Relive the days when operators threw manual switches from a control tower like this restored one, dating from 1896, to control railroad traffic on the tracks below. Perfect for the little train enthusiast (and maybe the adult ones, too).
SONO Switch Tower Museum
Connecticut
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
29.22 MILES
Reopened in 2016 after extensive restoration, this fabulous gallery was architect Louis Kahn’s last commission and is the setting for the largest…
29.23 MILES
This outstanding museum was architect Louis Kahn's first commission and houses the oldest university art collection in the country; it includes Vincent…
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5.22 MILES
Inspired by Mies van der Rohe, this icon of mid-century modern architecture was the home of late Pritzker Prize–winner Philip Johnson and his art…
29.19 MILES
Founded back in 1891, this welcome expanse of green takes in 50 acres of old-growth forest, alongside lush gardens, ornate greenhouses and water features …
29.49 MILES
Each year, thousands of high-school students make pilgrimages to Yale, nursing dreams of attending the country's third-oldest university, which boasts…
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3.99 MILES
The Westport Arts Center is right on the river and has a busy schedule of changing exhibits, kids' classes and performances.
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29.42 MILES
This 265-acre zoo is the country’s biggest and oldest, with over 6000 animals and re-created habitats from around the world, from African plains to Asian…
27.78 MILES
As elegant as Brooklyn’s Green-Wood is this 400-acre cemetery, the most prestigious resting place in the Bronx. Dating from the Civil War (1863), it…
Nearby Connecticut attractions
1. Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk
0.14 MILES
This aquarium focuses on the marine life of Long Island Sound, including sand tiger sharks, loggerhead turtles and harbor seals, with daily feedings at 11…
2. Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum
0.68 MILES
This is one of the best surviving Second Empire–style country houses in the nation, so it's no wonder the 62-room mansion was chosen as the set for the…
3. Stepping Stones Museum for Children
0.75 MILES
This museum is bursting with interactive, instructive fun, from the weather cycle to gravity to the principles of conservation. The Toddler Terrain is a…
3.99 MILES
The Westport Arts Center is right on the river and has a busy schedule of changing exhibits, kids' classes and performances.
5. Westport Historical Society
4.33 MILES
The Westport Historical Society organizes local walks and guided tours based on a historical theme. The once-a-year Hidden Garden tour is a green-thumber…
4.62 MILES
Just south of Westport, Sherwood Island State Park features a 1.5-mile-long stretch of beach – its gentle surf and shallow waters are ideal for families…
5.22 MILES
Inspired by Mies van der Rohe, this icon of mid-century modern architecture was the home of late Pritzker Prize–winner Philip Johnson and his art…
8.41 MILES
This 80-acre parcel was purchased in the 1990s by a consortium of well-intentioned and well-heeled New Cannanites to save the property from development…