Picture this: a quaint, coastal town. Cafes and little shops line the streets selling local goods while you and your love stroll hand in hand. The air is crisp and the sun shines through autumn leaves bathing everything in gold. A sip of fresh cider follows a bite of homemade donut, the cinnamon sugar sticking to your lips. No, it is not the setting of the next Fall Hallmark movie but it was a lovely weekend getaway to Mystic, Connecticut!
To celebrate our ten year wedding anniversary (yay us!), we were looking for a place within a 5 hour drive that would offer pretty views, things to do, delicious food and preferably, be a state we hadn’t yet explored. Having only ever driven through, we hoped Mystic would tick all those boxes!
Once we got through the industrial landscape of New Jersey and the traffic of New York, the drive was quite nice, the leaf colors getting more vibrant as we headed north. We arrived in the early afternoon and checked into the Residence Inn by Marriott Mystic Groton, which was about a mile from the center of town. The parking is free but an awkward layout to the lobby making it a little inconvenient to unload your belongings. The staff however, were all very pleasant throughout our stay.
This is an all-suite hotel and our room featured separate living, eating and sleeping areas. This setup was great for us since my husband gets up at ungodly hours to run, turning on lights and making a ridiculous amount of noise in the process, while I am trying to sleep. The décor was a little outdated but the room was tidy. The walls were a bit thin so we did hear the nightly cattle drive that seemed to be happening above us. A hot breakfast was served each morning and the dining area was well maintained, albeit slightly cramped, and food fresh.
After checking in, we headed out to explore! Our first stop was lunch and since the weather was perfect, we chose to dine al fresco at the Sea View Snack Bar. This casual stand serves fresh seafood, soups, sandwiches and more with fantastic waterfront views. Grabbing a picnic table, we split a classic lobster roll, clam strip sandwich and fries while basking in the autumn sun.
Bellies full, we continued just up the road to the Mystic Seaport Museum. I will be honest, while I am usually diligent in researching every aspect of our trips; I only briefly planned this weekend retreat so I did not really know what this attraction was or if it would be worth the $30 a person to enter. Luckily, we decided to go for it and absolutely loved it!
Along the Mystic River, this fully immersive and interactive museum brought maritime history to life! With a collection of ships, galleries, demonstrations and a full-blown 19th century village, there is so much to see and do here. We spent hours exploring it all. Some of the highlights included boarding the Charles W. Morgan, the last American whaling ship still afloat, viewing the carving skills of artisans in the figurehead gallery, stepping back in time through the New England shops and business from the 1800’s, and watching craftspeople at work in an active shipyard.
From the Seaport we crossed over the unique Bascule Bridge, unfortunately we did not witness it in action, into the main drag of town. Small but bustling, this is where you will find restaurants (including the famed Mystic Pizza), breweries, shops and cafes. I am not a fan of beer but my husband is quite the connoisseur so we usually make a stop or two at the local watering holes for a pint for him. While I cannot personally attest to the brews, Barley Head Brewery was a kitschy spot decorated in local art.
To end our first day we had dinner at the Jealous Monk, located in Olde Mystick Village. It was a happening place with a beer garden vibe and we were able to get a spot at the bar. They had a nice selection of beers, cocktails, wines and food. I had their version of a Cuban and Joe had his go-to of a burger, both came with Belgian frites and were delicious. The bartenders were friendly and attentive and we probably would have come back for a second night but thought we should try other locations while in town.
Our second day was another stunner weather wise so after breakfast we took a leisurely scenic drive to Bluff Point State Park in the neighboring town of Groton. Normally we would have packed our hiking gear but we were using this weekend to slow down and relax so we just took a short stroll through the Coastal Reserve with forest on one side and the Long Island Sound on the other. Afterward, we also enjoyed the Poquonnock River Walkway, a pretty boardwalk trail right next-door.
Next we headed back to Mystic to B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill, the last steam powered cider mill in the U.S. and a National Historic Landmark. The mill is located in a wooded neighborhood and packed with visitors when we arrived. You can watch as apples from their orchards are pressed into juice, hard ciders and wines, all of which are available to taste and purchase onsite. The air is sweet with fruit and the floor is sticky with juice, all adding to the experience. We waited in line to purchase both cider and their homemade apple cider donuts. You could also find other baked goods, jams, honey, maple syrup, fudge and pumpkins. As the leaves fell around us, we enjoyed our treat on their wrap-around porch, listening to live music and taking in the sites.
Our Seaport tickets actually allowed reentry for three consecutive days so we decided to return and check out anything we had missed the day before. Honestly, it is such an idyllic setting, it was just fun to walk around and enjoy the surroundings.
In the late afternoon, we took another short drive and found a little waterfront park where we watched the sailboats drift by and listened to the tide lapping against the rocks until it was time for dinner at Latitude 41°. Instead of the main dining room, we sat in the Shipyard Tavern, which was cozy and casual. I know New England clam chowder is the staple around these parts but I love a lobster bisque and we shared what seemed to be the world’s largest bowl before enjoying our entrees. I had the Prosciutto Flatbread and Joe had, you guessed it, a burger. Both were good and larger than we were expecting so with the enormous soup course, neither of us could clean our plates.
For a final nightcap we stopped at Beer’d Brewing Company in Stonington (not to be confused with the actual brewery in an industrial park in Groton) where we played an incredibly competitive game of Chutes and Ladders…in case you are wondering, I smoked him.
I’d say two nights was just the right amount of time for us but if you wanted to stay longer there is also the aquarium, movie theater shopping and beaches (seasonal unless you are crazy). I also think the weather played a huge role in our enjoyment; it probably would not have been the best place to sightsee in the rain since all of its charms are outdoors but we really lucked out. A great place to go without a schedule full of fresh air, beautiful views and good food, this destination really left me feeling refreshed and relaxed. Thank you, Mystic, for our perfect little seaside adventure!
If you are planning a trip to Mystic, CT check out their tourism page and a small feature about this trip by yours truly!
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