington was present in, plus the various monuments that were erected on site. The state parks put up informational signs around the area so we could easily read up on the history. It was a really nice way to get even just a taste of history while we were here, which was perfect for our constricted time frame. If I'm ever traveling this way again, I'd definitely try to make it for a tour of the interiors.

Very nice park to walk around. There are few historic monuments here. Great views. If you are…read morenearby, definitely worth visiting.

Two thousand enemy troops are marching through your town on a mission to destroy a nearby storage…read moredepot. Your fellow townsmen organize a resistance and inflict heavy casualties against the invaders. Welcome to an important battle of the American Revolution, the 1777 British sacking and burning of Danbury, CT. The Westport militia did their best to stop the British and inflicted heavy casualties on the Redcoats. One hundred of Westport's Patriots were killed This spectacular monument is located in a traffic island where Compo Road South intersects with Compo Beach Road. You'll see a steely-eyed young minuteman man in colonial dress, kneeling on one knee with his musket at the ready. How awesome is that statue? A plaque in the fieldstone base reads: TO COMMEMORATE THE HEROISM OF THE PATRIOTS WHO DEFENDED THEIR COUNTRY WHEN THE BRITISH INVADED THIS STATE APRIL 25TH, 1777 GENERAL DAVID WOOSTER , COLONEL ABRAHAM GOULD, AND MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED CONTINENTALS FELL IN THE ENGAGEMENTS, COMMENCING AT DANBURY AND CLOSING ON COMPO HILL ERECTED BY CONNECTICUT SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION-1910 H. DANIEL WEBSTER SC.

For the most part I don't make it a habit to review historical spots but this one is local and a…read morelandmark worthy of comment. The Minutemen were formidable in terms of turning the tide of New England history and I think Westport should get some credit for putting this statue out there. The historical society in town is knowledge on Puritanical lore and even with a little pressing can go past the English settlers into First People world views. The best part of this statue is the seasonal shift in appearances. Locals go wild with bunny ears, Santa hats and even a nice flag cape now and then. It draws serious attention and despite the massive costs to restore this statue the homage carries on - local neighbors consider it blasphemy so beware if you're thinking of getting cheeky with the statue. Likely you'll see the barrel of a gun like you'd not thought prior...

I came here on a fall afternoon as the sun was setting. It's a bit of a drive up to the castle from…read morethe entrance of the park but not too bad- about 10-15 minutes. I like that there are stairs inside the castle. What a beautiful view from the top! The foliage was a bit past peak but still gorgeous. It was windy and chilly but totally worth the views!

Yesterday my dog Brody and I decided to visit Castle Craig which is perfectly situated high above…read moreHubbard Park in order to gain a view of both the park and much of Meriden. Though this year's peak fall colors were muted and a bit past, it was still highly enjoyable.

Beautiful castle Visited over the winter. Worn down and decrepit. Amazing pictures with an eerie…read morefeeling.

Nothing much to see at this moment. A stone castle left in ruins, now adorned with fences,…read moregraffitis and boards. Just a short walk from nearby park where you could park your car.