Mystic, Connecticut. Stonington.

We had only been in Connecticut for about five minutes when I heard the first suggestion that we should visit Mystic. I had stopped at the first travel information stop that we encountered along I-95 after leaving New York. After that, it was common to hear the question, have you been to Mystic?

Mystic is a small town on the Connecticut coastline but it also refers to an area along the coast. The drive along the coast from New London / Groton through Stonington, then into Rhode Island's Westerly, Narragansette and Judith Point is only about 40 miles. It is easy to spend the whole afternoon exploring these towns, though.

Here is the broad view of the area from New York to Boston. The letter "A" is at Stonington.


This closer view covers just the area from New London / Groton to Newport. Newport, is going to have its own blog post, later.


We visited this area on a chilly Sunday morning, November 7th. Like most of the little towns in the area, Stonington has its origins as a fishing village. A narrow road takes you through town and out to a point with a lighthouse, one of many in the area. The town is worth stopping for a walking tour.


We stopped in at the Water Street Cafe for an excellent brunch after visiting the old lighthouse on the point.


During the War of 1812, the British stopped by to make a major attack on the town. A suitable memorial marks the spot.


Exploring the town leads to lots of homes marked with signs giving a brief history: