“Explore Fairfield County” is an informational series that provides a glimpse into the wonderful towns and cities in Fairfield County. Fairfield County is diverse in that it includes big cities, small suburbs, beaches, farms, and busy highways. It covers a large geographic area and, because of this, it has a lot to offer families! To help you get the most out of Fairfield County, our contributors have shared the top things they love about each local area. To read more in this series, click here.
Bridgeport is Fairfield County’s largest city, making it the largest city in the state and the fifth-largest city in New England. It is a shoreline city and bordered by the towns of Trumbull to the north, Fairfield to the west, and Stratford to the east. Located approximately 60 miles from Manhattan, Bridgeport is considered part of the New York metropolitan area. Bridgeport has been officially nicknamed “The Park City” because it has over 1,300 acres of public park space across 27 parks, including the well-known Pleasure Beach, Beardsley Park, and Seaside Park. Bridgeport is divided into many distinct neighborhoods and is divided into five geographic areas: Downtown, the East Side, the North End, the South End, and the West Side.
Bridgeport has a rich history and has over 50 registered historic places. The showman P.T. Barnum was a resident of the city in the 19th century and even served as Bridgeport’s town mayor for a year. Barnum’s circus was housed in Bridgeport during the winter. The first Subway restaurant was opened in Bridgeport, and the city is credited to Frisbee’s birthplace.
Bridgeport’s public school system includes 30 elementary schools, three high schools, two alternative programs, and an interdistrict vocational aquaculture school. Bridgeport has the second largest school system in Connecticut and is home to many private schools. The city is also home to the University of Bridgeport, Housatonic Community College, and St. Vincent’s College. Bridgeport offers two hospitals, Bridgeport Hospital {a member of the Yale New Haven Health System} and St. Vincent’s Medical Center.
1. Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo
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The Beardsley Zoo is the perfect place for a few hours of entertainment without having to drive too far. It is my go-to place for morning outings or trying to get my steps in and wiggles out. They are open daily from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and are only closed three days out of the year {Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day}. Lately, because of COVID restrictions, tickets need to be purchased in advance.
The zoo is the perfect size for tiny legs to wander around and discover nature. They have a lot of special events during the year, including our favorite, Breakfast with Frosty and Friends. I love that they also have farm animals. You can see the animals, grab a bite to eat at the cafe or bring your own lunch and eat it at the picnic tables, take a carousel ride, ride a camel, climb around the playscape, shop in their gift store, and more! You can also host birthday parties at the zoo, which is always a crowd-pleaser with the indoor carousel!
2. Captain’s Cove Seaport
Captain’s Cove Seaport is a great place for both a family outing and a date night. The bustling seaport may even make you feel like you’re on vacation. The seaport does not charge admission or parking fees. Kids love watching the boats and playing around in the dramatic play area. There are boardwalk shops, food, drinks, and more. The restaurant and bar have many special events and live music, including weekly karaoke in the summer.
3. Discovery Museum and Planetarium, including the Adventure Park
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At one location, kids can have dynamic, hands-on STEM experiences at the Sacred Heart University Discovery Museum, see a simulation of the starry sky at the Planetarium, and climb and zip line at the Adventure Park at the Discovery Museum. With the museum, planetarium, and adventure park, there is year-round entertainment and learning for kids of all ages, and they offer many special events throughout the year. One of my favorite areas of the Discovery Museum is “Preschool Power,” a soft, contained, safe space for children aged 0-3 years old to play and build their motor skills, balance, coordination, and imagination.
4. Pleasure Beach
Pleasure Beach was originally an amusement park founded in 1892 where patrons could ride a rollercoaster or carousel, play carnival games, and more. After being closed for nearly two decades, Bridgeport restored the beach and reopened it for the public in 2014. Pleasure Beach is open seven days a week, and beachgoers can access it with a free water taxi {you will have about 1/2 mile walk along a boardwalk to the beach area}. There is a pavilion, bathrooms, showers, picnic tables, and a concession stand.
5. Downtown Cabaret Children’s Theatre
Downtown Cabaret Children’s Theatre puts on phenomenal shows. As a bonus, you can bring your own food and drinks! We love going for a lunchtime performance. It’s a small room, so every seat in the house is good. The theatre puts its own twist on classic shows, and it’s guaranteed to be a fun time. At the end of each show, the cast comes out to meet everyone, take pictures, and sign autographs.
6. Webster Bank Arena and Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater
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Webster Bank Arena and Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater offer many family-friendly events throughout the year and are home to the Bridgeport Islanders and Holiday Lights Spectacular, respectively. Some events they usually have every year include Disney on Ice, Harlem Globetrotters, Marvel Universe, comedians, concerts, and many more. It’s great to have such large events within a short driving distance!
7. Barnum Festival
The annual Barnum Festival is a seasonal celebration of Bridgeport and its surrounding towns. The festival started in 1948 to help support local businesses and honor P.T. Barnum. The festival includes many events that span late spring to early summer that intend to build community spirit, foster philanthropy, and celebrate the diverse cultures represented by residents. The festival ends with a weekend-long Barnum Palooza that includes parades, concerts, fireworks, and family-friendly activities.
8. The Klein Memorial Auditorium and The Bijou Theatre
There is always a place to go for a performance with two great local theaters. The Bijou Theatre is a beautiful 190 seat venue in CT that offers live music, comedy, film screenings, and more. The Klein seats over 1400 and houses four resident companies: Academy of New England Ballet Company, ConnectUs, Greater Connecticut Youth Orchestras, and Fairfield County Children’s Choir.
9. Bass Pro Shops
With two floors, Bass Pro Shops has so much to offer, from free holiday events and kids’ activities to great shopping to bowling and even a restaurant {that has pretzels with cheese dip, yum}. Walking around the store is a great indoor activity for those chilly winter days. Plus, there is even a Starbucks Drive-Thru across the street so that you can grab a coffee first! This winter, they even had a free carousel that you could ride while waiting to see the amazing Santa.
10. Restaurants
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Bridgeport has a wealth of restaurants for all the foodies out there that range from family-friendly spots to ones that are perfect for date nights. A few that come to mind are Awesome Sauce Caribbean, Azteca, Boca Oyster Bar (which is right on the water), Brewport Brewing Co., Eat Noodle, El Coquito, Fire Engine Pizza, Harborview Market, Hub and Spoke (which has delicious Sunday brunches with appearances by the Easter Bunny and Santa near those holidays), Joseph’s Steakhouse, Mr. Crab Seafood & Bar, Ola Latin Kitchen, Pantanal, Pho Hong Thom, Ralph-n-Rich’s, Ruuthai’s Kitchen, but the list is endless!
11. Transportation Options
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Bridgeport has many transportation options. The city is located nearby frequently traveled roads, including I-95, Route 1, Route 8, Route 25, and Route 15. Additionally, Bridgeport offers train stops for Amtrak and Metro-North and bus depots for Greyhound and Peter Pan, which all provide access to major cities including New York, Stamford, New Haven, Waterbury, and Boston. Bridgeport also offers a ferry boat to Port Jefferson on Long Island.
