This is my first trip report so be nice to me.
In truth it's a mini trip - just one night, but I'm typing this up because in my opinion it is a great day or overnight trip close by to NYC, and people are always asking for ideas for a quick trip within driving distance from NYC.
So here goes:
Picked up my baby from daycare and my wife from work around 3, and headed out to the courtyard marriot in stamford connecticut which we used a free night certificate for, and we pulled in around 430.
We parked at the hotel with valet from the hotel at the cost of 10$ a night.
I had called in advance to request an upgrade to the whirlpool suite, but was told that they would put a note on my account that I had asked for it, but that they would only know when i arrive.
So when we arrived the woman at the desk - Rebecca - checked us in and gave us the keys, for some reason I assumed that since she didn't say anything about an upgrade it meant that she didn't have anything available, so as I'm walking away I thought, heck let me ask her anyway, and sure enough we were asked if we wanted the king suite or the whirlpool and we took the whirlpool option which was great.
After putting our stuff down we headed over to cove island - less than 15 min away.
Cove island is a pretty park and boardwalk with nice benches, ocean and water views and great picture backgrounds, something that we took advantage of, and we got some great family pictures with gorgeous background.
After hanging out there for about an hour, the baby started getting cold due to the proximity to the wind and ocean, so we headed to soosh - a great kosher sushi restaurant in the holiday Inn hotel, aprox. 15 minutes away.
We pulled up to the holiday Inn, and parked inside, officially there is a fee but Soosh can put a sticker on it and the charge is waived.
My wife ordered the salmon teriyaki bento box which was genrously portioned and satisfying, was 26$ which I thought was a bit pricey but was tasty and filing.
I ordered the salmon teriyaki salad for 15$ which was pretty good and the crown roll for I think 17, it was fine but I thought pricey and not such big pieces.
We also had sweet potato fries which were very solid.
Overall the food was great and not terribly priced for an out of town kind of place.
We went back to the hotel and sat at the fireplace in the lounge and then went to our room and whirlpool

.
We got up early the next morning and got into Brooklyn for 815ish in time for another day of work.
All in all it was a great one day much needed trip.
I'm happy to answer all questions if anyone has any.