Mystic, CT

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NETrainfan

Lead Service Attendant
Joined
May 5, 2009
Messages
353
Location
Maine
Mystic, CT is one of our favorite train stops on the Northeast Corridor. The small Amtrak station is within walking distance of motels and restaurants and there is plenty to do for a full day in town.

The village of Mystic is a walking seaport town with a big public park near the drawbridge. You can watch boats of all types coming and going or even try a day sail (or half day sail.)

The major Mystic attractions- the restored Mystic Seaport of old and the Mystic Aquarium are short taxi rides away from town. There are entrance fees for both. The old whaler, Charles W. Morgan, is being reconstructed on the old seaport premises and there is a museum dedicated to the history of whalers.
 
I've been to Mystic several times when I lived in Hartford, CT back in the 70's. Here's a little further info and a couple links.

 

Mystic, Connecticut

 

Mystic Seaport

 

Size: 36" x 24"

Medium: Acrylic

naglm.jpg


 
There are four stops daily in Mystic from Boston and from NY. There is a staffed station 7 miles away in New London.
 
That staffed 7 miles away from mystic, station in New London is awesome. a real architecturally designed building, with all amenities. I used this station from Penn station New York to new london. and bus route to Foxwood or Mohegan Sun Casino. so it is great, cause it has convenience.
 
Visited Mystic years ago as drive through to someplace else - glad it will be worth seeing including museum on way to my brother's home to visit even decades after first time in Mystic.
 
Just a couple of updates on Mystic:

At the train station:

The building is no longer being used as a tourist information center and is empty. (That is not affecting Amtrak in any way--same train schedule, and still stopping at Mystic--just nowhere to go inside if it's bad weather.) One of the people I saw at another information center in town told me the building is not in great shape and would be hard to fix and maintain (so it wasn't a train-related decision to shut it).

At the Seaport:

The Charles W. Morgan restoration was completed, and the ship went out on a voyage around New England. It's now back as a regular exhibit.

The Seaport is now restoring its own steamship, "Sabino," as well as the "Mayflower II" from Plimoth Plantation. The Mayflower II just sailed back to Plimoth for the tourist season and will be coming back to Mystic in the off-season for several years until the restoration is complete.

I looked up the Plimoth Plantation website but could not find the dates. Instead, I found comments about the Mayflower II like: "Look, she's in the water!" "Look, she's going under a bridge!" "I just saw her!" Can't imagine a group of people being that excited about a mode of transportation, can you? :p
 
I was in Mystic this past week and am happy to report a good change for the train station: there is a coffee shop in there now. They seem to have taken on the repairs, and it looks nice. What a lovely difference--to have a cup of coffee and read the paper in comfort inside while waiting for the train, instead of being outside in the heat or cold or wind.

They are very enthusiastic, and the town is very happy to not have an empty building sitting there. They serve breakfast sandwiches and lunch sandwiches and salads, as well as coffee. They have used a railroad theme for their menu (for example, the children's peanut butter and jelly sandwich is named "The Thomas" :) ). There is no other coffee shop at that end of town, and I saw locals in there as well as those of us taking Amtrak.

They have a website and Facebook page, so they are media savvy, which should help.

I hope they succeed (both because they seem like truly nice people and because I want a comfortable place to wait for my train!)

The name (if anyone is interested in checking them out further) is Mystic Depot Roasters. I am planning to go up again later in the fall, so will report on how they are getting on then.
 
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