Overview
Norwalk is a city of 91,000 people (2020) in Fairfield County, in the state of Connecticut in the United States of America. It includes the villages of: East Norwalk, West Norwalk, Cranbury, Silvermine, Winnipauk, Wilson Point, Harbor View, Rowayton and South Norwalk, known locally as "SoNo." Norwalk, probably due mostly to its proximity to New York City, is home to many large companies.
5 sights · 7 things to do · 5 places to eat · 2 bars & cafés · 3 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Norwalk
The Maritime Aquarium
Daily 10AM-5PM (Jul, Aug until 6PM). Great aquarium, plus lots of hands-on exhibits, and an IMAX theater. You can feed the seals. Check out the surreal jellyfish exhibit. Other animals include sharks, different varieties…
Lockwood Mathews Mansion Museum
Located in beautiful South Norwalk, the museum gives tourists a chance to go inside a landmark of the city.
Rowayton Arts Center
Located in the Rowayton neighborhood. Experience the work of local artists. And discover the past of that part of the city.
SoNo Switch Tower Museum
Come and learn about the job of the switch tower operator in this 1896 New Haven Railroad structure; throw levers that controlled train movements that were used until 1984.
Sound Navigation
Sound Navigation offers tours of local lighthouses, sunset cruises, and private charter boats.
Long Island Sound
Visit Calf Pasture/Shady beach for a beautiful view of the long island sound. The beach includes volleyball courts, baseball/softball fields, a skate park, and picnic areas for events.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Oct. Summer highs reach about 84°F; winter lows dip to about 22°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Oct and Jun. (climate data from nearby Pleasantville)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- HPN Westchester County Airport, White Plains — 15 mi away. Directions
- ISP Long Island MacArthur Airport, Islip — 26 mi away. Directions
- LGA LaGuardia Airport, New York — 32 mi away (major hub). Directions
Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 3-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning The Maritime Aquarium, SoNo Switch Tower Museum
- Lunch SoNo Seaport Seafood
- Afternoon Stepping Stones Museum for Kids, Norwalk Community Chorale Inc.
- Dinner Oyster Festival
- Evening O'Neill's Pub and Restaurant
Day 2
- Morning Lockwood Mathews Mansion Museum, Sound Navigation
- Lunch Overton's
- Afternoon Crystal Theatre Inc., Shakespeare on the Sound
- Dinner American Steak House
- Evening Station House Bar and Grille
Day 3
- Morning Sheffield Island Lighthouse, Rowayton Arts Center
- Lunch Famous Pizza
- Afternoon Long Island Sound, Fairfield County Symphony
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Get in
- Westchester County Airport is a medium-sized airport in Westchester County, with flights coming and going nationwide. It is about 30 minutes away.
- Laguardia Airport is a major airport in Queens, with flights going and coming worldwide. It is about 50 minutes away.
- Tweed-New Haven Airport is a small airport in New Haven, with flights going and coming from Philadelphia. It is about 50 minutes away.
- John F. Kennedy International Airport is a major airport in Queens, with flights going and coming worldwide. It is about 60 minutes away.
- Newark International Airport is a major airport in Newark, with flights going and coming worldwide. It is about 80 minutes away.
- Stewart International Airport is an airport is Newburgh, NY, with flights going and coming from Atlanta, Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale, Detroit, and Philadelphia. It is about 80 minutes away.
- Bradley International Airport is a major airport in Windsor Locks, with flights going and coming worldwide. It is about 90 minutes away.
- Norwalk is on the MetroNorth New Haven main line, as well as the Danbury branch of the MetroNorth New Haven line.
- I-95 or Route 15 are highways that allow access to Norwalk.
Get around
Norwalk has plenty of public transportation, buses and trains that create easy access to places all over the city. Norwalk has three Metro North train station stops at South Norwalk, East Norwalk and Rowayton which provide easy access from New York’s Grand Central Terminal through to New Haven to the east. Most places can also be reached on foot within the different sections of the city. Ride share services such as Uber and Lyft are also convenient ways to get around in Norwalk.
See
See The Maritime Aquarium
Daily 10AM-5PM (Jul, Aug until 6PM). Great aquarium, plus lots of hands-on exhibits, and an IMAX theater. You can feed the seals. Check out the surreal jellyfish exhibit. Other animals include sharks, different varieties of stingrays, colorful poisonous frogs, and big turtles.
Do
- Take a walk in historic South Norwalk and see the beautiful murals and statues placed around the town, by the seaport and down to the beach, it's a perfect picture spot!
Do Long Island Sound
Visit Calf Pasture/Shady beach for a beautiful view of the long island sound. The beach includes volleyball courts, baseball/softball fields, a skate park, and picnic areas for events.
Do Stepping Stones Museum for Kids
Stepping Stones is an interactive museum for kids. It is recommended for kids age 1-10 and was named one of the top 50 museums for kids in America.
Do Crystal Theatre Inc.
Crystal Theatre is an acting program for young to teenage kids. They present plays for the community at reasonable prices.
Do Fairfield County Symphony
The symphony consists of participants 18 and older and hold concerts occasionally.
Do Norwalk Community Chorale Inc.
The Norwalk Community Chorale Inc. presents free chorale concerts for those in Norwalk in the Spring and Fall.
Do Shakespeare on the Sound
Shakespeare presents Shakespearean plays over the summer near the Long Island Sound.
Do Sheffield Island Lighthouse
Sheffield Island ferry tours are a top Fairfield County CT and Long Island Sound activity, attraction, tourist site, etc. Great for kids and adults as a sightseeing, day trip, and tourist destination. From May through September, visitors can board the Seaport Association’s 45-foot C.J. Toth catamaran for a cruise to the island then tour the lighthouse, observe wildlife in their natural habitat in the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge, hunt for shells along the beach, bring along a picnic lunch, play on the lawns around the lighthouse and just have a good time. The lighthouse is open to visitors for daily tours. No pets permitted on ferry or island.
Buy
Washington Street is home to some of the greatest shopping in Norwalk! specialty shops show what the city of Norwalk has to offer. Great clothes and crafts, also shops for home decorating so you can take a piece of Norwalk with you!
The Farmers Market is a great place for fresh fruits and veggies on a Saturday morning!
Shop Stew Leonard's supermarket
A supermarket with entertainment, including singing mechanical vegetables, mooing mechanical cows, operating toy trains, and a small outdoor area with live farm animals. Stop in when you have time to enjoy the experience. Similar to an Ikea store layout, everyone follows the path through the entire store (unless you have keen eyes to spot the occasional shortcut).
Eat
Eat SoNo Seaport Seafood
For some authentic and fresh waterfront eating. A small restaurant complete with a bar and indoor and outdoor sitting areas. Very reasonable pricing and casual, it's easy to feel very comfortable as you crack open a lobster claw and a beer on the water!
Eat Oyster Festival (first weekend after Labor Day)
All the food you can imagine, great seafood and local specialties, it's also fun for the whole family complete with live entertainment, crafts and a games and ride section!
Eat Overton's
Overton's is the local hot dog, hamburger and seafood shack. Cheap food and amazing view of the harbor make this a local favorite.
Eat American Steak House
American Steak House is a buffet style family restaurant.
Eat Famous Pizza
This New York feeling Pizzeria is a cheap place for dinner in the middle of downtown South Norwalk.
Drink
Local bars and restaurants on Washington Street provide great night life for the older crowd. With open store fronts and multiple themed establishments, there is something for everyone.
Drink O'Neill's Pub and Restaurant
O'Neill's is an Irish Pub in the middle of downtown South Norwalk (SoNo) and offers cocktail parties, buffet dinners, a bar, and restaurant area.
Drink Station House Bar and Grille
Bar and grill with surf and turf options.
Sleep
Stay Hilton Garden Inn
Just off I-95, Route 7, and the Merritt Parkway. It has accessible rooms, and is in close proximity to many Fortune 500 companies. It is also a 100% smoke free hotel.
Go next
- New York City is about an hour away, and is home to hundreds of tourist attractions such as the statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building
- New Haven is about 45 minutes away, and is home to Yale University and other attractions.
- Hartford is about an hour and 20 minutes away, and is the capital of Connecticut
Nearby
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My experience
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