Greenwich (Connecticut)

Greenwich is divided into several neighborhoods, including Byram, Greenwich, Cos Cob, Riverside, Old Greenwich, and Glenville. The town is part of the New York Metropolitan Area.
The neighborhood of Greenwich consists of the central business district and the famous main drag, Greenwich Avenue. Here you will find high end shops such as Ralph Lauren.
The Post Road, Boston Post Road, West Putnam Avenue, East Putnam Avenue all refer to the same road: US Route 1.

By plane

Greenwich can easily be reached from all of New York City's main airports.
Westchester County Airport (Purchase, NY): 20 minute drive to downtown Greenwich.
LaGuardia Airport (Queens, NY): 40 minute drive to downtown Greenwich.
JFK International Airport (Queens, NY): 45 minute to 90 minute drive to downtown Greenwich.
Newark Airport International (Elizabeth, NJ): One hour to 1½ hour drive to downtown Greenwich.
All are best reached by car/taxi/limo service. It is possible to reach Newark Airport via Amtrak from Stamford's train station.

By train

• Metro North has commuter train service to Greenwich out of Grand Central Station in New York City; the stations in Greenwich are Greenwich, Cos Cob, Riverside, and Old Greenwich.
• Amtrak provides passenger service to neighboring Stamford (station code STM).

By car

• Interstate 95 travels through Greenwich; the exits in Greenwich are numbered 2 through 5. The Exits come into these parts of town. Exit 2 - Byram Exit 3 - Greenwich, Exit 4 - Cos Cob, Exit 5 - Riverside.
• The Merritt Parkway (Connecticut Route 15) also travels through Greenwich.
• Route 1 also called the Old Post Road runs through all of Greenwich alongside I-95 and can be used to get to most destinations.

By taxi

If you don't have a car and have too much luggage for the train, you can sometimes take a taxi or limo service, from New York to Greenwich for example. Be prepared to pay a high price however, the ride will set you back about $75 or so depending on your exact origin in New York.

By taxi

• Greenwich Taxi

  phone: +1 203 869-6000
  Offers service all around town and into the Residential areas. They must be called, though, and do not travel around looking for passengers like New York livery and yellow cabs. All taxis are black Lincoln Town Cars with a GT on the side.

By car

Most of Greenwich is built up along the Old Post Road. Old Greenwich can be reached by travelling through Riverside until you see the sign that says "Old Greenwich Railroad Station," you'll want to remember this if you're going to the beach at Greenwich Point.

• Putnam Cottage

  address: 243 East Putnam Avenue (United States Route 1)
  The name of Revolutionary War General Israel Putnam became associated with the house as it was the scene of his daring and historic ride down a steep slope, now known as Put's Hill, with the redcoats in hot pursuit. This historic scene is depicted in the seal of the Town of Greenwich and the name of Putnam is found throughout the State of Connecticut. Putnam Cottage is maintained as a Revolutionary Era tavern museum open to the public, and a location for historical reenactments.

• Bush-Holley House

  phone: +1 203 869-6899
  address: 39 Strickland Road
  A National Historic Landmark in the Cos Cob section of Greenwich, Connecticut. It was constructed circa 1730 and in the late 19th century was a boarding house and the center of the Cos Cob Art Colony. It is operated by the Historical Society of the Town of Greenwich. Bush-Holley Historic Site features the circa 1730 Bush-Holley House, home of Connecticut’s first art colony. From 1890 to 1920, the house was run as a boarding house and was a gathering place for artists, writers and editors. Scores of art students came to study with leading American Impressionists John Henry Twachtman, J. Alden Weir, Theodore Robinson and Childe Hassam. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

• Bruce Museum of Arts and Science

  phone: +1 203 869-0376
  address: 1 Museum Drive
  A town-owned institution with sections devoted to art and natural history.

• Horseneck BrookThe site where Major General Israel Putnam escaped from the redcoats on horseback.

Recreation

A day in Greenwich can be spent doing a number of leisure activities. Greenwich has two main beaches, one is Greenwich Point which can be gotten to by the above directions. Greenwich residents can enter for free using beach passes, but those without beach passes have to go to the Community Center behind the First Presbyterian Church to buy a beach pass. The other beach is on Great Captain Island which can be reached by taking the ferry in Greenwich Harbor which comes about every 30 minutes and does not require a pass. You can find lots of sand, fun and food, but watch out for bees. Also when swimming at Great Captain Island don't swim near the pier as jellyfish like to gather there.

Marriage

Greenwich is a beautiful town in which to tie the knot. It has churches of several Protestant denominations as well as two Catholic churches and a synagogue. Since same-sex marriage became legal in Connecticut, Greenwich has become a popular destination for same-sex couples from out of state who want to marry. The town welcomes anyone who wishes to make their commitments official, and the local businesses welcome the extra business.

Shopping on Greenwich Avenue is expensive, but quite a unique experience. There are a number of upscale stores, particularly along Greenwich Ave. which will help relieve you of great amounts of money, the largest being Saks Fifth Avenue.

Greenwich offers various types of cuisines, including Italian, French, Thai, and more. Eateries in town run the gamut from fast food chains, such as McDonald's, Wendy's, and Taco Bell, and other inexpensive options - at Chicken Joe's, a take-out venue and home of the famous "High School Special" (235 East Putnam Avenue in Cos Cob. Hurry though, it closes very early!), a full meal can be had for $3, and be sure to try their special spicing - to mid-range and upscale restaurants.
One popular dining option in town is pizza. Pizzerias of note are Arcurri's, Planet Pizza, Glenville Pizza, Pizza Factory, and Pizza Post. For a wider selection of Italian-style cuisine, there are restaurants such as Bella Nonna and Terra Ristorante Italiano.
Asian restaurants are in abundance in Greenwich in every price range. For those seeking Chinese food, there are take-out options, such as Yangtze Riverside Restaurant. Moderately-priced Chinese restaurants include Hunan Cafe and Hunan Gourmet. Other Asian cuisines are available in Greenwich, as well. Asiana Cafe and Penang Grill in Central Greenwich offer pan-Asian cuisine and Abis which offers Japanese food in both traditional and Hibachi style. Little Thai Kitchen, in Byram, offers authentic Thai food at reasonable prices, and was reviewed favorably in The New York Times. These are but a sampling of the wide array available - perusal of a restaurant guide, such as Zagat's, will offer more information.
For those seeking a more refined dining experience, Greenwich boasts many upscale eateries. One is Restaurant Jean-Louis, home to award-winning French chef Jean-Louis Gerin, 2006 recipient of the "Best Chef in Northeast America" distinction from the James Beard Foundation. Other high class restaurants include the Homestead Inn which offers a wonderful setting and Rebecca's in Glenville where you get a mondain almost European feel with delicious food, wine and service.

Alcohol is of course available in many restaurants at all hours, however the only dedicated bar in town is called Taboo located on Railroad Ave. across from the Train Station. As Connecticut is a state with Blue laws there is a restriction on the sale of alcohol; Alcohol is not sold after 9 PM on Saturdays or on Sundays, if you want to buy some during this time, you can head right across the border to Wesscon (plain sign on an island right across for the Carvel) on Sundays until six or to an all-night gas station in Port Chester.

• L'Escale

  address: 500 Steamboat Rd.
  Save all other restaurants in the town, this is by far the most notorious from all aspects! It is not unusual to find members of the town's elite frequenting this chic establishment every night of the week! Members of the finance community from as far away as New Jersey regularly venture to this venue for A+ food and other spoils. Formerly the site of the Showboat Motel, the "skandalist" reputation of its predecessor unofficially lives on (i.e., high-class escorts are a frequent site). The bottom line is, it is worth every minute and every dollar for any occasion!

Greenwich has an extensive public school system, mainly funded by town property taxes. As of October 1st, 2004, the enrollment in Greenwich public schools totaled 9,083 for the 2004-2005 academic year. This includes eleven elementary schools, three middle schools, and one high school (Greenwich High School).
Eagle Hill School, one of the nation's premiere schools for children with learning disabilities, was founding in 1974 in Greenwich. It is located at 45 Glenville Road.

• Travelers with larger budgets might consider the upscale Delamar Greenwich Harbor hotel, the Hyatt Regency, or the JHouse.

• Hyatt Regency Greenwich

  phone: +1-203-637-1234
  address: 1800 East Putnam Avenue

• Stanton House Inn

  phone: +1 203 869-2110
  address: 76 Maple Avenue
  One of only two remaining bed and breakfasts in Greenwich, Connecticut, the Stanton House Inn is within walking distance of Greenwich Avenue.

• The Town of Greenwich has a website with quite a of information.

Newspapers

• The Greenwich Time is the town's daily newspaper. The Greenwich Post and Greenwich Citizen are free papers which are mailed to all residents.
• The New York Times has a Connecticut section on the weekends.

Greenwich is probably one of the safest towns in America with crime rates well below the state and national levels. In fact you can walk around all night and feel completely assured that nothing bad is likely to happen except possibly tripping on a root.
That said, it would be wise to walk on the side of roads even on quiet side streets as many teenagers tend to enjoy speeding down them.
Also, an overprotective police force is a problem. As Greenwich has a pretty low crime rate, bored police officers like to bust people for minor traffic violations just to keep themselves busy. Stay calm and pay the fine, getting excited about the injustice of the situation will only lead to more problems. Also, if you are any other race beside white or dress in a "hip hop" manner, expect extra police attention.

Consulates

• Belgium (Honorary)

  phone: +1 203 629-6500
  address: Two Greenwich Office Park

To the east is the Town and City of Stamford, which is right next door to Greenwich. There you can find the Stamford Town Center Mall and the attached Landmark Square Multiplex. To the west is the village of Port Chester, New York, which is home to a sizable movie theatre (16 auditoriums).