And you may ask yourself, well, how did I get here?

So, you’re here. Some people worked hard their whole lives to get here; Fairfield County is one of the most exclusive counties in the United States and its towns regularly make Money magazine’s hundred “Best Places to Live.” But a lot of people just sort of wind up here — stationed at Fairfield U or WestConn for college, roped into the corporate megapolis of the Stamford area for “career advancement” or stuck living with their parents. Some parts of this county seem expensive and geared towards people with lots of money. The “exclusive” element can be intimidating. Enjoying the area can seem like it comes with a hefty price tag. That’s one reason we put together Annual Manual, a guide to getting out and enjoying Fairfield County. There are plenty of places that are open to everyone, in terms of both affordability and cultural air, but you have to look. Here is a guide.

Greenwich

If you don’t happen to live in Greenwich, you pretty much have to get a court order to hit the town’s beaches, particularly on Great Captain’s and Little Captain’s islands (two miles offshore). Even residents have a tough time getting into Lionshare Farm (404 Taconic Rd.), the private zoo on the Westchester border. Fortunately, there’s a lot of Greenwich in between where the reception won’t be quite as chilly.

Greenwich is made up of several distinct districts, a number of which hug the town’s 32 miles of shoreline on Long Island Sound. From Byram Park (Game Cock Road) in the west to Mianus River State Park (Cognewaugh Road) in the east, greenery abounds. Thanks for that can go, in part, to the Greenwich Tree Conservancy (www.greenwichtree.org), which partners with the town to foster the planting of trees on municipal lands. And if a particular tree strikes your fancy, you can nominate it for their annual Awesome Tree Contest in October.

Greenwich Point Park (Tod’s Driftway, end of Shore Road), known to locals as Tod’s Point, consists of 147 acres that include a beach, nature trails, a clambake area and a view of the Manhattan Skyline. One of the more welcoming green spaces is Roger Sherman Baldwin Park (Arch Street) just off Exit 3 on I-95. In the summer months, it’s the site of frequent band concerts and a production by Shakespeare on the Sound. It’s also the home the Greenwich Skate Park, for those inclined to put on a show of their own.

Audubon Greenwich (613 Riversville Rd.) to the north maintains 15 miles of hiking trails that thread through woodlands and wetlands, and hosts a variety of nature programs, including a Hawk Watch Festival in September. The Greenwich Polo Club (Hurlingham Drive at Conyers Farm) stages a series of public matches on its manicured fields the same month. Spectators are encouraged to tailgate and go “divot stomping” on the playing field at halftime.

Despite the fact that most of the hedge fund managers in the area are brown-bagging it these days, Greenwich and Putnam Avenues continue to be the mainstays for high-end dining and shopping. The stores tend toward marquee names, like Tiffany & Co. (140 Greenwich Ave.) and Baccarat (238 Greenwich Ave.), and boutiques, like the Austin Powers–sounding Femmegems (89 Greenwich Ave.).

The arts are, of course, given their due. The Bruce Museum (1 Museum Dr.) features changing exhibits of the fine and decorative arts, ethnology and nature science, alongside its permanent collection of 19th- and 20th-century American paintings, minerals and mammals. It also happens to be free on Tuesdays. Greenwich Arts Council
(299 Greenwich Ave.) is a nonprofit group that hosts visual, performance and literary events at their stately home right in the heart of downtown. They also host a kite-flying festival at Tod’s Point in April.

If you’re looking for live entertainment, the pickings are a bit slim. The local, non-professional Acting Company of Greenwich (www.tacog.org) and Connecticut Playmakers (www.ctplaymakers.org) offer occasional productions at the First Congregational Church (108 Sound Beach Ave.). Over in Old Greenwich, Arcadia Coffee Company (20 Arcadia Rd.) books alt-rock and solo artists, and Mackenzie’s Grill Room (148 Sound Beach Ave.) features bar-band rockers on Thursdays from 9:30 pm until closing.

You can always do it yourself by participating in the monthly contra dances at the Round Hill Community Center (397 Round Hill Rd.). But, your best bet might be to hold out for the Greenwich Symphony Orchestra
concerts held at Greenwich High School (10 Hillside Rd.) from October through April.

Bush Holley Historic Site (39 Strickland Rd.) in Cos Cob serves as the headquarters for the Historical Society, as well as the location of changing exhibitions about the area’s history and art. The site is also notable for being one of the country’s earliest art colonies and the place were painters like Childe Hassam and J. Alden Weir dreamed up American Impressionism. History buffs will also want to pop into Putnam Cottage (243 E. Putnam Ave.), a Revolutionary War–era tavern named for legendary war hero General Israel Putnam of “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes” fame. For hardcore fans of “Old Put,” there’s a pocket park on Old Church Road that has stone steps that he’s supposed of have ridden down while giving the Brits the slip.

If you’re feeling particularly flush, reserve a seat for a Sunday brunch or Friday night dinner cruise with Fjord Charters (143 River Rd.) and contemplate all that Greenwich has to offer from out on the Sound. They’d probably prefer that you kept your distance anyway.

Stamford

Stamford’s downtown area gets a lot of press, and deservedly so. The good folks in the Downtown Special Services District office are always coming up with clever ways to keep the sidewalks jammed. There’s the summer’s Alive@Five concert series in pie-shaped Columbus Park, November’s Balloon Parade Spectacular and that poor fireman who has to dress like Santa and rappell down the Landmark Building every Christmas. A lesser-known event that’s a bit more laid-back is the Arts, Crafts and Blues Festival that takes over Bedford Street in mid-September.

All of that activity at the city’s center explains why new restaurants open almost daily on the streets that crisscross behind the historic Old Town Hall and along Atlantic, Bedford and Summer Streets. One Stamford institution is Bobby Valentine’s Sports Gallery Café (225 Main St.). The food is of the bar variety, but Bobby V. needs your business. He’s out as manager of Japan’s Chiba Lotte Marines at the end of the season.

Other retailers have been slower to fill the downtown storefronts, but not by much. There are eye-catching newcomers like Artistic Hand Blown Glass (168 Bedford St.), with its fanciful display of museum quality lamps, vases, bowls, animal figurines and exotic items like the Bonsai Cone. There are also vestiges of the city’s Italian-American past, like L&G Italian Deli (425 Main St.), the last of the old-fashioned shops with hanging sausages and mozzarella made fresh daily.

The beleaguered Stamford Center for the Arts may have sold its soul by turning over the Rich Forum to the likes of Jerry Springer. But the SCA held on to the 1,580-seat Palace Theatre (61 Atlantic St.), where you can still see touring shows, solo artists and performances by the Stamford Symphony Orchestra and Connecticut Grand Opera. Nearby there’s DJ action, including Bollywood music parties, at Madeira (25-27 Atlantic St.), Latin dancing at The Palms (78 W. Park Pl.) and indie films at the Avon Cinema (272 Bedford St.), and if you drop by Curley’s Diner (62 W. Park Pl.) Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. you can hear the members of PoemAlley recite their latest work.

South of I-95, the neighborhoods that line the shore provide mostly free access to Long Island Sound. Head as far as you can down the peninsula of the South End and you’ll find Kosciusko Park (Dyke Lane & Elmcroft Road) jutting out into the water. The city gave it a spectacular overhaul about a year ago. It’s a great place to do a little fishing or, thanks to new lighting on the playing fields, catch a Little League night game.

Next to it is Woodlawn Cemetery, one of America’s first “park-style” cemeteries. It’s got the same gorgeous view of Stamford Harbor and a who’s who of the city’s earliest movers and shakers. The South End is also the home of the Loft Artist Association (845 Canal St.) and zillions of antique dealers in a cluster of brick buildings on Pacific Street between Henry and Market Streets and the industrial parks on Jefferson Street.

For a study in extreme contrasts, go west to Vulcan Scrap Metal (60 Taff Ave.) in Waterside to glimpse several acres of junk beloved of sculptors and inventors from all over the northeast. Then, go east to ritzy Shippan Point to cruise the upscale homes that line Ocean Drive East and West, including Mayor Malloy’s cottage-style converted barn (occasionally raided when his sons do something naughty). The Celebrate Shippan! block party (www.shippan.com) in September gives you a chance to rub elbows with the inhabitants of the Point, as will a night’s stay in the luxurious converted mansion, The Hotel Chesterfield (1404 Shippan Ave.).

On your way back to reality, squeeze in a last indulgence at the day-glo colored Sunny Daes Ice Cream (633 Shippan Ave.), for a freshly-made frozen treat, or drop a few bucks at Agabhumi the Best of Bali (22 Magee Ave.), a treasure trove of Indonesian jewelry and home furnishings that’s improbably wedged between building material outlets and auto dealers.

Continuing east you’ll pass Cummings Park, notable as the location of the 1964 schlocky shocker The Horror of Party Beach. Go a little further and you’ll find Cove Island (Cove Road & Weed Avenue) perhaps the busiest of the city’s public parks. Aside from the beach, picnic grounds and miles of paved paths for walking, biking and roller skating, it’s the location of two popular, year-round attractions. The SoundWaters Center hosts educational programs, a summer camp and Cabaret Nights featuring pop and jazz artists. The Terry Connors Ice Rink has public ice skating, if you can find a time when it isn’t jammed with kids from the Youth Hockey Association.

North of the Cove neighborhood, you enter the Eastside. A stop at that area’s brand new Dog Park (39 Courtland Ave.), unique for its separate enclosure for big and small dogs, is a must. A cruise through nearby Glenbrook demands a visit to United House Wrecking (535 Hope St.), an entertaining hodgepodge of architectural and antique items that, legend has it, began by selling bits and pieces of houses torn down to make way for I-95.

Next, you’ll enter Springdale, a self-contained village with just about anything you need within a couple of blocks walk on Hope Street. We’re talking restaurants, banks, dry cleaners, hair cutters, a pet store, a library, a post office and even a car wash (which you probably won’t need if you’re walking). The State Cinema (990 Hope St.) has been screening films since the 1930s. It usually books first-run movies a couple of weeks after their initial release, so the tickets are a bargain. Hidden in the area’s relentlessly drab Riverbend Office Park is the sublime DiMare Pastry Shop (12 Largo Dr. S.), an unpretentious storefront packed with to-die-for Italian-style goodies.

The hub of activity in the Long Ridge section of town is the Sterling Farms Complex (1349 Newfield Ave.). In addition to the more popular of Stamford’s two municipal golf courses, you can find tennis courts and a year-round driving range, plus the Royal Green and Player’s Club restaurants. And the city’s busy community theater, Curtain Call, mounts plays and musicals in two indoor venues and their annual Shakespeare on the Green production out on the grounds. Curtain Call’s main stage is undergoing a renovation, but will be reopened by January (with six, count ’em, six stalls in the new ladies room!).

Head over to the Merritt Parkway and you arrive in North Stamford. Nestled among the area’s secluded homes are the headquarters of the Stamford Historical Society (1508 High Ridge Rd.) and the Stamford Museum and Nature Center (39 Scofieldtown Rd.), each worth a visit. But the hidden gem is the Bartlett Arboretum (151 Brookdale Rd.). It’s a warren of great walking trails, including a boardwalk that twists through a verdant swamp and paths that take you to the Stamford Observatory and the quietly moving Poorhouse Cemetery. The Bartlett hosts an outdoor concerts and farmers’ market. You might even run into Gene Wilder, who lives nearby, roaming the grounds.

Norwalk

Norwalk’s reputation is on the rise. With a city Arts Commission (www.norwalkarts.org) that actually creates tangible, energetic, community-mobilizing and well-attended events, and a zoning board that appears to want to help, rather than hinder, new and small businesses, Norwalk might have a little Cinderella in her.

Norwalk’s outdoor destinations are vastly underappreciated. Cranbury Park (300 Grumman Ave., (203) 229-9797) has over 190 wooded acres complete with hiking trails, a massive great lawn crowned by the 1930s Gallagher Estate, an 18-hole Frisbee golf course, and an area designated for dogs. Also on the property is the Carriage House Arts Center (www.carriagehouseartscenter.org), where theatrical and musical productions are offered from May through November. Parking is free.

Calf Pasture and Shady Beach (48 Calf Pasture Beach Rd., (203) 854-7806) sit side-by-side in East Norwalk and offer all the amenities imaginable for a day on the Sound, including basketball courts and softball fields, a skate ramp, a lively playground for little ones, kayak rentals, picnic sites complete with grills, and a Stew Leonard’s concession stand. Live music and family-friendly shows are offered throughout the summer. Parking is $15 for non-residents.

The arts community here sparkles with hidden gems like the St. Philip Artists’ Guild (23 France St., This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , by appointment only), a studio and gallery space occupied by a host of visual artists and located in an 1800s mansion on the grounds of a local church. The 22 Haviland Street Gallery ((203) 852-6727, weekends and by appointment), with its rotating exhibits of works by painters, photographers, sculptors, jewelry and clothing designers and more, is almost as charming as its owner and chief curator, Dennis Bradbury. The 3,500 square-foot Gallerie SoNo (135 Washington St., (203) 831-8332) features one-of-a-kind works by resident artists, with all exhibitions hung to museum standards. The new kid on the block is The Brownstone Gallery (119 Washington St., (203) 831-8748). Part gallery, part retail shop, Brownstone features photography, comic strips, and artisan-made gifts and jewelry.

A cornerstone of the arts community in Norwalk is The Lockwood Mathews Mansion Museum (295 West Ave., (203) 838-9799). Built in 1868, the 65-room, 19th-century chateau-style mansion is one of the earliest and, arguably, finest examples of Second Empire–style architecture in the United States, predating the Newport, R.I. “cottages,” like The Breakers, by nearly 30 years.

If you’ve got children in tow, you’re in luck. Families with kids 10 and under should go directly to The Stepping Stones Museum for Children (303 West Ave., (203) 899-0606), named one of the top 50 best children’s museums in the country. There are over 100 hands-on activities and a toddlers-only gallery. The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk (10 N. Water St., (203) 852-0700) offers informative fun for the whole family, with seals and otters and frogs (oh my!) in residence along with many species of fish. While the aquarium focuses on marine life in the Long Island Sound, special exhibits, like the visiting African Penguins (through December 2010) are highlighted year-round. There’s also an Imax theater with a six-story-high screen featuring marine-life films as well as 3-D and surround sound versions of films like Star Trek and Transformers.

For shoppers, Norwalk offers warehouse bargains from the likes of Lillian August (22 Elizabeth St., (203) 838-0153) and Juliska Tableware (in the same building, entrance at 85 Water St., (203) 316-9118) as well as specialty items from unique international stores like Scandia Food and Gifts (30 High St., (203) 838-2087) where you’ll find one of the largest inventories of Scandinavian gift and food items in the northeast. In SoNo, stores like Sassafrass (114 Washington St., (203) 838-2499), a holiday item boutique, SoNo Silver (52 N. Main St., (203) 899-0100) which offers unusual jewelry and the popular Pandora brand, and Cow’s Outside (81 Washington St., (203) 866-2668 ), featuring the finest in everything leather, are all great shop-stops.

You can’t talk about Norwalk without talking food and drink. Dining options abound in the city, and SoNo is the unquestionable destination for a smorgasbord of about 20 restaurants of every style and format. Top of the line, and celebrating 10 years in SoNo, is the critically acclaimed Match (98 Washington St., (203) 852-1088), whose chef, Matt Storch, was a protégé of Todd English and whose new American dishes consistently amaze diners and reviewers alike. The restaurant’s majority owner, Scott Beck, is also the brains behind The Loft (97 Washington St., (203) 838-6555), an airy and contemporary martini bar that presents live music several nights a week. Around the corner is Barcelona Wine Bar’s flagship restaurant (63-65 North Main St., (203) 899-0088). Since opening over a decade ago, the restaurant has served classic Spanish tapas and other Mediterranean-inspired dishes. The owners now have six locations throughout the state and have just produced a cookbook inspired by their menu.

On the other side of town, in the Wall Street area, a very different style of dining has cropped up thanks to the pared-down Bohemian philosophy that is the cornerstone of Fat Cat Pie Co. (9-11 Wall St., (203) 523-0389) and the Cheers-inspired theme at B.J. Ryan’s pub (57 Main St., (203) 866-RYAN). The former serves up ultra-thin crust pizzas, salads and cheeses using organic and local ingredients wherever possible and they feature a vast selection of small production wines by the glass and bottle. The concept has been so successful, that the owners, also proprietors of the tiny but prolific Fountainhead Wines in East Norwalk (67 ½ Winfield St., (203) 854-9138), decided to open a coffee shop, Fat Cat Joe, right next door to the Pie Co. At B.J. Ryan’s, you’re an instant regular as the friendly co-owners and staff warmly greet diners and drinkers new and old. The menu is the double bonus. Far from commercial chain pub grub, B.J.’s takes it up a notch from their amazing burgers, salads and wings and offers exceptionally prepared items like eggs benedict, steak tartare and grilled tuna all day long from 11:30 a.m. to midnight, and you can’t beat their prices.

Westport

As toney Fairfield County towns go, Westport’s got all the requisites: a median income hovering around $200,000, a main street area dotted with shops like Tiffany & Co., J. Crew and Williams-Sonoma, a whole slew of McMansions and, lest we forget, a rowing club. If you’re not a resident, Westport might be a touch too fabulous for you.

Still, it’s worth getting cut off by a Lexus or two to enjoy the town’s inherent natural beauty. Westport is perched on Long Island Sound, and the Saugatuck River runs through it. Westport’s emphasis on the arts — performing arts in particular — makes it an appealing destination for theater.

Compo Beach (Compo Beach Road), with its boat basin and park, is the resident beach. Based on the parking fees for non-residents ($40 per car on a weekend in summer), it appears they’d like to keep it that way. But for a weekday carpool outing, a mere $20 will get you into the 29-acre park, which makes for a great spot to spend a day. There’s a sizeable playground for kids, lifeguards, a boardwalk for strolling and a concession stand. The southern section of the beach is perfect for a picnic, with several picnic tables and grills. Got sports lovers? There are softball fields, volleyball courts and a skate park. If you’re not a sun worshipper, Compo is free in (very) early spring and after September 30 and is every bit as lovely through the fall as it is in summer, and obviously a lot less crowded.

For golfers, just around the corner from the beach is the 18-hole Longshore Golf Course (260 S. Compo Rd., (203) 222-7535). Nonmembers (and you can’t join if you don’t live in Westport) are still welcome to reserve tee times ((203) 341-1833) from Monday to Thursday and to take a shot at walking on weekends. The well-manicured course boasts a spectacular view of Long Island Sound. On the same grounds is one of the very few waterfront restaurants in all of lower Fairfield County. Thankfully, Splash ((203) 454-7798) is open to the public. You can’t beat the view and the American-Asian cuisine is popular among locals. With indoor dining year-round and outdoor dining available on the big wrap-around porch seasonally, it’s worth the trip. From May to October, Splash also features a Sound-side patio with live music every Sunday afternoon (weather permitting).

As antithesis to all the exclusivity of the Compo-Longshore scene, Westport is also home to Sherwood Island State Park (Sherwood Island Connector, (203) 226-6983). You’ll pay $10 as a state resident and $15 as a nonresident, but it’s a pretty decent bang for your buck. The 235-acre beach and park located in the Greens Farms section of town offers a sheltered picnic area, a food concession, bathrooms and showers. Surf and shore fishing are also allowed anywhere on the shoreline outside of the swimming areas. The park recently introduced a nature center with a wide variety of displays and exhibits to greet curious and budding naturalists of all ages. There’s also an outdoor art exhibit, Viewpoints (www.arttrail.org), which offers an outdoor exhibit featuring reproduced 19th-century paintings.

While dogs are not permitted in the park during the spring and summer seasons, dog lovers can head to Winslow Park (N. Compo Road & Post Road E.) where there’s an off-leash area, walking trails, a bike path, a large, open green, gardens and free parking.

Art enthusiasts will want to visit the Westport Arts Center (51 Riverside Ave., (203) 222-7070) on the shore of the Saugatuck River in downtown Westport. Open to the public, the gallery presents 60 distinctive, intimate and thought-provoking visual and performing arts programs all year long in its main and studio galleries. The main gallery features three to four curated exhibitions annually focusing on current themes or ideas in contemporary art. The studio gallery features individual artists in a funkier alternative exhibition space.

Free entertainment is offered nearly every night in summer at the open air Levitt Pavilion (www.levittpavilion.com). Bring a picnic, blanket and lawn chair to enjoy music — classical, jazz, cabaret, big band, blues, folk, and rock — and family-friendly events like movies for teens and children’s shows, all free of charge in a beautifully landscaped amphitheater on the banks of the Saugatuck River.

If you’re a fan of live theater, the Westport Country Playhouse (www.westportplayhouse.org) has been bringing professional productions to town for more than 70 years, comprising a veritable who’s who of stage artists and a living textbook of 20th-century American theater. The building, a nearly 200-year-old converted country barn, was renovated a few years ago thanks to the efforts of longtime Westport resident Joanne Woodward, who served as artistic director at the time and who remains director emeritus. New and classic plays are explored here, and actors such as Gene Wilder, Richard Dreyfuss, Jill Clayburgh, Paul Newman, Jane Curtin, and many others over the years have returned to their stage roots at the Playhouse. It has become a true national resource for the highest caliber theater, rivaling the best of Broadway and off-Broadway.

For kids, there’s the 62-acre Earthplace (10 Woodside Lane, (203) 227-7253), a wildlife sanctuary and year-round center for exploring nature and the environment. Accredited by the American Association of Museums, Earthplace contains an interactive natural history museum and live wildlife, and it hosts a variety of public nature programs and events.

On the restaurant scene, there’s exciting breaking news in Westport as renowned chef Bill Taibe, formerly of Barcelona Wine Bar, Relish Food and Wine, and Napa & Co., prepares to open Le Farm (265 Post Rd. E.) in mid-fall. The concept involves paring down the trappings and pretentiousness of fine dining, sourcing the highest quality organic and local ingredients and creating a menu that won’t break the bank. Everything this chef touches turns to gold, so stay tuned.

Fairfield

You’ve heard the hype. About three years ago Money magazine listed Fairfield as the 9th best place to live in the country. They got it wrong. Many of us think it’s number one. Yes, it’s a well-established suburb populated by a lot of house-proud people with an inordinate interest in maintaining well-manicured lawns. But the town also has energy and soul. Nature and culture abound in Fairfield.

The 30-square-mile town has a range of neighborhoods — from Uber-Gold Coast Southport and old-money Greenfield Hill to casual beach communities and middle class Tunxis Hill, and back to the security of the suburban paradises of Mill Plain and Stratfield.

Fairfield’s “Main Street” is a section of the Post Road. Downtown is vibrant, with small independent businesses outnumbering big chain stores. The side streets running from the train station to the Post Road have a small-town feel, but many of the bars and restaurants reveal a casual sophistication. Scattered along the Post Road are a funky coffee shop, soup and sandwich cafe and a pizza place. You can also find restaurants serving sushi, homemade pasta or a good old hamburger. A number of clothing boutiques offer fashions with flair.

The Sherman Green’s gazebo looks idyllic and is the site of summer concert series. Bring your fold-up beach chair and American flag, and pretend to be normal.

Top tier music acts come to the Fairfield Theatre Company (www.fairfieldtheatre.org) on Sanford Street. It also runs theater workshops, produces play readings and screens classic movies at “Movie and a Martini night.” Around the corner, the Community Theatre, a renovated 1920s movie theater, runs independent and current films (www.communitytheatrefoundation.org).

Spring through fall, there’s a farmers’ market (Saturdays mornings from 9 to noon) at the Brick Walk, featuring Connecticut grown fruits and vegetables, artisan breads, honey, and organically raised meat. If you can’t get there in time, head over to the well-established Greenfield Hill farmers’ market, which runs Saturdays from 12:30 to 4. Greenfield Grapes and Hops (the former Greenfield Hill Liquor Store) has been running the farmers market for 13 years.

Two universities, Fairfield University (www.fairfield.edu) and Sacred Heart University (www.sacredheart.edu), bring youth and energy to the town. The schools also provide cultural outlets to the county.

Fairfield University’s Regina A. Quick Center (www.quickcenter.com) brings nationally and internationally recognized performers. Dance, theater, comedy, music (jazz, chamber music, opera) — the schedule is full and varied. New this year are live broadcasts of performances of England’s National Theatre. The lecture series Open Visions Forum brings leading thinkers and personalities to discuss the issues of the day.

Sacred Heart University’s Edgerton Center for the Performing Arts (www.edgertoncenter.org) also presents music, shows and lectures for students, families and the public.

Both universities have art galleries, the Walsh Art Gallery at Fairfield University and the Gallery of Contemporary Art at Sacred Heart. The recently renovated public library (1080 Old Post Rd., (203) 256-3155) puts up exhibits at the Bruce S. Kershner Gallery, as does the Fairfield Museum and History Center in the Town Green (www.fairfieldhs.org).

The Town Green, the historic center of town and the site of the town hall complex, is the site of festivals throughout the year, including the annual Heritage India Festival, which fills the air with the pungent scents of curries.

Nature lovers can choose from Fairfield’s beaches, woods or wetlands. Swimmers and sunners flock to the five town-owned beaches: Jennings, Penfield, Pine Creek, Sasco Hill and Southport. Each beach has its own charm — and, unfortunately, trash that washes up from overburdened Long Island Sound. But we’ve noticed environmentally-concerned mothers and children gathering garbage. These spontaneous clean-ups can seem like a Sisyphean task.

Sailors can rent one of the 600 boat slips at the town-owned South Benson Marina. Ye Yacht Yard in Southport Harbor is a town-owned boat launch that provides access to moorings in the harbor. Community Sailing of Fairfield ((203) 254-0676), whose members share use of two 18-foot sailboats, is also located there.

Lake Mohegan, off Black Rock Turnpike, draws dog lovers. Dogs are allowed off-leash on the trails that wind around the lake. There’s nothing happier than a dog off a leash, meeting other happy dogs, and dog people reveling in the frisky fun. The only thing that could go wrong is a run-in with a skunk, as a recent posting on a bulletin board warned. Along with a man-made sandy beach, Lake Mohegan has s a waterfall and picnic areas (see www.fairfieldrecreation.com).

The Connecticut Audubon Society Center (www.ctaudubon.org), a 160-acre wildlife sanctuary, has six miles of boardwalk nature trails. The society also runs the Birdcraft Museum and Sanctuary, which has trails and a natural history museum.

Can’t afford to join one of the town’s ritzy country clubs (the Patterson Club, Country Club of Fairfield, the Fairfield Beach Club or the Brooklawn Country Club)? No worries, there are two public golf courses, the Fairchild Wheeler Golf Course (2390 Easton Tpke., (203) 373-5911) and Smith-Richardson Golf Course (2425 Morehouse Hwy., (203) 255-7300), both 18-hole courses.

Tennis players meet for bi-weekly ladies’ doubles, men’s doubles, and mixed doubles at the town’s Fairfield Tennis Center (15 Old Dam Rd. (203) 255-0440), which has five Har-Tru courts and lights for playing at night.. Season pass holders can also make reservations at the asphalt courts at the public schools around town.

The town’s colonial history can be relived at the Ogden House and Gardens (www.fairfieldhs.org/ogden-house-gardens), a 1750 saltbox that survived the burning of the town by the British during the Revolutionary War.

What else do we love about the town? Bars that have been around for longer than we have. Places that haven’t changed, that show their age. The Horseshoe in Southport, kind of sums up Fairfield for us. Funky realness in the heart of affluence.

Bridgeport

If your only experience with Bridgeport is viewing it from I-95, all you’re getting is a view of the city’s busy port with a tall striped smokestack, and a tiresome view of a couple of bank buildings (Bank of America, People’s United Bank). But below the highway bridges sits a cultural onslaught of food, art, music and history. Despite its astonishing $20 million deficit, Bridgeport, or Park City, offers one of the most beautiful parks in the region, the only zoo in the state and did we mention art and music?

Last year saw new restaurants, bars and shops open in downtown Bridgeport (Two Boots, Las Vetas, Lady Luck, Port Coffeehouse, etc.). As in any city, the fight against poverty, budgetary shortcomings and overall outsiders’ perceptions is a constant battle, but sometimes it’s more important to go out and have a good time. You’ll find plenty to fill your day in Bridgeport.

Start with a coffee and a paper at Harborside Market (218 Harborview Ave., (203) 367-7336) or Home on the Range (2992 Fairfield Ave., (203) 336-3514), two of the homiest spots in the area, and end your day at one of Black Rock’s clubs. Ray Kelly’s (2720 Fairfield Ave., (203) 333-6278) offers karaoke and an open mic night with the occasional rock band. Lady Luck (2931 Fairfield Ave., (203) 572-0372) offers a solid nightlife experience with ultra-cheap high-quality food by day. The Field (3001 Fairfield Ave., (203) 333-0043) has The Breakfast and other nationally touring bands.

The NYC-based Two Boots (277 Fairfield Ave., (203) 331-1377) is almost two years deep at their downtown Fairfield Avenue outpost, with its New Orleans/Italian approach. They also offer nightly music. Watch for punk bands, funk bands, comedians, burlesque shows and plenty of varied rock bands. Their shows are cheap and they’ve got a great sound system and a red-curtain stage in the back.

For more music, turn to Fairfield Avenue in Black Rock — a place where neighbors know their neighbors and everything is within walking distance. Situated between the Fairfield border via Post Road and downtown, the area has a great deal to offer.

If you want a quiet meal, check spots like Café Tavolini (3074 Fairfield Ave., (203) 335-1111), which features the occasional jazz band, the cozy Italian Viale (3171 Fairfield Ave., (203) 610-6193), or the contemporary Dish (2889 Fairfield Ave., (203) 368-1111). For dessert, stop in the new gelato joint Helados Vazquez (2871 Fairfield Ave., (203) 333-9393) for a nice alternative to the almost perfect ice cream at Timothy’s Ice Cream (2974 Fairfield Ave., (203) 366-7496). And though off the beaten Black Rock path, don’t forget Captain’s Cove (1 Bostwick Ave., (203) 335-7104) a harborside seafood restaurant with an active schedule of outdoor concerts all summer (it’s closed in the off-season). Bloodroot (85 Ferris St., (203) 576-9168) offers vegetarian options, a popular Sunday brunch and an impressive bookstore.

The new ownership at the sturdy arts hub Acoustic Café (2326 Fairfield Ave., (203) 335-3655) is offering events like Hump Night (Wednesdays, naturally) and the occasional group jam and Latin night. Almost-nightly shows with excellent national, regional and local acts fill up the rest of the week.

Look to Ash Creek Saloon (2895 Fairfield Ave., (203) 333-2733, with another location at 2 Wilton Ave., Norwalk, (203) 847-7500) later this year for their annual rib-eating contest, which now attracts world-champion eaters, bands and WWE wrestlers. Naturally, they are the winners of our annual readers’ poll for best ribs and best barbecue restaurant.

For A-list concerts, turn to the 1,400-seat Klein Memorial Auditorium (910 Fairfield Ave., (203) 259-1036), which is being heavily infused with shows presented by Fairfield Theatre Company. Looking toward late summer and autumn, a ridiculous line-up includes Levon Helm; Medeski, Martin and Wood; Bill Cosby and Rufus Wainwright.

For top-shelf plays and musicals, Playhouse on the Green (177 State St., (866) 811-4111) rests right in the middle of the downtown area, across from the McLevy Green. Their season continues this fall with another run of The Rocky Horror Show (see Fairfield Weekly, 10/28/08). For more musicals, often with offerings for the kids too, check out Downtown Cabaret Theatre (263 Golden Hill St., (203) 576-1636). Grease is on their calendar for September.

As part of the plan to freshen up vacant downtown buildings, you’ll find a brand new Las Vetas Lounge (276 Fairfield Ave., (203) 330-1920), across from Two Boots, in all its caffeinated and colorful, Elvis–meets–The Beatles glory. French cuisine is offered next door at the new Eperney Bistro (272 Fairfield Ave., (203) 334-3000). From Las Vetas, you can finish off your Bridgeport coffee experience at Port Coffeehouse (2889 Fairfield Ave., (203) 345-8885) where you’ll find organic, fair-trade coffee and food, as well as vegan options. Restaurants like State Street Bistro (211 State St., (203) 540-5707), Ralph & Rich’s (815 Main St., (203) 366-3597), and Metric Bar & Grill (39 Cannon St., (203) 576-6903) offer some of the best food downtown has to offer, though some detective work is encouraged if you want lesser-known international restaurants, something Bridgeport has never been without.

Boarded buildings and closed storefronts have afforded area artists a chance to brighten up the city. City Lights Gallery (37 Markle Ct., (203) 334-7748) has been central to this effort, helping push artists into the spotlight by including them in city-wide projects like the Sweetport Festivals this summer and by working with the artists who live in the Read’s Lofts (Broad & John sts.), basically a full-time artist/musician building.

Galleries like The Gallery at Black Rock (2861 Fairfield Ave., (203) 814-6856), Framemakers (3142 Fairfield Ave., (203) 338-0332) and Day One Skate Shop (605 Brewster St., (203) 331-9525), among others, deliver regular monthly exhibits that range from mind-blowing to thoughtful and do well to serve a city always hungry for new art. The Housatonic Museum of Art (900 Lafayette Blvd., (203) 332-5052) offers one of the most significant collections of any two-year college in the country and includes works by master artists such as Rodin, Picasso, Matisse, Miro and Chagall.

Bridgeport is also home to the only Connecticut zoo, The Beardsley Zoo (1875 Noble Ave., (203) 394-6565), which is helping to save endangered species along with other top zoos across the world. Included among the animals they protect are the Amur (Siberian) tiger, Andean condor, ocelot, red wolf, Andean (spectacled) bear, maned wolf, and the golden lion tamarin.

And finally, you’ll need a good spot to rest or set up a picnic. So, make your way to the 500-acre Seaside Park (1 Park Ave.), a genuine gem of Bridgeport. This tree-dotted, sprawling coastline park greets you with a giant archway and statues of city heroes like P.T. Barnum. In the same breath, we must also recommend Bridgeport’s second gem, St. Mary’s By the Sea Park (24 Old Battery Rd.). Though smaller, its walkway, limited benches and grass space offer a divine view of the Southern Connecticut coastline that goes well with any fine piece of literature, like for instance, this humble newspaper.

Danbury

Danbury is where the cover band belt ends. While much of the county considers a bunch of guys who can do a respectable rendition of “Drift Away” an optimal entertainment option, Danbury has a hearty student-age population (thanks in large part to Western Connecticut State University) and they want original bands. Luckily, the city has four venues within a mile radius (see “Live Music” section) to please them — plus, there are summer shows at WestConn’s Ives Park.

And that’s just one way Danbury is different from the rest of the county. It’s less high-end, more working class and has more unprimed, equal-access-to-all green space. All in all, it’s more down to earth.

Something that has culturally defined modern-day Danbury is an influx of immigrants, particularly from Ecuador and Brazil. (It’s also politically redefining it, but that’s a separate story.) Downtown, which retailers abandoned in the 1980s for the 1,000,000-square-foot Danbury Fair Mall, now hosts an array of immigrant-owned businesses. Yes, there are a lot of places that sell phone cards, but there are also some of the best ethnic restaurants in Connecticut. For Brazilian fare, try the Banana Brazil Luncheonette (91 Main St., (203) 748-5656). For Mexican, hit up Pancho’s Tacos (143 White St., (203) 790-0900), and don’t let the name fool you; it has a wildly expansive menu. And Pao Gostoso (10-12 Main St., (203) 796-0670) is a must-stop bakery, with long lines jutting out every Sunday morning. Other options are literally right around every corner, and spice and import shops provide for those who’d rather do their own international cooking.

(If you’re looking for something extremely Caucasoid, there is the Danbury Fair Mall (Backus Ave.nue & I-84), and chain stores aplenty along Newtown and Federal roads.)

CityCenter Danbury (www.citycenterdanbury.com) brings several cultural events to downtown, including the Connecticut Film Festival (May this year), A Taste of Danbury, First Night Danbury and concerts and events on the Green throughout the summer. Also, WestConn (www.wcsu.ctstateu.edu) brings in an array of speakers, musicians and academics, and it holds an annual jazz festival towards the end of the school year.

Tarrywile Park (Southern Boulevard) is a remarkable 722-acre municipal park, if only for its multiple uses to the community. Its 21 miles of trails are often used for dog-walking. Its ponds invite anglers. Its dense-but-comfortably-close-to-civilization woodlands are ideal for campers. And the mansion, left over from its time as a private estate, is popular for weddings and other events.

Danbury’s Town Park (Hattertown Road), marked by the famed rock painted to resemble a dog’s head and always surrounded by at least two empty beer cans, is on the shore of Candlewood Lake, which is the biggest attraction of upper Fairfield County recreation. It’s an 8.4-mile, manmade lake that starts in Danbury, dominates the northern towns of New Fairfield and Sherman and features several beaches, marinas, spas, resorts and rental cottages. Fishing can be done from piers, shores and boats; delis and tackle shops dot the surrounding area. Kayaking is also a great option. Heck, just driving around and experiencing the views makes for a good couple of hours.

The last thing you must know about Danbury is that it is called “the Hat City,” because, you see, they used to make a lot of hats there. It doesn’t have much of an effect on the present-day city; the outsourcing of the hat industry hasn’t decimated Danbury like the decline of the auto industry has wounded Detroit. Yet, people in Danbury really like to reference the “Hat City” nickname. There’s Hat City Boxing, Hat City Entertainment, HatCityBlog, Hat City Tattoo, Hat City Paper, the Hat City Cyclists, the Hat City Blues Band, and so on…

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3.26 Copyright (C) 2008 Compojoom.com / Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."