TRIPS and EVENTS
The Trips and Events Committee organizes numerous and varied outings for the pleasure of club members.
Examples are monthly dinners at area restaurants, visits to area museums, art galleries, estates and gardens, sporting events, theatre and entertainment events, industrial tours, excursions. Occasionally we’ll charter a bus for a trip of 2 or 3 days duration – a trip to Gettysburg is an example.
Please check your Weekly E-Mail Newsletters as events are posted as they come up and sign up is sometimes limited in number. To become part of the Y’s Men or for more information click here.
The members of Trips and Events committee are a spirited group that enjoys preparing these social events. If you have any ideas, suggestions, or contacts at certain venues, please contact:
- Bill Blaufuss, Chairman
- Bob Mitchell, Vice Chairman
Remember: Spouses and significant others are most welcome at all T&E events.
Non-Y’s Men friends are also welcome, space permitting.
Come out and enjoy an event with us!
Bill Blaufuss, Chairman
(email Bill Blaufuss for more information)
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The information below is now composed of 3 main sections:
– Listing of Current Events
– NYC Travel Hints – a new section that describes where to park at our local train stations and other information about trains/subways. Handy for those going on a Y’s Men T&E trip to NYC.
– Other “Stuff” Going On in the Area – listing of other venues for the arts
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Listings of Current Events
Complete descriptions of these events were recently sent via email. If you lost that email, copy the link at the bottom of the listing and put it into your browser and you will be taken to the original email which has all the details.
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Monday, June 15
NYC Walk: New York Harbor Defenses
Spouses, Significant Others, and Guests Welcome!
Rain Date: Tuesday, June 16
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Wednesday, June 17
Grace Farms
SOLD OUT
Spouses, Significant Others, and Guests Welcome!
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Wednesday, June 24
Tour of Amazon Fulfillment Center
Due to demand, we must restrict participation to Y’s Men members only.
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Friday, June 26
Governors Island Tour
Spouses, Significant Others, and Guests Welcome!
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Monday, June 29
Copp’s Island Oystering
This event is sold out. Later opportunities will be offered if possible.
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NYC Travel Hints
Updated April 6, 2026
Railroad Parking – Westport Stations
There are eight parking lots at Westport Railroad Station (Saugatuck). During the work week, most of the parking spaces are reserved for commuters who buy season parking passes. But some of the lots have designated Daily Parking spaces for casual train users, such as us. Look for the Daily Parking signs. Lot 8, north of Saugatuck Avenue and Lot 4, north of Saugatuck Avenue across the tracks are reserved for daily parking. Lot 7, under the highway past Zucca Gastrobar, is currently an overflow lot for daily parking. There are also a few daily parking spaces in Lot 2, directly next to the tracks on the NYC-bound side, but these spaces fill up very early in the morning. There is no longer any daily parking in Lot 3, along the New Haven-bound side of the station, or in Lot 1, the main parking lot.
Greens Farms Station has three parking lots. The main lot, Lot 1, allows for daily parking.
RR Parking maps may be found on the Westport Town website: (link) . (However, the maps are not entirely up to date.)
The fee for daily parking is $6.38 per day. However, Westport allows its senior citizens to park twice a month for free. In order to obtain this discount, you must first register with Railroad Parking at the Police Station. To register, call Railroad Parking at 203-341-6052.
Once you are on their list, whenever you park in a designated daily space, you call or email RR Parking (parking@westportct.gov). You provide them with your parking ticket number and they remove the charge from their system. Two times each month.
Parking is easier on Monday and Friday, and especially tight on Wednesday – theater matinee day. Parking on weekends and holidays anywhere in any of the lots is free for everyone.
Westport Shuttle Service
There is an inexpensive car service to and from the train stations, morning and evening. Wheels 2U is an on-demand service – ride from anywhere in Westport to the Greens Farms or Saugatuck station and return – $2.00 each way. For more information and to sign up: Wheels 2U Westport.
Train Schedules – Westport to NYC
Nearly all trains from New Haven to NYC and back stop at Westport Saugatuck Station. In the evening, however, some of the trains from NYC to New Haven do not stop at Greens Farms Station. Be sure you are correct. For example, afternoon trains from GCT on the hour generally stop at Green Farms; trains on the half hour often do not.
At busy times in the morning, seats on the train to New York City are more likely to be available toward the back of the train.
Train Fares
As of Jan. 4, 2026, there is now one fare schedule on Metro-North applicable to seniors. At all times now, including morning rush hour, every day of the week, there are special discounted fares for seniors. Look for Senior/Medicare tickets.
Tickets may be purchased from kiosks on the train station platforms. (There are no more ticket agents.) Alternatively, you can download a phone app from MTA called TrainTime which gives you train schedules and allows you to purchase electronic tickets. However, the electronic tickets can now only be purchased on the day of travel and expire at 4AM the next day. In addition, the electronic tickets must be activated before boarding the train. Failure to do so may result in an $8 fine.
In a pinch, tickets may be purchased on the train.
Note, the TrainTime app advises you of seat availability by car on arriving trains.
For travel to 125th Street, purchase tickets to Grand Central.
Grand Central Terminal
Trains to New York arrive and depart from two levels at Grand Central. Our Y’s Men groups generally gather on the Upper Level in the Main Concourse, near the Clock/Information Booth.
Restrooms are located in four locations. The most familiar ones are at the east and west ends on the Lower Level. Note: these are the most crowded, especially the ladies’ rooms. The restrooms are down the stairs/escalators from the Main Concourse. Then, there is a third ladies’ room located at the Station Master’s office on the west end of the Upper Level, near the NY Transit Museum. Less well known – generally not as crowded.
The fourth alternative is the new restroom in the LIRR terminal, which is a few minutes’ walk from the Main Concourse. Brand new, clean, not crowded.
NYC Subways and Buses
You no longer purchase tickets or MetroCards to travel by public transport in NYC. Both buses and subways now only accept cash, debit or credit cards, phone wallets, or OMNY cards (Tap to Pay). If you transfer from one mode of transportation to another within a certain period of time, the payment method will register the free transfer.
There are reduced fares for seniors, a 50% discount, with a special card. Inquire at an MTA Customer Service Center. (There is one in the subway station under Grand Central.) If you already have a Senior MetroCard, you may continue to use it until the money value is used up. After that, it cannot be used any more. You will be mailed a Senior OMNY card to replace it.
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OTHER “STUFF” GOING ON IN THE AREA
in addition to the above events organized and conducted by Y’s Men,
here for your convenience are links to other entertainment venues in our area.
Greater Connecticut Youth Orchestras
Voices Café at Unitarian Church
*Both The Quick Center and the Ridgefield Playhouse present the Metropolitan Opera in HD and National Theatre of London in HD as well as offering a multitude of other entertainment. Please check their websites.