Milford CT: Town center, with plenty of restaurants, shops, and things to do.

Charles Island Anchorage

Milford Harbor

Milford Town Center

The tower at the bridge, with Stonebridge Restaurant to the left.

Within a short walk from the waterfront marinas lies a charming town with restaurants, shopping and other diversions. One of the coolest things for us, being historically curious, is the stone bridge and tower. What's interesting aside from the age-old architecture, is that each stone is inscribed with the names of contributors from way back in colonial days. It seems they built the bridge one stone at a time and allowed each contributor to imbed his or her name into posterity. We found it fascinating to touch a stone that was carved so many hundreds of years ago and to imagine the lives of those immortalized in this rock.

The main street in town is a wide avenue with a central green and gazebo. There is clearly a resurgence going on here and homes have been restored to their full glory. When we first started coming, there were a few seedy bars and diners that seem to be gone now, replaced with vibrant new storefronts, a dozen or more restaurants, and artistic ventures. Enjoy summer concerts on the classic New England green. Milford Fine Arts Council organizes several events throughout the year including three plays each year, a jazz concert series, an arts and crafts fair, and Meet the Artists and Artisans on the third weekend in May and the last weekend in September. The Summer Nights by Harbor Lights concert series is very popular, as is the Sand Castle Contest. Of course, the Oyster Festival reigns supreme in mid-August, 2007 being it's thirtieth consecutive year of operation. It includes an arts and crafts fair, canoe and kayak races, a classic car show, and live entertainment.

There are numerous restaurants to choose from ranging from casual and light fare to the most indulging. Moreover, fishermen sell their shellfish and fish catch direct to boaters from Milford Landing Marina. Provisioning is also relatively straightforward. Although the supermarket (ShopRite) is more than a mile distant, there are plenty of convenience stores (Speedy Mart), gourmet shops & delis (Rainbow Gardens, Harborwalk, Food Fare, and Park Lane), and package goods stores (Friendly Liquor, TJ's Package Store) to ensure that you won't go hungry or thirsty. There is also a chandlery at Milford Boat Works and a hardware store (Harrison's ACE) nearby. Just across from the village green is a delightful looking breakfast place, but we've waited to get in due to the long lines at the door. Instead, we've had breakfast at Dunkin Donuts on the main street as well as in the little cafe restaurant next to the old movie theatre in the triangular building by the railroad. In summer, they have tables out doors and people linger with their Sunday papers over coffee. Most civilized! For a more adventurous destination, try Baracuda's on Gulf Beach for breakfast.

The spacious green with a waterfall and pond on the river surrounded by majestic buildings all around.

There are also a number of delightful beaches to visit, all within easy access. Fort Trumbull Beach, a large crescent shaped beach, is an easy walk. Gulf Beach has a lifeguard, and fishing pier, and concessions. The Smith-Hubbell Wildlife Refuge and Bird Sanctuary sits on 8 acres and is adjacent to the Connecticut Audubon Society Coastal Center at Milford Point. CAS manages this open space in cooperation with the New Haven Bird Club, on behalf of its owners, the State of Connecticut. A boardwalk protects the dune and beach habitat that faces Long Island Sound. The inland site of the preserve is adjacent to an 840-acre unditched salt marsh. Open from dawn to dusk. Coastal Center building is open 10 to 4, closed on Mondays. Sun noon till 4.

The main street boasts a boulevard with a park in the middle, and numerous interesting historic buidlings being restored to their full glory.

Restaurants		Click here to view a map of the area.
Stonebridge	203-874-7947	50 Daniel St. Milford, CT. Upscale, with lovely view of the river and falls, great Sunday brunch.
Archie Moore's	203-876-5088	Burgers and awesome wings at 15 Factory Lane.
Seven Seas	203-877-7327	Fish & chips at 16 New Haven Ave. Rated among the best.
Amberjack's	203-882-9387	Mediterranean seafood
Rainbow Gardens	203-878-2500	A victorian B&B on the green for a very special dining experience
Citrus	203-877-1138	New American Carribbean fusion 56 South Broad Street
Harborview Cafe	203-783-1315	Lite fare from a Culinary Institute of America chef. Need a last minute itemfor your galley, stop by and do your convience store shopping at Harborview Cafe. They carry gourmet Gevalia coffee and many items from Stonewall kitchen.
Cancun Charlies	203-882-1999	Mexican cuisine right on the waterfront, with a dazzling array of Margarita selections, including Poncho's Revenge made with Sauza Commemorativo - almost a shame to mix it with anything!
Wayne's Place		Lobster roll, snack bar
Baracuda Roadside Restaurant		It's a small snack shop located at Gulf Beach on Gulf Road in Milford. Get an egg, sausage, and cheese sandwich, sit at their cute patio tables and check out all the scenic views of the Gulf. Dinghy over from the anchorage at Charles Island.
Other		Francos Pizzeria (203-877-6180 -- they deliver to the marinas) Peter Pan Pizza Dunkin Donuts Subway
Daniel Street Club		Live music, light dinner, comedy and other entertainment. Across from the Stonebridge Restaurant.
Other activities
Milford Chamber of Commerce	203-878-0681	Tourist guide
Milford Historical Society	203-874-2664	Maintains several historical buildings that house an impressive collection of Native American artifacts
Smith-Hubbell Wildlife Center	203-878-7440	At Milford Point. See description above.
Theatre Works		New Milford theatre group produces three plays a year
Milford jai-alai		A cab ride away, but if you've never seen this fastest ballgame in the world, be prepared to be amazed as the ball wizzes past you at 180 mph as you bet on who will be the lucky winners.
Tony's Bikes and Sports	203-878-5380	Bike and kayak rental
Oyster Festival	33th Annual in 2007	Third Saturday in August.