Bordering the charming Connecticut shoreline, Mystic and the Southeastern Connecticut region are rich in history, architecture and cultural attractions...and only a two hour drive from New York City or Boston.

 

Check-in to the Bee & Thistle Inn in Old Lyme (ask about their package with the Florence Griswold Museum), an elegant inn with eleven guest rooms, before walking to the Florence Griswold Museum, home of American Impressionism with one of the foremost collections of Impressionism in America.  For lunch or a late snack, drive less than one mile from the museum to Old Lyme Ice Cream Shoppe and Cafe for premium ice cream, specialty coffee or sandwiches.  Return to the comfort of the Bee & Thistle Inn Inn for relaxation and dinner in their superb dining room.

 

On Day Two, after a hearty breakfast at the inn, drive two miles to the Lyman Allyn Art Museum in New London, which offers a comprehensive collection of European art as well as American fine and decorative art.  A key strength of the museum is the collection of European works on paper.  Have lunch at Fred's Shanty, a local favorite, for seafood and burgers (open seasonally) or Mr. G's Restaurant for sandwiches, salads, pizza and Italian specialties.  After lunch, drive across the Thames River to the Submarine Force Museum in Groton (admission is free), the only submarine museum operated by the United States Navy, with the world's finest collection of submarine artifacts.  Board the USS Nautilus, America's first nuclear-powered submarine and experience first-hand the thrill of being a submariner. 

 

Or, continue on Route 1 to Mystic Seaport, the nation's largest maritime museum, where you can climb aboard historic tall ships, see a working shipyard in action, stroll through a re-created 19th century seafaring village on seventeen acres or ride aboard a 1908 steamboart (operated seasonally.)

 

Return to the Bee & Thistle Inn to freshen up before a short walk to dinner at the Old Lyme Inn: The Grill for tavern fare (open daily), or the romantic Winslow Dining Room (open Fridays and Saturdays).

 

On Day Three, if you are heading back toward New York, take exit 63 off I-95 to Clinton Crossing Premium Outlets, seventy outlet stores representing fine designers and name brands.  If you are traveling north toward Boston, stop in Norwich for a visit to The Slater Memorial Museum, located on the Norwich Free Academy campus.  See plaster-casts of ancient Greek sculpture; Connecticut, American and European paintings and decorative arts; contemporary American crafts; Asian textiles and decorative arts; Native American and pre-Columbian artifacts; and African and oceanic artifacts. 

 

For tourism information on the region, visit Mystic Country Visitors Bureau or call 800-863-6569.  For Connecticut tourism information, visit ctvisit.com.

Just a 1-1/2 hour drive from Boston, Northeastern Connecticut boasts rolling hills, white-steepled churches, winding country roads, picturesque town commons and 18th century homes. 

 

Nestled within this scenic landscape is the University of Connecticut at Mansfield/Storrs which is a destination in itself for its vibrant cultural scene.  Check in to the Nathan Hale Inn & Conference Center located in the heart of the campus (ask about their Celebrate the Arts! package), then walk to the University's Lodewick Visitors Center to pick up brochures on the campus's four museums, performing arts center, farm and barn tours, etc.

 

Walk to the University's William Benton Museum of Art (free admission) to view changing exhibits of art from the 15th to 21st centuries.  Visit the Café Muse for a snack or the UConn  Dairy Bar for its famous home- made ice cream.  Dine early dinner at  the Inn's Blue Oak Cafe before a live performance at either the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts or the Connecticut Repertory Theatre.

 

On Day Two following breakfast at the Inn, walk to the UConn Animal Barns for a self-guided tour of their dairy and beef cows, sheep, horses and baby animals.  Check their website for the schedule of feeding and milking times.  For lunch, pick-up a healthy sandwich or salad from Healthy Alternative Market & Deli (take-out only) for a picnic lunch on campus.  Back on campus, learn how Connecticut’s natural history is integrated with its cultural history at the Connecticut State Museum of Natural History. 

 

Dine at the romantic Altnaveigh Inn in one of their three snug, distinctive dining rooms.  In the summer, enjoy a drink on the patio; in the winter, dine before one of their warming fireplaces.

 

After you check out of the Nathan Hale Inn on Day Three, and if you are heading north toward Boston, stop at the elegant and award-winning Sharpe Hill Vineyard in Pomfret for a gourmet lunch (reservations required), wine tasting and tour of their 25-acre vineyard.  Or, drive scenic Route 169 through Pomfret to Putnam for antiques stores and either casual or high-end dining.  

 

For information on the area, visit the Mystic Country Visitors District.