Sunset as enjoyed from the deck of Rowayton Seafood on the Five Mile River.

You hear the squeals of horror and delight long before you reach the jellyfish tank at the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk. But this exhibit isn’t just for looking; kids and their parents are actually touching the pulsating sea creatures! Nearby, other families gather to watch playful harbor seals show off their swimming skills, while in another part of the building children gawk at a giant tank containing striped bass, drum, cod, flounder, and other Northeast species. Welcome to the Maritime Aquarium in the heart of Norwalk’s SoNo district—one of many reasons boaters should plan on spending a few days in this thriving city on Long Island Sound.

Although Norwalk’s coastline comprises East Norwalk and the village of Rowayton, on the Five Mile River, we’ll begin our tour in hip, happening South Norwalk (aka “SoNo”). To get there, boaters arriving from Long Island Sound must negotiate the Norwalk Islands, which stretch from Cockenoe (pronounced “ko-ke-nee”) Island to Sheffield Island. While some vessels can navigate the shoal water between the islands or approach through Cockenoe Harbor to the east, the easiest route is through the deep, well-marked channel that begins at Greens Ledge, west of Sheffield Island.

Stately Sheffield Island Light is open for tours.

The 25 islands in the Norwalk archipelago deserve special mention. They vary in size and ownership, and collectively serve as a natural barrier to heavy seas. Better still, several are open to the public, providing a coveted resource for boaters, fishermen, birders, paddlers, and families simply looking for a place to hang out.

Shea and Grassy Islands, which are managed by the Norwalk Parks and Recreation Department, even offer grills and campsites (reservations required). Copps and Betts are privately owned, as is perhaps the most notorious chunk of rock—Tavern Island. During Prohibition, this 3.5-acre islet served as a supply depot for rumrunners. In the 1950s and ‘60s, the infamous entertainer Billy Rose reputedly used it as a base for celebrity debauchery.

Chimon and Sheffield Islands are part of the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge, and offer a pleasant anchorage where boaters can drop the hook and take a dip. Due to environmental concerns, interior access is restricted on Chimon. Over 200 years ago, ewes were pastured on Sheffield to keep them from the male sheep on nearby Shea Island, formerly known as Ram Island.

The 51-acre Sheffield Island once served as a home for cholera patients, a ritzy estate, and, of course, Sheffield Island Lighthouse, built in 1868. You can visit this decommissioned 10-room granite lighthouse and learn about the solitary and labor-intensive life of a Victorian-era lighthouse keeper during a Lighthouse & Harbor tour run by the Norwalk Seaport Association. The Sheffield Island dock is reserved for tour boats, but recreational boaters can tie up briefly to offload or pick up passengers who want to explore the island, which also features a nature trail and wildlife-viewing platform.

As you make your way through Norwalk Harbor toward SoNo, pay heed to the multitude of spindly stakes that mark the area’s various oyster grants. Norwalk’s oyster industry soared after Civil War soldiers developed a taste for the canned bivalves and wanted more when they returned home. The city and other Long Island Sound communities met the demand until the industry died off by the early 1900s. Today, oystering has made a huge comeback, and Norwalk’s shallow, plankton-rich waters are once again teeming with the tasty shellfish.

Oystermen ply their trade aboard a wooden dredge.

The main channel to Norwalk Harbor leads past Manresa Island before turning north-northeast off Calf Pasture Point. As the harbor narrows to form the mouth of the Norwalk River, you’ll find convenient daily and overnight dockage to starboard at the Norwalk Visitor’s Dock, part of Veteran’s Memorial Park. The park also has a public launch ramp. On the west side of the harbor, Total Marine and Rex Marine, both on Water Street, may also have transient space. With your boat secured at any of these marinas, you can easily access the SoNo district’s shops, restaurants, and attractions on foot.

The Maritime Aquarium, which occupies a former 1860s iron works, serves as a state-of-the-art educational center on the lower Norwalk River. With a focus on the marine environment of Long Island Sound, it now draws over half a million visitors each year, who flock to see sharks in a 110,000-gallon tank, loggerhead turtles, seals, rays, and jellyfish, along with a cast of other animals, including meerkats and river otters.

Ever-changing and always improving, the Aquarium went through a multi-million-dollar renovation in 2013. Replacing the Wooden Boat exhibit is a large ray and shark touch tank and the popular Jiggle a Jelly touch tank filled with benign moon jellyfish. With an IMAX theater, traveling exhibits, and marine-study cruises aboard the hybrid research vessel Spirit of the Sound, you can spend a good part of a day learning about and interacting with the marine environment.

Another family-friendly destination is the Stepping Stones Children’s Museum at Matthews Park, built with an elaborate and clever eye toward the ways in which children learn through play. Nearby, you can also tour the Lockwood Matthews Mansion—built by financier and railroad baron LeGrand Lockwood in the mid 1800s—and the Center for Contemporary Printmaking, which features both emerging and established artists.

One of the smallest yet coolest museums is the SoNo Switch Tower Museum, which occupies an old train trestle spanning Washington Street. Visitors can climb the narrow iron stairs to the burnished third floor for a chance to pull the now-disengaged Armstrong levers (so named because you needed a strong arm to budge them) that once moved switches on the Main Line track outside the window.

Dinner and a view are a boatride away at Harbor Lights in East Norwalk.

Dining options abound in SoNo, with new eateries opening every month, it seems. Indeed, it’s hard to keep track of them all! However, if you’re seeking a convenient dock-and-dine option that’s stood the test of time, plot a course for SoNo Seaport Seafood, directly across from the Visitor’s Dock. As its name implies, this busy waterfront landmark specializes in lobster, steamers, mussels, calamari, fried fish. and the coveted fried whole-belly clam. It maintains a small dock with several slips for boats up to 30 feet or so.

For toothsome Mediterranean cuisine served with stunning harbor and sunset views, cruise on over to the upscale Harbor Lights in nearby East Norwalk. The restaurant has a long dock for boating diners, and the food is outstanding, with a menu that includes grilled octopus, lamb lollipops, and Mediterranean grilled seabass.

East Norwalk is where bulbous Calf Pasture Point juts into Long Island Sound, on the harbor’s southeastern end. It’s also where you’ll find Norwalk Cove Marina, the city’s largest and busiest marina featuring a fuel dock, an on-site restaurant, a pool, mini golf, and much more. Although it’s a fair distance by foot from SoNo, many transient boaters dock here and take their dinghy to the Visitor’s Dock for downtown access.

Next door is Norwalk Community Sailing, where budding sailors learn the ropes. The school also rents kayaks and paddleboards, and offers lessons and tours of the local waters. The school’s beach is a just a short paddle from the Norwalk Islands.

As mentioned, Norwalk also includes the lovely village of Rowayton, west of the harbor on the Five Mile River. Lined with mostly private homes, this narrow stretch of water is the perfect place to drift along in a kayak, admiring both grand and modest dwellings. It’s also where you’ll find the sea-to-table restaurant Rowayton Seafood. This chic eatery includes a more casual outpost and seafood market on a deck cantilevered over the river, and offers free tie-up for patrons who call ahead.

So whether it’s seafood chic, seafood in the rough, or sea creatures you can touch, you’ll find it all in eclectic Norwalk. Just be sure to give yourself plenty of time to explore all of its delights.