Mystic, CT was like love at first sight. As soon as we crossed into the town I was ready to put down roots, buy up some retail space and open up my own music venue/bookstore/coffee shop/tarot card reading center/consignment boutique/printing press/open mic/teen poetry slam/art center. As we were driving through Mystic, that is exactly what I was thinking about. I was also thinking about how little time we actually had to explore such wonder and magic and how NEXT TIME WE WILL STAY HERE FOR LONGER THAN ONE NIGHT WHAT WERE WE THINKING!
After driving through town, we parked our ride at
Mystic Seaport -- a place Hal had visited in his childhood and had fond memories of. We did about 20% of what was available to do at the Seaport. Highlights included the giant Seaport model, touring the oldest/last remaining wooden ship, watching actors perform Moby Dick, hanging out in the hands-on Science center, hanging out in the hands-on children's museum/house and exploring "where the dead people live" aka the cemetery.
Bo was very into the outdoor theatrics.
We actually stayed at Mystic Seaport two whole hours after closing because there was plenty to explore outside and nobody kicked us out, so...
By the time we left it was dinner time, and (because, Duh) Mystic Pizza it was. Our friend,
Annabeth played "Kat Arujo" in the movie so it was VERY exciting to walk into the restaurant and be greeted by this:
ED: Mystic Pizza, the restaurant, actually inspired
the film. The writer (
Amy Holden Jones) was on vacation in Mystic and fell in love with the town (obvs) and from there came the script, centered around Mystic Pizza and two sisters who work there, mainly Kat who is the best. (On and off the screen.)
After dinner, we walked down to the Drawbridge,
grabbed ice cream and watched the drawbridge go up to make way for the passing boats. It was something out of a dream, watching that. The kids went nuts and also I went nuts because drawbridges are seriously the coolest. Ever.
We then walked down to the grassy knoll and listened to the concert, danced a little, and watched the light paint the entire town blue...
That's the thing about stopping in a new place/state every day. Sometimes a fling is necessary but, committing to a town for longer than one night is also nice. When it's THE RIGHT town, you know? Mystic was that for us. (I was really bummed we didn't have time to hit up t
he aquarium, for example.) Perhaps we were there on a magical night, or perhaps it is ALWAYS magical in Mystic, but we had one of those completely "and they lived epic-ly ever after" type of evenings that I will remember always. Even the light felt divine.
(P.S. If you have anything else to recommend in Mystic or nearby, I would love to hear from you! So many of the places we went and loved were because they were recommended.
Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream, for example... Thank you!)
Trying to get a family picture
Still trying. (Thanks, Archer.)
...Until next time, Mystic.
We love you a lot.
(Goodnight.)
GGC
Perfect timing, Hello! 
(A highlight of our dining experience. These were my favorite when I was a kid.)
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