Mystic fun!!

My family and I decided to take a few days and go to Mystic, CT. We started our trip first with a stop at the Museum of Science in Boston. We spent a little over 3 hours there and the girls had a blast. We were able to get a parking spot in the garage attached to the museum. Parking did cost us $21 for the time we were there. There are a bunch of interactive exhibits at the museum for the kids to enjoy. Food is pricey so I recommend bringing your own. They do have lockers to rent if you don’t want to carry around your stuff but you can also get your hand stamped so you can leave and come back. I will say that three hours was not enough to see everything and it is definitely an all day trip or even multiple days.

Megalodon Jaw

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Mystic. The hotel was nice. Since it was the off season, the hotel was very quiet. We got a room with 2 queen beds and a sofa pull out bed. We did have to ask for linens for the pull out but that was painless. The hotel has an indoor pool which my children enjoyed. It was only five feet deep so nothing huge but still fun. My husband used the fitness center. The hotel does offer breakfast in the morning. It is a small area and the dining area is right in the lobby. They have baked goods, cereal, eggs, sausage, bacon and pancakes. The eggs were not that great. My girls enjoyed the pancakes. They also have complimentary coffee, tea and hot chocolate available all day. I will say the location of the hotel is great as it is right across from the shopping village and Mystic Aquarium. Overall, the hotel is not the greatest hotel but for the price we paid, it was adequate enough for our visit.

Beluga Whale

Like I said, the hotel was right across from the shopping village so we had access to a number of dining locations. Our first night we went to the Mystic Diner. The diner serves breakfast all day and it was very good. My kids got ice cream with each of their meals which is always nice for them. On our second day, we had lunch at Mango’s Wood-Fired Pizza and the husband and I each got sandwiches. The kids had lunch at the hotel as we did bring some food with us to cut costs. Lunch was a bit pricey for one app and two sandwiches. Our second night, we ate at The Steak Loft. The food was tasty and was servings were a decent size but the prices were on the expensive side for a family of five. Our final night we ate at an Italian place, Andiamos. Delicious food for everyone but as a family of five, it can get it expensive. Overall, as a family of five, we were paying a lot for food so we were glad we brought some food along with us. Next time, we might stay at a place that has a kitchen in our room so we can save a bit more money on food especially since the youngest is very particular about food.

Museum of Science

Our first full day in Mystic, we did some swimming in the hotel pool and then decided to check out Olde Mistick Village. There are so many shops to check out and make sure to bring comfortable shoes. My family enjoyed Alice in the Village which is a tea shop decorated to the theme of Alice in Wonderland and Alice’s Little Haunted Bookshop which is full of interesting books and decorated in a 18th century Victorian style. The girls enjoyed checking out the shops and it was a fun way to spend part of the day.

Our second and last full day in Mystic, we spent most of the day at Mystic Aquarium. I highly recommend going in the off season as there were no crowds and we got to see everything we wanted while taking things slow. We got front row seats for the California Sea Lion show which I recommend as right in front of those seats is part of the stage area so the sea lions get pretty close. The Dino Seas area, which is an extra cost, has a play space for littles and theaters with 4D movies. It is a great way to let the littles get some energy out and for the parents to take a breather as there is a seating area. I recommend bringing your own food to cut costs as food is pricey. You are able to leave the aquarium and return, just get your hand stamped before leaving.

The family enjoyed Mystic, CT and cannot wait to return. Of course, that might be in just a year as they are opening a Great Wolf Lodge just a tad north of Mytic this year so we want to check that out. But, the shops and aquarium were definitely enjoyable and fun to see for all ages. If you need any help planning your next trip to Mystic or anywhere else in the U.S., Canada or Mexico or even a cruise feel free to reach out for help and my tips and tricks. #neverlandingtravelbysara #mysticct #mysticaquarium #museumofscience #oldemistickvillage #holidayinnexpressmystic

Alice in the Village, Olde Mistick Village