OT: Anyone gone to Mystic Aquarium/Seaport!!!!

[kandb]

We're going in a 10 days and am wondering of any suggestions for touring both the aquarium and the seaport which includes a museum. I will have my children with me who will soon be 4 years old and my sister will have her children 6, 8, and 12 years old. Any recommendations? We plan on spending the night and will visit for 2 days. Thanks, Linda

 

[troijka]

Oh my goodness! I lived in Mystic from the age of 6-10 and some of my favorite memeories as a child are from the aquarium and the seaport. Now that was many years ago, but I remember loving it as a child. If it is still anything like it used to be, your children should enjoy it. I wish we were going and have fun!!!

 

[monorailsilver]

LOL! We were just at Mystic Aquarium today (I live about 1/2 from there). We were also there about 3 weeks ago too.

Hopefully it will warm up for you.

My kids love the aquarium (they are almost 6, 3 1/2 & 13 mo).

The inside part (where the big fish tanks are) gets hot not to mention it does have an odor when you initially walk in.

If you go to the website you can look up to see the feeding times if you are interested.

It only takes us about 3 hours to see it all & that is with a lunch break (I am talking aquarium).

There is also a ride but I have never been on it since my kids are young.

There was a new baby penguin we saw today that was hatched the end of Feb & her feathers were starting to come off.

We like the shops in the Old Mystic Villiage but the past 2 times we have gone it was too chilly to walk around so when we go back in the summer we will.

When we go, this is how we always walk-we see the beluga's & then follow the path to the sea lions & seal & then we go to the penguins.

Then we take the path around the water area & see the little turtles sunning themselves (there were 7 we saw today).

Then we go inside.

When we go inside after walking past the jelly fish we go to the left to those fish tanks & then we come out to the sea anemone area (no touching zone) & then my dh takes the older 2 into the "cave" aka where the spiders/bats are & then we walk around the other smaller tanks until we get to the bigger ones with the sting rays & sharks as well as the big fish tank & we also hit the touch tank.

We didn't do the Escape to the Deep or whatever it is called this time because our kids don't enjoy it & we just did it 3 weeks ago.

As for the seaport, we have never done that. I keep saying we are but I usually have a preggo body or a nursing baby so hopefully this year we can walk around more since I have neither.

Do you live in CT? If you do check your library for passes to the aquarium & the seaport. My library gives a discount for the aquarium & free passes to the seaport.

Here is a picture from a few weeks ago from the penguin area

And one from today from the touch tank area:

 

[Kahana-ri]

I assume you mean Mystic Aquarium/Seaport in CT? We've been many times. Everything is close by and if you are staying over night you will have plenty of time to see everything. The aquarium is great fun for children and the seaport has a lot of historic sights. There is also an area of quaint shops on the same street. Enjoy!

 

[monorailsilver]

Oh my goodness! I lived in Mystic from the age of 6-10 and some of my favorite memeories as a child are from the aquarium and the seaport. Now that was many years ago, but I remember loving it as a child. If it is still anything like it used to be, your children should enjoy it. I wish we were going and have fun!!!

It has changed a bit. The first time I went was the mid-90's with my boyfriend now dh since he lived about where we do now & I lived an hour west from him so we never went growing up.

Today my dh & I were discussing the dolphins & how there used to be dolphins & then one of my friends I met up with there today said she remembered them but something about them dying & some other animals dying.

And the gift shop used to be upstairs. Well there is no upstairs other then going up to the sea lion show.

But is is very nice now. I vaguely remember it a few years ago but I didn't think it was that great when dh & I went then.

 

[DonaldsDaisy]

DH & I have been to Mystic Seaport several times. We had so much fun while learning a lot. I am sure the kids will enjoy it.

Don't forget to have some pizza at Mystic Pizza!

 

[kandb]

Thank you so much for the pictures and the replies. We live in Rockland County, NY. I believe we're around 2 hours away. My sister and I are taking all the kids and leaving our husbands at home. I'm hoping it does warm up and just saw a forecast for a few days before we leave and it will be 60 degrees (that is warm considering our weather lately). Tonight, into Monday we are getting a Noreaster storm will 40 mph winds and 3-6 inches of rain. Soon, I'll be complaining it's too hot, so it's hard to please me. Linda

 

[troijka]

It has changed a bit. The first time I went was the mid-90's with my boyfriend now dh since he lived about where we do now & I lived an hour west from him so we never went growing up.

Today my dh & I were discussing the dolphins & how there used to be dolphins & then one of my friends I met up with there today said she remembered them but something about them dying & some other animals dying.

And the gift shop used to be upstairs. Well there is no upstairs other then going up to the sea lion show.

But is is very nice now. I vaguely remember it a few years ago but I didn't think it was that great when dh & I went then.

There were dolphins!!! I clearly remeber their names: Sassy, Mimi and Nina. One of them died in childbirth (I think it was Sassy). I don't know what happened to the others, but I remember when Sassy died, I was so sad. (I was about none or ten.)

 

[bibbity bobbity boo]

Im on the coast of CT and live about 45 minutes from there! The aquarium is not very big at all! Hopefully the weather will change and become more spring-like for you. Tomorrow we are expecting a NorEaster!!! The shoppes at Mystic are really nice and the Seaport is alot of fun too. Not too many places to eat at the Seaport though. Is this your first trip there?

HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[kandb]

Where is Mystic pizza located? Is it close to the aquarium. Is the aquarium close to the seaport? Can you walk from one area to the other? Thanks, Linda

 

[GreatLakes5]

We were just there this past summer. We loved the aquarium - it rivaled what Sea World used to be when it was open in Ohio. Probably one of the best we've been to in terms of incorporating the outdoors really well. The seaport area was walking distance - Mystic pizza was not - it was more in the original, non-touristy part of the town (or so I thought).... You'll love it!

 

[monorailsilver]

Where is Mystic pizza located? Is it close to the aquarium. Is the aquarium close to the seaport? Can you walk from one area to the other? Thanks, Linda

Mystic Pizza is close to the water (and the actual movie wasn't filmed in there as there is no upstairs to it like in the movie).

You can not walk to MP from the aquarium.

I would think you can walk to the seaport but I am thinking it a mile or so but there is parking across from it or there used to be since we haven't gone that way in a while & the last time.

I would probably just drive to the seaport since the road gets congested.

I too hope the weather turns good for you since I am listening to the rain & wind right now.

Here are 2 maps, well it's only 1 but if you click on the words above it will bring you to the Mystic Pizza area. Oh & these maps are all over the place so you can pick one up while there.

http://www.lighthousemaps.com/Mystic/MysticDTindex.html