Southport Park

On Tuesday, my husband Derek went to Southport Park in Southport to take some pictures of the newest preserve, which Aspetuck maintains in partnership with other organizations.  At dinner that night, he showed the pictures to our 6 year old son Avery, and his reaction was “I have to go there”.   

So, on Saturday we went.  First, we stopped for donuts at Coffee An' in Westport, since we're always looking for an excuse when we're in the area.  We brought our donuts to the property and sat down at a picnic bench to eat them.  In that first open area, we looked around at the fort, slide, several large stones and logs for climbing on.

Avery was excited to try each of them, but had to go to the fort first.  The only question: to go up the ladder or to go around on the bridge.

 Once we’d gone in and out of the fort in all possible combinations, we went on the loop trail.   The trail at one point is very close to the train line, and we were lucky enough to be nearby when the train went by.  While it does detract somewhat from the peace and quiet of the trail, the sight of a train is always exciting for Avery.  There is interesting information on the trail about the local fauna and flora, but if your family is like ours, this is more interesting for the adults than the kids – who only want to get back to the front to play.

For maps, directions and more information about the Southport Park in Fairfield, click here.  

Sections: Exploring Preserves with Kids