Matt Damon’s first major movie role, Steven Spielberg’s 1997 film, Amistad, and many more films and historic moments took place in this cute coastal Connecticut village. And rightfully so, Mystic, Connecticut is one of the most charming New England villages with a balanced availability of beach, history, a cute downtown area, adrenaline-filled fun like ziplining and boating, and great, great food!
Now, Mystic, Connecticut, is recognized nationwide as the number 4 best summer travel destination for 2023 according to USA Today. “10Best’s seasoned travel editors teamed up with a panel of experts to make a shortlist of their must-see places for a summer vacation, then readers voted for their top picks” to create a list of 10 must-visit destinations for summer 2023. The only New England location to make the list is Mystic:
- Mackinac Island, Michigan
- Mobile, Alabama
- Door County, Wisconsin
- Mystic, Connecticut
- Chicago, Illinois
- Hocking Hills, Ohio
- Crystal River, Florida
- Asheville, North Carolina
- Rockaway Beach and Boardwalk, New York
- Shenandoah Valley, Virginia
Not only is Mystic as a village recognized, it’s also home to some of the best lodging and dining in the country. The Whaler’s Inn in Mystic, Connecticut ranked among the “Top 100 Places To Stay in 2023.” And, Chef Renee Touponce of Mystic’s The Port of Call restaurant was nominated for a 2023 James Beard Award under the category “best chef of the Northeast!”
Things to do in Mystic, Connecticut
The village is incredibly amicable, and there are plenty of excellent beaches in the area like East Beach in Watch Hill, Rhode Island-also home to Taylor Swift’s Holiday Home. The publication writes of Mystic, Connecticut:
You might remember this New England village from the ’80s film “Mystic Pizza,” but it’s even more enchanting in real life. Cruise aboard a sailboat, zip line at TreeTrails Adventure Park, see the wildlife at Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center or get a little shopping done downtown. 10Best contributor Linda Laban says it’s now one of the country’s top food destinations, so explore after grabbing a slice at the famous pizza parlor.
Mystic is under a 2-hour drive from Boston. Alternatively, the Amtrak to Westerly, RI drops visitors off at a station about a 15-minute drive to Mystic.