We've been coming to Mystic every year for a while, and this is the first time we discovered Mystic…read moreBoat Adventures. My daughter and I had an absolute blast piloting the boat, and once we got over the fear factor that we were going "too fast" and gained confidence in piloting the boat for the first time, it felt like second nature. We did the 3 hour Mystic River tour which ended with a "free sail" hour at the end. However, we opted not to go out into the Sound due to heavily windy conditions, so we stayed in the channel in the "playground" area doing donuts and figure-eights. Before we knew it the 3 hours was up. Rob was a great host and he taught us how to pilot the boats in no time. He was also very knowledgeable of the Mystic seaport area. We had a great time and will absolutely be making this a regular part of our yearly Mystic trips!

I decided to book a 3 hour tour with Mystic Boat Adventures to surprise my hubby for his birthday…read moreat the end of July. The reviews were all highly praising and it looked like a fun experience. I have to say: don't hesitate! Book them! Rob was a pro guide and made sure we understood how to operate our boat safely and how to get the most fun out of it. Yes, there are safety things that you need to be aware of, but he was very encouraging of us trying out what the boat can do. We loved getting to do donuts in our boat! The tour itself was very informative, and we really got a feel for the area. We're already looking forward to returning for another season with a full group of friends to rent out all the boats. This is a must-do activity when visiting Mystic. Be sure to arrive on time as requested so that you can be briefed on the safety. That is so important, and that is why they tell you in advance that you will be turned away if you are late to the safety briefing. For those of you who may be wondering, there is ample parking, and it was about a 15-20 minute drive with traffic from downtown Mystic. Again, a huge thank you to Rob for being an awesome guide and helping us have the best experience possible for my husband's birthday surprise. Hope to see you again soon!

We had a wonderful time! The escape room was challenging, well-designed and was so much fun from…read morestart to finish. The game master was excellent! He was friendly, engaging and gave just the right amount of guidance when needed. The owner was also fantastic and made us feel genuinely welcome. It was a wonderful experience overall and we'll definitely be coming back to try another room. Highly recommend!

What a great way to think outside the box while in a box... so to speak.... Stopped here for a work…read moreteam building event. Well worth it. You can't take pictures or use your phone inside the rooms which keeps it interesting. Mysterious with fun.

my kids had so fun here. and Kennelly loved it here my son goes there he said that he going to miss…read moreall the fun they had, LOVE YOU GIYS!

More people should do this! Project Oceanology gives hands-on boat outings geared towards families…read more These include lighthouse expeditions, oceanographic research cruises (summer), and seal watches (Feb/March). It is the only organization with permission to bring visitors to New London Ledge Lighthouse, which features incredible views from smack dab in the middle of Long Island Sound. Great fun for lighthouse aficionados and those who want to get out on the water! But be warned that other than the AMAZING views, there isn't much to actually see inside the house. If you're expecting a museum or activities for your kids, you might be disappointed and would be better off taking a science cruise. For the lighthouse trip, you will take a boat out to the 1909 working lighthouse and then be given a tour. Don't worry if boats make you nervous, this one is built to keep school kids safe and happy so you will feel very secure! The whole trip is about 2.5 hours and you spend 1.5 hours at the lighthouse. The architecture and history are really cool. The rest of the time you're cruising on Long Island Sound, which is a fun and relaxing activity in itself! The science expeditions are really Project O's forte. The super knowledgeable staff provide a hands-on experience you will love. You will be taught some basic marine science and geography of the area, then you take over as the scientists. Some of the activities include: collecting and testing water and mud samples at depth, visiting the captain to learn about navigation, and best of all: pulling in a trawl net full of Long Island Sound critters! If you are looking for a half-day activity that a gets you out on the water, familiarizes you with the area, is educational, and/or is just a little different than your usual tourist exercise: this is for you. You can certainly manage to stay clean and dry on these cruises but you will have much more fun if you go prepared to get wet and dirty! The boat's cabin is heated. However, you will want an extra layer of clothing for when you're outside. That's where all the good stuff happens. The price is very reasonable: just $19 for adults and $16 for kids. Make sure you call ahead... they will cancel the cruise if they don't get any reservations in advance and on popular days they can sell out! There is a very basic cafe for sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, drinks etc in the building but it's nothing to rave about. However, it's worth leaving a little extra time to wander around the immediate area. The building is located on the UConn - Avery Point campus which is beautiful and easy to walk. Project Oceanology also offers summer camps, scout programs, and birthday parties. I don't know why the website isn't listed here but there is lots more info at http://www.oceanology.org

Forgetta-bout it! Best charter I've ever booked. 10/10. Will sail Poet's Lounge again!!read more

What an unforgettable experience! Our crew loved our time on the water with Darin. He was an…read moreexcellent host, wonderful to chat with and very attentive when he realized one of us was feeling seasick. Two of us had been out with him before for a sunset cruise and we upped it to 3 hrs this time. Truly a great experience - highly recommend and will definitely be back!

Our favorite salt water launch site. Plenty of parking spaces and the dock is nice, clean, and…read moresecure. Plenty of cleats to tie on. Deep ocean is just a few minutes away with no - no wake zones. The drive to the launch has an interesting castle to look at. The owner has dozens of statues, gargoyles, and perfectly trimmed topiaries. Lots of people kayak from here. Some bring their dogs for a stroll. I've done some fishing and crabbing here. But honestly there are sooooo many mosquitoes and horse flies here and they're relentless! We mostly just use this place to launch our boat- away from the vicious bugs!!

A great place to…read morestart Barn Island in Stonington is one of the best places to launch a boat in Eastern Ct. It has a huge parking lot but since it is so popular it frequently fills up so people park on the side on the road. No one seems to mind but it does make for a long walk back to your vehicle. The ramp is steep but the water usually deep so it's easy for even a relatively large boat to get under way. Once you are in the water you have several great options. If you are in a kayak you can go north up the Wequetequock river, or south out to Stonington, Long Island Sound, Sandy Pt. or Napatree Point. This whole area was absolutely hammered by the 1938 hurricane and a beach in the area used to be called Kitchen Beach because appliances ripped from cottages were found buried in the sand for decades after the hurricane. Fortunately no hurricanes have hit in a while and the area around Barn Island is called Little Narragansett Bay and is usually quite calm. If you want more excitement in your yaking you can paddle out to Napatree Pt and old Fort Mansfield where rocks, old fishing piers and heavy wind and waves can conspire to give you a near death experience if you desire. Pretty good surfing out by Napatree also. For something less exciting you can go over to Watch Hill and get ice cream and some good seafood or just land on a isolated beach on Sandy Point Island. This was actually a part of Napatree but the hurricane literally tore the spit of land away and is now a rolling island. If you go east you can explore the very cool town of Stonington. Barn Island is a great place to launch no matter what your intentions are or abilities are. Just make sure you get there early during the summer weekends or you just might be in for a long walk to get back to your vehicle.

What a fun and off the beaten path experience for a random Sunday night! I always love being a…read moretourist in my area, so I thought I would book a ticket for myself on the Ghost Tours of Newport evening jaunt around the city. Having never been on one of these tours but always seeing them when out walking, I figured at best, it would be a new activity to recommend to friends and clients, and at worst, it's 90 minutes long and the cost of a cold brew and cookie. I'm so glad I went on the tour, because it was very engaging and enjoyable. The start point at the Marriott is easy to find and has very clean bathrooms (use before you go- no bathroom stops on the tour), and from there, the walk was a simple half mile with no sharp inclines or strenuous walking, making this ideal for guests of any mobility. I will say that comfy shoes are a must, as you are standing for the whole time, and there are cobblestones. Our Ghost Hostess with the Mostess, Kathy, was fantastic! It turns out she is very active in the Rhode Island theatre community, and we had a lot of mutual friends. I hope to share the stage with her one day. She kept the group interested in the stories, and you can tell she's definitely got lots of performance experience, which added to the overall fun of the night. The stories told were mostly from Newport's Golden Age of Piracy in the 1700s and 1800s. I did find the content very historical and interesting, however, due to the nature of some of the stories (real pirates, after all), I would recommend the tour for children ages 8-10 and up. I would absolutely add this to any Newport adventure, especially as we get into Spooky Season!

I purchased two tickets online on the day off our evening ghost tour provided by Ghost Tours of…read moreNewport. The meeting location was outside of the MainSail (a restaurant inside of the Newport Marriott on Americas Cup Ave). There was lots of seating around, so my husband and I found a cushy spot to wait for the group to gather. We saw your tour guide right away. She checked everyone in by asking to see confirmation emails and then gave us all small, reflective 'Ghost Tours of Newport' stickers to wear (she told us they also offered us ectoplasmic protection). Our tour guide was so prepared and offered us many entertaining stories about the history of the area, the city, and the notorious paranormal figures of Newport. She even had photos that she passed around for the group to look at before certain stops. She kept the group together and safe (crossing streets in Newport has some potential dangers - cobble stone streets and fast driving tourists behind the wheel). Our tour ended outside of Trinity Church (which offers some cool nighttime pictures btw) and that's where the group disbanded. Our tour guide offered to walk people back to the Marriott if any needed, which was really thoughtful and nice. While people were saying thank you and goodbye, I overheard a repeat customer tell her that she did a great job (as they'd taken the tour in the past with her). Note: If you decide to do walking tours like this one, please remember to tip your guides!

Amazing! I have been twice and I twice impressed with the upscale, classy, talent-filled, boutique…read moreexperience! From the parking lot which is filled with beautiful bronze statues, to being personally welcomed upon having arrived through the front door, to the lounge to the dance/theatre floor - every moment and from arrival to departure is carefully crafted and personally attended to. My girlfriend commented "this is what it must feel like to be rich!"

I had such an incredible time seeing the Christmas Spectacular. The dancers are unbelievable with…read morestage presence out of this world. It was so fun and the audience participation had me laughing uncontrollably. It was truly wonderful to be transported into a place that didn't feel like Mystic. The whole experience from start to finish was mesmerizing. I can't wait to go again for their regular burlesque show. Can't recommend enough. BYOB or order drinks on the QR code provided. Such a fun sultry cabaret vibe inside. 10/10

Barn Island offers a 3 mi (5k) loop through a beautiful tidal marsh. I have been coming here since…read more1984 and never miss the chance to enjoy the walk. It is not aggressive or tedious but you should be ready for deer flies and mosquitoes.

I'm not a hiker but I love a trail that provides a nice scenic walk and Barn Island does just that…read more We walked on the red trail which you pick up from Palmer Neck Rd where there is parking for about 15 cars . Follow signs for the boat launch not your GPS , as that will bring you to another trailhead in a residential area whee there is no parking . The path is wide with some imbedded rocks/ stones and is predominantly flat. It runs through woods and marshes. This was a November day so there wasn't a bug in sight but when I looked into information, many hikers on a popular trail site noted the bugs. Although we didn't experience this, I took off a star knowing I'd never walk this at dusk or early morning and probably never in the summer knowing this ( CT and this area in particular had a EEE scare/ warnings this summer). The views across the marshes to the ocean and Little Narraganset Bay are beautiful. You can see across to Napatree Point and even see Watch Hill Light in the distance. The tidal marshes themselves are picturesque with swaying tall grasses and pools of water. The woods have many large lichen covered rocks along the perimeter and stone walls farther in. The path does have some areas that are muddy. We passed about 20 people some with dogs, a few with cameras and binoculars. Other than a few ducks we saw no wildlife. It was a nice flat picturesque walk over a portion of the 1000 + acre preserve. I'd definitely recommend it especially after a hard frost kills the bugs and we will definitely return!