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Mystic, CT- see or skip?

J

Jeni

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Location
Hampton Roads, VA
How highly would you recommend a day or two in Mystic?

Thanks to Tugger advice, we have removed Salem, MA from our summer trip, in order to give us more time elsewhere.

We will be in northern NJ for a few days and I am finding there is so much there to entertain our 2 year old, so I am torn as to whether or not to go to Mystic, or spend more time with all of the kid-focused places in NJ. I have the feeling my DH and I would enjoy Mystic more than our son.

Is there an aquarium there? If we skip an overnighter to Mystic, would it be feasible to stop on our way to the Cape and spend a couple of hours there?

Advice appreciated! Thanks!

Jeni
 
We're planning on stopping in Mystic on our way up to Cape Cod this summer, mainly for a break in the driving. People OY have said it's a nice place to go for a day, there's an aquarium and the seaport.

My impression is that no, it's not worth a special drive up and back from Northern NJ, especially with a small child. Yes, it's worth stopping on your way to Cape Cod--it's right on the way and it's a good place to stop for lunch and stretching your legs.
 
wackymother said:
We're planning on stopping in Mystic on our way up to Cape Cod this summer, mainly for a break in the driving. People OY have said it's a nice place to go for a day, there's an aquarium and the seaport.

My impression is that no, it's not worth a special drive up and back from Northern NJ, especially with a small child. Yes, it's worth stopping on your way to Cape Cod--it's right on the way and it's a good place to stop for lunch and stretching your legs.
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You'll have to let me know how it goes. We were planning to leave NJ a day early, driving to Mystic early Friday (about 3 hrs), spend all day and the night in Mystic, as well as Saturday morning, then leave by 12pm to be on the Cape around our 2pm check in for the house we rented.

We are now thinking we want the extra time in NJ, spending Friday in NJ, leave early Sat, stop in Mystic for the aquarium and lunch, and pick up our house keys a little later on Saturday. What do you think?
 
Jeni said:
You'll have to let me know how it goes. We were planning to leave NJ a day early, driving to Mystic early Friday (about 3 hrs), spend all day and the night in Mystic, as well as Saturday morning, then leave by 12pm to be on the Cape around our 2pm check in for the house we rented.

We are now thinking we want the extra time in NJ, spending Friday in NJ, leave early Sat, stop in Mystic for the aquarium and lunch, and pick up our house keys a little later on Saturday. What do you think?
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Either way sounds fine. Depending on where you are staying on the cape, I think the second plan might be better because the traffic squeezing onto Cape Cod and then driving out along Route 6 is supposed to be GRUESOME. We last went to Cape Cod, from Boston, about 20 years ago, and we were headed to Truro, and almost all I remember is sitting in traffic on Route 6 for most of Saturday. You might call the person you're renting from and ask for advice on the best time to hit Route 6 on a Saturday. If it's a holiday week, then it's even worse, I hear. I think two hours from Mystic to anywhere on the Cape on a Saturday is pretty optimistic.
 
Jeni,

If you spend time in Mystic, CT, I recommend visiting the Mystic Seaport Museum - www.mysticseaport.org.

Among other things - the museum houses the Rosenfield Collection which is the largest single collection of maritime photography in the world. His photographs are amazing. Consisting of over 800,000 (that's not a typo) images, the Collection spans from 1881 to 1992.

Obviously, the museum is not for a 2-year old, so a visit to the museum on this trip would not be in the cards.

If anyone in your family likes the sea, ships and history, this is a great museum.

Richard
 
We live about an hour from Mystic and go at least once a year. It depends on your family but we love aquariams and they do have a large one there. The Seaport is also a very interesting place. Tourism will be in full swing when you are there so they will have lots going on. There is a lot to do in that part of our state.
 
Jeni,

How old are your kids again? I happen to be a huge aqarium lover, and Mystic has a great one. The last time we stopped there was on the way back from a trip to the Cape...we just did it on the way home since Mystic is probably two hours from home for us. We all enjoyed it; I think my youngest was five or six at the time.

Sharon
 
3kids4me said:
Jeni,

How old are your kids again? I happen to be a huge aqarium lover, and Mystic has a great one. The last time we stopped there was on the way back from a trip to the Cape...we just did it on the way home since Mystic is probably two hours from home for us. We all enjoyed it; I think my youngest was five or six at the time.

Sharon
Click to expand...

My son is 2...he'll be a month shy of 2 1/2 when we travel this summer.
 
We love aquariums, too. If anybody goes to the Jersey shore, Jenkinson's Aquarium in Point Pleasant is quite a good small aquarium. My kids went there on field trips from preschool when they were little.

Point Pleasant has a very nice boardwalk with rides and boardwalk treats, too. Wristband nights and fireworks and some great special events during the summer.
 
I don't know about that. A 2 and 1/2 year old might enjoy a day at Mystic Seaport, if the whether was nice, tottling around the park and seeing all the boats. I wouldn't necessarily say he's too young, I mean it's a nice spot and all, pleasant setting and all.

I'm not saying he'd appreciate and understand what he's seeing and what the Mystic Seaport Museum is actually doing, but I don't see why a little kid couldn't pass a nice day there.
 
He could, no doubt. But it's not worth driving a 2yo two or three hours from North Jersey and back again just for Mystic. A 2yo would enjoy a sandbox and a bucket of water in the backyard more than spending 6 hours in the car to see Mystic Seaport. I'm sure he'd have a great time once he got there...but then there would be the three hours it would take to drive back.

That's why using Mystic as a stopping place from North Jersey to Cape Cod is a great idea.
 
I was in Mystic last summer for a three day work assignment. The hotel used for the conference was directly across from the aquarium (Hilton, I believe it was) and they had an evening event over at the aquarium for attendees. I spent about an hour or so walking around and looking at the various exhibits. The beluga whales were out but they were being handled by the staff so there wasn't much to see/watch.

I enjoyed spending half a day on my day of departure down at the seaport. One of the things I was looking to buy there was pure maple syrup, something we just don't see in Iowa without paying an arm & a leg. (Connecticut is also known for their maple syrup, which is very good.) The price in the seaport gift shop was outrageous (tourist prices) so I passed on it there and found a small hobby farm on my drive over to Hartford where I was catching my flight home, to buy a couple of bottles of the "local good stuff."

To answer the OP's original question, however, I agree with others that if the stop is enroute and makes since it would be worthwhile to do it but I doubt it will take more than a day to see and do all that there is to do there. (And yes, it is right off I95 which will be your route up to Cape Cod, so very much "on the way" to your summer home.)
 
Like the others, I wouldn't go from NJ to Mystic and then back to NJ but it would be a nice respite on the trip to the Cape. I'd leave Jersey early and plan on spending half a day in Mystic; it will be a welcome respite from the Cape traffic. You might be better off hitting the entrance to the Cape later in the day traffic-wise.

We've been to Mystic several times as the kids were growing up on day trips, and it is a fun place for kids of all ages (even the big ones ;) ). We were only on the Cape once, many years ago, discouraged by the 2 hour 2 mile stretch. I often wondered if traffic there has changed but from the above posts it hasn't. Our not so fond recollection was sitting in that traffic in 95 degree weather on the way to a wedding, with a 4 hour trip taking seven hours, arriving in the car behind the maid of honor in time to see the bride and groom walk out of the church :( (traffic was so bad we were talking to the people in the car next to us, who were looking at the same set of directions that we were).
 
Just a thought!

Jeni
Cape Cod traffic is daunting to say the least. Unless you are a big maritime fan Mystic is just ok for my family. There is a little quaint shopping village that is right off the highway in the same lot as the Aquarium and of course Mystic Pizza somewhere closeby. It is a nice area but not the top or of my list. As others said the Aquarium and a place to eat lunch may be a nice 1/2 day trip.

A better thing to do is at the Cape Cod Canal and go on a canal ride or just walk along the trails with a 2 yr old . You can ride bikes there as well along the canal.

Do eat in Bourne on Rt 6 at Lindsey's Seafood and order the Fisherman's Platter for 2. It is not on the menu,you need to ask and it has lots of seafood plus 2 plates or french fries (on the side) . This is before you get to the canal to the rotary. Great clam chowder as well.

Lindsey's Seafood ~ 508.759.5544
3138 Cranberry Highway, Bourne, MA 02532
 
We stopped at the aquarium on our way to Cape Cod. Well worth the stop. Everyone enjoyed the stop, children & adults.
 
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