Cute shopping area with many restaurants and bars located down the hill from the Mystic Hilton and Holiday Inn Express. There is plenty of parking if you are not staying nearby but still want to check it out. If you are in town for a few nights and looking to grab a bite to eat we recommend Go Fish and Pink Basil. There is also a brewery for anyone looking for a good happy hour.
Also located directly next to Olde Mystic Village is the Mystic Aquarium. It may be a bit touristy in the summer but there is lots to see here. It is the home to many animals including penguins, sea lions, and beluga whales (they have a new baby whale as of 2021).
Another tourist attraction in the area but still a cool place to visit. The Seaport is a small whaling village that they have kept as though still living in the 1900s. Home to a lot of old wooden ships, small shops, and a lot of history. If you go to the Seaport plan on spending a few hours there.
Downtown mystic is a great place to walk around and grab a drink or bite to eat. It is located right on the water and there is tons of shopping on both sides of the river. For fresh seafood, we recommend both the Oyster Club and S&P Oyster. Engine Room and Red 36 are two of Caroline's favorites as well! A town favorite for ice cream is Drawbridge Ice Cream, but if it is too crowded there is another great option right across the street.
Beautiful place for walking and enjoying some nature. Barn Island is a local wildlife preserve that has miles of trails in the woods, along the ocean, and through salt marshes. There is always a lot of wildlife to see.
Another great town to visit while you are here is Watch Hill. Not only is there a lot of shopping, restaurants, ice cream shoppes, and beautiful beaches, but also houses the vacation home for Taylor Swift (who has the same birthday as Caroline so they are basically BFFs). All kidding aside, Napatree Point is one of our favorite beaches around and you are almost guaranteed to have a beautiful sunset if you are in town. The Ocean House is a historic, beautiful hotel at the top of the hill and a great place to have drinks. Olympia Tea Room is also a great dinner spot.
Another cute town to walk through (turns out we have a lot of those around here). This is the town where we will be having our ceremony and a go-to for the bride's family if you are looking for a great meal. We know the crew at Water Street Cafe by name and you wont be disappointed! If you are looking for something on the water John's favorite is Breakwater (amazing bloody marys) and Camille's (Caroline's mom) favorite is Dog Watch, which has a great patio right on the harbor. Aside from food you will see a lot of cute shops and colorful houses. Even if you don't plan on eating we always enjoy walking through town. If you go straight all the way to the end of the road you will end up at the Stonington Point which has a small beach and amazing sunset views.
If you are looking for a fun activity to do on the water with a group of people, our friend Eric has a great boat and can take you out on the water up and down the Mystic River. If you are interested please plan ahead and reach out to him to reserve a day or time as he does book up quickly during the summer.
Another fun way to get out on the water is to rent your very own tiki bar! We haven't done this ourselves yet but we have seen them booze cruising up and down the river and it always looks like a good time.