Mystic Mystique

Sometime in junior high school, my class went on a trip to Mystic, Connecticut. I think it was an overnight trip – either way, it was a pretty big deal. I hadn’t been back since, until this summer, when I joined my sister and her family for a trip there. It’s a charming place, with some old New England aspects to it and of course cute shops. I’d been thinking that if I’m going to be in the area for a while that there are a lot of places in New York State that I’d like to visit – well, there’s also Connecticut! Mystic caters to daytrippers or weekend B&Bers.


We took the boat there from Sag Harbor – truly, with the boat, half the fun is getting there. I love boat rides – they are so peaceful; you see a lot and yet you can relax (we played some Rummikub!). Unfortunately, one niece was not feeling well, so she stayed behind while the rest of us explored. We left the Seaport for the next day just in case she felt better, and we walked – quite a hike, it turned out – to the Aquarium. The Mystic Aquarium is one of the big attractions in the area. Parts of it were nice – there was a good beluga whale exhibit, and some South African penguins from the beach where I had swum with them – but there was something sad there; whether it was the exhibits or the people I’m not really sure. I’d say their heart is in the right place and I wish them well, especially in their efforts to help the sealife of Long Island Sound. But maybe we should have gone to the Seaport….



My niece rallied and we all went to dinner at a noisy but delicious Italian restaurant, and then we crossed the river and walked the main shopping street. At the end of the block and across the way is Mystic Pizza, the shop made famous in movie of the same name (though I’ve never seen it!). The next day it was raining! That wasn’t in the forecast! Wha hoppa? My sister, non-sick niece and I went back to the shops for a short walk that turned into a medium walk, but it was too wet to go to the Seaport, and instead we went back early. Reason to go back sometime...perhaps. All in all, a pleasant outing.



Earlier in the spring, we had a similar getaway (but without the aquarium) – a day trip to Nyack, New York. This is a Hudson River town with some old-fashioned charm and some cute shops. We drove up, walked around a little bit, and drove back. Nothing major – no history or hike or even a meal or a purchase – but again, a pleasant outing. On my own, I tend to have more purpose, but with the family, it’s okay not to!