mystic ct food tour

15 Things to do in Mystic, Connecticut [With Suggested Tours]

Mystic is a village in Connecticut. It was founded in 1654, and since then Mystic became popular for its typical New England charm. Plus, this village has the two most visited attractions in Connecticut; the Mystic Seaport and the Mystic Aquarium. If you’re wondering why they’re the most visited, you should go here and see for yourself what these places have for tourists. 

In this article, we listed down the 15 things that you can do and visit when you’re in Mystic, Connecticut. By looking at this list, you’d realize that going to this wonderful village is worth to try. 

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Table of Contents

Best Things to do in Mystic, Connecticut

1. mystic seaport museum.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Mystic Seaport Museum (@mysticseaportmuseum) on Mar 9, 2020 at 9:44am PDT

Mystic seaport museum is the largest maritime museum in the States. It was founded in 1929 and it features a collection of sailing ships and boats. If you go here, you’d be able to see four National Historic Landmark vessels and the last wooden whaleship in the world. Step back in time by going here at the Mystic Seaport Museum.

Suggested Tour: Find Your Adventure at Mystic Seaport Museum

2. Mystic Aquarium

Have a lovely tour of Mystic Aquarium. See different marine animals like whales, penguins, sea lions and a 30,000-gallon tank, where exotic fish from around the world are in. Also, this marine aquarium is one of only two American facilities that have Steller sea lions. So if you’re into sea animals, you should definitely go here.

3. Historic Downtown Mystic

This downtown offers jewelry stores, ice cream shops, bakeries, tea shops, clothing stores, and restaurants around the area. You can do and buy a lot of stuff here. The place is also picturesque that you’d enjoy walking here. 

Suggested Tour: Taste of Mystic: Food and Local Culture

4. Mystic Dark Room

Want a unique experience? Head your way to Mystic Dark Room. Enjoy an amazing and unique entertainment experience that would make you go back again and again when you visit Mystic! Whether you visit there with your friends, family, or partner, their show is a must-watch!

Suggested Tour: Flash! at Mystic Dark Room

5. Charles W. Morgan

Charles W. Morgan is located in Mystic Seaport. This is the only existing wooden whaleship in the world. If you enjoy seeing and admiring wooden boats, then you shouldn’t miss the chance to see this! 

6. Mystic River Bascule Bridge

Walking along the Mystic Bridge is really fun. There are eateries and shops around the area. Have a lovely walk on this old bridge especially during nice and calm weather. Everyone would surely enjoy their time here. 

7. Olde Mistick Village

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Olde Mistick Village (@oldemistickvillage) on Jan 11, 2020 at 10:56am PST

Have a lovely walk in this old village. Olde Mistick Village is a recreated 18th-century New England village and it offers shopping malls. Just walk around the area and you’ll see more than 60 small shops, or you can choose to eat in one of its eateries. 

8. Mystic Museum of Art

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Mystic Museum of Art (@mysticmuseumofart) on Apr 1, 2020 at 4:38pm PDT

This art gallery is located on the shores of the Mystic River. It’s small but it has a lot to offer. It features changing art exhibitions every few months, special events and classes. What’s more interesting about this is it’s free! So yes, you can enjoy this gallery even without spending a penny.

9. Elm Grove Cemetery

Be impressed with Elm Grove Cemetery. This place is lovely and peaceful. It offers the nicest views in all of Mystic. By going here, you’d be able to see amazing tombstones and learn about interesting stories among those stones. 

10. Barley Head Brewery

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Barley Head Brewery (@barleyheadbrewery) on Mar 2, 2020 at 5:20am PST

Barley Head Brewery is located in historic downtown Mystic. The space inside the brewery is very small but offers great beers during your tasting tour. If you’re a big fan of craft beers then you might want to go here and explore the brewery. 

11. Mystic & Shoreline Visitor Information Center

To have more information and knowledge about Mystic, this is the place to be! This information center can answer all your questions regarding your trip so you’ll be able to travel the place comfortably. Going here is a huge help so don’t miss this one.

12. Whittles Willow Spring Farm

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Koerfer-Adventure Hat Travels (@rkoerfer) on Feb 24, 2019 at 7:08am PST

This farm has a lot of fresh fruits! The best time to go here is during the summer and fall season. In summer, you can pick silver queen corn and apples during the fall season! This is a fun place that everyone would enjoy. Even kids would love this farm.

13. Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center

Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center has a lot of walking trails. You’d be closer to nature by going here. You can see some animals like birds of prey while walking along the trails. Experience nature and have a memorable trip here!

14. Denison Homestead Museum

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Emily Markert (@sleepwhenimded) on Aug 19, 2017 at 4:31pm PDT

This 300-year-old home is very rich in history that you’d learn during the tour. Inside, you can see a lot of artifacts. The surroundings are also very lovely. You won’t regret stopping by here.

15. Liberty Pole Square

History buffs would love to stop by here. There are great displays of information provided on stones and plaques. If you visit here, you can just sit and relax, or take pictures of the surroundings. A few minutes or hours spent here is enough.

Things to do with 3 days in Mystic, Connecticut

Day 1 in Mystic, Connecticut

Mystic & Shoreline Visitor Information Center – Before you start your Mystic trip, you should visit the Mystic and Shoreline Visitor Information Center first. You’d be able to gain information about the places that you’re planning to go to. Going here first is a huge help.

Mystic Aquarium – Learn more about the marine wildlife in Mystic Aquarium. See different marine animals and learn more about them here. This is perfect for people of all ages.

Day 2 in Mystic, Connecticut

Mystic Seaport Museum – Your Mystic adventure won’t be complete if you will not go to Mystic Seaport Museum. Here, you can see lots of sailing ships and boats. Not only that, but you can also visit the only existing wooden whaleship in the world, the Charles W. Morgan that can be found here.

Mystic River Bascule Bridge – End your second day by walking along in Mystic River Bascule Bridge. There are eateries and shops around the place so you won’t get bored.

Day 3 in Mystic, Connecticut

Historic Downtown Mystic – Walking in this downtown would help you find a good shop to buy some souvenirs with. Boasting with jewelry stores, ice cream shops, bakeries, tea shops, clothing stores, and restaurants, no time will be wasted here. This is the ideal place to visit on your last day in Mystic, Connecticut.

Frequently Asked Questions about Mystic, Connecticut

1. Is it safe to travel to Mystic, Connecticut?

Mystic is an absolutely safe place to visit. The crime rate in the city is 75% lower than in other cities. It is not common for visitors to experience crime while touring around the place. So no need to worry if you’re planning to go here.

2. When is the best time to visit Mystic, Connecticut?

For the best experience, it is recommended to visit Mystic between the end of Spring and early Fall season. The weather is nice plus lots of attractions are in full swing during these seasons. 

3. How to get to Mystic, Connecticut?

To go to Mystic, Connecticut, you can travel from your city going to the nearest airport in Mystic. Some of the nearest airports near it are Bradley International Airport, Groton-New London Airport, and T.F. Green International Airport. Some have a direct flight going there, however, for some cities, you need a connecting flight. You can visit Skyscanner to see more available flights.

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About the Writer

Hi there! I’m Fatima . My first major travel was in 2016 in the beautiful city of Cebu. After that, I got interested in traveling. Now I enjoy learning languages and other country’s cultures. My goal is to visit at least one country each year and to share my experiences with other people through writing or blogging. Witness my journey by following me on Instagram .

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We provide fun guided tours and food tours that feature highlights of Mystic, Connecticut a charming seaside New England village. Tours are led by passionate locals and feature the history, the food, the drink and the local culture of this hidden gem halfway between New York and Boston. Lobster rolls, oysters, craft beer, local wine, sea captain's homes, colonial history and more! …

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We had a great private tour (part walking, part in the car) with Bill Pryor on 11/21/2020. He was very well versed with the area and also showed us the Spicer Mansion which had a speakeasy. We ended up going back a separate night and had a wonderful cocktail and conversation with the bartender. Recommend this tour if you're ever in Mystic to see the sights.

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How to Spend a Food-Filled Day in Mystic, Connecticut

The waterfront town is less than two hours from Boston by train, and cacio e pepe sourdough doughnuts await

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Mystic, Connecticut — a scenic train ride under two hours away from Boston — may be best known for its historic seaport museum , expansive aquarium , and Mystic Pizza , made famous in a Julia Roberts film, but you can fill a day in this charming waterfront town with adventures and good eats beyond those three icons.

Once you step off the train, walk 10 minutes in the opposite direction of downtown to ensure you don’t miss fried-to-order sourdough doughnuts at Nana’s . It’s hard not to order one of each since coatings run the gamut from classic, like cinnamon sugar, to savory, such as cacio e pepe, but try to leave room for Nana’s outstanding sourdough pizza. Local cornmeal from New England’s oldest continually active farm, Davis Farm in nearby Pawcatuck, Connecticut, gives the flavorful, chewy crust an extra crunch, while koji amplifies the tomato’s natural umami in the red sauce.

If you’re still hungry, Nana’s shares a parking lot with Sea Swirl , a popular stop for fried whole-belly clams and succulent Stonington scallops. Across the street, Bangladeshi chef Sheuli Solaiman impresses with savory moong dal with marinated lamb curry and spicy eggplant at Mystic Royal .

After you make your way to the center of town, rent a kayak from Adventure Mystic or board the Argia for a day sail to explore the waters around the famous Mystic River Bascule Bridge . Argia is BYOB, so pop into the excellent bottle shop Spencer & Lynn first if you want to grab drinks for your journey. Afterward, refuel with a cool drink such as a Green Medley cold-pressed juice or a local 860 Kombucha at Karma Kitchen and a Shellcuterie board from Mystic Oysters next door before browsing Mystic Nautical Marine Consignment for maritime treasures of yore.

Shop along Main Street, stopping for croissants and pecan sticky buns at Sift Bake Shop , steaming bowls of spicy garlic ramen and fluffy bao at Samurai Noodle Bar & Grill , or massive pancakes and perfectly runny yolks at Rise . Then, visit Mystic Museum of Art for the current exhibition of original lithographs from artists like Marc Chagall and Alexander Calder.

As evening arrives and you start to get thirsty, head to the Port of Call . Pick your vibe at two separate bars in the space: Upstairs offers the timeless elegance of a captain’s quarters, with light filtering through red velvet curtains across warm wood paneling and onto the centerpiece, a majestic curved bar made from salvaged ship wood. Downstairs at Dive Bar, there’s neon signage, a vinyl record collection, vintage games, a photo booth, and a diving suit in the corner. While Dive focuses on cold beer and simple cocktail builds, Port of Call’s upstairs drink list, led by director Jade Ayala, is more complex and tropical. (The bar has an ongoing partnership with the Real McCoy rum .)

Try the smooth Boozy & Honest featuring mezcal, cachaca, and banana justino — a fruit-infused rum — or Ancient Medicine, a floral play on the Penicillin. On both levels, find the same top-notch food menu created by 2023 James Beard nominee Reneé Touponce, who works magic with cured local fish in particular. Order the bacalaitos — a golden, Puerto Rican salted fluke fritter served with ephemeral cilantro lime foam — tender adobo-marinated beef tongue, and a snappy smoked hot dog dressed with bonito aioli and kimchi in a light and tangy double-fermented bao bun. The Port of Call also hosts performances almost every night, from sultry jazz to disco drag shows; it’s a lively draw for visitors and locals alike.

Next door, Touponce continues to delight at the cozy yet modern Oyster Club with dishes like a warming quahog chowder, mackerel and ramp scotch eggs, and John Dory white fish cooked with nutty red-and-white Jacob’s Cattle beans and confit smelt served alongside more of Ayala’s inventive cocktails.

Keep the seafood theme going in a plush, dark-blue velvet booth at the Shipwright’s Daughter , whose executive chef, David Standridge, offers herbaceous fish head rillette and local scup pickled and plated in green crab vinegar as well as entrees like a rich Seacoast mushroom bucatini. Sommelier Kathleen Standridge curates a diverse wine menu of over 135 bottles focused on low-intervention practices.

Whichever dinner spot you choose, there’s an opportunity to stay the night steps away: Shipwright’s Daughter sits within the charming Whaler’s Inn , comprising a collection of five historic buildings on East Main, while the Port of Call boasts a trio of whimsically renovated AirBnB suites above its Water Street bar. If you’re headed home straight away, however, you can finish the day at Taquerio , a hip refurbished gas station with an outdoor fireplace just steps from the train station so you can savor frozen margaritas and fried plantain tacos ’til the very last minute.

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Weekend Getaway Guide to Visiting Mystic, CT: Things to Do and Where to Eat (and Drink!)

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Before I started doing some research into New England weekend adventures for Mike and I to take without missing a ton of work, I hadn’t really heard of Mystic, CT. Sure, everyone’s heard of the 80’s movie Mystic Pizza starring Julia Roberts, but when compared to bigger New England vacation destinations like Cape Cod, it’s not nearly as popular. Despite its small size, Mystic is a charming town and there are plenty of things to do in Mystic, Connecticut! If you’re planning a weekend getaway to this cozy seaside town, here are the top Mystic attractions along with our recommendations for where to eat and drink. Since it rained for a lot of the trip, there’s also suggestions on what to do in the rain in Mystic.

Things to Do in Mystic, CT

There are two main areas of Mystic where the major attractions are. The first is to the north where you’ll find Mystic Aquarium and the Olde Mystick Village shopping area. The second is in downtown Mystic near the Mystic Seaport and many of the popular restaurants and bars. While you do have to drive between the two, it’s only about a 10 minute drive, and the downtown area is extremely walkable assuming you can find a place to park. Downtown there is very limited street parking and one public parking lot, along with the parking for the Mystic Seaport Museum. I’ll start with the Mystic attractions to the north and work my way downtown.

Olde Mystick Village

To the north of the Mystic shoreline lies Olde Mystick Village, a small boutique shopping and dining complex. Here you’ll find plenty of shops selling handmade jewelry, souvenirs and gifts, and specialty stores for tea, popcorn, and chocolate. The shops are also home to “Connecticut’s Best Cupcake” at Bleu Squid, a bakery and grilled cheese cafe. If cupcakes and grilled cheese doesn’t sound like heaven than I don’t know what does. Be sure to check the Olde Mystic Village website for information on sales and events that happen throughout the year including the Taste of Mystic Food Festival.

Mystic Aquarium

Googling Mystic, CT inevitably brings up references to the Mystic Aquarium . Mystic hosts the largest outdoor beluga whale exhibit in the United States and is also an animal rescue clinic. One thing to note is that besides the main gallery, many of the exhibits are outdoors. This meant we wouldn’t be able to use the aquarium as an escape from the rain so we elected to pass, but even with the storm there was still a pretty decent line at the front entrance. To save time you can always buy Mystic Aquarium tickets in advance online . The aquarium also offers many animal encounters with penguins and seals among others. While I don’t always agree with the way animals are treated in zoos, and many people feel zoos and other enclosed habitats shouldn’t exist at all, Mystic Aquarium is accredited and humane certified for their conservation efforts. There aren’t many other attractions up in this area, so we hopped back in the car and made our way south to Mystic Seaport.

Mystic Seaport Museum

Mystic Seaport is the start of what I’d call “Downtown Mystic”. While you do have to drive between the Mystic Aquarium area and here, once you get to downtown Mystic you can manage to walk most places. Mystic Seaport Museum has its own parking area across the street from the exhibition hall; it’s hard to miss the big orange sign. Stop in at the Thompson Exhibition Hall first to pay for your wristband and get a map as there is a lot to see. As an alternative, you can also purchase Mystic Seaport tickets in advance of your trip.

Mystic Seaport is the nation’s largest maritime museum and the premier Mystic, CT attraction. The seaport museum is set up to look just as a 19th century seafaring village with a number of historic landmark vessels you can actually climb aboard. In the summer, the museum even offers boat tours and summer camps where kids can learn to sail on some of these old ships.

Charles W. Morgan, 1841

The Charles W. Morgan is the oldest commercial wooden whaling ship still afloat and the largest of three National Landmark vessels on display at Mystic Seaport. It also happens to be one of the ships you can actually board and take a look at below deck. Once you make your way onto the ship there is a path to the right down the narrow stairs to the crew’s quarters. If you’re tall you’ll need to watch your head, as some spots are only about 5’3′ high. I know this because I happen to be that height and even I felt like I needed to duck because of how low the beams are. The most interesting part to me was the cramped sleeping quarters of the crew. We counted 24 bunks in a room that couldn’t have been much bigger than my own bedroom at home. With such close quarters, I can imagine how easily diseases spread here and your only privacy was the small curtains hung across the entrance to the bunks.

Since the rain held off for the morning we decided we should check out all the ships first and then make our way back to some of the village shops that were indoors.

Other Mystic Seaport Ships

Other Mystic Seaport ships include the Joseph Conrad, another ship you can climb aboard but can’t go below deck, and the Sabino Steamship. The Sabino even offers boat tours in the summer , but we were a bit too early in the season to catch a ride.

The last ship you can board is another National Landmark Vessel, the L.A. Dunton. The exterior is smaller but similar to the other ships, but once you go underneath you find that the hold of this ship is designed less for the crew and more for working and storing the day’s catch. One of the many informative signs here showed the typical day of a sailor, with a lot of work and probably only 5 hours of sleep a night. It makes me grateful for my cushy office job for sure, even if sometimes I daydream about leaving it to go off on adventures.

Seaport Village Shops

The village shops in the seaport give visitors a glimpse into what life would have been like in one of these small port towns. The museum has roleplayers and individuals who demonstrate how a shop might have operated at the time. Some of our favorites included shipsmith’s shop (a blacksmith shop specifically for ship parts) where they showed us how they used forges to create harpoons and other items for the ship, and the print shop where they showed us how newspapers and other pamphlets were printed by organizing individual letters into the appropriate format and pressing the ink onto the page with a large press.

Shipyard at Mystic Seaport

The Mystic Seaport Shipyard is a working shipyard involved in several restoration projects. At the time of this writing, the biggest restoration project is the historic Mayflower II which is being prepared for the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrims’ arrival at Plymouth Rock next year. While I wasn’t able to get a good picture of the Mayflower II because it is covered and under construction, we were able to get a quick peak at the vessel while we were in the shipyard. All I can say is wow . You don’t realize how large these things are until you see them out of water and see all the pieces that float beneath the surface. This thing is absolutely massive and it makes me wonder how the size compares to the other ships we saw docked at the port.

Inside the working shipyard building they also have a small museum that explains the different tools that are used in the yard, types of wood, and other important facts about the old ships in the seaport.

Mystic, CT Boat Tours with Argia Mystic Cruises

Argia Cruises offers some spectacular tours throughout the day, but we decided to end our evening with a sunset cruise. The ship allows you to bring aboard food and beer or wine to have a picnic and can hold almost 50 people. They even have a cooler for you to store your beverages in. It is recommended you purchase tickets in advance, especially during the weekends. While we chose Argia, there are several other Mystic CT boat tours including Mystic River Cruises and Mystic Boat Adventures .

Parking directions to Argia Mystic Cruises : It did take us awhile to find the office and ship itself though because our GPS didn’t take us to the correct location. If coming from the north, be sure to cross the drawbridge and you’ll see the schooner on your right. Take the next left into the parking area and the office will be in the back corner to get your tickets prior to setting sail.

The boat ride itself was great and it was cool actually turning off the motor and letting us sail in open water. Thankfully it didn’t rain, but it was quite chilly out on the water and we were thankful the crew had blankets to pass out as the sun went down. The trip takes about 2 hours and takes you out of the Mystic River and into the nearby Fishers Island Sound. The crew does a great job teaching you about the different sails, showing you the local spots and telling stories about the surrounding area. This includes pointing out a local oyster farm that supplies many of the local restaurants and the story of North Dumpling, an island between Connecticut and New York that for a short period of time became its own country.

North Dumpling Island is owned by Dean Kamen, inventor of the Segway. Since it lies on the border of both Connecticut and New York, Kamen offered to pay each state half of his taxes. Both states refused and wished Kamen to pay 100% to both. So, he decided to secede from the United States, creating his own flag, currency, and Navy, along with other essentials any country needs. It sounds as though things have been resolved since then, but still one of the most entertaining stories of the trip! We happened to be here for one of the first weeks of the sailing season so there was plenty of space on the boat, but I can imagine it getting much busier as the summer goes on.

Read: 10 Day New England Road Trip Itinerary

Where to Eat in Mystic, CT

Mystic pizza.

Mystic Pizza was the inspiration for the 1988 movie starring Julia Roberts by the same title about 3 waitresses working at the shop. The movie launched the small shop to pizza stardom. The pizza became so popular, in fact, that Mystic Pizza opened a second shop and now also allows you to purchase frozen pizzas from their website.

We decided to grab a few slices before boarding the Argia for our sunset cruise along with a few beers we picked up at a local brewery. The sauce had good flavor, but the pieces sitting in the warmer weren’t nearly as good as getting a fresh pie. If you do decide to do a Mystic Pizza picnic aboard the boat like we did, I recommend ordering ahead and getting a fresh pizza made.

The Mariner

We stopped at The Mariner right downtown for lunch on a wet day. It was Mother’s Day Weekend and we didn’t have a reservation, but they were able to accommodate us quickly. I would recommend making a reservation for many of the restaurants here as I’d imagine they get busy very quickly in the height of summer. A place like this is made for seafood, so I decided to have a bowl of New England clam chowder (because how can you not when you’re in a New England seaside town) and some crab cakes. I personally like Maryland style crab cakes better, but overall the food hit the spot and is in such a convenient location.

Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream

One of the most popular spots in downtown Mystic is the small Mystic drawbridge with giant counterweights dangling above it. Right off the side of the drawbridge lies Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream. When the weather is nice, this place is absolutely packed, but with it being rainy and cold we decided to pass on ice cream for this trip. Forty-five degrees and rainy isn’t exactly prime ice cream weather. If I go back in warmer weather I’d definitely like to try this Mystic favorite.

Ford’s Lobster

If you’re willing to go a bit outside downtown, Ford’s Lobster in nearby Noank has an unassuming exterior with a surprisingly comprehensive menu. An important thing to note is that Ford’s is an outdoor restaurant in the summer and does not allow reservations, but was recommended by our captain of the Argia so you know it must be excellent.

Pro Tip: Check out this culinary tour of Mystic , which includes a stop at Ford’s Lobster!

Breweries and Bars in Mystic, CT

Barley head brewery.

Barley Head Brewing sits on one of the side streets just beyond the main parking area in downtown Mystic. Since it was so close we couldn’t resist stopping by their basement tap room for a flight to share. I think their raspberry tart fruit beer stood out to me the most. Overall the place has a cozy, hipster vibe and we found some seats in the corner to sit at for a bit before moving on to our next stop, Beer’d.

Beer’d Brewing Company

Beer’d Brewing Company’s tap room isn’t quite in Mystic, but is hidden in one of the most unlikely of places in nearby Stonington, CT. There is a large warehouse complex called the Velvet Mill that houses a number of small businesses and can even be rented out for events. It’s sort of like a mall, except pretty run down with a leaky ceiling. That being said, Beer’d has turned their tap room into a cozy little nook complete with bar, merch section, and seating area. You aren’t allowed to get flights, but the bartenders will give you 3 samples for free to try a few options before making your purchase. We were a fan of their NEIPA’s here and enjoyed looking at all the cans and growlers they have on display from other breweries. They are also opening a new tap room in Groton on the other side of Mystic that may be worth checking out.

Jealous Monk

We stopped in the Jealous Monk beer garden for a drink to see if we could catch the end of the soccer games and dry off a bit from all the rain. While they don’t have many of their own brews, there were 32 beers on tap and we were able to try a few with a flight. The Jealous Monk is right in the middle of Olde Mystick Village and so close to the Mystic Aquarium that it’s worth stopping in for a pint after shopping or exploring the aquarium. They also offer a great brunch menu on the weekends.

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Hidden Gems of Downtown Mystic: Restaurants, Tours, Shopping & Recreation

by Johnny | Feb 28, 2022 | Chapter One Mystic

Visitors to Mystic often go to the same few places and do the same activities, like Mystic’s world-renowned pizza shops, Mystic Seaport Museum, and Aquarium. But simply following the crowd of tourists means you’ll miss out on the town’s many hidden gems. Read on to explore the lesser-known places and experiences in downtown Mystic: restaurants, tours, boutique shopping, and recreation.

Haunted History Tour and Cabaret Theater

Mystic has plenty of historical tours, but the most unique has to be the haunted history tours by Seaside Shadows . Choose from various tours, including graveyard, boat, walking tours, or special events like pub crawls and murder mystery dinners. Learn about curses, giggling ghosts, historical artifacts, and gravestone etchings with Seaside Shadows’ spooky guides.

Mystic’s Dark Room offers unique cabaret-style performances for a lively date night that are a “mash-up of drama, mystery, and seductive art of dance.” The Dark Room invites patrons to bring their alcohol, so prepare for a boisterous crowd as well. Besides their own unique shows, performances include The Nutcracker and Little Mermaid. Your children are welcome in on the fun!

Set Sail, Take a River Cruise, or Try the GeoHistorian Project With Your Kids

Rather than just observing the harbor or sea life, why not set sails on the high seas yourself? Argia Cruises offers daytime or sunset sails in the relatively calm waters around the islands near Mystic. You can join a public voyage or charter your own private trip. The sailing season runs between May 1st and October 15th.

If you’ve got kids who like games and exploration, consider the Geohistorian Project .   Students in local Mystic middle and high schools created the Geohistorian Project which involves seeking out decals around town. Scan each decal with your smartphone to access short videos about that location’s history.

Boutique Shopping: Sailing Knots, Blown Glass, and Polish Stoneware

Mystic’s downtown area has several boutique shops with unique wares. Based on the town’s maritime history, Mystic Knotwork has a collection of products made using sailing knots. Find placemats, wine stoppers, pet toys, and more in knot form.

Staying with the art theme, Studio Jeffrey P’an is an incredible gallery of blown glass sculptures by the artist of the same name. If you’d like to see a glass blowing demonstration, Jeffery occasionally has open studio days. Glass products are for sale, and you can even order a custom art piece.

Are you looking for some decorative items for your home? Manufakturausa has an assortment of authentic Polish stoneware. Find flower vases, plates, cups, bowls, ornaments, and more.

Food and Drinks for Everyone at Chapter One’s Downtown Mystic Restaurant

Every satisfying trip should include savoring some great food. Mystic is known for incredible pizza, but you can’t live on pizza (unfortunately).

For a top-notch restaurant in downtown Mystic that has something for everyone, consider Chapter One in Mystic. We offer brunch, lunch, and dinner, including beer and cocktails.

You’ll find something for every palate here. If you’re stopping by for lunch , you’ll find soups and salads, as well as a fresh raw bar. For dinner , enjoy entrees like Yellowfish Tuna or a Prime NY Strip. If you’re more in the mood for standard yet delicious fare, we’ve got delicious burgers and sandwiches.

Our meals pair well with one of our seasonal cocktails or signature drinks. Our signature drinks include favorites like a “Mystic Manhattan” and a “Main Street Old Fashioned .” Depending on the season, you can try drinks like a “Fig Mule” or a “Club Car.”

Author: Johnny

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Exploring Connecticut’s Culinary Corridor

Foie gras Popsicles? 81-layer croissants? A new wave of restaurants in the state’s maritime southeast brings more to the menu than lobster rolls and pizza.

By Amy Thomas

If there’s one known tourist destination in the state of Connecticut, it’s the coastal town of Mystic. Whether for the seaport museum commemorating its maritime heritage, the aquarium ’s sea lions and beluga whales, or the charming downtown, dense with boutiques and anchored by a bascule bridge that is celebrating its 100th anniversary, about 1.5 million out-of-towners visit annually, according to the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce.

But these days, people are descending on the town of not quite 5,000 people for a more specific reason: food. In fact, there’s a whole stretch of southeastern Connecticut that’s having a culinary resurgence.

The area has long been associated with weathered shacks serving clam strips and lobster rolls. Today you’re as likely to find barbecue monkfish cheeks and empanadas stuffed with local squid, perhaps served with a hibiscus margarita or orange pét-nat. The transformation is profound.

It began with a bakery

You could say a bakery was the tipping point. In 2016, Adam Young, who was executive pastry chef at the luxury resort Ocean House in Watch Hill, R. I., opened his French-inspired bakery, Sift Bake Shop , in Mystic. It drew the attention of a local crowd for its 81-layer croissants and sticky buns submerged in toffee sauce. Then Mr. Young landed on Food Network’s “Best Baker in America” in 2017. He won in 2018. Craziness ensued.

“It used to be like Disney,” Mr. Young says of the early days. “You would stand in line outside for 30 minutes and then get through the door, and there would be another line inside.”

In time, Mr. Young and his team reimagined the space and process within the clapboard building on Water Street to be more efficient. They also added a rooftop bar , and opened Young Buns Doughnuts around the corner on Mystic’s main drag. Though the waits at Sift Bake Shop are now shorter, lines of eager guests still arrive daily.

Not that croissants alone put Mystic on the map. When Dan Meiser and James Wayman opened Oyster Club , a restaurant devoted to local seafood and products on Water Street in 2012, it awakened a desire for sophisticated food. While there were many restaurant options then, none were necessarily destinations.

“We saw an opportunity to take advantage of the amazing agriculture and fish from the area and create a restaurant that was part of the regional, even national, conversation,” Mr. Meiser explains.

Oyster Club, which is now part of Mr. Meiser’s restaurant group, 85th Day Food Community, continues to serve local vegetables, meats and fish with a fresh take. Native monkfish, for example, is prepared with shio koji buttermilk, and polenta made with corn from Davis Farm, which has been operating since 1654.

Mystic seems to be the buzziest place in New England these days. Spots like the Port of Call , a nautical-themed cocktail lounge that features drag shows and serves small plates like crispy boqueróns made with local smelt and beef tongue gyros, and Nana’s Bakery & Pizza (co-owned and run by Mr. Wayman, who parted ways with Mr. Meiser last year), which offers made-to-order doughnuts and pizzas from organic, naturally leavened dough, are landing on “best of” lists. The Shipwright’s Daughter , which anchors the Whaler’s Inn, a more than century-old property across from the Mystic River that’s been updated to feel beach-chic contemporary, is the newest restaurant earning accolades for its worldly spin on sustainable seafood, like fluke from Block Island Sound, drizzled in an herby green romesco sauce and served with roasted summer squash. It’s helmed by David Standridge, who was lured from New York City by the area’s beauty and bounty.

“It’s kind of paradise,” Mr. Standbridge says of the beaches, farms and boating community. Sure enough, look through the window of the restaurant’s elegant, deep blue-saturated dining room, and you’ll see kayakers and sailboats flitting along Mystic River, surrounded by rolling green hills.

Beyond Mystic

The fanfare isn’t limited to Mystic.

Old Saybrook, about 22 miles to the west, has ebbed and flowed as a popular beach town through the decades. Its busy center with big box retailers belies a perimeter of breathtaking beaches and verdant waterfront properties.

The Rat Pack used to play at the old Terra Mar Hotel — now the luxe Saybrook Point Resort & Marina — and, after spending her childhood summers in the borough of Fenwick, the actress Katharine Hepburn retired there until her death in 2003. It’s a point of pride for the town. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center — the Kate — is on Main Street in what was once the Town Hall, featuring a museum and performance space that sees a rotation of concerts, theater productions and films, including Hepburn classics.

Now it’s where two notable chefs are expanding.

“Old Saybrook is trending in a direction to become the next Mystic,” says Colt Taylor, the chef and co-owner of the Essex , which opened a clam’s throw from the Kate in December 2021. It’s a slick restaurant that just a few years ago might not have pulled in diners for its five- and seven-course tasting menus the way it currently does. Mr. Taylor had launched the restaurant in 2017 in Essex, north along the Connecticut River. While the taco joint Los Charros that spun out of that location in 2018 is booming, the appetite for an elevated dining concept never took hold the way it has now in Old Saybrook.

Foie gras “Popsicles” and lobster served on a bed of beet fusilli may seem stuffy, but Mr. Taylor wants it to be anything but. An open kitchen and chef’s counter and sea-themed mural over the expansive bar make for more fun than formality.

The desire to upend expectations is also Joel Gargano’s intention. In late July, the chef and his wife, Lani, opened Gargano Pasta & Italian Market — also on Main Street — which they describe as Eataly with a New England flair. “We need to get out of the stigma of dockside places,” said Mr. Gargano, a Connecticut native, lamenting the shoreline’s reputation for being competent only with fried fare.

In addition to Italian pastries, salumi and formaggi, and prepared and to-order items, there will be a pasta lab, where you can see chefs at work and get their recommendations for what sauces marry well with which pastas. “We want to bring the products that we like to use,” Ms. Gargano says. “It’s a form of our hospitality, of ‘This is what I have to give to you.’”

The 8,000-square-foot food hall also has bread made with local‌ grains, such as red fife wheat from Skowhegan, Maine, and spelt from Oechsner Farm in New York. This bread, along with dishes like rigatoni integrale, which uses a toasted rye from Maine Grains that stands up to a hearty beef ragù ‌Bolognese, is a favorite at the Garganos’ Grano Arso restaurant in nearby Chester.

The polished Italian spot brought a luster to the small town when it opened in 2017. An artsy enclave of 3,800, Chester was settled along the Connecticut River in 1692. The town has a history of shipbuilding and milling, and is filled with colorful homes from the 17th and 18th centuries, along with oak and maple trees, some with diameters as wide as golf carts. Now it, too, is seeing a revival bolstered by a strong food scene.

It was Chester’s Sunday Market that originally drew the Garganos to the town. Vendors peddling produce, baked goods, cheeses, fish and meats to the beat of live music shut down Main Street for a few hours every Sunday from mid-June to mid-October. The pride and enjoyment of residents is best exemplified by the chef Jonathan Rapp of River Tavern , another celebrated Chester restaurant that champions local products. It’s where he gets his inspiration and ingredients for Dinners at the Farm, a Sunday night series that runs for 10 weeks each summer and might include dishes like cool sweet pepper and heirloom tomato soup with panzanella and pesto, and a peach-and-blueberry cake with ice cream from neighboring Honeycone Craft Ice Cream .

“The greatest part is the contagiousness of this,” says Mr. Gargano of the appetite for more refined and creative cooking that he and other chefs are seeing. “Four years ago we didn’t sell nearly as many tasting menus and that’s really exciting.”

Now the question is: Will the same magic happen elsewhere? Later this month, Sift is opening in Niantic, midway between Mystic and Old Saybrook and the river towns. It will be in a new building, home to other eateries.

Niantic, a village within the town of East Lyme, which happens to be where I grew up (shout out to the Vikings), has had a slow but steady ascent as a tourist destination. A 1.1-mile boardwalk along Niantic Bay was completed in 2016, after more than a decade in the making. Chains on the main strip, like McDonald’s and Friendly’s, have been replaced by indie establishments like Dev’s on Main , serving Asian- and Latin-infused small plates, and Gumdrops & Lollipops , a classic candy and homemade ice cream shop. Last year, La Llorona opened, bringing southwestern Mexican flavors and ingredients to an area that hasn’t seen a lot of spice.

“It’s very Mystic, circa 2015,” says Mr. Young of Niantic’s momentum. “There’s a lot of talented business owners coming to town and starting to make investments.”

The returns, so far, are very satisfying.

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Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

Mumbai:  Spend 36 hours in this fast-changing Indian city  by exploring ancient caves, catching a concert in a former textile mill and feasting on mangoes.

Kyoto:  The Japanese city’s dry gardens offer spots for quiet contemplation  in an increasingly overtouristed destination.

Iceland:  The country markets itself as a destination to see the northern lights. But they can be elusive, as one writer recently found .

Texas:  Canoeing the Rio Grande near Big Bend National Park can be magical. But as the river dries, it’s getting harder to find where a boat will actually float .

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Mystic Market South

Quality food leads to a quality life; that’s why they brought fresh, wholesome ingredients further down the Connecticut shoreline to Old Saybrook. Opened in June 2015, Mystic Market Kitchen & Eatery features a spacious dining area, with interior design elements crafted from reclaimed wood and steel. When it comes to their food, they carefully select nothing but the freshest local ingredients to serve to the community. From comfort foods to adventurous dishes with exotic flavors, they’re dedicated to serving a gourmet meal for every palate.

Other amenities: Restaurant

70 Mill Rock Rd. East Old Saybrook , CT 06475 United States

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Our Boat Tours in Mystic, CT on the River!

Drive your Own Powerboat on Mystic River with our Boat Tours in CT!

Quick Details

Hour Glass Duration: Choose from a 1-hour tour that departs at 1 or 2:30 PM.

Or our 3-hour boat tour that departs at 9 AM or 5 PM. Pick your day & time!

NOTE : Sep 7th – Sep 30th the 3 hour tours are 9 AM and 4 PM.

Checkmark Guided tour:  Yes, your guide will be in a separate boat.

Info I ncluded: Small cooler with two bottles of water and life jackets per boat.

Food Food:  Feel free to bring snacks and drinks on your tour!

Glass Alcohol policy: Alcohol is prohibited on your tour. 

User Age restrictions: Must be 18 years or older to operate the boat. Driver license required upon check-in. Fun for all – ages 8 and above.

Ticket Boater’s License Required:  No. But different states have different laws, and if you do have one, please bring it with you. This allows us to venture into other waters.

Bus Parking: Free parking is available.

About Our Boat Tours in CT

Mystic Boat Adventures offers unique guided mini power boat tours where you are your own captain and get to drive the boat yourself for one or three hours. Our tours are fun and exciting, all while giving you incredible views of local, historic Mystic sites along the Connecticut coastline.

With four departures per day, you can easily book a time that works with your Mystic plans. Running around all day? Experience a beautiful Connecticut sunset on our most popular tour of the day, our sunset cruise, which is the last tour every afternoon and departs 3 hours prior to dusk. Unwind from the day with the best seats on the water!

For all our cruises, we provide a small cooler with two bottles of water for each boat. Feel free to bring a small lunch, snacks, and other drinks to put in your cooler if you’d like! Receive a $10.00 discount on the 1-Hour Tour for Groups of 6-8 (per person) OR a $20 discount on the 3-Hour Tour for Groups of 6-8 (per person)

Requirements:

• You must be 18 years old with a valid driver’s license to operate the boat.
• For safety reasons, there is a weight limit of 250 pounds per person.
• Children 8 years old and up may ride on the boat with an adult. Life preservers must be worn by all children aged 8 to 15.

Alcoholic beverages are prohibited during the tour. The driver must be under the legal limit for alcohol to navigate the boat. If a driver appears to be under the influence of alcohol, we have the right to refuse service, no refund given.

Two people must be in each boat that goes out on the tour (excluding the guide boat). In the event you have an odd number in your party .  That person must meet the requirements for operating a watercraft. There are opportunities to switch drivers and riders during the tour.

If a person doesn’t meet eligibility requirements to operate one of our boats (18 years of age and possess a valid driver’s license), they are paired up with a person who is eligible to operate the boat.

Mystic Treasures / Private group (Max 6)

• A slice of world famous "Mystic Pizza"
• 15 Elm St, Mystic, CT 06355, USA In front of large yellow mansion, free on street parking available.
• Not wheelchair accessible
• Stroller accessible
• Confirmation will be received at time of booking
• No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
• Most travelers can participate
• This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
• This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
• For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
• You'll start at 15 Elm St 15 Elm St, Mystic, CT 06355, USA In front of large yellow mansion, free on street parking available. See address & details
• 1 Mystic Stop: 2 hours Mystic is a National Historic District originally founded in the 1600s. It is a beautiful New England seacoast village scenically located along the Mystic River. In addition to a vast amount of well-preserved 1800s architecture, the area is rich in colonial, maritime, shipbuilding, whaling and local history. Within Mystic, we visit local attractions like The Spicer Mansion, a historic sea captain's home, famous Gravel Street along the Mystic River, the Mystic Bascule Bridge and more. We'll view wooden ships near the Seaport, and tour Schooner Wharf where classic wooden sailboats reside. And of course, Mystic Pizza! Read more
• You'll return to the starting point

• nowaytobegin 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Wonderful experience! My family (including 2 elementary-aged kiddos) recently took this tour. Bill provided a wonderful overview of the area as well as the history. We would not have found the level of history he shared on our own and truly enjoyed our time on the tour. From the visit at the Spicer mansion to the walking tour in downtown Mystic... we enjoyed all of it! We were also fortunate to see a bridge opening mid-tour during the off-season, when openings are not routine. This gave us a wonderful overview of the area, and helped us determine where we wanted to spend our time in town. Highly recommend. Read more Written November 13, 2022
• 8Rowes 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Superb Storytelling! Taking this tour was our first experience in Mystic, and it gave us the introduction we needed to enhance the rest of our visit. Bill is personable, entertaining and informative. We enjoyed hearing stories of sea captains, Pequots, rumrunners, and movie makers. Seeing the view from the belvedere of Spicer Mansion was a highlight. Read more Written April 15, 2022
• D712YFsandrad 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Amazing Mystic Adventure Our tour exceeded our expectations. We attribute this specifically to our tour guide Bill, he was great! His knowledge of the area was amazing. We have been to Mystic area many times in the past, but had our eyes opened with this trip. We look forward to going on another trip with Bill as our guide. The one thing I would make sure to mention is that the trip Viator website has departure place noted 15 Elm St., Stonington. We did go to 15 Elm St., Stonington, and Could not find the Spicer mansion. We called the number on the website and Bill returned our call right away and directed us to 11 Elm St., Mystic. He was very gracious even though we were a few minutes late and did an exceptional job with the tour. Read more Written October 25, 2021
• 938tammyh 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Definitely worth it We had a great time on this tour with Bill. He was very knowledgeable about the area and took his time showing us around Noank and Mystic. He took us to places we may not have found on our own and showed us another side of the historical district. We would definitely recommend this tour for anyone visiting the area. Read more Written October 22, 2021
• lindatyo29 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles A Memorable Tour of a Beautiful Area The tour was fantastic from start to finish. The guide was extremely knowledgeable ol the history of the area. He was personable and professional all in one. We had a fabulous experience! 5+ stars. Read more Written September 10, 2021
• karar946 0 contributions 4.0 of 5 bubbles A nice addition to our Mystic experience Our guide was very personable and knowledgeable. We learned a lot about this charming town allowing us to appreciate the area even more. Read more Written July 17, 2021
• popsf344 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles A Great Experience Bill is not only knowledgeable about the area but a very friendly and enjoyable guide, My husband and I strongly recommend it. Read more Written June 28, 2021
• TylerFromOhio 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Guide totally worth it The tour guide did a great job communicating the history of the area and ships to us and our children. Very friendly and personable guide. Highly recommended (our guide was Bill) as the museum itself is a sprawling campus and I am glad he was able to provide info and direction on what each building and exhibit was. Great experience! Read more Written June 3, 2021
• Lisa K 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Great Private Tour of Mystic and Noank When visiting a place we haven't been to before, we like to book a tour of the area. Bill was very personable and knowledgeable about the Mystic and Noank areas. We saw beautiful scenery and learned history of the area. Thank you, Bill, for a great afternoon. Read more Written September 14, 2020
• feldel 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Wonderful tour Enjoyed the tour. It was entertaining & learned a lot! Our guide was personable & answered all of our questions. I highly recommend Read more Written August 29, 2020
• Ctprof2020 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Excellent tour of the Mystic area. Bill was well informed and entertaining. He was careful to see to our comfort and that we understood his comments. The five of us ranging in age from 17 to 80 all felt included and entertained. We had all been to Mystic before but this tour opened up new aspects that were interesting, A very good value. Read more Written August 10, 2020
• kabuzzell11 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Thoroughly Enjoyable and Educational ! My husband and I greatly enjoyed Bill's tour of downtown Mystic. His personable manner and his knowledge of the area made our experience seem less like a tour & more like being shown around town by a friend who happened to have an avid interest in history ! The inclusion of a "slice of heaven" from Mystic Pizza was a nice touch and just one of many things that made this tour one I would highly recommend. Read more Written March 2, 2020
• doncV1692OR 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Educational and Entertaing Very pleasant two hours. Bill’s manner and descriptions are great. It gives you insight into the history and economics over the centuries. Well worth the time. Read more Written February 29, 2020
• Elizabeth L 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Fabulous! What an interesting and informative tour of downtown Mystic! Bill was knowledgeable and affable and we learned facts that were easily digestible. We look forward to checking out the other tours of Mystic Revealed. Fantastic. Read more Written February 3, 2020
• Jacqui C 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles I thought I knew Mystic until Bill's tour I have been coming to Mystic for many years and learned things I never knew about its Maritime history and other great nuggets. Bill is a great guide and wonderful teacher. I would highly recommend a Mystic Revealed tour to visitors and locals who want to learn and enjoy the Mystic area. Read more Written February 3, 2020

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Mystic Treasures / Private group (Max 6) provided by Mystic Revealed

A Taste of India

Authentic Indian cuisine and New London County’s #1 Indian restaurant since 1999 by CT Magazine. Outdoor dining available as weather permits.

A Taste of India Info

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Keeping visitors and locals up to date with what's happening in and around 06355!

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