Stamford Rainy Day — No Sunshine Needed
Chelsea Piers skating, Stepping Stones, and downtown lunch. All indoors.
Parking plan
Park in the Chelsea Piers garage (validated with admission). Everything else is a short drive; Stamford downtown parking is metered but easy on weekdays.
The Itinerary
- 1~120 min
Chelsea Piers Connecticut
The ice skating rink is the centerpiece — it works for grandkids who have never skated and grandparents who have. Skate rental included. The massive facility also has rock climbing and gymnastics if the rink isn't the right fit.
Grandparent tip: Arrive 20 minutes before your session to get skates sized and laced. Don't skip the café — overlooking the rink with a hot chocolate while grandkids do one more loop is a good moment. - 210 min drive from Chelsea Piers~60 min
Downtown Stamford lunch
The Mill River Park area has good lunch options. Easy to find something for mixed tastes. The park itself is worth a short walk through if it's not pouring.
- 320 min drive north on I-95
If you want to keep going, Stepping Stones is 20 minutes from downtown Stamford and is the best hands-on museum in the region for under-10s. A full three-stop indoor day for ambitious grandparents.
Grandparent tip: This is optional — two stops is often enough. If grandkids are flagging after Chelsea Piers and lunch, call it a win.