When you think of visiting Connecticut, the first cities that probably come to mind are New Haven and Hartford, but there’s a small coastal village near the Rhode Island border that shouldn’t be missed. That’s right, I’m talking about Mystic! Known for its quintessential New England charm, as well as being home to two of Connecticut's most visited attractions (the Mystic Seaport and the Mystic Aquarium), Mystic is the kind of place that you expect to stumble into the filming of a Hallmark movie at any moment! In addition to its undeniable charm, Mystic also has a deep history in ship building, hence the Mystic Seaport… the largest maritime museum in the United States. It is most famous for its impressive collection of over 500 sailing ships and boats and for the re-creation of the crafts and fabric of an entire 19th-century whaling village. We had the privilege to visit Mystic for a quick day trip and put together this itinerary that we think is the perfect way to spend a day in Mystic!
*Check out our “One Day in Mystic” travel vlog for a closer look at our time in Mystic!
8:30am: Coffee/Breakfast
Bleu Squid Breakfast and Bakery Cafe (where we went - 27 Coogan Blvd Bldg 16)
Sift Bake Shop (5 Water St)
Young Buns Doughnuts (46 W Main St)
Deviant Doughnuts (27 Coogan Blvd Building 6)
9:30am: Mystic Aquarium (55 Coogan Blvd)
12:00pm: Lunch
Noble Smokehouse (4 Roosevelt Ave)
Mystic Pizza (56 W Main St)
Go Fish (22, 27 Coogan Blvd)
1:15pm: Mystic Seaport Museum (75 Greenmanville Ave) or Old Mystic Village (27 Coogan Blvd)
Unfortunately, during our visit the Mystic Seaport Museum was closed so we had to opt for exploring Old Mystic Village which was ok, but we recommend visiting the Mystic Seaport Museum if possible. I think it would be a much more unique and memorable experience than Old Mystic Village. There’s a reason that the Mystic Seaport is the top attraction in the state!
3:00pm: Explore Downtown Mystic
Mystic Drawbridge (1 W Main St)
Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream (2 W Main St)
The Spice & Tea Exchange (6 W Main St)
Mystic Sweet Shop (7 W Main St)
Trove Gift Shop (15 W Main St)
The Black Dog General Store (25 W Main St)
Tidal River Clothing Co (28 W Main St #1)
Hang the Moon Gift Shop (31 W Main St)
Bank Square Books (53 W Main St, Mystic)
Bank & Bridge Brewing (54 W Main St)
Barley Head Brewery (12 Water St #1A)
4:00pm: Happy Hour/Sunset at Red 36 (2 Washington St)
6:00pm: Dinner
The Mariner (where we went - 21 W Main St)
Engine Room (14 Holmes St)
S&P Oyster Restaurant and Bar (1 Holmes St)
We hope that this itinerary helps you plan your visit and make the most of your time in Mystic! If you did find it helpful, please consider heading over to our YouTube Channel and subscribing for more travel content and following us on Instagram. It would mean the world to us!