***Disclaimer: This post is brought to you in partnership with Mystic Country, CT, Mystic Seaport, and Mystic Aquarium. All experiences and opinions are my own.***
School can be incredibly boring. Sitting in a classroom, learning day after day and hour after hour, I wistfully looked out the window, wanting to be out in the sunshine. Enter our current world of cyber/home school. I named a column I write ‘Classroom Without Walls’ because I don’t enjoy sitting within four walls to learn. Mystic, CT is one example of a great vacation that goes hand in hand with education, and what better time of year to go than World Oceans Day?
We traveled to Mystic, CT just a little ahead of schedule, meeting up with a few homeschooling friends for a great adventure. We took several days to see what Mystic Connecticut has to offer, sometimes staying together as a group and other times branching off on our own. Our main stops on this trip were the USS Nautilus and Submarine Force Museum, Mystic Aquarium, and Mystic Seaport.
Our first stop was to see the USS Nautilus and Submarine Force Museum. We could have spent hours there but we only made it for an hour and a half. My recommendation is to plan 2-3 hours here.
Must See at the USS Nautilus/Submarine Force Museum
- USS Nautilus Tour. Make sure you grab the self guided tour recording. Watch your head with low entries and ceilings and really absorb everything this tour has to offer. There is so much to see and do. There are also many great talking points to educate your kids, for homeschoolers and non-homeschoolers alike.
- Check out the periscopes. These are entertaining for kid or adult.
- Stop in and watch the 50 minute movie. There are so many great facts and news casts from history in it. This one is a little more difficult with small children but even my kindergartner did a pretty good job sitting still. We only watched part of it since we were the only ones in there and could leave without causing a disturbance.
- Walk around and check out the displays.
- Make sure to take a moment to stop at the Memorial.
- Note: Parking is free.
- Plan: 2-3 hours
Must See & Teaching Points at the Mystic Aquarium
- Everything
- Titanic Exhibit (bring tissues if you get emotional)
- Learn about ice bergs.
- Special exhibit experiences – painting with whales/beluga encounters, feeding birds at the Birds of the Outback, petting sharks, and feeding the rays (extra cost)
- Educational information throughout the exhibit.
- Tips on taking care of our oceans.
- Experience the 4D movie. (extra cost)
- Learn about flourescent fish and how they get that way.
- Study the different jellyfish.
- Visit the marine observatory and find out why the creatures in there. We learned all about food at the aquarium while we were there and learned more about why the sea lions are trained for shows and how they do it.
- Learn about the Ocean Exploration Center and the work Dr. Ballard’s team is doing. They make World Oceans Day an every day thing, just as we should.
- Visit at feeding time. It is fun and educational. All information for feeding times is on the website.
- See a sea lion show.
- Learn about the Sea Rescue Program
- Experience a Horseshoe Crab Walk. These occur only twice a year.
- Meet Ziggy Star – a rescued Northern Fur Seal who has gotten her forever home at the Mystic Aquarium.
- Check out a Foxwood Marine Theater Show when one is running. We saw a practice. AMAZING!!
- Nautilus Live Theater
- Note: Parking is free.
- Plan: All day
Must See and Teaching Points at Mystic Seaport
- Explore the Seaport Museum Gallery.
- Visit an old shipyard preservation center.
- See and touch the keel of the old ship, the Thames and learn its history.
- Learn about rope making and make your own rope at select times.
- Take a self guided tour of the historical village.
- Be sure to take a Navigation Quest Tour. Using various instruments you take a tour that follows directions and coordinates to receive the final prize.
- Tour various whaling boats and learn about the whaling industry.
- Take a water shuttle or boat ride. (cost extra)
- Sign your kids up for summer camp if you live nearby or use it as an excuse for an easygoing vacation for parents.
- Be a part of their homeschool programming. (See link for cost details.)
- Plan a trip to the planetarium. (cost extra)
- Note: Parking is free.
- Plan: All day but does have enough for 2
Mystic Hotel Recommendations
(based on our visits)
- Residence Inn 40 Whitehall Avenue, Stonington, CT- Our family stayed at the Residence Inn and can’t recommend it enough. The staff was friendly and helpful at all hours. Our room was clean and comfortable. We loved coming back to it every evening. The pool area was perfect for kids and was clean and well maintained. We also loved that breakfast and a light dinner were included in our stay. It made mornings smoother and something to fall back on if we didn’t feel like using the kitchenette is our suite. We didn’t have opportunity to check out the fitness center or the outdoor eating area or tennis courts but they were all well cared for also.
- Hilton Garden Inn 224 Gold Star Highway, Groton CT
- Mystic Marriott 625 North Road, Groton CT
Mealtime Recommendations
- Abbotts Lobster in Noank, CT
- Bleu Squid – the different grilled cheese sandwiches are delish!
- Aquarium’s Penguin Cafe
- Bring your own lunch- picnic area outside the aquarium
We had a great time exploring the different educational and fun attractions that Mystic, CT has to offer. It was great to see what this coastal city is doing to help protect our oceans and the creatures that live in it. This World Oceans Day why don’t you pledge to do something to help keep our oceans a cleaner place?
Looks like it was a great trip. When i was a kid i did not appreciate traveling with my parents. Now being older I appreciate all of the traveling we have done together.
Out of curiosity I asked my kids if they like traveling with us. Apparently it depends what type of traveling. Vacations are a-ok still. Hopefully that stays through the teen years.
It looks like your family had such a wonderful time! If we are ever visiting that area, I definitely would love to visit all of those places, especially the Submarine Force Museum!
What a great experience. I know my boys would have loved to go there. Thanks for the awesome tips as well.
I love submarine places because I love sea animals. They are so beautiful! I’d love to go to this one for sure!
That seems like a blast. I agree, I try to teach my kids outside of the classroom as much as possible.
Fantastic trip. Educational and lots of fun!
It most definitely sounds like it’s a must-see and very family friendly travel destination. All of your learning tips were great too.
I love exploring places like this with my kids I wish we had more near us.
This looks like you had an amazing time! I went to mystic when I was 14 years ago and it was closed when we got there. BOO! I will need to back one day and I appreciate all the advice on where to eat and lodge.
I love the variety of animals at that aquarium! It looks like a fabulous place to visit.
Wow it looks wonderful!! we are definitively planning a San Antonio vacation my kids wants to go so bad to sea world.
Looks like fun! My hubby was a submariner in the Navy. He was stationed right there in Groton, CT and talks about us taking a visit up to Mystic someday!
What a wonderful few days! i think I would really enjoy seeing all of these sites.
I haven’t been to Mystic since I was little! Would love to go back and check out Mystic Pizza – great movie!
I love learning out in the real world! What a fabulous learning adventure!
We love mystic!! It’s only an hour from us 🙂
It looks like there is a lot to do! My kids would love to visit here!
Sounds like a great trip with lots to see and do, my kids would love the museums!
This looks like a wonderful place to visit. I love vacation destinations that are both fun and educational at the same time.
This would be a fantastic way to spend a summer’s day! All of my kids would love it here 🙂
I’m totally with you on the importance of learning outside the classroom. Even in my own life I know I’ve learned more from actually experiencing things in the world than sitting behind a desk taking notes on what I should ‘know.’ Great post! – Katy
Thank you. Just wait until you see the new blog I am working on.
Mystic sounds like a fabulous, Family-friendly, place to visit! I’m sure my 3 year old would absolutely love the Mystic Aquarium! We’re only about a 2 1/2 hour drive away, I think it would make a great weekend visit!
This sounds like a fun and very educational trip to take! We homeschool also and I know my kids would enjoy this!
Science, history, geography, music, and art all in one area. You can totally do a full school day at these places.
Looks like so much fun and that sand sculpture is amazing! I love making sand art.
Confession: I took about 20 pictures of the sand sculpture. Have you heard of “You Can Dig It” Sand tools? We have been to a few events with those sand artists. AMAZING work and detail. I would not have the patience for it. The trip was so fun. We definitely are going back to explore more AND to check out some other things in the area.
How educational this place is for your kids, and me too really! This wasn’t on my places to visit with the kids until now. Thanks! 🙂
We all loved how much we learned. It is definitely an awesome place not just for kids but for adults. I think unless you live in New England you don’t really know about it. Even living in New England so many years I didn’t know how much it had to offer even though I knew it was a vacation destination.
We go down there every summer and we only eat at Mystic Pizza. It;s the best.
So funny. We didn’t eat there because we are pizza snobs and worry we won’t love pizza in other places (Up-State NY’ers born and/or raised). Next time we are in Mystic I won’t miss it. I promise!!
This is a fantastic round up of suggestions.
Sounds like a fabulous Road Trip! When I was a kid we always stopped in Mystic on the way to Boston to visit family. I’d love to take my kids here! Thanks for linking up!
You are welcome. Thanks for stopping by to comment. You definitely need to take the kids. I bet you won’t even recognize it. Sounds like it has changed quite a bit. Tip: try to avoid NYC rush hour, haha.