Eleven Fun Things to do in Mystic This Winter

While the majority of our guests visit us in the summer, wintertime, in my opinion, is the best time of year to visit Mystic. There are always seats at all the wonderful restaurants, no lines at the museums, room to walk on the sidewalks, and who doesn't love the look of a small New England town covered in snow?

I am a big fan of just wandering aimlessly when we visit a new place, and stumbling across adventure, but some people like to plan (gasp! plan??) their trips, so here are eleven super fun things to do this winter in Mystic. 

In no particular order:

1. The Mystic Seaport Ice Festival Feb 16-18 2019

Shake off those winter blues with a weekend of fun – visit our first-ever Ice Festival! Discover “life in the ice” with games, activities, music, and entertainment.

See the Museum’s newest exhibition Death in the Ice: The Mystery of the Franklin Expedition and then discover “life in the ice” with games, activities, music and entertainment. Photo courtesy of Mystic Seaport

 2. Mystic Aquarium Prosecco with Penguins Jan 25 6:30-8:30

Cocktails and gourmet bites in the aquariums main gallery, this is one of my favorite spots for parties and events. It is so peaceful an mesmerizing watching the fish and sharks. I especially love the seahorses!

I will be there for my Birthday, who doesn't love drinks and penguins???

Photo courtesy of Mystic Aquarium

 3.Coffee and a pastry at Sift

If you have never been, I can't recommend it enough! All of us locals will wait in line with the tourists to savor some of their coffee and goodies. A great spot to stop in and warm up on a blustery winter day.

Adam Young is the 2018 winner of the Food Networks Best Baker in America! Their coffee and baked goods are a must have while in Mystic.

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 4. The Dennison Pequotsepos Nature Center  The Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center is a combination wildlife sanctuary, natural history museum, and educational facility highlighting the habitats of southeastern Connecticut.

For all you people who only think about indoor activities for the winter, you are wrong!  Check out their calendar for a list of events, but here are a few to whet your appetite -

January 26th - hiking through Gungywamp    The Gungywamp is not open to the public, you must take a tour. It is a really cool complex of stone structures. Here is some more information about Gungywamp if you are interested in historical sites.   

Feb 5th - downtown birding in Stonington Borough

5. Mystified Escape Room  If you love games, this is the place for you. They also do really cool scavenger hunts in the warmer weather. 

 Okay, this is indoors, try a live action adventure game!

6. Have a date night! There are so many great restaurants near the Mystic Luxury cinemas in the Olde Mistick Village. Try Go Fish, Steak Loft, Pink  Basil, Mangos Pizza, or the Irons, all within walking distance of the cinemas.

7. If you play Pokeman Go, Mystic is a great destination! Matt and I love to take Betsy Mongrel on Poke walks through town.

Spin all the many new stops while seeing the sights, the drawbridge and many scenic spots along the river. Make sure to battle in the gym while eating ice cream.

8. The Cabin Fever Festival and Chowder Cook Off Feb 23 2019 at Old Mystic Village. You don't have to live in a cabin to cure this fever through chowder. It still works even if you live in a house, shack, mansion, chalet, cottage, RV, or boat.

9. Warm winter drinks, like hot toddys or hot chocolate, or any drink for that matter!

Plenty of shopping and stopping for drinks along the way on either side of the drawbridge, starting at Red 36 at one side of the river, and ending at the Captain Daniel Packer Inn on the other side, with too many spots to mention in between.

Red 36 during the winter becomes a ski chalet with beautiful water views. The Daniel Packer Inn has a beautiful warm fire place in the pub, the perfect place to warm up after a day of shopping.

10. Have a custom sailor knot bracelet made at Mystic Knotwork!

Start a new winter tradition, we have 18 colors to choose from and will tie them for you while you wait.

11. Mystic Museum of Art - it is fun to wander around and look all all the paintings, the artists change all the time so there is always something new to see. For those of you who don't like being outside, this is indoors and warm.