There are tons of restaurants, shopping areas, cinemas, bowling alleys, ice skating rinks, parks, and much more in the city of Danbury. There are also many different cultures and nationalities in the city, so you\u2019ll find lots of Brazilian, Ecuadorian, Chinese, Mexican, Greek, and Lebanese stores and restaurants, just to name a few.<\/p>\n
Danbury has an excellent bus system, the HART bus<\/a>, which provides regular transportation from campus to the downtown area, major supermarkets and shopping areas, train stations, parks, and nearby cities.<\/p>\n Visit the CIty of Danbury web site<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIn Bethel, there is a movie theatre that shows mostly foreign indie movies. When I was a student, that’s where my international friends and I went to the movies. If anyone also likes mainstream movies, but doesn\u2019t want to pay too much, Edmonton Hall has 2 dollar movies.\u00a0 The movies aren’t as brand new but it’s good<\/em>. For our club, we used to plan outing nights where we would go to an ethnic restaurant to eat and then go see a foreign movie.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 – Former International Student at WestConn<\/p>\n Movies<\/p>\n Greenwood Features, previously Bethel Cinema<\/a>: Foreign and Indie Movies<\/p>\n AMC Loews Danbury 16<\/a> \u00a0 Mainstream Hollywood films<\/p>\n Edmonton Town Hall Theater<\/a> $2 tickets!<\/p>\n FilmFest52<\/a> Independent and international films and documentaries.<\/p>\n Connecticut Film Festival<\/a> \u00a0 Independent movies, music, and digital media right in Danbury!\u00a0 First week in May every year.<\/p>\n Music and Performing Arts<\/p>\n Charles Ives Center O\u2019Neill Center\u00a0 – Restaurants<\/p>\n Hanna\u2019s Middle Eastern Restaurant<\/a> \u2013 Excellent Lebanese specialties like Hummus and Falafel<\/p>\n Pancho\u2019s Tacos \u2013 Authentic and inexpensive Mexican food For a complete list, click here<\/a><\/p>\n Coffee Houses:<\/p>\n Community Coffee House: Madison Avenue, Danbury (Great place for concerts, live music) Ice Cream Parlors:<\/p>\n Dr. Mike\u2019s Ice Cream Parlor:\u00a0 Greenwood Avenue, Bethel Shopping<\/p>\n Danbury Fair Mall: Backus Avenue<\/a>, Danbury: Over 100 stores and a dozen restaurants Museums<\/p>\n Danbury Museum & Historical Society<\/a>: Main Street, Danbury Sports \/ Recreational<\/p>\n Danbury Ice Rink<\/a>: Independence Way, Danbury (Ice Skating, Hockey) Outdoor Activites<\/p>\n WCSU Westside Nature Preserve<\/a>: Westside Campus (start by the softball field and follow signs)<\/p>\n Tarrywile Park<\/a>: Southern Blvd., Danbury (A favorite destination for hiking, skiing, or picnicking, Tarrywile Park also boasts a magnificent 19th-century Victorian mansion)<\/p>\n Candlewood Lake<\/a>\u00a0 Connecticut\u2019s largest lake is a great location for boating, fishing, and swimming during the hot summer months.<\/p>\n Great Day and Weekend Activities Around Danbury<\/p>\n \u201cThe Keeler Tavern Inn in Ridgefield is very close and there’s even an imbedded cannonball from the American Revolutionary War still in the outside wall. Ridgefield is a wonderful town in which to spend the day with plenty of activities planned during the weekends. <\/em> New York City: too much to mention here. I love Grand Central Station and the New York Public Library with Bryant Park. Natural History Museum, Empire State Building, UN…. and on and on…..!!\u201d\u00a0 <\/em>– Current WCSU International Student<\/p>\n One of the best things about WCSU is its location.\u00a0 Students enjoy all of the benefits of attending school in a smaller city \u2013 small class sizes, community atmosphere, personalized interaction with faculty \u2013 yet Danbury is only a short drive from New York City, coastal beaches, great ski resorts and outdoor facilities, and important American Historical Landmarks.\u00a0 Its central location off I-84, the main north\/south highway in the state, and near the Metro-North train line and Greyhound bus system, makes travel easy and convenient.<\/p>\n New York City<\/p>\n The Metro-North system provides frequent train service from Brewster Village Train Station (about 15 minutes from campus) to Grand Central Station, on 42nd Street in the heart of Manhattan.\u00a0 Trains run approximately every hour, seven days a week.\u00a0 You can check schedules and even purchase tickets online<\/a><\/p>\n From Grand Central, you can board the 4-5-6 Subway lines or take the S train (Shuttle) to Times Square.\u00a0 Subway map <\/a><\/p>\n Some of the \u201cMust-Sees\u201d in New York include<\/p>\n Metropolitan Museum of Art <\/a> New York City is also home to a dozen professional sports teams, the Yankees<\/a> and the Mets<\/a> \u00a0(Baseball), the Knicks<\/a> and Nets<\/a> \u00a0(Basketball), the Rangers<\/a> , Islanders<\/a> , and Devils<\/a> (Ice Hockey), the Giants<\/a> and Jets<\/a> , and the Red Bulls <\/a>(Soccer).\u00a0 The famous US Open Tennis Tournament<\/a> \u00a0takes place every September in Flushing, Queens.<\/p>\n Norwalk, CT<\/p>\n Major city on the Long Island Sound, home to multinational corporations such as Virgin Atlantic Airways and Kayak.com<\/p>\n Norwalk Oyster Festival<\/a>: Martime Aquarium<\/a> Dedicated to protecting Long Island Sound, the Aquarium offers hands-on educational activities, and a cool IMAX theater!<\/p>\n Beaches<\/p>\n In the summer months, students can enjoy fabulous beaches on the Long Island Sound and the Atlantic Coast.<\/p>\n Sherwood Island State Park <\/a> Hammonasset State Park<\/a> Jones Beach<\/a> Skiing<\/p>\n Danbury, Connecticut is located near some of New England\u2019s best ski resorts<\/p>\n Thunder Ridge<\/a> \u2013 Only 20 minutes from campus in Patterson, NY.\u00a0\u00a0 Students can even take classes there to fulfill their Physical Education requirement!<\/p>\n Mohawk Mountain<\/a> – Only a short drive north of Danbury, in Cornwall, CT.<\/p>\n Butternut<\/a> – Small, affordable ski resort in western Massachusetts<\/p>\n Major Vermont Ski Resorts: Killington<\/a>, Stratton<\/a>, Stowe<\/a><\/p>\n White Face<\/a> \u2013 In Lake Placid, NY, site of the 1980 Winter Olympics!<\/p>\n Outdoor Activities:<\/p>\n Appalachian Trail<\/a> :\u00a0 A 2,100 mile (that\u2019s about 3400 km!) hiking trail that starts in Georgia and goes all the way to Maine!\u00a0 You can hike sections of it near Bear Mountain and Cold Spring in New York State, about 30 minutes from campus.<\/p>\n Historical Monuments:<\/p>\n USS Nautilus<\/a> The world\u2019s first nuclear-powered submarine and first vessel to go under the North Pole.\u00a0 Located in Groton, Connecticut<\/p>\n West Point<\/a>: \u2013 Home of the United States Military Academy, West Point was also an important Revolutionary War fortress.\u00a0 American soldiers placed a chain across the strategic Hudson River to prevent British ships from sailing north.\u00a0 The commander of West Point, Benedict Arnold, became a famous traitor, when he tried to sell the fort to the British.\u00a0 The site, which is high on a hill overlooking the river, makes an excellent location for a picnic.<\/p>\n Sunnyside<\/a> Mark Twain House and Museum<\/a> : Home to the author of Huckleberry Finn<\/em> and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer<\/em>.\u00a0 Located in Hartford.<\/p>\n Boston:<\/p>\n Freedom Trail<\/a> \u2013 Walking tour of important monuments in the American Revolutionary War<\/p>\n Salem<\/a> The site of violent witch-trials in 1692, only a 30-minute train ride from Boston.<\/p>\n Fanueil Hall<\/a> – Famous for its restaurants and shops right on Boston Harbor<\/p>\n
\nLocated on the WCSU Westside Campus, this outdoor concert venue hosts world-famous bands like Widespread Panic, Cake, Cypress Hill, and Bachman Turner, as well as a yearly Jazz Festival, Latin Music Festival, and Shakespearean plays.\u00a0 The theater is located in a 40-acre wooded park with a nearby pond and hiking trails, making it a great location for an afternoon summer picnic!<\/p>\n
\nThe basketball and volleyball arena at Western Connecticut State University is also the site of indoor concerts each winter, with popular bands like Ben Folds Five and Live.<\/p>\n
\nSoho Pizza:\u00a0 Great New York-Style Pizza right across the street from Campus
\nTK\u2019s Sports Bar<\/a> : White Street, Danbury
\nJK\u2019s Texas Hot Wieners: South Street, Danbury
\nTwo Steps Downtown Grille<\/a> : Ives Street, Danbury
\nTerra Brasilis (Brazilian): White Street, Danbury
\nThree Brothers Diner: White Street, Danbury (10% discount to WCSU students)<\/p>\n
\nMolten Java Caf\u00e9:\u00a0 Greenwood Avenue, Bethel (Live Music on Friday and Saturday nights, outdoor seating, internet)
\nStarbucks<\/a>: Mill Plain Road, Danbury<\/p>\n
\nDubl Twister<\/a> (Across from White Hall on the Midtown Campus)
\nCold Stone Creamery<\/a>: Backus Avenue, Danbury
\nIl Bacio\u2019s: Germantown Road, Danbury:\u00a0 Some claim it\u2019s the best in the country!<\/p>\n
\nElephant\u2019s Truck Flea Market<\/a> (Sunday\u2019s Only): Route 7, New Milford<\/p>\n
\nDanbury Railroad Museum<\/a>: White Street, Danbury<\/p>\n
\nGolf at Richter Park<\/a>: Aunt Hack Road, Danbury
\nStony Hill Driving Range<\/a>: Route 6\/Newtown Road, Bethel
\nGolf Quest<\/a>: Sand Cut Road, Brookfield
\nGreat mini-golf and indoor driving range, also has batting cages and bumper boats!
\nBrookfield Lanes Bowling<\/a>: Federal Road, Brookfield
\nDolr Bill’s Bowling<\/a>: Danbury Road, New Milford<\/p>\n
\nAlso, this area of New England is rich in homesteads of famous American writers. Within one hour’s drive, you can visit the homes of Washington Irving, Mark Twain, Harriet Beecher Stowe. Just thirty minutes outside of Boston, in Concord, Massachusetts, you can visit Walden Pond and the homes of Louisa May Alcott and Nathaniel Hawthorne. <\/em><\/p>\n
\nMuseum of Modern Art<\/a> (MoMA)
\nSolomon R. Guggenheim Museum<\/a>
\nBroadway<\/a> \u00a0(See telecharge for tickets )
\nGreenwich Village (#6 Train to 14th St-Union Square or Astor Place)
\nChinatown (Subway to Canal Street)
\nStatue of Liberty and Ellis Island<\/a>
\nUnited Nations Headquarters<\/a>
\nFor tour information visit http:\/\/visit.un.org\/content\/guided-tours<\/a><\/p>\n
\nOne of the East Coast\u2019s largest waterfront festivals, held every year on the first weekend in September after Labor Day<\/p>\n
\nA relaxing beach in Westport, CT. Visitors can look across Long Island Sound and observe the New York City Skyline<\/p>\n
\nConnecticut\u2019s Largest Beach<\/p>\n
\nNew York\u2019s most famous beach, located in Wantagh, Long Island.\u00a0 Every summer, the Jones Beach Theater (jonesbeach.com) hosts world-famous bands like Blink-182, Nickelback, Santana, Dave Matthews Band, and Aerosmith<\/p>\n
\nLocated in Sleepy Hollow, NY, Sunnyside was the home to Washington Irving and where he wrote his famous \u201cLegend of Sleepy Hollow.\u201d\u00a0 Every Halloween, the Historic Hudson Valley reenacts the Headless Horseman<\/a> riding through the town.<\/p>\n