This swanky Connecticut town is so much more than just the center of the Preppy Handbook universe, and I should know. I grew up there. Known for its hedge fund billionaires, Captains of Industry, and Hollywood types, Greenwich does not broadcast its considerable tourist assets loudly, many of which, ironically, are inexpensive or free. Though the best dining recommendations may be pricey, you’ll more than balance that out with the following attractions and lodging.

This post was first published on GetawayMavens.com, where you’ll also find a trove of other “Offbeat Escapes in the Northeast.”

VISIT: Bruce Museum. I grew up spending happy rainy days at the old “Bruce” – peering at snakes in cages, colorful eggs in old nests, roaming through the dark black-light Space exhibit. But since its complete renovation years ago, the Bruce Museum has been garnering increased recognition in the international art world while maintaining a quirky “nature exhibit” side. Like a scaled down Museum of Natural History, the Bruce entices families to sit in a wigwam and listen to Native American stories, touch a wingback-chair-sized meteorite, play I-Spy in a woodlands ecosystem diorama, and stare in…