Things to Do in Bridgeport, Connecticut [Bridgeport Travel Guide] - Attractions - Trip Advisor & Booking - Trip Advisor & Booking
Things to Do in Bridgeport, Connecticut [Bridgeport Travel Guide] - Attractions - Trip Advisor & Booking - Trip Advisor & Booking
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00:00Dating back to 1821, Connecticut's largest city by population has been transformed since
00:17the turn of the 21st century.
00:20Today it's a diverse hotbed of creativity, with a lot of culture, plentiful green space,
00:25and a beautiful shorefront.
00:27Relying on its harbor, this was traditionally a blue-collar town, famed for a lot of manufacturing
00:32firsts.
00:34By the end of the 20th century, a once booming industrial center was forging a new path.
00:40Today we share the top 10 best things to do in Bridgeport so you can plan a trip and experience
00:44all the exciting attractions and activities this beautiful city has to offer.
00:53Starting with number 10, Discovery Museum & Planetarium.
01:00It's easy to see why the Discovery Museum & Planetarium is deemed one of the best attractions
01:05in Bridgeport for families.
01:08An intriguing and highly interactive museum, this fun spot entertains as it teaches.
01:13It's so popular that it often books up, so buy your tickets in advance.
01:18Existing exhibits include the science and flight section, which allows guests to become
01:22scientists by participating in interactive experiments.
01:27Tourists of all ages can build and launch their own rockets and use a flight simulator.
01:33At number 9 is the Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo.
01:40Tigers and sloths and spider monkeys, oh my!
01:44You'll see a slew of animals in the adorable Beardsley Zoo.
01:48A palatable size for those who'd rather spend a couple of hours instead of a whole day at
01:52a zoo, this intimate tourist attraction is packed with fun and over 300 animals.
01:58The only zoo in the state, Beardsley offers visitors an easily walkable experience divided
02:03into five main sections.
02:05The walk-through aviary, alligator alley, rainforest building, Pampas Plains, and New
02:10England farmyard.
02:15At number 8, Seaside Park.
02:23Thousands of Bridgeport residents flock to Seaside Park each summer.
02:27The city's best waterfront destination, this is the perfect place to take a dip in the
02:31Long Island sound, play a game of beach volleyball, enjoy a grassy picnic, or try your hand at
02:37sailing or kayaking.
02:39This 325-acre park boasts lush lawns, sports fields, walking and biking paths, clean beaches,
02:47and plenty of shaded glens in which to enjoy a refreshing sea breeze.
02:51Covering nearly 3 miles of coastline, the park offers plenty of space to stretch out.
02:59At number 7, Captain's Cove Seaport.
03:05Captain's Cove Seaport is the place to be on a warm, sunny day.
03:09A family-owned waterfront destination, this fun spot has it all, a marina, boardwalk,
03:15shops, restaurant, and a stellar, and breezy, view of Black Rock Harbor.
03:22Not surprisingly, it's one of the best places to visit in Bridgeport in summer.
03:27Whether you're looking to cool off with a refreshing beverage, mow down on some tasty
03:31fish and chips, or enjoy an evening of outdoor entertainment, you'll find it all and more
03:36at this family-friendly attraction.
03:41At number 6 in our list, Housatonic Museum of Art.
03:49The Art Museum at Bridgeport's Housatonic Community College has an amazing collection
03:53that caught me off guard.
03:55The holdings are rich, important ethnographic pieces, dating from the 18th to the 20th century,
04:01and sourced from communities in Latin America, Oceania, and Africa.
04:06These are combined with works by masters like Picasso, Gustav Klimt, Andy Warhol, Alberto
04:12Giacometti, Henri Cartier Bresson, Matisse, and Joan Moreau.
04:17The exhibits rotate to keep things fresh, and they also display current student work
04:21from Housatonic Community College.
04:27At number 5, Pleasure Beach.
04:34You'll step back in time to a disappearing Victorian beach community when you visit the
04:38newly reopened Pleasure Beach.
04:41The site was always difficult to visit as it sits at the end of a long barrier island.
04:46But when the bridge and main access point burned down in the late 1990s, it was all
04:50left to rot.
04:52Originally, the park was founded in 1892 and turn-of-the-century pleasure seekers could
04:57catch the steam ferry over to enjoy the roller coaster, carnival games, carousel, and more.
05:04In the 2010s, though, the city received money to revamp the ruins of the historic spot.
05:09In the summer, you can take a water taxi to one of the prettiest pieces of public beachfront
05:14in Connecticut.
05:17At number 4, Paquanuck River Trail.
05:25Growing steadily and joining up since 2001, the Paquanuck River Trail extends north through
05:30the valley for 16 miles.
05:33The official southern trailhead is the Bridgeport Transportation Center on Housatonic Avenue.
05:39Here you can join the first of several non-contiguous segments, all the way to Monroe.
05:44You can bike, skate, walk, or even ski along the trail, which is so picturesque, you'll
05:49never want to leave.
05:51If I had to pick a favorite local part, it would be the stretch north of Beardsley Park,
05:55where there's a little waterfall on the river.
05:58Out of Bridgeport, there's beautiful scenery in Monroe where the river twists through William
06:02East Wolf Park.
06:05At number 3 in our list, Kline Memorial Auditorium.
06:12A dramatic, columned entrance and glitzy, marble and wood-infused Art Deco interior
06:17welcome guests to this almost 1,500-seat theater.
06:22Built in 1940 with a large, Broadway-sized stage, the Kline Memorial Auditorium is Bridgeport's
06:27most upscale concert venue and home to the Academy of New England Ballet Company, Connect
06:33U.S., Fairfield County Children's Choir, and Greater Connecticut Youth Orchestras.
06:40Trust us, performances by these local groups don't disappoint.
06:45At number 2, Webster Bank Arena.
06:52Looking to up the excitement?
06:54Head to the Webster Bank Arena.
06:57The city's can't-miss sports and entertainment venue, this is the place where locals and
07:01visitors gather to watch everything from hockey games, to concerts, to basketball games, to
07:05gymnastic events.
07:08The AHL Sound Tigers, Bridgeport Islanders, Sacred Heart Hockey, and Fairfield Stags basketball
07:14teams all use this venue as a home base, while professional athletes like gymnasts Simone
07:19Biles and Kaitlin Ohashi and the Harlem Globetrotters have graced this court.
07:26Check out the number 1 places in our list, Jennings Beach.
07:33The Bridgeport area is replete with the kind of sandy beaches that aren't often publicly
07:38accessible in other parts of the state.
07:40Next door in Fairfield, Jennings Beach is one of the largest in the area, with 27 acres
07:45of sandy shoreline.
07:48It's very accessible for all, and there are lifeguards on duty during the summer.
07:52I came by in July and was amazed at how clean the sands were.
07:57Even if you're not visiting during the warm months, Jennings Beach is still a place worth
08:01visiting.
08:03Now it's time to hear from you what's your favorite things to do in Bridgeport.
08:07Is there something we missed let us know in the comments section below and don't forget
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