The old seafaring village of Mystic sits at the mouth of the river of the same name. Looking out to sea in a misty reverie, it seems to be thinking back on those days when it was captain of the shipyards. Time seems to have stood still since then, at least in this little town.

Mystic began building boats in the 1600s and continued the trade up into the first third of the 20th Century. During its Golden Years, more than 600 wooden maritime vessels were constructed here. After 1929, the business crumbled. Today, Mystic Seaport (a society dedicated to preserving Connecticut's maritime history) harbors more maritime boats, photos and artifacts than any other place on the planet.

Mystic Seaport is a reconstructed 19th Century seaside community built with history in mind and maritime in the heart. The village boasts old-time shops and dining. This is probably the only place on Earth where a nickel buys a beer. More than 1500 volunteers work at the seaport making this living museum a success.

Other points of interest in Mystic include: Mystic Marine Life Aquarium, which houses nearly 6,000 marine animals in a spectacular array of exhibits, and the Denison Homestead Museum at Pequotsepos Manor (circa 1717).

With the Mystic River on tap, this village offers a number of excellent water sports, including kayaking and sailing. Several fishing charters pull out for adventures on the water. Lorna Anne Fishing Charters specializes in bluefish and bass offshore fishing. Mataura Sportfish sails offshore for tuna and shark, and inshore for bass and bluefish.

Indoor rock climbing and tennis facilities are available. In nearby Stonington, golfing is offered at the Pequot Golf Club and at both the Birch Plain Golf Course and Four Season Golf in Groton.

Other sports in the area include: camping; walking the seven miles of trails at Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center; fishing at the pier in New London's Fort Trumbull State Park; and the fine art of beachcombing at Ocean Beach Park in New London.

Mystic, a living museum, is located in southeast Connecticut on I-95.