10 Great Things to Do in Fairfield Connecticut for every age and taste

One man’s extraordinary skills and whimsy led to the construction of this most unique house that’s not a house. The Glass House is a space divided into 14 structures instead of walls dividing a single interior into rooms. Built over 37 years on 49 acres in New Canaan, architect Philip Johnson gave each structure a different function. The Pavilion in the Pond is for gatherings and views of the rustic landscape. The Brick House was where Johnson read and slept. The stucco studio served as workplace and library. Grainger, a warm weather retreat had both air conditioning and a television. Certified as a National Trust Historic Site, it serves as a museum to Johnson's work and architectural style. Open May 1 to November 30.

At Stepping Stones Museum for Children in Norwalk, Conn., we create an environment that inspires lifelong learning. Our museum offers engaging and educational exhibits with indoor AND outdoor experiences that give children, families and educators twice the space to discover, learn, and grow. Our Energy Lab includes hands-on exhibits that teach how the sun, the wind, the force of water, and the burning of fossil fuels produce energy. Tot Town is an imaginative world shrunk down to toddler level. Our Build It! exhibit lets children explore architectural design and construction. We've got tools they can use to pretend to finish walls, paint with brushes and rollers, apply carpeting, and more. After a visit, youngsters will see their world in a whole different way.

The Bruce Museum, sitting high on a hill overlooking Greenwich Harbor, is both elegant and accessible. Its impressive collections of paintings (including fine representatives of Cos Cob impressionism), sculpture, drawings, prints and photos, French art glass and pottery and decorative arts would wow any art-lover. History exhibits include one on American World War I posters. But then there is the science side, featuring exhibits on the natural world and environmental history, which means you might wander from a display of astonishingly colorful minerals to display cases with bird specimens. At the museum’s Seaside Center, there’s a marine touch tank for curious youngsters and a host of family activities. A dozen new exhibits a year insure there’s always something new to see.

The Bruce Museum at 1 Museum Drive in Greenwich offers expanded learning programs for families and kids age 4 to 10. These drop-in programs include Science Sundays, where kids and parents may explore simple science concepts through experiments and activities. Activity Packs are designed for the family that would like to explore the Museum’s galleries on their own in a fun, hands-on way. The museum's Seaside Center, at Tod's Driftway in Greenwich Point Park, family activities and talks by experts the first Sunday of each month, May to October. 203-869-0376

Weir Farm National Historic Site on Nod Hill Road in Wilton is one of two national historic sites that preserves and displays a place for the visual arts. (The other is the Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site in Cornish, New Hampshire.) From 1882 to 2005, Weir Farm was the home and workplace of three generations of painters, starting with J. Alden Weir. Visitors today can view the Weir home and studios, take guided walks of stone walls and painting trails, and enjoy the rotating art exhibits. The grounds are open year-round; hours at the Visitor Center vary seasonally. Phone: 203-761-9945

Boothe Memorial Park & Museum on Main Street in Stratford sits on an idyllic, 32-acre site in the north end of Stratford by the Housatonic River, which was the estate of the Boothe family for many generations. There are many architecturally unique buildings and attractions on the grounds as well as a new, handicapped-accessible playground with two climbing walls. The annual Great Pumpkin Festival is a huge attraction in the fall, while outdoor concerts and Shakespearean plays beckon visitors in the spring and summer. Tours of the historic buildings are seasonal (May - October). The park is open and free of charge year round. 203-381-2046.

The Audubon Center at 613 Riversvile Road in Greenwich, CT, offers indoor and outdoor attractions and fun by people who are experts on nature and wildlife. The 295-acre sanctuary has miles of trails near a hardwood forest, fields, a lake, streams and ponds, stone walls, and homestead buildings. If the weather invites you indoors, the Kimberlin Nature Education Center building has Kiernan Hall Nature Art Gallery with its wildlife viewing window and honey bee hive exhibit, and a Nature Gift Store. 203-869-5272

Every scenic drive in Connecticut is just a little bit better when you travel with some tasty bites of fine chocolate.? Chocolate is an internationally adored food, and Connecticut's chocolatiers will show you why -- if you're not a chocaholic already! Connecticut's Chocolate Trails include lots of delectable treasures all over the state. From handmade holiday chocolates, to freshly-made exotic deliciousness, this list of chocolatiers is a must-taste New England tradition. Just follow the map!

With about 200 antiques dealers under one roof, the Stratford Antique Center on Honeyspot Road is a place where antiques buffs can become blissfully lost. The center is located off I-95 in Stratford and is locally known as the “big blue building.” It houses 16,500 square feet of antiques and collectibles. Browsers will enjoy the numerous dealer floor spaces and display cases, making this a great shopping attraction for anyone looking for things to do on an afternoon or weekend. 203-378-7754.

The folks who run Stamford Museum and Nature Center at 39 Scofieldtown Road Stamford have a genius gene for making farm life, the outdoors, nature and the sky a fascinating adventure for young children and families. The science and nature attraction is on a 118-acre site and it encompasses a working farm, hiking trails, picnic area, a playground, art galleries, and a planetarium with observatory and regularly scheduled events describing the heavens above. Many special seasonal events and things to do for families include maple harvest, Easter egg hunts, and fall activities. Property includes the Bendel Mansion & Galleries. Open all year, with hours change seasonally. Phone: 203-322-1646.