Oasis

Four miles from downtown, North Bridgeport provides a quiet respite from the city with its leafy streets and green spaces. Locals come to play ball and picnic on the rolling green hills of Beardsley Park, a 19th-century gem designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. The park also houses Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo, where peacocks freely roam the grounds. Architecture buffs can stroll through Lakeview Village, a historic district noted for its Colonial Revival homes.

More suburb than city, this largely residential neighborhood has ample choices for renters. Small apartment buildings line East Main Street, along with houses for rent throughout the neighborhood. Residents run errands along Boston Avenue, a main thoroughfare where they can also grab a dog at Tomlinson’s Restaurant, a Bridgeport favorite for classic shack food fare.