New Fairfield Senior Center Is Offering Day Trips

NEW FAIRFIELD — New Fairfield Senior Center, at 28 Route 29 within Heritage Plaza, is sponsoring a number of day trips in upcoming months. All trips are open to area senior citizens, not just those who attend New Fairfield Senior Center programs on a regular basis.

Trip fliers are available upon request, which include details about each outing. Call the senior center at 312-5665 or visit the senior center for details.

First up is a Yankee Stadium Tour on Wednesday, April 9. Departure from New Fairfield will be at 8:30 am, with a return time of 6 pm. There is only this year and next before “The House That Babe Ruth Built” will be gone, replaced by a newer, more polished version across the street in the Bronx.

Yankee Stadium opened on April 18, 1923, kicking off the season the Bronx Bombers won their first World Series title. Many of the game’s greatest players — Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantel among them — were Yankees players, and their ghosts still roam the playing field.

The offering is a unique opportunity to go get a special memory of the famous stadium and enjoy the nostalgia of walking these hallowed grounds. Participants will be able to sit in the dugout, and enter the clubhouse of both past and present Yankee greats. Bonus time will be included for shopping and eating on famous Arthur Avenue in the Bronx.

A special guided walking and riding tour will take participants back in time to the “Good Old Days” of baseball in the Bronx. Enjoy one last chance to take in a piece of New York history. Cost is $43 including transportation, and registration will close March 10.

*Aqua Ducks And Tulip Time In Albany — Thursday, May 8, depart at 7:45 am and return 6:30 pm.

Begin with lunch at Carmine Sprio’s famous Carmine’s Restaurante for an Italian-style lunch. The Albany, N.Y., Aqua Ducks are amphibious tour vehicles that travel on the streets and splash down in the water as the conductor narrates the history of the capital of the Empire State.

Next stop will be Albany’s annual tulip festival where the city and Washington Park are alive with gorgeous tulip displays. Cost is $75, transportation included.

*River Quest Cruise And Fine Dining At “The Gris” — Thursday, June 12, depart 10 am and return 5 pm

What could be nicer than dining at the historic Griswold Inn located on Main Street in charming Essex? The area’s history, beauty, and charm are reflected throughout the inn.

Following lunch, enjoy the beauty of the Connecticut River Valley from the water. The River Quest is a delightful 90-minute cruise along the Essex Harbor and the Connecticut River. Cost is $66, with transportation included.

*Bobby Vinton At The Aqua Turf — Thursday, August 14, depart 10 am and return 4:30 pm. Bobby Vinton, the total entertainer, musician, singer, actor, 75 million albums... This fabulous “Blue Velvet” entertainer continues to electrify the stage with his wonderful musical talents and a ten-piece orchestra. Enjoy a delicious lunch at the elegant Aqua Turf in Plantsville. Cost is $83, transportation included.

*Overnight Washington, D.C. — Friday through Sunday, October 3–5. Depart via deluxe motor coach to visit the nation’s beautiful capital on the Potomac River. Two-night stay at the elegant Radisson Hotel in Crystal City. Guided city tour of DC to see the famous memorials, including Vietnam, Korean War, FDR, and the World War II memorials. Visit the Smithsonian and a Washington by night tour to see all the illuminated monuments. Also visit to the Farmers Market and Flea Market in historic Capitol Hill, and the brand new Madam Tussauds Wax Museum. The cost is $397 and includes two breakfasts and two dinners and all sightseeing and admissions.

*Mohonk Mountain House — Friday, October 17, depart 9:15 am and return 5 pm. Mohonk Mountain House is a magnificent resort in New Paltz, N.Y. The Victorian 265-room castle, built in 1869 by the Smiley brothers on the deep-blue waters of Lake Mohonk, is one of America’s oldest family-owned resorts. The sight of this sprawling architectural wonder never fails to thrill its visitors. Explore this enchanted unspoiled Hudson Valley hotel, tucked away at the top of the Shawangunk Ridge Mountains. Tour the award-winning show gardens, lose yourself in the Victorian Maze, or time to stroll along part of the 85 miles of hiking trails.

Included is a behind-the-scenes kitchen tour, and a luncheon banquet featuring modern American cuisine emphasizing wholesome foods prepared with seasonal, local ingredients that are the hallmark of dining at Mohonk. Cost $80 per person, transportation included.