Bummer! You’ve arrived to Mystic, Connecticut and you are stuck with a rainy day! What to do now? As a local of Mystic, I can share the best activities for rainy days! You still can have a fun time with the bad weather.
Brave souls on the water!
TOUR THE MYSTIC NOANK LIBRARY
One of the most beautiful library I’ve seen in my life. There is a lot of seafaring history within the building. It is opened to the public to tour during library hours. Don’t miss going upstairs to the second floor where the ceiling resemble the hull of a ship. The library also has two lived in cats — Matilda and Violet! Take your time, sit in a chair and relax with a magazine or book. There are also puzzles you can use.
VISIT MUSEUMS/AQUARIUM
Mystic has a few museums and an aquarium worthy enough to visit!
Mystic Museum of Art - a small museum with beautiful curated art works. Opened year around with free admission (unless there is a special exhibition) but donations are appreciated. Don’t miss out on the waterfront views from the back of the museum.
Mystic Aquarium - the aquarium is one of the largest in the United States. It’s easy enough to spend an entire day there. I always look so forward to the sea lions show as well visit the penguins and the whales. Note: half of the aquarium is outdoors (whales, penguins and sea lions) but there are some indoor exhibits where you can see fishes, jellyfishes, reptiles, stingrays, etc. The interactive Dino Seas exhibit is also indoors.
Mystic Seaport Museum - this 19th century seafaring village is one of my favorite spots in Mystic. There are many buildings through out the Seaport — you do have to be in and out of the rain a bit to get from a building to another.
SHOP AT OLDE MISTICK VILLAGE
Opened year-round, this colonial 18th century village has over 50+ unique shops! The village consists of a luxury movie theater, restaurants, unique shops and more. There is something for absolutely everyone. Watch a movie at the Mystic Luxury Cinema — the comfy chairs are worth it! There will be times when you have to walk outside in the rain to get to another store (not all of them have roof where you can stand underneath).
TAKE THE MYSTIC PIZZA TOUR
You know that movie with Julia Roberts? It really was inspired by Mystic Pizza right here in Mystic, CT! The pizza restaurant may not be the actual filming location but there are many nearby in Mystic, Stonington, Pawcatuck, Noank and Westerly, RI. Take a ride in your car and drive by the locations! The addresses of the locations can be found on this blog: Mystic Pizza Tour.
ENJOY A HOT CLAM CHOWDER
You can’t go wrong with a clam chowder on a rainy day. Mystic has A LOT of seafood restaurants to pick from. My personal favorite clam chowder is at S&P Oyster in Downtown Mystic, which you also get a waterfront view (a bonus!).
GO ANTIQUING / THRIFTING
There are a few antique and thrift shops in Mystic and even more in neighboring towns. My personal favorites are Pennywise (clothing) and Marine Consignment (nautical goods/DIY projects) in Mystic. I also recommend the COMO thrift store in Stonington.
Mystic holds a lot of charm and I love how it is an ideal spot to visit year-round. I hope you find this guide helpful and enjoy your visit. Pop over to my Instagram @knotsoloud and see more of Mystic on my feed. I would love to hear about your visit to Mystic!