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Mystic Aquarium
Beluga whales, a roomful of penguins, harbor seals doing their thing. It's small, but delightful.
Mystic
Things to do while you're here.
We love this sweet town, and we hope you enjoy your time here, too! Here are some of our favorite spots.
Mystic & nearby
Things to do.
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Mystic Seaport Museum
A working nineteenth-century seaport, fully lit for the holidays in December. Tall ships, a printing shop, a planetarium. Worth a visit!
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The Lantern Village
A small December-only stretch inside the Seaport. As twilight falls, Mystic Seaport glows with the warm flicker of lanterns and the sparkle of holiday music-filled light displays.
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Olde Mistick Village
Open-air shopping village. Everything from the Jealous Monk brewpub to the largest Anime Shop in New England. Plus a movie theater if you get bored at the wedding.
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Downtown Mystic
A drawbridge and cute shops. Stop by Mystic Pizza (get a shirt, pass on the calzones).
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Stonington Borough
A historic village you walk rather than drive — narrow streets, old sea captains' houses, and water at the end of nearly every block. Head out to Stonington Point for the views, and the little stone lighthouse on the way back. Thoroughly quaint.
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The Lobster Trap Tree
A Christmas tree built out of 460 lobster traps and hung with as many hand-painted buoys — some by local artists, some by Stonington schoolkids, some in memory of the town's fishermen. Lit every evening through the holidays, and a famously popular place to get engaged. It's in the Borough, so make one trip of it.
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Pez Visitor Center
In Orange, Connecticut — about ninety minutes west of Mystic, exactly on the route from New York. The world's largest collection of Pez memorabilia and a viewing window into the working factory. A real detour, but a really fun one.
Eating & drinking
Bring your appetite.
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Nana's Bakery
Bread, pastries, soup, coffee. Pizza. Breakfast burritos. It's cute, we like it a lot!
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Sift Bake Shop
The croissants live up to the hype. Expect a small Saturday-morning line — it moves quickly.
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Mystic Pizza
The pizza is honestly fine. You go for the movie, and because it's still a perfectly good slice on a cold December night. Open late.
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Shipwright's Daughter
At the Whaler's Inn. James Beard award winner, a very good wine list, the kind of room you settle into and stay all night. Reservation highly suggested, though it's fun to sidle up to the bar.
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Jealous Monk
Beer garden and kitchen out in Olde Mistick Village. Heated outdoor seating in winter, a long list of drafts, a very good burger and poutine. Casual.
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Oyster Club
Our favorite!! Excellent seafood and steaks alike. The cocktails are on point. Book early.
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Daniel Packer Inne
A 1750s building with three creaky floors and a fire downstairs. Classic American menu, a serious bar. Atmospheric in the way the word was meant.
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Lighthouse Coffee Shop
Reliable, fast, downtown. Across from the Whaler's Inn, good for a quick coffee on the go.
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Macondo Coffee Shop
Halfway between downtown Mystic and Stone Acres. Good coffee and real New York-style bagels — a perfect Saturday-morning pull-over.