I really enjoy walking around this area. They have the beach, the house, the garden. There's so…read moremany areas to walk around and take pictures. There's always an event going on.

Beautiful park. If no one is at the booth when you arrive, scan the QR code near parking and pay…read moreonline. Plenty of picnic tables are scattered around the park and a few charcoal grills. Lots of port-a-john near the beaches and a building closer to parking. No swimming was allowed at the beaches. Plenty of fishing though. Nice place to walk and look for shells. The mansion gardens are small and beautiful. Lots of colorful plants. Graceful collonade. Definitely a nice spot for photos. Lots of pollenators enjoying the gardens too. Pathways through the park are a mix of paved and gravel. Watch out for goose poop when crossing through the fields. Pets are welcome on a leash and be sure to pick up after them. State parks are "carry in, carry out" so there are no trash bins. Be sure to bring your own trash bag to dispose of your trash at home.

Gillette Castle is a historic home and museum that was built in East Haddam, Connecticut in 1919…read more It was the home of the late American stage actor and playwright William Gillette. He is most well-known for portraying the famous literary character Sherlock Holmes: a role he assumed more than 1,300 times on stage, once in a silent film, and twice on the radio. Gillette's use of the deerstalker cap and calabash pipe became enduring symbols of the character. He had planned to build a retirement home in Long Island, but changed his mind when he saw the Seven Sisters cliffs while traversing the Connecticut River in his houseboat, Aunt Polly. He chose this location for his "castle", which he designed himself and dubbed "Seventh Sister". Taking nearly five years to complete, the 14,000-sq-ft castle featured a 3-story-plus-tower and 24 rooms. Gillette also built a 3-mile-long narrow gauge railroad around the property, which he was particularly fond of. Notable celebrities of the early 20th century visited the home, including Albert Einstein, Helen Hayes, and Charlie Chaplin. Gillette passed away in 1937 at the age of 83. The State of Connecticut purchased the property in 1943 and dubbed it "Gillette Castle". Today the residence and surrounding park receive 350,000 visitors annually. Every holiday season, the Friends of Gillette Castle volunteer organization decorate the castle and the grounds with festive Christmas decorations. Visitors can tour the massive home in all of its holiday splendor. My family and I loved exploring the interior of the castle. The gorgeous rooms are even more beautiful with all of the Christmas trees, wreaths, ornaments, nutcrackers and other various holiday accents. Of course, there were quite a few Sherlock Holmes artifacts scattered around as well. Mrs. Claus was also in attendance distributing cups of hot apple cider to visitors. We also really liked seeing the miniature locomotives at the Visitors' Center: some of the only remaining relics of Mr. Gillette's cherished miniature railroad.

A fun, yet simple, little trip to do on a summer day. Forgot my OFF, so I couldn't go as far into…read morethe trails as I would've liked, but the castle was the primary reason for going and probably the reason most go. Although it may look medieval, the castle was built in 1914. It's rather simple and straightforward, but for $6 as an out-of-state visitor, you can't go wrong. Takes about 1/2 hour to do, and again is just something different and outside the norm to do a summer (or anytime really) day.

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

Great alternative to get around. Reasonable. Easy on/off. Free parking. The boat isn't all that…read morecomfortable /hard seating. But, if you need an easy way to get around, avoid 2 hr meter parking - which is a real drag, this is a great option. All day pass $12. Limited tour so be clear on where it stops/goes to. The loop take approx 45 min. Easy for families/strollers & large groups. Bring water or pay $2.

We went on the Revolution Ghost tour with Evan as our guide. We had a great time! Even our 12 year…read moreold really enjoyed it! I learned a lot of history and got to hear some haunting stories while on the trip. Evan did a great job of keeping us entertained and the scenery was lovely. It was interesting and relaxing. If you go, try to sit at the back or in the middle of the boat. We sat at the front and struggled to see what was being talked about. It was a great length of time at 75 mins and parking was easy in the parking garage. If you are looking for something different where you can walk away relaxed and more knowledgeable, take the tour! You won't be disappointed!

If Mystic has spirits wandering around, I'm convinced they personally approved A.J. as their…read moreofficial spokesperson. Our tour with Seaside Shadows Haunted History Tours LLC was the perfect blend of eerie atmosphere, sharp humor, and legit American History. A.J. tells stories like he's lived them -- vivid, engaging, and sprinkled with just the right amount of comedic sparkle. My friend and I were obsessed. We laughed, we gasped, we whispered "no way" at least ten times. We're already counting down to our next tour. Five stars, forever and always.

We joined Seaside Shadows for another tour last night, this time the Paranormal Pub Crawl, with Kim…read moreas our guide. She was fantastic! She was so knowledgeable about the area and a natural storyteller. It was great stopping into different bars along the way, grabbing a pint, and listening to the eerie lore of Mystic. Kim's enthusiasm was contagious, and you could tell she truly loves sharing the history and hauntings of this waterfront village. We're already looking forward to going back and trying the graveyard tour next!

This place is such a little treasure. This place is so well-maintained. It's stunning. There are so…read moremany different types of trees here and they are labeled so you can get an idea of what type of trees that you're looking at. There are several loops in this place that you can loop around different sections. The main loop is around the pond but there's other shoots so you can spend a couple hours here just wandering around checking out the different things. The trails are well maintained. You may get turned around a little only because there are so many loops but just keep your eye on the pond and you won't get lost. I recommend thisplace. It's very easy walk. My friend and I walked around for about an hour and a half half or so just taking in all of the scenery. We definitely plan to come back here in May or June when the mountain is at its peak because there is so much mountain Laurel here. I think that will be stunning at this time of year. I also want to come back in September October to watch the colors of the leaves change. The parking is off street parking. There are signs for two hour parking. I did not see any charged parking, but it looks like you can park on both sides of the roads up and down the street.

What a hidden gem! Wanted to take a walk along the water on a summer weekend day but finding a good…read morespot that allowed for social distancing was a challenge. Although the arboretum is not on the the sound, this place was perfect. Very quiet and incredibly expansive. I didn't do tons of exploring in here but it looks like there are plenty of paths to walk! The paths aren't paved but to be expected in this environment - very natural wooded area. If walking isn't what you are looking for there is space to spread out and have a picnic (no tables) overlooking some small ponds. This place is easily accessed from a Williams Street. Many of the addresses online have you enter through the gates on Monhegan Ave, you won't be able to access the arboretum here. Had to up on theto drive back out to the main road and drive to the other side of campus where you can access the arboretum. Easily found free 2-hour street parking. Not sure how easy it would be during the academic year but it wasn't an issue when I went but spots had definitely filled in by the time I got back to the car. Looking forward to coming back and this time more prepared to fully experience this wonderful spot!

My husband and I had planned a two hour cruise in Mystic on the Argia on the day we were…read morecelebrating with our family visiting from California. We were looking for an activity that would be fun for a multigenerational group of 23 people with toddlers, seniors, and everyone in between. We had been in communication with Oliver for months in advance. About two weeks before the big day, we saw that the forecast called for showers throughout Memorial Day weekend, particularly the Sunday of our planned cruise. We monitored the weather and decided to make a decision closer to the day. Throughout the entire process of planning, Oliver was responsive, reliable, accommodating, and kind. On the morning of the trip, Oliver gave us multiple options and worked with us to make sure that we could cancel and get a full refund due to the inclement weather. He provided us with agency up to the last hour of decision making. On a day that could have been really stressful, Oliver alleviated some of that stress. That is exceptional customer service, and that is the reason we will be coming back to the Argia for another special occasion. Highly recommend working with Oliver and his team if you get the chance!

We had the privilege of witnessing the pure beauty and raw power of the majestic wind and sea on…read morethe sail boat in Mystic going into the Long Island Sound for Father's Day!! It was the most eye opening and glorious day and experience! It was such a spectacular view on the water. The captains provided such insight and history of the residents and homes in the vicinity. The captains were highly knowledgeable and talented.

Excellent experience. Rich is a great teacher. I never rode a Segway before. At first I was…read morestiff and nervous. By the end of the training, I was comfortable and relaxed. Really fun. I highly recommend Shoreline Segway !

My two grandsons went on the Guilford Segway Tour and had a great time. Rich the tour guide was a…read morewonderful instructor and he was very knowledgeable about the history of this great town. I would be highly recommend this exciting adventure.

Great experience with NFWT! Our driver was friendly and on time, accommodating to the few requests…read morewe had, and each vineyard was lovely. 10/10 would recommend!

I can't recommend NFWT enough! From start to finish, this was a seamless experience for our team…read more Aside from gathering lunch choices from my group, Michael and his team took care of everything else. A wonderful itinerary and left all of us stress free to enjoy the beautiful day!