The Inns and B&Bs of Mystic Connecticut provide an intimate experience

Start your vacation in Mystic with a hearty breakfast at The Whaler’s Inn’s on-site restaurant, The Shipwright’s Daughter. Then head out to the Mystic Aquarium (the one with the belugas), the Seaport Museum to visit a fully equipped whaleboat, the Tree Trails adventure park or nature center. Go hiking, sailing or go shopping in Olde Mistick Village, then head back to your roomy suite, perhaps with a fireplace, air-jet soaking tub and Mystic River views. Afternoons enjoy a hot cup and freshly baked cookies at Scrimshaw, the new pop-up coffee lounge, and later come back for superb dining with a menu that changes daily. The inn, whose roots go back over 125 years, is a new recipient of the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for its wine list.

The Steamboat Inn, Mystic’s only waterfront property, boasts 11 luxurious rooms, all with gorgeous views of the water and decorated with antiques, many with wood-burning fireplaces and oversized whirlpool tubs. Each room is unique: One is directly dockside, another has floor-to-ceiling windows with sweeping water views. Walk outside the inn to enjoy this maritime town’s many restaurants, boutiques and shops or take a complimentary bike to explore the lovely streets of the former ship-building center. Guests may also book a trip aboard a two-masted schooner that sails right from Steamboat Wharf. The Mystic Seaport and the Mystic Aquarium are nearby, and it’s a short drive to antiques stores, golf courses, beaches and Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun resort casinos.

Modern amenities in a setting that celebrates history are the hallmarks of the Griswold Inn, a gem of an inn in the historic seaport village of Essex. “The Gris,” as it is fondly called, which opened in 1776, is one of the country’s oldest continuously operated inns. It features sophisticated cuisine served in historic dining rooms, an extensive and award-winning wine list, an impressive collection of marine art and illustrations and 34 exquisite rooms, each individually decorated and furnished with antiques, period reproductions and super-comfortable Leonard’s Beds. The inn is tucked onto Main Street, steps from unique shops, galleries and Essex Harbor. (Check the inn’s website for the latest information on openings and updates on health and safety regulations and protocols.)

An award-winning, classic boutique inn overlooking Long Island Sound, the Inn at Harbor Hill Marina beckons those who are seeking a serene seaside escape. First-class amenities in 16 uniquely decorated guest rooms and suites include everything from gas fireplaces and large soaking tubs to private balconies with water, marina or garden views and complimentary homemade breakfast buffets to start your mornings. During the day, there are pontoon cruises along Niantic Bay from the marina (where you can arrange for your own weekend or seasonal slip), and evenings at the inn feature wine-and-cheese gatherings in the dining room. Charming Niantic Village, CT is within walking distance, offering a pleasant variety of shops and restaurants to explore as well as the picturesque milelong Niantic Bay Boardwalk, overlooking the sound.