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MARITIME AQUARIUM |
Your adventure starts at the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, featuring 1,000 sea animals (from nine-foot sharks to colorful jellyfish), a six-story-high IMAX (imagine maximum) theater, and Ocean Playspace, a soft play area for young children. See harbor seals, feel green crabs and rays in touch pools, and watch sea otters frolic. Afterwards, head next store for lunch at the Brewhouse, a pub-style restaurant with a kids’ menu, pizza, burgers, and even dessert beer (adults only).
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STEPPING STONES MUSEUM FOR CHILDREN |
If your kids are age 10 and under, head to Norwalk’s Stepping Stones Museum for Children, featuring 80 hands-on activities in contemporary, colorful exhibit galleries. Older children will enjoy Bridgeport’s Discovery Museum and Planetarium. The facilities include the Challenger Learning Center (learn about space exploration) and dozens of hands-on science-related exhibits.
If your kids are climbing the walls, encourage it. That’s the spirit at Go Vertical, an indoor rock climbing club in Stamford. Though many experienced climbers use the gym, the staff also offers beginner classes and private instruction.
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STEW LEONARD’S |
For dinner, visit one of southwest Connecticut’s great roadside wonders, Stew Leonard’s, dubbed “the Disneyland of grocery stores” by the New York Times. Costumed characters, live entertainment, abundant food samples, and a colossal selection of takeout foods are on tap at the Norwalk anchor store. Take the feast back to your hotel room, then take a post-dinner dip in the pool.
Alternately, you can venture to Norwalk’s New York Ray’s Trattoria,
for Queens-style pizza in a casual atmosphere enlivened by authentic
subway décor. My Three Sons, a Norwalk indoor amusements facility with
video games, a soft play gym, and laser tag, is open til 9 p.m. on
weekends.
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