Connecticut - Mystic/Eastern

Ten Great Things To Do in Mystic/Eastern Connecticut

What is your idea of a Great Thing to see or do in this region? Please tell us and we'll help spread the word. Click HERE.

They Call It the Silent Service

See Map

There’s no getting around it: submarines are eerie and, to many of us, fascinating. At the USS Nautilus & Submarine Force Museum on Crystal Lake Road in Groton visitors can board the world's first nuclear-powered submarine and peer into the lives of the men who sail the ocean depths in their "sharks of steel." The museum recounts the development of the silent service from Bushnell's Turtle, used in the Revolutionary War, to modern submarines. Working periscopes, mini-theaters, gift shop. Hours of operation vary by season. Phone: 800-343-0079

Airborne Eagles Make This a Soaring Expedition

See Map

Connecticut Audubon Society sponsors a boat tour to view eagles wintering along the Connecticut River aboard the RiverQuest , which departs from the foot of Main Street in the town of Essex. On a cruise aboard RiverQuest, you will the beauty and solitude of the lower Connecticut River, home to dozens of migrating bald eagles, occasional golden eagles and harbor seals. A naturalist will talk about eagle biology and ecology, and point out other wintering birds and wildlife that may be seen on this cruise. RiverQuest has a fully enclosed heated cabin, but dress warmly because you will want to be outside for most of the journey observing our wintering wildlife up close. Bring a snack with you or enjoy lunch before or after the cruise at the Griswold Inn or The Black Seal. Cruises take place weekends and Thursdays in February and March, 2010. Phone: 860-767-0660.

All the Beauties of a Winter Landscape
Are Unveiled During a Sleigh Ride

See Map

With steel runners below you, horses in harness in front, and heavy lap robes on top, you are ready for a winter sleigh ride – one of the most memorable of all New England winter adventures. Cedar Knoll Farm in Lisbon hosts sleigh rides through the countryside. Cedar Knoll offers hay wagons drawn by horses with a capacity to carry up to a dozen riders. The more traditional sleigh ride with a 19th century sleigh is available for any twosome. These sleigh rides come with warm lap robe and enough jingle bells to put the sound in your mind for days to come. The farm offers the opportunity to host parties in its Party Room, with sleigh rides as the featured event of the day. Whether in intimate couples or as a group, a Connecticut sleigh ride is wonderful winter fun. Phone: 860-376-8110.

Art Trail Is Rich with Stops in Mystic Region

Here is a project that can keep you busy year-round: explore the 15 world-class museums and historic sites that comprise the Connecticut Art Trail. The trail meanders among historic sites, bucolic farms, art studios and artists' houses to grand and modern art museums in vibrant downtowns. The trail includes a feature called Trail Getaways that presents recommended itineraries along with helpful suggestions for nearby places to visit and dine. In the Mystic region, the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, the Lyman Allyn Art Museum in New London, the Slater Memorial Museum in Norwich, the William Benton Museum of Art in Mansfield/Storrs, the Hill-Stead Museum in Farmington, and the New Britain Museum of American Art in New Britain.

Artistic Ceramics in a Victorian Setting

See Map

In Chester, 19th-century shops huddle the town's curved Main Street like a collection of gingerbread houses, home to art galleries, elegant shops and boutiques. One such shop, the aptly named Ceramica, peddles Renaissance-inspired Italian majolica ceramics, hand-painted by artisans in Tuscany and Umbria and amounting to an extraordinary collection of tableware and decorative accessories. Find the perfect Italian ceramic kitchen accessories, like canister sets, clocks, biscotti jars, salt and pepper sets, garlic pots, butter dishes. Other wonderful products include vases, lamps, wall plates, umbrella stands and more. Phone: 800-270-0900. In addition to the main shop in Chester, there are affiliate locations at 981 Farmington Avenue in West Hartford and at 9 Ferry Wharf in Jamestown, Rhode Island.

Atelier Is Open to Art Lovers

See Map

Gilbert V. Boro is a sculptor, architect, educator, and international design consultant. He welcomes the public to visit him and watch him work at his Studio 80 + Sculpture Grounds on Lyme Street in Old Lyme. Born in New York City, Boro and has been involved in the arts since his boyhood. He has received two traveling fellowships and had numerous visiting teaching positions and has invested much of his time in nonprofit arts groups. Studio 80 is open to the public by appointment. Come and see the artist at work in his 3,500-square-foot custom-designed studio on four acres next to the Lieutenant River. Large and small scale works are on display. The Sculpture Grounds are open to the public Monday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Phone: 860-304-3359.

Beauty, History of Connecticut River
on Display at This Museum

See Map

If you are drawn to the Connecticut River by the beauty of its unspoiled marshlands, the Connecticut River Museum on Main Street in Essex offers an exceptional vantage point in any season. From its docks you can see bald eagles, migratory birds, and a wide variety of waterfowl. The tidal wetlands that surround the Connecticut River Museum are an environmental treasure. If you are intrigued by the rich history of the River and its peoples, there is no better starting point than the museum’s galleries. Designed to appeal to children as well as adults, the family-friendly exhibits are filled with art and artifacts that link the river’s stories to our lives today. From dinosaurs to Dutch explorers, from native American canoes to the first American submarine, there is something here to capture every visitor’s interest. Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Phone: 860-767-8269.

Borough of Dreams

New England is not short of beautiful villages, but Stonington Borough, on a small peninsula in the Fisher’s Island Sound, is special. A walk through its tight streets is a joy by itself. Colonial-era houses rich with fine architectural details and dripping with flowers from window boxes are packed cheek-to-cheek along Water and Main streets, where you can find many intriguing antique shops. A handful of well-used fishing boats cluster at the town docks, which thrum with music and flags and cheer during the annual Blessing of the Fleet. All you need here is the power to stroll, gaze, and enjoy.

Bright Copper Kettles and Warm Woolen Mittens

People who love to shop for unusual and artistic things of lasting beauty have crossed the finish line when they get to Olde Mistick Village in Mystic. The replica of a 19th-century New England village is packed with interesting stores: children’s clothing, kites, jewelry, fine cookware, Native American arts, Oriental ceramics, silver, wine, angels and pajamas. The village also offers lots of special and fun public events with an eye to the delights of each season.

Buffalo Do Roam at This Expansive Playground

You don’t need to mosey out to the Dakotas to enjoy the sight of free-roaming buffalo. Creamery Brook Bison Farm in Brooklyn offers guided walking tours where visitors may observe groups of animals, make ice cream and butter, or eat lunch at a picnic area. There is also a 40-minute wagon ride through a working dairy farm and out to the fields to where the buffalo live. Watch the buffalo cows and calves come to the wagon for a snack of hay and grain. Other fun for families includes a farmyard petting area, a stand serving gourmet ice cream, and a gift shop. Call ahead for public hours. Phone: 860-779-0837.

Luck, Be a Lady Tonight

See Map

This region of Connecticut is home to not one but two massive casinos owned and operated by Native American tribes: Foxwoods Resort Casino in Ledyard, operated by the Mashantucket Pequot tribe, and the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, operated by the Mohegan tribe. Gamblers can look forward to thousands of slot machines and hundreds of table games, but that is only part of the story. The rest includes fine dining, shopping, golf, live entertainment, professional sports, and plenty of excitement. Foxwoods: 860-312-4090. Mohegan Sun: 888-226-7711

Paintings Lighter Than Air

See Map

Nicknamed the Home of American Impressionism, the Florence Griswold Museum, along the Lieutenant River in Old Lyme, exhibits colorful, lighter-than-air paintings from the Impressionist period. The museum includes a shop with the finest selection of art books on the Connecticut shoreline as well as posters, postcards, and notecards displaying some of the best-loved images in American art. Phone: 860-434-5542.

First Nations

See Map

The Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center, which is the world's largest Native American museum, offers experiences for young and old, from life-size dioramas that transport visitors into the past to changing exhibits and live performances of contemporary arts. Four acres of permanent exhibits depict 18,000 years of Native and natural history, while two libraries offer materials on the histories and cultures of all Native peoples of the continent. The museum is located on Pequot Trail in Ledyard, near the Foxwoods Resort and Casino. Phone: 800-411-9671