It’s the time of year for a very merry Mystic Christmas! We love the town of Mystic, Connecticut so much! It’s full or rich history, water expeditions, museums, shopping and fantastic dining.
We recently stayed at The Whaler’s Inn right in downtown Mystic, CT – you can find the blog post on this here! We highly recommend this hotel – it’s top of the line and it has a certain clean maritime feeling in each room that fits the town perfectly.
The town also has a VIP Holiday Shopping Pass! I loved visiting some of the retailers included and all of the shops were so beautifully dressed up for the season. You can purchase your pass at The Whaler’s Inn and they have an awesome package going on right now below!
MYSTIC VIP HOLIDAY SHOPPING EXPERIENCE
Rates Starting at $179 plus tax
- One Night’s Lodging at The Whaler’s Inn
- VIP Holiday Shopping Pass – Discounts or Specials to over a dozen local shops
- Reusable Shopping Bag
- $50 Go Local Gift Card – Click for participating retailers
Below are some festive images of Downtown Mystic shops and scenes…gosh I love Mystic during the holidays!
Shopping:



Dining:
A few fun and festive restaurants in the area that I recommend and love are the following:
The Shipwright’s Daughter
Coastal cuisine that’s to die for located right at The Whaler’s Inn. You can see my full recap of our dinner and breakfasts here!
Via Emilia
Via Emilia is Italian cuisine at it’s best! I love this restaurant and try to visit each time I’m in town. Be sure and try the homemade butternut squash ravioli! If you love homemade Italian food – this is a must! The owners also own the beautiful restaurant across the street called The Mariner.


The Jealous Monk
Head on over to Old Mistick Village for a heated igloo experience in the most picturesque location! The Jealous Monk is german inspired food and beverage restaurant . Be sure and get the warm pretzel charcuterie board!
It really is right out of a Hallmark movie!!

Experiences:

Old Mistick Village
Be transported to another time at the cute as can be Old Mistick Village! I love coming here every season because it’s always decorated festively! They also have an amazing lights display throughout the whole village. If you have kids – be sure and pop by in the evening for them to walk through the grounds!

Mystic Seaport Museum
One of my absolute favorite things to do is to visit the Mystic Seaport Museum. As you already know If you’ve been reading my blog – I’m a huge museum lover. Without a doubt- this is one of the coolest museums I’ve been to! They also have a really cool Lamplight Stroll during the holidays that looks like so much fun! We haven’t been able to attend yet but I can’t wait to go to this next year.
They also have really great membership programs! I’ve been a member here for several years and it’s a great option If you fall in love with the Seaport like I have.:)

More fun this way…
A few more fun things to do during the holidays are the below!
- Head to Mystic Aquarium! This aquarium is so beautiful and I love the Beluga Whales!
- Go to a Christmas Tree Farm! Yetter Road Christmas Tree Farm is super cute and a great local spot!
- Head to Stonington Burrough! Just a short 10 minute drive away is the Burrough of Stonington. This is another spot that I’ve been coming to for years and that I love to see in different seasons! They always have beautiful hydrangeas in the summer and the residents and town go all out for festive holiday attire! I suggest going at night to see the Christmas lights but then also go during the day to walk the pretty streets and take in the old historic homes and shops.
- Head to the village of Noank in Groton, CT! Noank is along the Mystic River with a long tradition of fishing, lobstering and boat-building. It’s filled with historic charm and great for those looking to gawk at pretty old homes, walk by old lobster shacks and gaze at the Mystic River.
Another amazing website that I love to go to learn more about Mystic is This is Mystic! This site is packed with great info about the area and I personally check here often to see the current happenings around town!
Wishing you a very merry Mystic Christmas!