Mystic, Connecticut

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View of Mystic River from Mystic Bridge

When plans for an epic trip out west had to be postponed, we didn’t want to let the weekend go to waste. Mystic, CT is about two hours from home, at almost the midpoint between Boston and NYC, so we called up our Cambridge-based sis Marni who was happy to join us for a short adventure. This magical (mystical) coastal town exceeded expectations and was just the place we needed to clear our minds and relax for a couple days.

Olde Mystick Village originally seemed like it might be hokey, but actually gave us a fun hour of browsing. The plaza is almost Epcot-esque, filled with candy shops, toy stores, specialty food boutiques, and even a Scandinavia-themed gift shop. 

Downtown Mystic right on the Mystic River is the heart of the town. Great artsy stores—Curated, Adore, and Trove were personal favorites.

Historic Harbor Tour aboard the Mystic Express. Peaceful 40-minute ride down the Mystic River took us past beautiful homes and the historic ships at the Mystic Seaport Museum. The museum seems worth a visit on another trip, but this was an easy way to see the highlights.

View from aboard the Mystic Express

Sift Bake Shop to taste pastries from the "Best Baker in America 2018" (Food Network). The hot chocolate and chocolate raspberry croissant were both delicious and worthy of the buzz.

Twister's Ice Cream and Sea View Snack Bar are a must-stop off Greenmanville Ave along Mystic River. Nothing beats looking out at beautiful Mystic River with a cup of soft serve ice cream.

The Treehouse at the Oyster Club was the perfect spot for happy hour cocktails and a casual bite -- we shared the roasted veggies (served cold with a yummy yogurt sauce) and homemade cornbread.

Sift Bake Shop

Snacking at the Treehouse at Oyster Club

We stayed in Mystic, but there are countless other towns nearby to visit. We took US-1 to Watch Hill, RI to gawk at the luxury, with a stop at Misquamicut State Beach to feel our toes in the sand.

Misquamicut State Beach

Watch Hill, Rhode Island

Location: Mystic, Stonington, CT, USA

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