Day Trippin' in Mystic, CT - Summer Vacation 101, Part II

Sunday, June 28, 2015
Summer vacation fun doesn't have to break the bank.  It doesn't have to involve airplanes and it doesn't have to require overnights.  Sometimes a day of fun can be found just a few short hours from home and still have you back home at night to sleep in your own bed!  Not that it isn't fun getting away for a few days....but sometimes that isn't possible so that's when day trips are the perfect solution.  Day trips also offer opportunities to be spontaneous, and take adventures when the weather is cooperative. When our kids were young, our budget didn't allow for more than one short overnight trip each summer.  So to add to our fun without decreasing our bank account, we found day trips that provided excitement but didn't require a hotel stay.  One of our favorite destinations was Mystic, CT.  Just 3 hours from the Capital District, Mystic is a fun place for kids and adults.

Of course there's the ever popular Mystic Aquarium....
From penguins to sea lions, beluga whales to eels, you and your little ones will love Mystic Aquarium.  Kids will love the 'touch tank', and the neon jelly fish.  Big enough to be fun and small enough to be manageable.   Easily done in a couple of hours, there'll be time enough to fit in another stop.  Admission will make a small dent in your wallet, at $34.99 for adults, $28.00 for kids 13-17 and $24.99 for kids 3-12.  However, if you buy a family membership online for $195.00 (on sale now for $189.), the family gets free admission all year of your membership.  So depending on the size of your family and how much you love aquariums, that might be a good option.  And remember...you're saving a big hotel bill!  Although there is a cafeteria, I'd recommend lunch outside of the aquarium.  There are a variety of restaurants and fast food options just around the corner that are cheaper and tastier. ;)  For information on Mystic Aquarium and to plan your visit....check out their website:http://www.mysticaquarium.org/

One of my other favorite stops just down the road from Mystic, is Stonington, CT.  Stonington is a quaint little historic village that is the home of the Inn at Stonington and the Old Lighthouse Museum.  This beautiful lighthouse is located on a little dead end street that features a beautiful parking/sight seeing area and small beach.  It's a wonderful place to spend an hour or so exploring the lighthouse and taking in the ocean views.

Stonington is a really special little town that is easily overlooked unless you know it exists.  To read more about it and see more photos, you can check out my earlier blog post which features Stonington and it's history: http://gwfirecracker.blogspot.com/2014/04/charm-and-history-in-stonington-ct.html
If you happened to see the movie "Hope Springs" with Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones - that was filmed in Stonington!  So even the movie producers recognized what a little gem this town is!

Next time in my blog I'll feature another Connecticut day trip you will definitely want to see.  And if you do head towards Mystic and can stay for more than a day, there are plenty of other things to see like Mystic Seaport and just down the road in Groton, CT is a submarine museum where you can take a tour on a real submarine!  The kids will love it and the adults will have a new found appreciation for what the members of our Navy lives are like deep in the sea!
Summer vacation doesn't have to break the bank, and doesn't always have to be scheduled months in advance.   So be spontaneous and take a day trip soon!
As always - thanks for reading and come back soon to Life As I See It!

No comments

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

Life As I See It Header

Never Miss A Post - Follow by Email

Sign up here to get the latest blog post delivered to your inbox.
Never miss a post again!