Date of trip: September 2002, October 2007

Mystic, CT was made famous in 1988 with the release of the Julia Roberts movie, Mystic Pizza. Although many people know the movie, not everyone knows that the town actually exists! It’s a real place and it’s located about halfway between New York City and Boston.

Highlights:

-Mystic Aquarium may look like an ordinary marine park at first glance, but it offers some very special programs for guests that make it quite unique. In addition to viewing the usual aquatic animals, visitors can sign up for a Penguin or Beluga Whale Contact. These programs allow you to get up close and personal with the animals. It’s the only place I know of where you can touch a penguin and the only place other than Sea World you can touch a beluga. Will and I have done both programs and they are wonderful, educational experiences. Although the whale contact is seasonal, the penguin encounter is offered year round. Reservations should be made in advance as group sizes are limited and fill up fast.

-Next to the aquarium is Olde Mystick Village, an old fashioned shopping center with over 40 quaint little shops. They are specialty stores featuring items like holiday decorations, Irish gifts, kites and toys. There is also a country store with fun food items as well as a few cafes where you can stop for a snack or ice cream.

-The Mystic Seaport is the largest maritime museum in the country and it is BIG! In addition to touring boats and an old fishing village, we took a ride on the only operating steamboat in the U.S., the Sabino. It only runs during the warmer months but the best thing about it is that the steam engine is right out in the open so you can see how it works and watch the crew shoveling coal to power it!

-Of course, you can’t visit Mystic without paying a visit to the famous Mystic Pizza restaurant. The pizza lives up to all the hype and is absolutely delicious. It is without a doubt the most popular attraction in Mystic so it can get crowded. It’s best to go during the week or earlier in the day on weekends. If you are staying at a hotel in town, you can always get a pie to go.

-About 30 minutes away in Essex, sits the Griswold Inn, open since 1776. I recommend driving out to the inn for their famous Sunday Hunt Breakfast. The food is delicious, especially the corn bread, and there is a live piano player. Make sure to take a peek into their famous taproom which has been serving up drinks to yachtsmen and travelers since the early 1800s.

-Also in the area are Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun, two of the most popular casinos in the country. Foxwoods is about 15 minutes away and has one of the largest gaming spaces in the world including a Bingo Hall. Nearby is the Pequot Museum, a fantastic Native American museum built by the tribe that owns the casino. Mohegan is about 30 minutes away, has a bit more ambiance and a lot of shops and great restaurants.

Visiting Mystic is like a breath of fresh sea air. Whether you are looking for a romantic or family getaway, it fits the bill as the perfect long weekend trip.

For more pictures, please visit my Photo Gallery or click on any of the photos posted above.

Mystic Links:
Mystic Official Site
Mystic Aquarium
Olde Mystick Village
Mystic Seaport
Mystic Pizza
Griswold Inn
Foxwoods
Mohegan Sun