Guidebook for Stonington

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Guidebook for Stonington

Sightseeing

The Seaport is within easy walking distance and has a lot of interactive exhibits. Get an afternoon lesson on the Mystic River printing press or learn to put a barrel together at the cooper's! Evenings and weekends frequently have live music, and holidays like Halloween and Christmas feature theatrical tours.
276 locals recommend
Mystic Seaport Museum
75 Greenmanville Ave
276 locals recommend
The Seaport is within easy walking distance and has a lot of interactive exhibits. Get an afternoon lesson on the Mystic River printing press or learn to put a barrel together at the cooper's! Evenings and weekends frequently have live music, and holidays like Halloween and Christmas feature theatrical tours.
One word: penguins. Okay, so there's more to this aquarium - for one, it hosts a regional rescue center for injured marine wildlife and trains first responders in three states - but mostly, we just love the penguins.
341 locals recommend
Mystic Aquarium
341 locals recommend
One word: penguins. Okay, so there's more to this aquarium - for one, it hosts a regional rescue center for injured marine wildlife and trains first responders in three states - but mostly, we just love the penguins.

Parks & Nature

Highly recommended for a scenic hike with a historic bent along the shore of Fishers Island Sound. Ample parking and a variety of routes.
12 locals recommend
Bluff Point, Groton, Ct
Depot Road
12 locals recommend
Highly recommended for a scenic hike with a historic bent along the shore of Fishers Island Sound. Ample parking and a variety of routes.
Walk out of the house and around the corner to Coogan Farm's trail system. Along the way, search for a wigwam, bee hives, and a house's foundation!
11 locals recommend
Coogan Farm Nature and Heritage Center
162 Greenmanville Ave
11 locals recommend
Walk out of the house and around the corner to Coogan Farm's trail system. Along the way, search for a wigwam, bee hives, and a house's foundation!

Drinks & Nightlife

A new entry into the Mystic scene, Friar Tuck's is a classic English pub. Their fish is fresh (we know the fisherman), their chips are piping hot, and their beer list is long. Go for the trivia or the weekend's live music.
17 locals recommend
Friar Tuck's Tavern
12 Water St
17 locals recommend
A new entry into the Mystic scene, Friar Tuck's is a classic English pub. Their fish is fresh (we know the fisherman), their chips are piping hot, and their beer list is long. Go for the trivia or the weekend's live music.
A nanobrewery with tasty options every weekend...but get there early because once the keg is tapped, it goes quickly. Very reasonable prices, but no food. (Also has onesies for sale, because the owner's infant son likes to rep dad's business!)
18 locals recommend
Barley Head Brewery
12 Water St
18 locals recommend
A nanobrewery with tasty options every weekend...but get there early because once the keg is tapped, it goes quickly. Very reasonable prices, but no food. (Also has onesies for sale, because the owner's infant son likes to rep dad's business!)
Mystic's Irish pub, and an annual sponsor of the St Patrick's Day parade. Go for trivia, or for live music on the weekends.
27 locals recommend
The Harp and Hound
4 Pearl St
27 locals recommend
Mystic's Irish pub, and an annual sponsor of the St Patrick's Day parade. Go for trivia, or for live music on the weekends.
Literally dozens of taps line the bar and there's a good ten kegs in waiting, but Jealous Monk's beer garden isn't only for beer aficionados. There's a bookcase of board games inside and cornhole outside for family entertainment. Summer Thursdays mean runners congregate for a beer after a 3 mile road/trail run. And, most importantly, the kitchen is open til midnight.
20 locals recommend
Jealous Monk
27 Coogan Boulevard
20 locals recommend
Literally dozens of taps line the bar and there's a good ten kegs in waiting, but Jealous Monk's beer garden isn't only for beer aficionados. There's a bookcase of board games inside and cornhole outside for family entertainment. Summer Thursdays mean runners congregate for a beer after a 3 mile road/trail run. And, most importantly, the kitchen is open til midnight.

Arts & Culture

Small and bright, with rotating exhibits as well as a permanent collection, the art museum is a jewel of Mystic's culture.
46 locals recommend
Mystic Museum of Art
9 Water St
46 locals recommend
Small and bright, with rotating exhibits as well as a permanent collection, the art museum is a jewel of Mystic's culture.
A gallery/music venue/lecture hall/community gathering space, the La Grua Center has rotating exhibits hung on the walls and intimate performances of classically trained vocalists and instrumentalists.
La Grua Center
32 Water St
A gallery/music venue/lecture hall/community gathering space, the La Grua Center has rotating exhibits hung on the walls and intimate performances of classically trained vocalists and instrumentalists.
With five different time periods represented in one of the oldest houses in Mystic, the Denison Homestead can give an unparalleled look at the local history. Only open Fri/Sat/Mon afternoons from June-October, or by appointment, but keep an eye out for events like the annual King Philip's War reenactment in September.
Denison Homestead Museum
120 Pequotsepos Rd
With five different time periods represented in one of the oldest houses in Mystic, the Denison Homestead can give an unparalleled look at the local history. Only open Fri/Sat/Mon afternoons from June-October, or by appointment, but keep an eye out for events like the annual King Philip's War reenactment in September.
Local hero Capt. Palmer was a sealing captain and an Antarctic explorer, and his house is now a museum dedicated to his life. Open summers only.
7 locals recommend
Captain Nathaniel B. Palmer House
40 Palmer St
7 locals recommend
Local hero Capt. Palmer was a sealing captain and an Antarctic explorer, and his house is now a museum dedicated to his life. Open summers only.

Shopping

A pedestrian mall with a sea of parking, Mistick Village has a mix of retail and restaurant options and hosts events like Mystic Eats (restaurant week) or a Art Festival roughly twice a month. It's a great option for souvenir shopping.
69 locals recommend
Olde Mistick Village
27 Coogan Blvd
69 locals recommend
A pedestrian mall with a sea of parking, Mistick Village has a mix of retail and restaurant options and hosts events like Mystic Eats (restaurant week) or a Art Festival roughly twice a month. It's a great option for souvenir shopping.
Recently moved to the corner of Main and Holmes Sts, Mystic Knotwork is a decades-old business that started in our own house. Their classic knots, tied on site, make for excellent coasters, door stoppers, or welcome mats.
9 locals recommend
Mystic Knotwork
25 Cottrell St
9 locals recommend
Recently moved to the corner of Main and Holmes Sts, Mystic Knotwork is a decades-old business that started in our own house. Their classic knots, tied on site, make for excellent coasters, door stoppers, or welcome mats.

Essentials

Chain grocery with all the usual items.
50 locals recommend
Big Y World Class Market
79 Stonington Rd
50 locals recommend
Chain grocery with all the usual items.
A family-owned, local chain, McQuade's has a Whole Foods feel: local fare, an extensive organic/natural section, excellent prepared options, and a slightly above average price tag.
24 locals recommend
McQuade's Marketplace
14 Clara Dr
24 locals recommend
A family-owned, local chain, McQuade's has a Whole Foods feel: local fare, an extensive organic/natural section, excellent prepared options, and a slightly above average price tag.

Getting Around

Amtrak stops here regularly, and it's about a twenty minute walk along the river from the house. With luggage, you might want to Uber. Grab a breakfast sandwich at Mystic Depot Roasters first though! If you want to take the commuter line, Shoreline East, go to New London.
20 locals recommend
Mystic station
U.S. 1
20 locals recommend
Amtrak stops here regularly, and it's about a twenty minute walk along the river from the house. With luggage, you might want to Uber. Grab a breakfast sandwich at Mystic Depot Roasters first though! If you want to take the commuter line, Shoreline East, go to New London.