South Norwalk (Metro-North Station) - Within Walking Distance

Within Walking Distance

The station in South Norwalk is just south of the "SoNo" entertainment and business district. Going north from the station (to the right on State Street from the main building entrance, or to the left from the older building entrance on the eastbound side of the tracks), turn right on Monroe Street, pass the Norwalk police station and turn left on South Main Street.

Three blocks to the north, where the railroad tracks pass diagonally over the intersection of Washington Street and North and South Main Streets, is the central intersection of the district (http://sonodesigndistrict.net/and http://www.visitsono.com/) The streets near this intersection are blocked to vehicle traffic for major festivals, such as the SoNo Arts Celebration. From this intersection, starting by facing north:

• To the right (east) is Washington Street, with bars, restaurants and shops as well as the tiny SoNo Switchtower Museum. At the end of the block, to the left is the IMAX theater entrance to the Maritime Aquarium and docks where boats offer trips to Sheffield Island Light. Straight ahead is the Stroffolino Bridge over the Norwalk River, at the point where the river opens up into Norwalk Harbor. Just over the bridge in East Norwalk and to the right is Veterans Memorial Park, where the annual Norwalk Oyster Festival takes place.

• To the left (west) is the small South Norwalk Library and the area's only skyscraper, the 50 Washington Street building.

• Straight ahead for three blocks are more restaurants, bars and shops, with the Norwalk Museum in the former City Hall building, just past the former Palace Theatre, a former vaudeville venue. The Bowtie cinema multiplex is further up the street on the right.

• Continuing north along West Avenue for almost a mile is Central Norwalk, just past the Interstate 95 underpass, and the Lockwood Mathews Mansion Museum, close by the Stepping Stones Museum for Children and the Center for Contemporary Printmaking (all three institutions in "Matthews Park" share the same entrance from West Avenue). A small tourist-information office is located in the stone gatehouse at the entrance to Matthews Park on the right side of West Avenue. Across the street is Columbus Park, which also honors various ethnic groups in Norwalk. Several blocks further north, West Avenue intersects with Wall Street (to the right), which has several restaurants. A walk for several blocks down Wall Street, over a small bridge and up the small Mill Hill, leads to Mill Hill Historic Park, on the right, with several small, preserved, historic buildings. One more block leads to Norwalk Green, on the left. Norwalk Green is at least two miles (3 km) from the train station.