Since beginning our full-time journey to discover the country, we have found something to appreciate in every city and town we have passed through. We hope you enjoy reading about them as much as we have enjoyed discovering them!
No person, business or attraction has paid us for an endorsement.
Mystic, Connecticut
Population: 4,376
Founded: 1654
Average income: $133,696
Average price of housing: $411,500
Median age of the population: 55
https://ctvisit.com/mystic
Geographically Mystic is a small town located on the south central coastal section of Connecticut. We also visited Narragansett (Rhode Island), Noank and Westerly (Rhode Island).
Home Base: The Campground
For us, a campground is not our destination. Our RV is self-contained. Rarely do we use campground services or amenities. We are explorers, not campground reviewers! We have relatives in Mystic and have stayed at the family owned Seaport Campground many, many times. Since we have been staying there, Seaport has been bought out by Sun Outdoors. It is now called Sun Outdoors Mystic. Since Sun Outdoors has purchased the campground they have struggled with vendors and staffing, but this seems to have started to be resolved.
ALL sites at Sun Outdoors Mystic are water and electric ONLY. You have three options for sewer services: 1) there are two pump out stations located in the campground, 2) you can pay $20 to have the “honey wagon” come around and pump you out on a day of your choosing, or 3) if you have an extended stay, staff will go to your site and pump you out on the 5th day of your stay for free.
We always stay on sites #75, #77 or #79. Our choices for water-sewer sites are on level packed gravel. Our pull through site was long enough to leave the Jeep hooked up and still have both vehicles off the road. 30 and 50 amp service was available. There was good cell phone coverage (Verizon) and a good open southern sky for our satellite. Easy off and on I-95.
Downtown
We are always drawn to quaint, unique downtown areas. Mystic has never disappointed us! There are many thriving locally owned businesses and restaurants. The refreshing smell of the clean, clear Mystic River and the wonderful smells emanating from the local restaurants makes a stroll down Main Street in Mystic a joy!!
If you are downtown at a quarter to the hour (8:45, 9:45, etc.) you will be able to watch the rising of the Bascule Bridge being raised over the Mystic River as it has been for 100 years!
Warning: parking in downtown Mystic can be a nightmare but it is well worth the effort.
Food and Drink
We always gravitate toward small locally owned restaurants. When we visit Mystic this is where we go:
Mystic:
The Mystic Diner & Restaurant is a popular local diner. It is much more spacious inside than it looks from the outside (or the parking lot!). Fast, friendly service. Breakfast all day, full menu for lunch and dinner.
Sift Bake Shop in downtown Mystic is well worth the visit!! It is a French focused bakery. Everything we have ever had at Sift was superb! A must visit for breakfast or for pastries.
A popular place to eat and a local attraction is Mystic Pizza on West Main Street. It is the location of a 1988 film starring Julia Roberts about three teenage girls who come of age while working at Mystic Pizza.
Narragansett, RI:
Aunt Carrie’s Restaurant, Ice Cream and Gift Shoppe. NO ONE makes clam cakes like Aunt Carrie’s!!! There is another clam shack place in town, but we don’t think it is the same at all! Family owned for four generations. Local clam shack with a rustic dining room and takeout.
Noank, RI:
Costello’s Clam Shack, classic New England seafood with indoor and outdoor seating. There are water views from most seats. It is a quintessential New England experience. Parking in Noank is a nightmare! Costello’s is worth it!!
Ford’s Lobsters. Lobsters in the rough. Patio seating only, laid back/causal. BYOB. If you even think you have had the best lobster meal ever and you have not had a lobster bisque bomb at Ford’s, you have not had the best lobster meal ever. Hands down. The lobster bisque bomb is expensive, the parking in Noank is a nightmare, but it is soooooo worth it!
Attractions
Mystic:
The Mystic Museum of Art was founded in 1913 for American artists from the Mystic area. A recent art exhibit showcased local child artists!
The Mystic Seaport Museum was founded in 1929. It is the nation’s leading maritime museum and covers 19 acres on the Mystic River. It includes a recreated New England coastal village, a working shipyard, formal exhibit halls, and state-of-the-art artifact storage facilities. The Museum recently completed a refurbishing of the Mayflower II.
Narragansett, RI:
A reasonably short drive (less than an hour) to a beautiful beach in Narragansett, Rhode Island is well worth the trip.
Westerly, RI:
A reasonably short drive (less than an hour) to two beaches in Westerly, Rhode Island is well worth the trip. Westerly Town Beach and Misquamicut State Beach are both in Westerly, RI. Parking is free after 5 p.m.
Summary
This is a beautifully scenic area on the coast of New England. We highly recommend visiting the area. The parking may be limited, but the scenery and food are phenomenal!
Your partners in travel,
Kathryn, Dave and Lucky
RVing Nomads
It’s a lifestyle
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