Top 15 Attractions and Activities in Greenwich, CT

Summary of Attractions in Greenwich

Bruce Museum
Greenwich Avenue Historic District
Greenwich Audubon Center
Bush-Holley House
Greenwich Point Park
Island Ferries
Fjord Fish Market, Cos Cob
Diane’s Books
Greenwich Polo Club
Montgomery Pinetum
Neuberger Museum of Art
Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Gardens
Bruce Park
Flinn Gallery
Putnam Cottage

Leafy Greenwich on Connecticut’s affluent Gold Coast is a town characterized by considerable wealth. It ranks as one of the wealthiest communities in the nation and serves as a hub for investment firms and hedge funds.

To provide a glimpse of Greenwich’s essence: The community features its own polo club, attracting thousands of spectators on summer Sundays. Additionally, the local public library hosts a fine art gallery with exhibitions comparable to a full-fledged museum.

Visitors can indulge in high-end shopping and dining options along Greenwich Avenue, enjoy a wealth of green spaces, and embark on summer cruises to islands in Long Island Sound.

Moreover, Greenwich boasts a rich artistic heritage, a legacy from the Impressionists of the Cos Cob Art Colony established in the late 19th century.

Here are the top attractions to explore in Greenwich:

1. Bruce Museum

This remarkable museum is situated on a hill enveloped by parkland, within a mansion gifted to the city by textile magnate Robert M. Bruce (1822-1908). He bequeathed the property with the stipulation that it be transformed into a museum upon his death.

The Bruce Museum combines natural history and art, featuring expertly curated exhibitions that encompass local and global environmental history, mineralogy, and Native American agriculture in Connecticut.

Visitors can examine intertidal wildlife (including a live marine tank) as well as explore a woodland diorama representing a primeval forest environment.

The art collection at the Bruce Museum primarily showcases works from the Impressionists associated with the Cos Cob Art Colony. A visit allows you to appreciate pieces by artists such as Leonard Ochtman, Childe Hassam, and Emil Carlsen.

Additionally, the sculpture collection is impressive, featuring works by renowned sculptors including Auguste Rodin, Frederick MacMonnies, and Hiram Powers.

2. Greenwich Avenue Historic District

The north-south axis of downtown Greenwich has been recognized on the National Register of Historic Places. The architectural landscape features Italianate, Georgian Revival, and Commercial-style buildings.

These structures were constructed over several decades from the late 19th century to the immediate post-World War I era.

As a pedestrian, one can enjoy a leisurely stroll, admiring the elegant architecture alongside significant monuments such as the town hall (established 1905) and the Richardsonian Romanesque-style Havemeyer Building at No. 290, which dates back to 1892.

Furthermore, Greenwich Avenue is a distinguished shopping area, offering upscale boutiques, galleries, design stores, and chic bakeries, alongside well-known retail names such as Apple and Sephora.

Along the route, a variety of dining options are available to suit every taste and budget.

3. Greenwich Audubon Center

Inaugurated in 1943, this center was the National Audubon Society’s first environmental education facility in the United States.

At the time, the Audubon Center was distinctive not only for its conservation efforts but also for its role in facilitating human understanding and appreciation of the natural world.

The center oversees seven different sanctuaries in Greenwich, totaling nearly 700 acres.

Visitors can explore seven miles of trails that wind through hardwood forests, historic fields, and alongside a lake, waterfall, streams, and pools.

At the main sanctuary, the Welcome Center features a gallery, gift shop, and a children’s learning space. Throughout the year, a dynamic array of conservation-themed programs is offered, including a highly popular hawk watch.

4. Bush-Holley House

A noteworthy piece of American cultural heritage, this charming clapboard house served as the center of the Cos Cob Art Colony around the turn of the 20th century when it was utilized as a boarding house.

The colony emerged circa 1889 when John Henry Twachtman established residence in Greenwich, subsequently attracting many other renowned Impressionists including Theodore Robinson, J. Alden Weir, and Childe Hassam.

These artists drew a multitude of students to the house, which originally dates back to the late 1720s. It was converted into a museum in 1958, shortly after being purchased from the widow of Elmer Livingston MacRae.

The house is well-preserved, allowing visitors to explore its colonial and artistic history on Wednesday through Sunday afternoons.

Remarkably, many objects portrayed in famous Impressionist artworks can still be found within the house, creating a sense that they were simply left there the previous day.

Continuing this theme, a restored 19th-century railroad hotel nearby serves as an exhibition venue for American Impressionist art.

5. Greenwich Point Park

The most attractive of Greenwich’s four beaches is situated on a peninsula extending into Long Island Sound. It is a favored destination for both locals and visitors (for a nominal fee) to enjoy sunny days during the summer.

Staffed by lifeguards throughout the summer months, the beach features changing rooms, showers, and two snack bars conveniently located nearby.

This beach is part of a 150-acre park, marked with trails and dotted with historic buildings from the estate of banker and railroad tycoon John Kennedy Tod (1852-1925).

At the park, the Bruce Museum Seaside Center hosts exhibits related to beach ecology and touch tanks for educational engagement.

Designated areas for windsurfing, kite surfing, and saltwater fishing enhance the water activities. Meanwhile, visitors on land can reserve shelters, picnic tables, and grills for their enjoyment.

Many visitors admire the breathtaking sunsets at Greenwich Point Park, where on clear days, the Manhattan skyline becomes visible from the beach.

6. Island Ferries

From June through mid-September, visitors can head to the ferry dock off Arch Street to catch a boat to one of Greenwich’s scenic islands in Long Island Sound. Ferries operate on an hourly or half-hourly basis, with increased services on weekends.

Great Captain Island is the primary destination, featuring a striking granite lighthouse built in 1868.

Upon arrival, guests can wander the island’s walking trails, which meander through oaks and hickory, while opportunities for birdwatching, picnicking, and relaxing on the beach await.

Island Beach (formerly known as Little Captain Island) is also a public park generously donated to the town in 1918. I particularly enjoy this location for its extensive 900+ feet of sandy beach.

Consider the Cruise to Nowhere, a serene two-hour boat ride through the waters surrounding Greenwich, where guests are encouraged to bring refreshments.

7. Fjord Fish Market, Cos Cob

For those who are discerning about the origins of their seafood, Fjord Fish Market offers an excellent selection. This local chain features multiple locations across Connecticut.

Customers can choose from a range of premium, responsibly sourced options including cod, scallops, oysters, lobster, salmon, and shrimp.

Additionally, the market provides a variety of freshly prepared takeout meals, highlighting New England specialties such as fish & chips and lobster rolls, along with filet sandwiches, Cajun halibut bites, grilled salmon, poke, and sushi.

8. Diane’s Books

Operating successfully for approximately 40 years, Diane’s Books is a local bookstore reminiscent of a public library in scale.

This establishment claims to possess the largest selection of family-oriented books in the United States. The friendly staff is always ready to assist and guide visitors in their selections.

If you are visiting Greenwich, arrangements can be made for shipping your purchased books, and complimentary gift-wrapping services are also available.

Children will surely be delighted with the offerings at Diane’s Books, and there are numerous selections for adults as well, including appearances by celebrated authors.

Notably, Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, and Karen White (author of The Glass Ocean) have visited in recent years.

9. Greenwich Polo Club

It is a mark of prestige when a community boasts its own polo club. Established in 1981, Greenwich Polo Club hosts high-goal matches throughout the summer open to the public.

The club’s grounds, situated within Connecticut’s verdant countryside, rank among the world’s premier high-goal venues, being one of only three such locations in the United States. The club is home to the White Birch polo team, which has excelled in the sport for the past 25 years.

Some of the world’s most prominent players have showcased their talents here, including Mariano Aguerre, Nacho Figueras, and Facundo Pieres, with events occurring from spring to late summer featuring cups and exhibitions.

Each Sunday, more than 2,000 spectators gather at the club to experience the excitement, with gates opening at 1 PM and matches commencing at 3 PM.

10. Montgomery Pinetum

This public park encompasses more than 100 acres of lush forest and was formerly the estate of businessman Colonel Robert Montgomery, who began cultivating rare conifers on his property in the early 20th century.

The woodland area features a network of trails that meander through magnificent mature trees. Visitors often appreciate the diversity of specimen plants and wildflowers that bloom vibrantly during spring and early summer.

The park includes an ornamental lake, along with benches, picnic tables, and grills available for reservation. The Montgomery Pinetum is also associated with the Greenwich Botanical Center.

This center is located in the picturesque Horticulture Building and features a greenhouse, fostering interest in horticulture through special events, classes, exhibitions, and volunteer opportunities.

11. Neuberger Museum of Art

Located just moments away across the state line, this esteemed art museum affiliated with Purchase College is among the largest university museums in the United States, established in 1974 through a donation from financier Roy Neuberger.

The collection has expanded significantly from the initial gift of 108 pieces to over 6,000, with a focus on 20th-century artists including Edward Hopper, Georgia O’Keeffe, Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, and Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, among others.

Additionally, the museum is home to a significant collection of African art, along with sculptures created by notable artists such as Yayoi Kusama, Henry Moore, and Isamu Noguchi.

During my visit, I was fortunate to encounter Romuald Hazoumé’s Fà Series, comprising over 20 monumental works that depict Fà divination in West Africa.

12. Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Gardens

Make a day of it in Purchase by visiting another sensational artistic venue located on the campus of PepsiCo’s global headquarters and named in honor of the former chairman of the board and CEO, Donald M. Kendall.

Thanks to his initiatives, these exquisite sculpture gardens have been established. Spanning 168 meticulously landscaped acres, the gardens showcase around 50 works by prominent sculptors from the 19th and 20th centuries.

The gardens are open on weekends from April to mid-November, allowing guests to stroll among artworks by renowned artists such as Rodin, Alberto Giacometti, Barbara Hepworth, Alexander Calder, Henry Moore, Joan Miró, Claes Oldenburg, and Max Ernst, to name a few.

13. Bruce Park

This delightful public park situated on the shore of Long Island Sound is part of the same land parcel donated to Greenwich by Robert M. Bruce for the creation of the Bruce Museum in 1908.

Bruce Park features gneiss outcrops that define the geography of the Greenwich and Cos Cob area, with origins dating back 450 million years.

Among the diverse flora are numerous amenities, including playgrounds for children, a walking/jogging trail, ponds frequented by waterfowl, a baseball diamond, horseshoe pits, tennis courts, and a bowling green maintained by the Greenwich Lawn Bowling Association.

Springtime brings a spectacular display of daffodils, dogwoods, and azaleas in full bloom, while the rose garden is a highlight later in the season.

14. Flinn Gallery

It is not surprising that Greenwich’s public library possesses its own art gallery. This nonprofit exhibition space operates with the help of volunteers and showcases an extensive range of art across various media, genres, and periods.

Art displayed is often available for sale, with proceeds benefiting the numerous programs offered by the Friends of Greenwich Library.

New exhibitions are presented every few weeks, consistently featuring high-quality works. For instance, during my research, the ‘Scapes’ exhibition featured landscape paintings by Julie Langsam, Paul Balmer, and William Ruler, addressing ecological themes and aspirations for renewal.

15. Putnam Cottage

Dating back to 1690, Putnam Cottage on the old Boston Post Road possesses a fascinating history.

In the mid-18th century, this dwelling was enlarged to serve as a tavern. The narrative becomes particularly captivating as documentary evidence confirms that George Washington visited this establishment with his troops in 1776 during the Revolutionary War.

The building acquired its name from General Israel Putnam, who famously eluded the Redcoats on a dramatic horseback ride past this very location to seek reinforcements from Stamford.

Putnam Cottage is painted a vibrant red and has been preserved as a Revolutionary-era tavern. Inquiries regarding tours can be made by appointment.

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