Location: Stamford
Top Things to do in Stamford
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The 10 Best Budget-friendly Things to do in Stamford, Connecticut (CT)
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643. As of July 1, 2014, according to the Census Bureau, the population of Stamford had risen to 128,278, making it the third-largest city in the state (behind Bridgeport and New Haven) and the seventh-largest city in New England. Approximately 30 miles (50 kilometers) from Manhattan, Stamford is in the Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk Metro area which is a part of the Greater New York metropolitan area.
Restaurants in Stamford
1. The Jerry Springer Show
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 8 reviews
You can attend a taping of Jerry Springer, Steve Wilkos, Judge Mathis and Judge Jeanine Pirro at the NBC Tower in Chicago, IL.
2. Avon Theatre Film Center
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 222 reviews
The Avon Theatre features the best of independent, documentary, foreign films and Hollywood classics, and educational programming that enhances the cultural richness of the Stamford community. The Avon is a non-profit, member-supported organization that has been described as an eclectic and whimsical picture house. The theatre is highlighted by an original exterior facade, framed by a restored vertical "AVON" marquee that lights up the Connecticut sky at night.
Reviewed By Traveler741059
Been there many times and it is always a real pleasure. They show first run and older films you saw long ago. The accommodations are comfortable and the view and sound is great. Many thanks to the Royces's , without whom the AVON would not exist. It is a true treasure of downtown Stamford.
3. trap't Escape Room Adventures
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 89 reviews
trap't is an award-winning real life escape game that will challenge you to think, work together & most of all have fun. Great for families, friends & corporate teams.
Reviewed By Zenmentum
We took our family, ages 12-62 and had an amazing time. So much fun. Highly recommend this fun experience.
4. Curtain Call
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 74 reviews
Reviewed By ELLlady - Stamford, United States
Just saw Something i Rotten. It was wonderful. Ending season with Kinky Boots!!! Dressing Room can be fun, too. So glad theater is in my backyard! PS: Shakespeare in the summer
5. Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 295 reviews
Seasonal fun awaits you at the Stamford Museum & Nature Center. The 118-acre property is home to Heckscher Farm, an 18-acre working farm; Overbrook Nature Center; the Bendel Mansion, with changing exhibitions and pieces from the Museum’s permanent collection; an otter pond; Nature’s Playground; the Stamford Observatory; Animal Embassy; and more than 80 acres of hiking trails. The Wheels in the Woods Trail provides a universally accessible nature trail. Come discover, learn, and enjoy!
Reviewed By kzsull01 - Windsor, United States
My husband and I visited the Stamford Museum and Nature Center in Stamford Connecticut on Monday, April 19th, 2021. We found out about this museum because it is part of the CT Art Trail Passport Booklet, making it a good value. We visited primarily to see the Special Exhibit ‘Global Garden: Resonant Beauty, A Solo Exhibition of Orchid Paintings by Patricia Laspino’, which was excellent, being very inspirational. We were very impressed with this exhibit and feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to see it, since it is only on view until April 25th. I give this museum an excellent rating because of this exhibit. However, after it is over, I am not certain what will be on view at the museum because there is a gap of time between when this exhibit ends and when the next exhibit begins on May 21st, and the museum does not appear to have a permanent exhibit always on view. I provide more details about this exhibit in the Special Exhibit section of this write-up. The museum is located inside the Bendel Mansion, which has large rooms with nice architecture inside, but no rooms were set-up with furnishings depicting how it looked as a mansion. The one issue we had with our visit was finding the museum from the farm parking lot. The directions say to park in the Heckscher Farm parking lot and not in the museum parking lot at this time. The museum is not close or even in view from the farm parking lot. We were provided with 2 maps as we entered the grounds, one in black and white the other a Trail Map. The museum is not very distinctively marked on the map that is in black and white, it just blended in with everything else. The Trail Map had it designated in red. Nevertheless, it took a while to find the museum from the Hechscher Farm parking lot. We were glad the weather was very nice because if it had been rainy or cold out, the walk from the parking lot to the museum wouldn’t have been very nice, in particular because it is hilly. So wear comfortable shoes. However, there was plenty of free parking in the Heckscher Parking Lot at the time of our visit. It just wasn’t convenient to the museum. Special Exhibit: ‘Global Garden: Resonant Beauty, A Solo Exhibition of Orchid Paintings by Patricia Laspino’: The paintings in this exhibit were both beautiful and impressive and together with the write-ups depicted a great mixture of art, culture, history, science, nature and addressed the impacts of Climate Change and Global Warming on various species of orchids as well as other types of flowers, including peonies. Each painting had a write-up with a title, flower facts, including specie of orchid or flower, bird (if applicable), native range (where each orchid grows) and artist notes. The artist notes were definitely quite interesting and educational and depicted specific features and characteristics about each orchid, including historic and scientific information, growth patterns, and the stories and experiences that the artist had with the flower. This exhibit is truly amazing!! I never knew that there were so many diverse species of orchids from all over the world. The paintings and associated write-ups within this exhibit nicely reflect the many years of research studies that the artist put into their creation, effectively addressing the flowers and paintings from the perspective of their beauty, diversity, preservation and stewardship. It is definitely apparent that the artist was influenced by several artists, including Georgia O’Keeffe, as well as her botanist background. This exhibit was very well done and worth seeing. The Heckscher Farm, Gardens, River Otter, Nature Center and Much More: It was a nice walk through the farm, both to and from the museum. There was a nice variety of animals, to see and take pictures of that were all well-kept and had plenty of room to move about. The animals included chickens, goats, sheep, pigs, horses, cows and much more. The grounds and surrounding landscape were also scenic and nicely maintained. We particularly enjoyed the River Otter, who didn’t come out until we opened the gate to where you could view him. Interesting information about River Otters, their environment, including their habitat and diet, was on display. The Overbrook Nature Center and Gift Shop had taxidermy artifacts representing animals from the area on display, with educational write-ups as well as snakes and a rock collection. Interesting information about the seasons, bird migrations and the Atlantic Flyway were also on display. The vegetable gardens were not in bloom at the time of our visit but did have garlic and leaves to strawberry plants sprouting up. These gardens, which are planted with over 50 varieties of fruits and vegetables, including dozens of heirloom varieties, would be nice to see later in the season. The farm, which has an interesting history, is definitely great for families with young children but could also be enjoyed by adults. Picnic tables were available on the grounds making it nice for a family picnic. There were a variety of different trails, which we did not have an opportunity to take based on the amount of time we had available to us at the time of our visit. One that we missed, which would have been interesting to see, was the Sculpture Trail that appears to be relatively close to the museum based on the map in black and white. Our visit took about an hour and 20 minutes, with an emphasis on viewing the Special Exhibit in the museum, but included the areas mentioned above going to and from the museum. It is great that this museum has been able to remain open with a wide range of hours during the pandemic and that we didn’t need timed tickets, giving a lot of flexibility in terms of the time of our arrival. The only issue we had with our visit was that we were not able to park close to the museum.
6. Half Full Brewery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 37 reviews
At Half Full Brewery we're passionate about dreams. Big Dreams. Like, build a brewery big. And we know firsthand, that when you're chasing down a dream, with a glass half full, you can't lose!
Reviewed By 478DAVIDL
When I visited, no food was available so EAT before you go or bring a bulky snack. We ate and had the samplers before ordering our favorite choice of the day. The great thing about this place besides the BEER, was the staff. The encouraged us to visit the other Brewwery across town. We did! WORTH the trip to both if Beer is of interest.
7. Cove Island Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 198 reviews
Reviewed By teacher152015 - Lexington, United States
If you like breathtaking water views, a sandy beach, rocky ledges, a walking/running path, grassy picnic areas, sitting areas and shade trees this park is perfect for you. The area is very family friendly with many opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. There are restrooms and water fountains in building by the beach. There is also a concession area there but you will need to check the hours. It was closed when we were there. The parking is $25 per car!!
8. First Presbyterian Church of Stamford, Connecticut
9. The Ferguson Library
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 51 reviews
Reviewed By rajsH145GX
Modernistic library which has all the great things - kids books area, magazines, research, computers, and great collections - also has a Passport office - convenient spot right in the center of town and close to restaurants and the Mall
10. Bartlett Arboretum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 22 reviews
Reviewed By Cameron06820 - Darien, United States
The Bartlett Arboretum is a beautiful, natural park with wilderness trails, amazing specimens of trees and immense planting beds of flowers and shrubs. There are self-guided tours (with audio accompaniment via smartphone) describing the collection. An indoor nature center hosts lectures and arts performances and on weekends, Yoga classes are conducted out of doors. Great places for families with kids. And don't miss Sunday evening concerts in the summer. Best of all, the grounds are free admission.
