A guide to visiting Groton, Connecticut

Did you know that Mystic is considered a village that is part of Groton, Connecticut? If you’re on the right side, that is. The downtown where Sift Bake Shop and Mystic Pizza are - that is the Groton side. If you cross over the bridge towards Whaler’s Inn and Mystic River Park, you’re in Stonington.

Groton was nicknamed “Rotten Groton”, but there’s nothing rotten about it! When I moved to Connecticut, I learned about its rich military history. Groton is known as the submarine capital of the world. If you’re looking for an easy short day, look no further than Groton.

A painted sub that was part of a town-wide submarine trail in 2016. Some subs can be spotted in the wild to this day.

A painted sub that was part of a town-wide submarine trail in 2016. Some subs can be spotted in the wild to this day.

Fort Griswold Battlefield State Park is a Revolutionary War era battlefield that sits next to the Thames River. It’s across the river from Fort Trumbull in New London, CT. Fort Griswold is a 17 acres battlefield with old cannons, memorials and monuments. There is a 135 feet obelisk monument dedicated to lives lost during the battle. I had the opportunity to walk up the 166 steps to the top and see the river view! It was gorgeous sunny that day when I went up. Next to the monument, there is a small museum (in the old caretaker’s house) with historical artifacts. The museum and monument are open to the public from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The battlefield is open year-round. It’s fun to explore and walk around the battlefield during any season. The river view is always amazing (here’s a tip, this is one of the best spots for sunsets!).

Entrance to Fort Griswold.

Entrance to Fort Griswold.

Rocky path down to the open field (there are other paths that aren’t as rocky, but may be steep climb).

Rocky path down to the open field (there are other paths that aren’t as rocky, but may be steep climb).

One of underground bunkers at Fort Griswold.

One of underground bunkers at Fort Griswold.

The view of Thames River from Fort Griswold.

The view of Thames River from Fort Griswold.

Submarine Force Museum / USS Nautilus has an amazing collection of the submarine history. The museum is managed by the U.S. Navy. You can also tour the USS Nautilus, the first nuclear powered submarine. The tour is usually about half hour long, and definitely not for those who are claustrophobic! It was a challenge for me, but I did it. I have EVEN more appreciation for our Sailors, I can’t imagine being confided in a tight space for months! There are two submarines on display out front of the museum as well. There’s so much to look at inside the museum, it’s worthwhile to explore this museum!

The Submarine Force museum.

The Submarine Force museum.

Submarine coming home - Halloween 2017.

Submarine coming home - Halloween 2017.

February 2018.

February 2018.

June 2021.

June 2021.

The reason why Groton is known to be the ‘submarine capital’ is because of U.S. Navy base (which is located right next to the museum) and General Dynamics Electric Boat. Electric Boat is the primary submarine builder for the U.S. Navy. If you’re lucky, you can spot a submarine going up or down the Thames River. Usually the best point of views is at Eastern Point Beach.

At Eastern Point Beach, you can see Thames River connecting into the Long Island sound. You can see many boats (ferries included) coming in and out. During the off season, parking is free for anyone. Many people go there to take in the beautiful coastal views. Again, this is another good spot for sunsets. From there, you can see two lighthouses - Ledge Light and New London Lighthouse. During summer, the beach can be a busy place to be!

View of Thames River from Eastern Point.

View of Thames River from Eastern Point.

Eastern Point Beach.

Eastern Point Beach.

UConn Avery Point is near by to Eastern Point Beach. There is a walking trail that is open to anyone. It also has beautiful coastal views. This is the home to one of my favorite lighthouses - the Avery Point Light. I enjoy watching people fishing off the rocks here. The Branford House (a mansion modeled oof the Newport Mansions) is stunning. I’m always amazed by its details, it seems like I find a new one every visit. Many weddings have occurred here, so if you’re here during summer on the weekends chances are very likely that you will see one. I love the panoramic ocean view from the balcony!

Branford Mansion at UConn Avery Point.

Branford Mansion at UConn Avery Point.

Avery Point Light. My pup couldn’t get in the festive mood with me!

Avery Point Light. My pup couldn’t get in the festive mood with me!

A lot of photo opportunities here!

A lot of photo opportunities here!

Avery Point Light in the dark - the green light is on every night.

Avery Point Light in the dark - the green light is on every night.

Groton is also home of the BEST pasta ever. Where? Paul’s Pasta Shop. It is a gem. The pasta is made fresh daily right there in their shop. When I first moved here, it quickly became a favorite. So much that I became a regular there. I’ve celebrated many milestones there. Paul’s Pasta is the coziness of Italian restaurants, friendly staff and amazing food. It is a very special place! The best part is that you can take fresh pasta home to cook another night!

Pesto pasta and lobster ravioli.

Pesto pasta and lobster ravioli.

Whenever I need some quietness from the bustle of Mystic, I enjoy walking around Groton either at the battlefield or Avery Point. You can’t beat those coastal views! I love how you can see all 3 lighthouses from Avery Point too. I used to sit at the Eastern Point Beach parking lot early in the morning with breakfast and watch the ferry when I lived in Groton. It took me a while before I finally saw my first submarine! That went in my book as one of the coolest thing I saw!

USS Nautilus.

USS Nautilus.

8 Libraries You Must Visit in Southeastern CT/RI

Happy National Library Week! I have such a huge appreciation for the libraries. I have been a bookworm dating back to my childhood days. Due to my deafness, I wasn’t able to hear information, books gave me that access. I learned so much through books about the world, people, cultures and beyond.

I still utilize libraries to this day. One thing that I love about Southeastern Connecticut is that there are so MANY libraries and some are in historical buildings. Where I grew up, I only had one library in a rural town. I’m amazed at how many there are within half hour of Mystic, CT so I’m sharing some of my favorites that you must visit:

WESTERLY LIBRARY & WILCOX PARK — WESTERLY, RI

This is a beautiful library overlooking a park. Keep an eye out for their book sales over the summers - they have a great selection. This time of the year is definitely the best to visit the park, all of the trees and plants are blooming. I always make this an annual spring trip!

WHEELER LIBRARY — NORTH STONINGTON, CT

In a former schoolhouse, this library is gorgeous. Especially the upper level. When you walk in Wheeler Library, there are two lions statues guarding the doors (reminds me of NYC Public Library!). Also the best part? There’s a year-round book sale in the cellar, all profits go back to the library. The staff here is so friendly, I would go back there just for them alone!

STONINGTON FREE LIBRARY — STONINGTON, CT

You can’t miss this library situated in the middle of the green, right as you enter the borough. Go inside and see the gorgeous upper level combined with regal columns and amazing floors. When the weather is beautiful, they have an outdoor patio where you can read or work at the table.

MYSTIC NOANK LIBRARY — MYSTIC, CT

One of the most beautiful libraries! Since it was a sea captain who built this, you can see nautical touches throughout the library. I love the exterior details… those green moldings! I also admire the carved oak ceiling! Cat lovers, this will be the one for you - there are two library cats that lives there. I always have to visit with them every time I drop in. The interior detail is just stunning, especially the green banker lamps which reminds me of the ones at Boston Public Library.

BILL MEMORIAL LIBRARY — GROTON, CT

Located right next to Fort Griswold, this beautiful small library is worth a peek. The interior details are stunning, wood paneled ceilings and the iron cast doors! Despite it being probably the smallest library, it is very cozy.

BILL LIBRARY — LEDYARD, CT

Yes, you read that right - there is another library in the area with the same name. If you read up on the history - there is a family connection with both. There is a walkable sidewalk from the library into Ledyard Center.

NEW LONDON PUBLIC LIBRARY — NEW LONDON, CT

Situated in Downtown New London, on the corner of State Street and Huntington Street. The historical library is surrounded by other historical buildings — the oldest courthouse across the street, Garde Art Centers and more.

PHOEBE GRIFFIN LIBRARY — OLD LYME, CT

I enjoy my visit there as it is perched on Main Street in Old Lyme, where there are nearby businesses to check out. The library also has a book sale cellar opened on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

There are more libraries in the area that I didn’t include. I always make sure to visit libraries on my day trips or travels. It’s amazing to see the variety of details and structures. I am forever grateful that libraries exist in today’s world!

My experience at Wicked Tulips in Preston, Connecticut

One of my bucket list items for years now has been to visit Wicked Tulips in Exeter, Rhode Island. Imagine my excitement when they opened a Connecticut location in Preston, 30 minutes drive from Mystic. I was thrilled to finally get my chance to go on opening day for Preston farm this year.

The Preston farm is the largest with 700,000 tulips! All together there are 1.5 million tulips between the three farms [Exeter, RI / Johnston, RI / Preston, CT]. It was easy to find the farm, they have a flags/“Entrance” sign off Route 164. A few people directed me where to park. It is a grassy farm land. The check-in was quick and easy. You do have to purchase tickets online as there aren’t any tickets sold on site. The tickets are sold in bundles at a time, as they follow the bloom reports closely and want to be sure there’s enough for everyone.

Each ticket will allow you to pick 10 tulips and any additional are $1 per. At the check-in, the staff was very helpful and asked if it was my first time visiting. They explained how to pull tulips appropriately. The website also explains everything. Pulling the tulips was fun, some of them will come up with its bulb attached (don’t worry, they’ll cut it off for you!).

It was a STUNNING sight. ALL. THE. COLORS. Wow. It was very impressive. I don’t know why I waited so long to visit Wicked Tulips! A very photogenic spot, they encourage you to take as many photos as you can! There’s a guideline on the website for photographers (professional and causal). I enjoyed photographing the tulips. I was there right before the sunset, so the lighting was mostly good!

Did you know there’s morning yoga sessions at Wicked Tulips too?? It’s on the weekends, pending weather. The tickets are sold the week of the yoga sessions. There’s also some sunset yoga sessions as well. It’s definitely worthwhile to subscribe to the emails where all the most recent updates are shared, even some information that you’ll get before it’s shared with the public.

I was able to stay there as long as I wanted. There were several tables and benches where you can take a seat. Snacking is allowed. The staff are extremely friendly and helpful. I was very impressed by their positive attitudes. On the way out, they even asked if we enjoyed ourselves and to have a good night. I was able to ask a staff to snap a photo of me and my husband. 5 stars for the staff!

Don’t wait on visiting Wicked Tulips like I did. The season is also very short, and varies on each location so again the website here will be helpful to plan your day. It’s so stunning and I loved it there. Definitely won’t be my last time visiting Wicked Tulips.

Wicked Tulips

  • Preston | 382 Route 164 Preston, CT 06365

  • Exeter | 400 Hog House Hill Rd Exeter, RI 02822

  • Johnston | 90 Brown Ave Johnston, RI 02919

www.wickedtulips.com

What I read in March 2025

March was a better reading month! As I was busy bingewatching TV series for January and February, I only bingewatched one show for March — ‘Below Deck’ (I’m anxiously waiting for boating season to start!). I focused more on reading especially with many books coming out this spring. Hooray!

FAVORITE

Harlan Coben is an auto-buy author for thriller reads. I’ve never NOT liked any of his books. Nobody’s Fool is second in the Sami Kierce series but can be read as a standalone. Sami Kierce recalls when he went backpacking in Spain and woke up to his girlfriend dead next to him in the bed. Only he has no idea what happened. 22 years later, she shows up out of the blue to his class. He investigates two cases in this book which takes us on a very suspenseful journey! The storytelling is amazing and keeps you engaged. The last sentence blew my mind!

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

FAVORITE

I saved this book for Purim and it was the best decision! Kissing Kosher is a backlist title from my favorite Jewish author, Jean Meltzer. This book was amazing as we meet the grandkids of two rival kosher bakeries in Brooklyn, NYC. Avital suffers from a health condition which I appreciated the chronic pain representation. Ethan gets a job at the rival bakery to attempt stealing their babka recipe. It’s a fun read and officially one of my favorites of 2025!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

With the release of Long Bright River TV series on Peacock, I had to read the book before I watched it (I prefer to read before watching any book adaptions!). It’s a mystery read taking place in Philly, PA focused on the opioid issues. Mickey is a police officer who also has a sister, Kacey that is addicted to drugs. Kacey disappeared around same time of multiple murders so Mickey investigates about her well-being. It was a slow burn gripping read and kept me glued!

NO RATING

I only know Josh Gad as the voice of Olaf (the dancing snowman!) from Frozen movie. This memoir was very intriguing and interesting! He tells his life stories in a chronological order from his childhood to adult years. I binge-read it in a day. I enjoyed his humor and the Hollywood gossip. I could honestly say this was one of the best celeb memoirs I’ve read.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

A debut novel taking place in Ireland — I’m sold! It’s a slow burn mystery read about Garda Detective Inspector Julia Harte who came back out from her retirement. She caught a serial killer in 1994, only to have similar murders occur again 10 years later. She assists the current guards to find the culprit. I really enjoyed this read — it was very well written and good pacing! I’m hopeful that the author will publish more books in the future.

FAVORITE

First of all — the beautiful cover! I’m a fan of the author who previously wrote The Personal Librarian and First Ladies with Marie Benedict. Murray really captured the magic of Harlem Renaissance in this historical fiction read. The main character centers around Jessie Redmon Fauset, who was a literary editor for a magazine that uplifted Black writers such as Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen and Nella Larsen. W.E.B. Du Bois is also in the book as the owner of the magazine that Fauset worked for. I binge-read this book in a day. I always enjoy learning more about history!

HIGHLY RECOMMEND

The sequel to this book [The Love We Found] recently came out so I wanted to read the first book. We are introduced to Lucy and Gabe who meets on September 11, 2001 during the attacks. They met again a year later and fell in love. Only Gabe gets his dream job offer — photographing in the Middle East. This is a beautiful read about true love. It’s raw and powerful — the ending made me teary-eyed!

How are the books rated:

Favorite — LOVED the book / Couldn’t put it down!

Highly Recommend — Great book / Enjoyed.

Liked — Good book / Liked it while reading, but will not remember.

DNF — Did Not Finish / Do not recommend.

No Rating — I do not give ratings on sensitive subject/memoirs.

Cherry Blossoms in New Haven, Connecticut

The month of April always welcomes the beautiful cherry blossoms in New Haven, Connecticut. It is located at the Wooster Square Park. This is every photographer’s dream as the park is surrounded by beautiful historical homes. Usually the Historic Wooster Square Association hosts a cherry blossom festival the first Saturday of April.

As a photographer from Mystic, CT — I love to check out the cherry blossoms in New Haven. I usually can find parking right by the park. Do keep in mind, I have only gone during weekdays. I have no idea what the parking situation is like on the weekends. Since I drive an hour from Mystic, I also tend to make a day out of it in New Haven. Yale campus is a beautiful spot for photographing!

Two hours parking Mon-Fri from 8am-7pm all around Wooster Square Park.

It is a short walk around the Wooster Square Park but I take my time to enjoy the beauty of the cherry blossoms. It is stunning! There are a few benches around the park, I’ve seen people do picnics and bring their dogs there to play around on the grass. As I mentioned, the park is surrounded by beautiful historical homes. I’ve walked along some side streets from the park to admire the details and photograph them.

While you’re at Wooster Square Park, you always can smell pizza from one of the famous New Haven pizzerias that are nearby. If you’re hungry for a bite, look no further than Frank Pepe Pizzeria or Sally’s Apizza — you really can’t go wrong with either. Both are just 5 minute walk from Wooster Square Park. Modern Apizza (the only one that offers gluten free options) is not within walking distance but only 5 minute drive.

Enjoy the snaps I captured of the cherry blossoms (and surrounding scenes at Wooster Square Park and Yale campus) during April 2024 & 2025 season.

April 15, 2024

April 17, 2025

Gallery: Charles W. Morgan [March 2025]

Photographed on March 27, 2025 when Charles W. Morgan was moved to the shipyard at Mystic Seaport Museum for routine maintenance in Mystic, Connecticut.

where to enjoy the flowers in Connecticut

In Connecticut, we are lucky to have a few places where we can go enjoy the beautiful flowers — I’m here to recommend my favorites which I repeatedly visit!

Wicked Tulips — Preston, CT — April

The farm located in Preston is the largest with 700,000+ tulips. There are tickets to be purchased for entry to the field. With each ticket, you can pick 10 tulips to bring home. I was in awe with the colors of the field… so bold and colorful. It’s a beautiful sight! You can stay there as long as you want to enjoy the scenery. Read more about it here.

Wooster Square Park — New Haven, CT — April

The most beautiful cherry blossoms in the state! The park is surrounded by beautiful historical homes which makes a great backdrop. They usually bloom in early April. The first Saturday of April host the cherry blossom festival in the park.

Elizabeth Park — Hartford, CT — May/June

There are several flowers that you can see here which includes tulips, daffodils, annuals, perennials, roses, dahlias, and more. My favorite is the rose gardens that bloom in June. I always make a half day trip to see them. It’s in a public park so it’s open to anyone for free. Parking is also free! Follow their social media for updates. Also read more about my visit to Elizabeth Park here.

Lavender Pond Farm — Killingsworth, CT — mid June to mid July

The best smell! I loved when I walked around the grounds smelling lavender. There are over 10,000+ plants on their 25 acres of land. The best part? It’s dog friendly. I was able to bring my pup there a couple times. On the farm, there’s also a fun train ride that they drive the visitors around the farm. Read more about why I love visiting this farm here.

Buttonwood Farm Sunflowers — Griswold, CT — July

Griswold earned the ‘sunflower capital’ credit from Buttonwood Farm’s annual event. The Sunflowers for Wishes is a fundraiser donating all proceeds to the Make-A-Wish of Connecticut. There are 14 acres of sunflowers that you can take a stroll through, a special cut-your-own field, and take a tractor ride. It’s also dog friendly and while you admire the beautiful flowers, you can get one of the best ice cream in Connecticut there! Read more about Buttonwood Farm here.

Ender’s Island — Mystic, CT — mid August to mid September

A small island with a Catholic Retreat is opened to the public to enjoy the grounds. Their beautiful garden will bloom with dahlias mid August to mid September. They also have a few roses bushes that bloom in June.

Harkness Park — Waterford, CT — May to October

The gardens by the sea is beautiful at Harkness Park, a CT state park located in Waterford. Opened daily 8am - sunset. There is a parking fee for out of state residents during in-season. The gardens have a variety of flowers that blooms anytime from May to October. I’ve found August-October to be the best time to see it fully bloomed. I also love seeing the lilac bushes in May. You can make a day out of it by picnicking, flying a kite, read a book, many more activities there!

There are so many more beautiful places to check out the flowers that I haven’t been to yet. I’m sure there’s even more if you hopped over the border to Rhode Island too. I love that time of the year when the flowers bloom!

Gallery: Mystic Irish Parade 2025

Things to do during Spring in Mystic, CT

Happy Spring! I’m thrilled that the warmer weather will be here (we already had some ‘teaser’ days!) and we can enjoy the outdoors more. I’m also excited for all of the flowers to bloom across Mystic. I love that Mystic is an ideal town to visit year-round. Here are some suggestions for things to do this spring:


DAFFODILS @ DENISON HOMESTEAD MUSEUM

The unofficial kick-off to spring in Mystic starts with 10,000 beautiful daffodils blooming at Denison Homestead Museum! It usually starts in late March/early April. The field is directly in front of the house, which is visible from the road. It is open to the public from dawn-dusk. Stop by, enjoy them and take photos! Also a head’s up - the field can be muddy so be sure to wear rain boots! Don’t miss the Daffodil Festival usually held in the first week of April where you can tour the historical house, there are craft activities for kids and enjoy food/drinks. Extend your visit to the daffodil field with a hike on 10+ miles of trails at Denison Nature Center located across the street. Read more about it here.

LENTEN FISH FRY

Every Friday during Lent, there are several locations that fry up delicious fish and chips! Open to anyone of any faith to enjoy. Stop by:

  • Portuguese Holy Ghost Society in Stonington Borough from 11am-7:30pm

  • Mystic Fire Department at Hoxie House from 5-8pm

  • J&R Seafood Market from 11am-7pm

  • St. Edmund’s Retreat at Enders Island starts at 6pm

ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE

One of the best days in Mystic! The parade is one of the region’s largest held on the Sunday after St. Patrick’s Day. The parade route starts at the south parking lot of Mystic Seaport, goes to Broadway, Main Street (Downtown Mystic) and ending at Mystic Art Museum. It usually draws 30K visitors to enjoy the festive event so be sure to arrive early to find a parking spot! Read more about St. Patrick’s Day in Mystic on a previous blog here.

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 spring day road trip to check out the locations! The addresses of the locations can be found on this blog: Mystic Pizza Tour.

VISIT MUSEUMS/AQUARIUM

Mystic has plenty of things to do and see, which includes museums and aquarium!

  • 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.

  • Mystic Seaport Museum - this 19th century seafaring village is one of my favorite spots in Mystic. There’s always something to photograph and I also enjoy walking around the grounds with my pup! I suggest waiting until April 1st when the full museum is opened (only half is opened right now).

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. Don’t forget to bring your fur kiddos as it is dog-friendly too!

ABBOTT’S OPENING FOR THE SEASON

Mark your calendar for the opening day of Abbott’s Lobster in the Rough in Noank, CT in the first week of May! Read more about Abbott’s on a previous blog here.

DOWNTOWN MYSTIC

Enjoy a stroll around downtown where there are plenty of local shops and restaurants to support. Mystic River Park is also a wonderful spot to relax, sit in one of the many benches and watch all the activity around the park.

Mystic holds a lot of charm and I love how it is an ideal spot to visit year-round. I hope you find this spring 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!

Connecticut Maple Weekend in Hebron, Connecticut

It’s time of the year for maple! I consider myself a maple syrup connoisseur. My love for maple started as a kid living on the border of New York/Pennsylvania. I would hop over to Pennsylvania to this tree farm that would sell maple flavored cotton candy. When I moved to New England, I noticed that many states do a maple weekend so naturally I had to go see what a maple weekend was like!

Last year, I visited East Hampton and Hebron. It also colluded with the annual Hebron Maple Festival so there were even more activities to do. While I didn’t get to see what the festival offered because I wanted to focus on touring the open houses of several sugar houses.

If you plan to go to that area, I recommend this list (in order):

RICK’S SUGAR SHACK 69 COLLIE BROOK RD EAST HAMPTON, CT

I’m so glad that this was the first stop because Rick, the owner was VERY informative! I never seen the process of a sugar house so Rick really explained the process, showed a lot and was willing to answer questions. There was a small store offering maple syrup, maple flavored cookies and brownies, maple candy and more. Don’t miss the tasting room where you can sample the products before purchasing them!

WENZEL SUGAR HOUSE 522 EAST ST HEBRON, CT

The sugar house was similar to Rick’s Sugar Shack, but instead of collecting the sap in bags they used tubing system. I learned more about that process. This location was known for their maple pudding cake too, it looked delicious (but I couldn’t enjoy it because of my allergies unfortunately!). They also offer maple syrup for purchase.

WOODY ACRES 80 CONE ST HEBRON, CT

Here, I learned more about the amount of sap needed to collect to make one small tin of maple syrup. It is fascinating how much goes in a pint! Maple syrup and maple candy are also available to buy here.

WINDING BROOK 254 SKINNER LANE HEBRON, CT

The biggest sugar house, with a bigger machine to produce 300 gallon of maple syrup (other sugar houses produced 60 gallon). The machine used oil to operate, while the other machines I saw used wood stove. I learned more about the differences of the machines. Maple syrup was available for purchase, and you could taste them beforehand.

MORE SUGAR HOUSES IN THE AREA:

  • BRIGHT ACRES FARM 46 OLD KINGS HIGHWAY EAST HAMPTON, CT

  • BUELL’S DRAGONFLY FARM 105 OLD GRIFFIN HIGHWAY EAST HAMPTON, CT

  • GOSHEN HILL MAPLE 1040 GOSHEN HILL RD EXT LEBANON, CT

There were a few more sugar houses I planned to go, but time ran out for me. I plan to return and visit them as well see more of the Hebron Maple Festival! It’s a fun weekend to celebrate our local farmers and the hard work they put in to providing us delicious maple syrup!

shoreline photography: mystic’s best views

Living in Mystic, CT has inspired my passion for photography to make a comeback. I got into photography when I was a teen. I majored it in high school then first year of college before I decided I wanted to keep it as a hobby. I feared that doing it as a job would make me lose the fun I have while photographing.

During the pandemic, I was talking a lot more of walks around different neighborhoods in Mystic that I normally don’t walk through. I wanted to see more of the town and I had that extra time! As Mystic draws many visitors to the town, I thought I’d share my recommendations with photographers who desire to find the best photogenic spots in Mystic.

Mystic is blessed with it all — shoreline views, beautiful historical homes, wildlife, sunsets and more! My recommendations for the best photography spots are:

  • Downtown Mystic — you can’t go wrong with the historic drawbridge. If you’re visiting between spring-fall, you will be able to capture it in motion. The best views of the bridge would be on the Stonington side (Whaler’s Inn) from Mystic River Park. You also can walk around Downtown, I highly suggest getting up early in the morning (7-9am) before downtown gets busy.

  • River Road — this is the ideal spot for wildlife photographing. If you drive down near Peace Sanctuary, there will be some parking area off the side of the road. If you walk towards the overpass bridge, you’ll see several nests.

  • Pearl St x Starr St — the best view of Mystic Seaport lighthouse. I suggest going there for either sunrise or sunset, I always get amazing colors with the lighthouse!

  • Gravel St — a scenic route right by Mystic River. You can capture a lot from there from boats, birds, water activities and more. If you happen to be in town during full moon, I've captured my best photos of it from this location.

  • Mystic Seaport Museum — you’ll need an admission fee to get inside but I always get countless photos from there. I’ve photographed the visiting boats (Wooden Boat Show in June!), many close ups of nautical items, the water activity on Mystic River, the sailing classes with the bright colorful sails, the landscape of the historical village, it goes on and on!

  • Coastal accesses — there are so many of them along Mystic River with beautiful views. I’ve complied a list of them on a separate blog here. I’ve captured photos from all of them.

  • Holmes St to Bay St — another scenic route by the Mystic River. This is a favorite spot during fall for foliage photographing.

  • Historical homes — there are many of them around Mystic. I would suggest these following streets because they are very walkable: Willow Street, Gravel Street, Elm Street, Pearl Street, West Mystic Ave.

Hope you enjoy photographing the beautiful coastal town of Mystic! I always love seeing different perspectives from other photographers. It’s amazing how many different ways we all see Mystic!

celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Mystic

"St. Patrick's Day is a day to celebrate our green heritage. The ancestry of Ireland. It is a day to celebrate what it means to be Irish and of Irish descent." -Anthony T. Hicks

The knotty shamrock made by Mystic Knotwork.

Mystic, Connecticut has the region’s largest St. Patrick’s Day parade every year on the Sunday after St. Patrick’s Day. The parade route starts at the south parking lot of the Mystic Seaport and running through Broadway to Main St (Downtown Mystic). The end of the parade is at Mystic Art Museum, which is close to Sift Bake Shop. The Mystic Irish Parade Foundation (MIPF) always does an EXCELLENT job of organizing the parade every year to celebrate the Irish heritage for everyone! Can you believe that MIPF is completely volunteer driven and a nonprofit organization?!

Westerly Fire Department in St. Patrick’s Day parade 2023.

The parade itself is very impressive with over 2,000 participants and drawing 30,000 speculators every year. The usual participants are the fire departments (love how Mystic firefighters always sports the green gloves!), local organizations, antique cars, Mystic Aquarium, St. Patrick’s Church, the bagpipes bands, marching bands and the Guinness truck. It was a memorable year in 2018 when the Budweiser Clydesdales marched in the parade. I was especially excited as a (crazy) Dalmatian mom to see Barley the Budweiser Dalmatian!

Budweiser Clydesdales marched in the parade in 2018.

Budweiser Clydesdales marched in the parade in 2018.

It can get crazy packed in the downtown area. I suggest you to get parking at least couple hours before the parade starts. The town police will close off routes across the town. If you want to be in downtown, there is parking at the Mystic Art Museum. If you want to be on the other side near Mystic Seaport Museum, there will be parking at Olde Mistick Village but it’s a trek! Most probably you will have to hunt for a spot on one of the many side streets along the parade route.

Mystic Highland Pipe Band in the parade.

Downtown Mystic gets VERY festive for St. Patrick’s Day with storefront decorations, Irish themed food/drinks, shamrocks everywhere and the tricolor Ireland flags waving throughout the town. I may live in the area, but I definitely think it is worth the drive to come here for the Irish weekend! The best part is there’s plenty to make a weekend out of it. If you are in town on Friday night, the B.F. Hoxie Engine Co. (near the Mystic train station) hosts their annual fish ‘n’ chips dinner from 5-8 PM. They have one of the most delicious fish fry in the region! Mystic Irish 5K will be happening on the Saturday before parade day. On parade day, the Mystic Hook and Ladder Fire Company hosts their annual breakfast. They will be serving an all you can eat with eggs, home fries, corned beef hash, sausage, bacon, pancakes, and toast. Coffee and orange juice will be available.

The local businesses in downtown Mystic also get into the celebrations! The Black Dog always have St. Patrick’s Day themed clothing and hats. Sift Bake Shop rolls out their green croissants filled with Bailey Irish Cream! Mystic Knotwork made a green shamrock out of rope which is visible on the Mystic Drawbridge as well as their retail shops. Known for their handcrafted recycled sails tote bags, Sea Bags has shamrock themed bags! Looking for some Irish whiskey or Irish cream? Spencer & Lynn has all of the necessaries!

Young buns doughnuts [no longer in business] used to roll out fun St. Patrick’s Day themed donuts!

Those who follows me on Instagram might’ve seen a few posts from Harp and Hound Pub - an Irish pub in Mystic. I can’t write this post without mentioning them. It’s a necessity to stop in for a pint when you’re in Mystic. It is one of the most authentic Irish pubs I’ve been in. The owner is from Limerick, Ireland. The pub is filled with dark wood decor and roadway signs from Ireland as well patches from first responders. They also serve sandwiches and traditional Irish entrees for lunch and dinner. Every time I’m missing Ireland, I just drive the short 10 minutes to the pub and reminiscence the memories! While you’re there during the Irish weekend, don’t forget to enter in the raffle drawing.

Westerly FD in the parade.

Mystic Irish Parade Foundation does a raffle drawing every year with 3 prizes. The 3rd prize is a $200 gift card to Taber Inn in Mystic. The 2nd prize is an iPad Air. The grand prize is a trip for two to IRELAND! It includes 7 days/6 nights accommodations, round trip airfare, and car rental. You can purchase the raffle tickets which are $5 at Harp & Hound Pub. You do not need to be present to win. It’s an annual tradition to enter myself in the raffle drawing hoping for the grand prize! Who wouldn’t want a free trip to the beautiful Emerald Isle?!

The Ireland flag in the parade.

Lastly, don’t forget to visit Irish Eyes at Olde Mistick Village. I’ve previously mentioned the shop a couple times. They have everything you would need - a shirt? They got it! A hat? They got it! Irish sweaters? They got it! I love the Irish jewelry selection - make it a memorable trip and get yourself a claddagh ring to remember the fun Irish weekend in Mystic!

Visit the 2024 Mystic Irish Parade gallery here.

my latest reads for February 2025

February was another slow reading month. I wish I could’ve read more but I admit that I watched more of TV — binge watching Blue Bloods (so sad that it’s over!), Sweet Magnolias and Love is Blind (don’t know why… I’m a sucker for reality TV). Hoping to tackle my TBR (to be read) pile in March!

HIGHLY RECOMMEND

I previously read Pam Jenoff’s The Woman with the Blue Star. It was a powerful read so I was thrilled to see this new release.

In this historical fiction read, Louise found a necklace in a box that was marked with a department store in Paris. Turned out that the store was Levitan, a store that once served as a Nazi prison. There are things she investigated into linking to her past, including a friend who mysteriously passed away.

It was a very captivating read. I appreciated the author’s note in the back of the book. It’s amazing how you think you’ve learned about WWII to read books like this and realize that there’s still so much to learn. Thank you to NetGalley and Park Row for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND

This was the perfect read for around Valentine’s Day. A cute rom-com read taking place in NYC + London.

Nora is a therapist who fell in love with someone she’s never met. She writes for an advice column and the guy known as ‘J’ edits for her. All of their interactions have been through emails/digitally. Meanwhile, Nora meets her new neighbor Eli and starts to get to know him.

I enjoyed the adorable banter and it had a strong You’ve Got Mail vibes!

Out on March 1st.

??

This book has sat on my TBR (to be read) list for a long time. I figured with it being winter and the book revolved around hockey — no better time to read it.

In this small town, we meet the people that make up Beartown. The hockey team is about to go to the semi-finals and have a good chance of winning. Unfortunately a violent act happened and it affected the entire community.

This may be the first book that I have no idea how to rate. I disliked it so much but was it the content? The writing was beautifully done but there were so many unnecessary details. I don’t know.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND

I’ve been hearing about Rochelle Weinstein’s books for the last year. I have yet to read any so I was excited to pick up my first book of hers.

We are transported to an inn, where we meet 10 people - the inn owners, 3 couples and a mother/daughter duo who are guests. They all went on a getaway to the inn carrying a lot of secrets and lies.

Whoa, what a whiplash. It was a slow start, I struggled to get all characters straight but then the drama! I couldn’t put the book down.

Thank you to NetGalley and for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

FAVORITE

It was perfect timing to read this book. I had just finished binge watching the Blue Bloods TV show. Kevin Wade is the writer/producer of the TV show. He wrote this book during the pandemic.

We follow Police Chief Jeep who lives on Long Island — they had just discovered a body that happens to be Jeep’s childhood best friend, Johnny.

I throughly enjoyed this crime procedural read - it was very bingeable. It reads like a long episode of Blue Bloods in a book, so if you’re a fan of the show, you’ll love this!

How are the books rated:

Favorite — LOVED the book / Couldn’t put it down!

Highly Recommend — Great book / Enjoyed.

Liked — Good book / Liked it while reading, but will not remember.

DNF — Did Not Finish / Do not recommend.

No Rating — I do not give ratings on sensitive subject/memoirs.

explore the wonders of mystic aquarium

Mystic Aquarium is home to thousands of marine life from penguins, beluga whales, seas lions to fishes. It’s so easy to spend the entire day there. It’s no surprise that Mystic Aquarium was named one of the best aquariums in the United States.

The aquarium is opened year round as it has both indoor and outdoor exhibits. The indoor exhibits include fishes, octopus, jellyfishes, sharks and many more! Another indoor exhibit is Dino Seas which is an interactive exhibit on the history of dinosaurs. The outdoor exhibits include beluga whales, seals, sea lions and penguins. There is also a marsh area where you can find turtles.

To make your visit more fun, look into the encounters with animals where you can interact with penguins, sea lions and seals. These experiences have an additional cost on top of admission cost. It will be worth it to have a memorable experience! I enjoyed my experience of feeding the stingrays — I was scared at first but then had fun!

What I love about the aquarium is the easy flow of the layout, I always start the visit at the beluga whales exhibit. Look for my friend, Juno. They are so fun and I love it when they are playful with the visitors. I head over to the penguins and watch them waddle and paddle! If I’m lucky, I enjoy watching them during feeding time. The sea lion show (indoors) is a must, it never gets old. The aquarium does a good job of switching up themes of the shows yearly. I tend to spend most of my time there at the outdoor exhibits. At the end of the visit, I always do a walkthrough of the indoor exhibits. It’s fascinating to watch the jellyfishes!

How I found out about the aquarium was through their Animal Rescue/Rehab Center. I attended a seal release in Charlestown, Rhode Island back in 2012/2013. I was very intrigued to learn about all they do for injured animals and how they get rehabbed for releases. They do several seal releases which I try to attend — it’s heartwarming to watch them go back in the ocean! To follow when seal releases happens, Mystic Aquarium Animal Rescue Program post updates on their Facebook page here. I do have to warn, these events do get very packed! I suggest getting to the beach early.

If you get hungry during your visit at the aquarium, there is a cafe where you can order food. There are several tables inside and outside where you can dine. Don’t forget to stop in the aquarium shop located next door. Pick up a souvenir to remember your fun memorable day there!

You can purchase tickets online at their website. There are ways you can save on your tickets, through a membership, special discounts for Military, First Responders, UConn, Foxwoods, etc. If you’re a resident in Connecticut, many libraries provide a day pass for discounted tickets. All information about hours, pricing, discounts are available here on their website. Parking is free on site.

things you should never say to a deaf person

Interacting with people who have never met a deaf person can sometimes make an interesting encounter. I had to compile a list of questions/comments you should never say to a deaf person:

“Can you hear me now?!” (covers mouth and screams)

I can’t tell you how often this happens; more frequently when I was younger in middle and high school. I played for a co-ed soccer team which my dad helped coach practices. One day I had a male teammate that asked me if I could hear him now as he covered his mouth and screamed (my dad heard him). I stood there puzzled having no idea what he had even asked me. I’ve even had people come up to my ears and scream “Can you hear me?!”.

“I’m sorry.”

Why? This is the most awkward thing you could say to a deaf person. I don’t feel sorry. This is my life. This is all I know. I can still do normal things. I can play sports. I can read books. I can travel. I can write. What’s there to be sorry about? When someone says that to me, it makes me feel weird and I never know what to say back.

“Can you drive?”

Why do you need your hearing to drive? “What about the firetrucks and ambulances?" I can SEE them! Some first responders don’t use the sirens, but use the lights. Deaf drivers are statistically proved to be safer drivers than hearing drivers because of high alertness and quicker motor reflexes. I can spot a flashing light from an emergency vehicle probably a mile behind or ahead of me, quicker than others. I have pulled over so many times with people around me not realizing that emergency vehicles were coming.

“You don’t look deaf.”

How can I look deaf? The hearing loss is inside my ears.

“I know ASL!” and flips the bird.

This is pretty old… I have gotten this reply so many times that it’s just [eye-rolling].

“Where are you from?” (accent)

This may be my favorite. I love it when people think I’m from another country. Sometimes I do have fun with this one, saying that I’m from (whatever country I feel like that day). Sometimes I would just say Upstate NY (where I am actually from) and people give me a strange look.

“I don’t know how I could live without music if I was deaf.”

I don’t know what I’m missing out on with hearing music. I still can enjoy music in a different way so it’s not missing from my life just because of my deafness. I went to a Flogging Molly concert last spring and wrote about it here. This comment is no different than saying that you don’t want my life. I happen to love my life!

“Tell her I said (this and that)” (Talk to my interpreter/friend/family like I’m not standing there).

I’m standing right there. You can ask me directly, look at me and whoever is with me will help to communicate. You can ask “How are you?” and they will sign “how are you” to me. If you say “Ask her how is she?”. They will sign “ask her how is she?”. It’s just confusing.

“Can you lipread?”

Almost always I want to reply “Can you read my sign?”. Read here.

“Why didn’t you get cochlear implants?”

People always think cochlear implants is an easy fix but it’s a huge decision. I wrote about my reason why I didn’t get them here.

“Wow! You can talk.”

Some deaf people talk. Some deaf people don’t. It’s a personal choice if they want to use their voice. I learned speech/talking first before sign language. Still, when I get that from people, it makes me cringe. I feel like it’s one of the more degrading comments you could say to a deaf person. We have the ability to do anything but hear.

“What’s the sign for (swear/dirty word)?”

One of the most annoying questions that I frequently get. When I meet a person who asks me that, it makes me feel like they’re not really interested in getting to know me as a person. I’m not your walking personal dictionary. Look it up yourself.

“I want to learn sign language.”

This is the most overused phrase that deaf people get. It's flattering when people are serious about wanting to learn sign language. Unfortunately, the majority of people who have said this to me ended up not doing it. Learning sign language is a commitment, so don’t say that unless you really mean it.

I do understand that most of time when those things are said to me, it’s not people’s intention to offend me. I’m hoping this list helps everyone to think about what they ask before meeting a deaf person for the first time.

Now here’s a list of responses I’ve got from people once they found out that I’m deaf:

“I’m so sorry, I will pray for you.”

“Oh, so he’s your hearing aid.” (referring to my husband).

“Have you tried antibiotics?”

“Haha, yeah right, you’re pretending to not understand me.”

“Can I try on your hearing aids?”

“Wow, your family is hearing? How is that possible?”

“Are those radios in your ears or something?”

All opinion in this blog are my own. It does not reflect the opinions of other deaf members.

Mystic Cabin Fever Charity Chowder Cook Off

It’s almost time for some wicked chowda!!! Olde Mistick Village hosts their annual Cabin Fever Festival every winter. The chowder cook off donates all the proceeds to a non-profit agency, Always Home that works on preventing family homelessness.

When the month of February rolls around, I get excited for this event! I attended my first chowder cook off event in 2012 shortly after I moved to Connecticut. Since then I have never missed the chowder cook off event.

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The ironic part is that I didn’t like seafood, I never even tried clam chowder. I became annoyed attending so many local events that offered seafood, I felt that I was missing out. At my first chowder cook off event, I caved and decided to take the first bite of chowder! Once I took that first bite, I never looked back. Clam chowder is one of my favorite food now!

Many local restaurants will serve a 3 oz cup of their chowder at this event. Sometimes, you get to see a fun chowder recipe being tried out. I’ve seen some quite weird ingredients such as alligator, chicken & waffle, and many more! Once you sample all the chowder, you can select your favorite on the ballot provided and they will announce the winner for people’s choice. The restaurants are also competing to win one of the specified categories which includes most creative, heartiest, best use of regional ingredients and best flavor. These categories will be judged by a team of celebrity judges. The awards are given at the end of the event at the meeting house (church).

I love attending this event every year. This draws many people of all kinds - couples, families, singles attend. It’s so much fun for everyone! There’s always talk among people about where the good chowder are so it’s good to get that intel and plan your route for the day!

The chowder tickets are $2/each or $20 for a dozen tickets. You can purchase the tickets on the day of at the event at a marked location through the village. The village is an outdoor shopping mall but with 18th century New England vibe. Each of the restaurants will be in a shop so you can get to do a bit of shopping while you’re sampling the chowder or waiting in the lines. Olde Mistick Village is good about marking which shops have chowder and which have the tickets for purchase.

Looking forward to having some of the delicious chowder.

Read this blog for more information about Olde Mistick Village.

January 2025 reads

January was a good month with mostly 4 stars books! I kicked off 2025 with a 5 stars read. I also focused reading a lot of ARC’s (advanced reader copy) that I received via NetGalley (website) this month. Many great books are coming out this year! I’m looking forward to them.

FAVORITE

Taking place in Vermont, we meet Abby who owns a coffee shop. Her town is hosting the first-ever Hanukkah festival. Abby has been put in charge of the festival since she is Jewish. Seth is the other Jewish local who enjoys going to the coffee shop every morning. Abby needs inspiration to plan the festival and Seth needs help to get his mom to stop playing matchmaker. Abby visits Seth’s parents in NYC and is in a fake relationship with Seth. I enjoyed the Hanukkah festitives in NYC and the description of the food — I literally could smell it! This is officially my favorite Hanukkah themed read!

HIGHLY RECOMMEND

Adrienne Young is one of the best storytellers. All of her books have been AMAZING. This newly released, A SEA OF UNSPOKEN THINGS was beautifully written. There were twists and secrets! It’s one of those books where my mind was reeling trying to figure it all out. It is an emotional packed mystery/thriller taking place in a small town read. The bond between the twins, whew! You never can go wrong with Adrienne Young!

*Thank you NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the ARC - all opinions are my own.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND

I am a big fan of Tracey Lange’s books. Her beautiful storytelling and family saga books are always an enjoyable read. This newly released book was no different. It was a beautiful read, VERY emotional. I was invested in the story of Casey and Kyle from the beginning to the end. I’m in awe how Lange has the ability to make the story flow so perfectly. This book has a lot of hope, love, family connections, strong small town community and many more. Highly recommended to read!

*Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND

I was excited to read another book from Lindsay Hameroff! NEVER PLANNED ON YOU introduces us to Ali, a wedding planner who hooked up with a British guy named Graham years ago and they also got matching tattoos. Ali bumps into Graham years later when she is planning his wedding. This rom com read was so fun and lighthearted. I enjoyed all the pop culture references in the book (the nostalgia!) and the humor. I couldn’t put down this book! You’ll want to put this on your TBR - perfect read for Valentine’s Day.

*Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own. Out on February 18th.

REALLY LIKED

Jennifer Coburn did it again with a very well-researched historical fiction book. It was a gripping read about Theresienstadt, one of the camps during WWII that created propaganda films. The films were shared with the public that the Jews were thriving in the camps. I wasn’t familiar with Theresienstadt so it was educational read for me. I liked how there were two different POVs. I did found it to be slow at the beginning, but I knew it would be worth it to continue. I’m glad that I did because it is a compelling book. It was tough to read too!

*Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

How are the books rated:

Favorite — LOVED the book / Couldn’t put it down!

Highly Recommend — Great book / Enjoyed.

Liked — Good book / Liked it while reading, but will not remember.

DNF — Did Not Finish / Do not recommend.

No Rating — I do not give ratings on sensitive subject/memoirs.

winter in mystic, Connecticut: cozy activities

The best part about Mystic, Connecticut that you can visit year-round. I’ve visited some towns across New England where many businesses shut down for the winter. There’s no shortage of things to do in Mystic during the winter. After the holidays, it is the quietest you will ever see Mystic.

Here are some things you can do in Mystic during the winter:

Go shopping — Olde Mistick Village is opened year round! There are plenty of shops and restaurants that you can enjoy. I’ve dedicated a blog about this fun Mystic destination here. In February, they host annual clam chowder festival and Ice in the Village event. Downtown Mystic has plenty of shops that you can visit. You can find warm sweaters at Tidal River Clothing, fun socks at Hang the Moon, mugs for those hot drinks during winters at Manufaktura and pick up lotion from Main Street Soap Emporium.

Visit the museums. — Mystic Aquarium located next door to Olde Mistick Village (you can make a day out of it at both locations!), the aquarium has indoor exhibits that you can enjoy. The outdoor exhibits where you can see the sea lions, beluga whales and penguins will be opened if you dare to brave the cold! Mystic Seaport Museum is opened during the winters but only half of the grounds. I would suggest waiting to visit to see all it has to offer. However, if you only can visit during the winter, don’t let that stop you from visiting the Seaport. You can see Charles W. Morgan whaling ship, which is one of the best exhibit at the museum. They also host Wintertide every Presidents’ Day weekend in February. Mystic Museum of Art is a small museum with beautiful curated art works. Opened year around with free admission (unless there is a special exhibition) but donations are appreciated.

Watch movies or get books — Watch a movie at the Mystic Luxury Cinemas (located at Olde Mistick Village) in the comfy plush chairs with some movie snacks. It is a nice theater and I enjoyed my visit there when CODA movie played. I went back second time to watch CODA because of the movie and the theater atmosphere! If you’re not a movie-goer, maybe you’re into books? There’s two bookstores in Mystic that you can visit! Bank Square Books has an impressive collection of the latest released books. No Other Books Like This, a used books bookstore located across the street from the train station. Worth a visit to check out the impressive collection of rare/antique books!

Eat your way through Mystic — we tend to load up on the carbs during winters, right? There’s plenty of recommendations in Mystic! Get the most delicious pastries at Sift Bake Shop, eat pizza like Julia Roberts at Mystic Pizza, missing the lobster roll? The Mariner has them year-round. The best waffles you can find at Popover Eatery. Get your seafood fix at S&P Oyster and enjoy the best waterfront views. In the mood for cozy tavern atmposhere? Look no further than Daniel Packer Inne. You can’t go wrong with any restaurants in Mystic!

I love Mystic during the winter, it’s so calm and peaceful. The quietness is perfect for that coziness vibes when I dine or visit a small business. It’s also fun not having to worry about parking so much! Enjoy your winter getaway to Mystic. If it inspires you to return for a spring visit, make your plans with my spring recommendations here!

A Christmas stay at Harbor View Landing

December always bring out all of the fun festivities in Mystic, Connecticut! As a local I love to check out all what Mystic has to offer including accommodations. I’ve heard a lot about Harbor View Landing over the years. Once it was used as a filming set on Hallmark’s Mystic Christmas, I was even more intrigued to check out Harbor View Landing! The hosts were gracious and gifted me a night stay after I reached out to them.

ABOUT HARBOR VIEW LANDING

Located in West Mystic, Connecticut right on the banks of Mystic River. Harbor View Landing is a compound on 2 acres consisting of cottages, houses and even a riverboat! The coastal retreat offers you amazing waterfront views within 1 mile driving distance of Downtown Mystic. There is a parking area for all the resort guests. During warmer months, there are kayaks and bicycles available for the guests to use.

MY FIRST IMPRESSION

The road leading down to Harbor View Landing is mostly private so the whole compound is isolated from rest of the neighborhood. I was in awe of how beautiful all the cottages and houses were! I loved how each house had a coastal themed symbol on it such as lobster, whale, etc. Walking up to my unit — The WATERFRONT views! Wow, it was gorgeous and stunning. The day I went was overcast, I only can imagine how beautiful it is on a sunny blue sky day! The inside of the unit was beautiful. I knew it would be after seeing it on the Mystic Christmas movie and various photos on Instagram from others who have stayed there. I loved the coastal theme through out the unit, from the art on the wall, to doorknob details, and the shades of coastal blue. The kitchen was so cozy and cute!

MY STAY

I had the first floor of the Bluff House during December for a night. It was a chilly wintery day, so I had to turn up the temperature (I easily get cold!) And I was impressed with how quick the unit heated up. It was very cozy in the living room with the waterfront views. I enjoyed sitting on the couch watching TV and looking out at the water! The bedroom was large and spacious. There was an extra room off the bedroom with a daybed/couch. I thought it was a cute corner for reading a good book. I spent some time in the kitchen recreating a scene from the Mystic Christmas movie — frosting sugar cookies. It was a fun time, especially being in the actual filming location for that scene! The first floor also had a wrap around patio that had chairs you could sit on to enjoy the water views. If only it was warmer for me to do so! I did get to see the full moon from the patio the night I stayed there. I thought the unit overall was just the perfect size — not too small, had enough space.

GOOD TO KNOW ABOUT HARBOR VIEW LANDING

The unit I stayed in didn’t have a stove. It wasn’t an issue with all of the restaurants nearby in Downtown Mystic. Mystic Market West is also a 5 minute walk — where you can get sandwiches, sides, salads, groceries, etc.

If you’re coming to have a Hallmark Christmas stay — Mystic Christmas was filmed on the first floor of the Bluff House and the Nantucket Cottage.

Great communication from the hosts! I had an issue with the unit and texted them. Within minutes, I heard back from them and they resolved the issue.

WHY YOU SHOULD STAY AT HARBOR VIEW LANDING

It’s a perfect spot for weddings, a family reunion, birthday party or a retreat. I’m amazed how this is located in Mystic — it feels like a vacation resort. I had to catch myself a few times remembering that I’m still in Mystic. If it caught the eyes of Hallmark production to film there, you can understand why it’s a beautiful setting for your stay!

BOOKING INFORMATION

Harbor View Landing website

How to have a Hallmark Christmas in Mystic, Connecticut

Before the 2023 holidays season began, Hallmark graced us with a movie based in Mystic, Connecticut. The movie, Mystic Christmas starred Jessy Schram, Chandler Massey and Patti Murin. We follow Juniper (Jessy Schram) who comes to Mystic to work at the rehabilitation center at Mystic Aquarium. She previously had a fling with Sawyer (Chandler Massey) who owns a pizza shop. They reconnected again and Juniper has to decide if she wants to stay in Mystic permanently. Fun fact: Tim from Mystic Pizza movie made an appearance in this movie too!

This movie is a love letter to Mystic! It was so fun to recognize all the familiar places in the movie. I thought I’d share here how you can re-create your own version of Mystic Christmas by visiting the filming locations:

MYSTIC AQUARIUM

It’s a real life aquarium with a rehabilitation center! Mystic Aquarium has a rehabilitation center helping rescued seals from beaches across CT and beyond. During the day hours, you can attend a seal show. That’s always my favorite part! To add a Christmas touch to your visit at the aquarium, I’d recommend you to check out the Home for Holidays — Lights Extravaganza event. It happens on selected nights where you can have a holiday stroll through the aquarium at night, enjoy the aquarium decorated in holiday lights.

MANGO’S PIZZA

The pizza shop is based at Mango’s Pizza in Olde Mistick Village. The pizza are really good, even earned a visit from Barstool Pizza Review with Dave Portnoy. The environment is very cozy and perfect for a lunch during your Christmas visit to Mystic.

SIFT BAKE SHOP

There is a lot of love for Sift in Mystic! It made quite a few appearances in the movie. I highly recommend you to go visit early in the morning before the lines gets long (trust me, they do!). You can’t go wrong with any pastries they offer from croissants, macarons, cookies and more. During the month of December, they have specials such as peppermint croissant and peppermint macarons.

FRIAR TUCK’S TAVERN

One scene in the movie showed the crew going to Friar Tuck’s Tavern for trivia night. I love eating at Friar Tuck’s and have been since they opened in their old location! They do host trivia nights so be sure to check their social media for specific nights. The bar is also decorated with the cutest Santa sleeves on the chairs.

HARBOR VIEW LANDING

The two homes (Candice’s house and the one Junpier stayed in) are located at Harbor View Landing. It is a luxury waterfront stay that you can rent. Make a weekend out of it and stay in the very house where they filmed (either Bluff House Floor 1 or Nantucket Cottage)!

DOWNTOWN MYSTIC & RIVER PARK

Several scenes shows Junpier and Sawyer walking across the drawbridge and the festival in Mystic River Park. While there won’t be a festival, you can enjoy the Christmas tree in the park! The downtown area is also decorated for the holidays where you can support the small businesses!

BANK SQUARE BOOKS

In one of the scenes, they went to Bank Square Books to pick out books for each other. While the filming location was at the former location in Downtown, they have since then moved to Stonington town line (80 Stonington Rd). The charm and books selection are the same at the new location. Worth a stop to pick up your holiday reads!

MYSTIC SEAPORT MUSEUM

There were many scenes filmed at Mystic Seaport Museum. South Entrance building was featured as the train station and where they had the town meetings in the movie.

Anchor Cafe and Sweets was where Junpier meets Sawyer again. It is a cafe located in the Mystic Seaport Museum gift shop offering food and drinks.

In the opening scene when Juniper was at a holiday party for work, it was inside the North Entrance building.

Lantern Lights Village was featured in the movie too. It is an annual event happening at Mystic Seaport Museum during December on selected nights. Be sure to check their website for more details and information.

Several more scenes were filmed at the Seaport. It is a beautiful grounds with seafaring history. December is one of my favorite months to visit because the grounds is decorated with beautiful seasonal garlands and wreaths.

HOLIDAY LIGHTED BOAT PARADE

The annual lighted boat parade was featured in the movie. The event has passed for 2024, but if you’re considering to come to Mystic for a future Christmas themed trip — definitely look into coming for the parade! It’s unique and always fun.

ABBOTT’S LOBSTER

The filming location took place at Abbott’s Outpost in Downtown Mystic which is no longer opened anymore. I do suggest a visit to Abbott’s in Noank during spring/summer!

ESKER POINT BEACH

The seal release in the movie happened at Esker Point Beach in Groton, Connecticut. While you won’t see an actual seal release (unfortunately!), the scenery at Esker is beautiful. From the shore, you can see Morgan Point Lighthouse and Mouse Island (an island with three homes). It is a small beach so it would be a quick stop to appreciate the beautiful shoreline.

Mystic is a beautiful coastal town with charm! Especially during the holidays. I’m so glad that Hallmark could see that and decided to capture it in the movie. I’m not the biggest fan of cheesy movies but this was a very well done movie portraying Mystic at Christmas time. There is plenty more to do in Mystic during Christmas which you can read more here: Celebrate Christmas in Mystic, Connecticut.

Happy Holidays!