If you live in the Boston or New York City area, you already have access to plenty of fun activities right in your own backyard. But sometimes it’s nice to take some time out as a family and enjoy a slow-paced weekend getaway. Nestled right in the middle of both cities is the magical little town of Mystic, Connecticut. Its easy-access location right off I-95 makes it a short hour’s drive from Hartford, 2 hours from Boston, and a slightly longer (and more congested) 3 hours from New York City. But don’t fear hours of traffic in the car with the kids, even Amtrak stops in Mystic! The quintessential New England small town, Mystic offers big-city-caliber attractions, making it a perfect destination for family fun.
If you only have a day to spend, make the Mystic Aquarium and Institute for Exploration top on your list for a close encounter with beluga whales and penguins. In our family’s opinion, the Mystic Aquarium is the best aquarium around. It offers both indoor and outdoor exhibits, has an amazing animal rescue and rehabilitation program, an indoor sea lion show, and plenty of exploring space for even the smallest of visitors. There are two well-staffed touch tanks where kids (and parents!) can hold and learn about New England sea creatures. Kids can crawl through a tunnel under the lobster tank and see life from an animal’s point of view in the Crittercam exhibit. Be sure to catch the sea lions at feeding time, as you won’t soon forget their loud hungry barking! Check the aquarium’s website before you go as they often host seasonal special events.
If you’re ready for lunch after your visit with the fishes, head down to Mystic Pizza on Main Street. Made famous by the Julia Roberts movie, this hot spot has some of the best pizza we have tasted. The restaurant is decorated with memorabilia from the film, which parents will enjoy. The kids will love the noisy, fun atmosphere and may even get a chance to take a tour of the kitchen where their lunch is being baked.
After lunch, be sure to wander around the Main Street area. There are plenty of unique places to window shop. The highlights of town for the kids are located near the bridge. Aside from the bridge itself, which is a bascule drawbridge built in 1920 and refurbished just last winter, Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream on the west side of the bridge is a favorite with locals and visitors alike. It’s a good place to stop for a treat and watch the bridge go up and down on a cold or rainy day. On the other side of the bridge is Mystical Toys, a local shop full of educational and specialty toys and books. If the kids have some energy left to burn, turn onto Cottrell Street and walk to the end. There you will find a great little fenced-in playground, providing a space for the kids to safely run around while Mom and Dad watch from a shaded bench.
After recharging, head over to the Mystic Seaport to learn all there is to know about maritime history. Older kids will enjoy seeing all of the restored historic ships (and building a model of their own), and the younger ones will appreciate the children’s museum, especially for kids 7 and under. Check out the “Fun For Kids” section of the Seaport’s website for a complete listing of age-appropriate activities.
If you have more than a day to spend in Mystic, consider visiting some of the lesser-known attractions that are favorites among locals. If you happen to be visiting in October or November, be sure to make a stop at B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill. The oldest steam-powered cider mill in the U.S., Clyde’s is a favorite for apple cider donuts and, of course, cider. You can watch the mill in action and buy all things cider in the shop on site, from candy to wine. Be warned that the lines for the cider-making demonstration and donuts can be rather daunting on a fall weekend, but the wait is definitely worth it!
If you have some budding artists in your family, consider a quick 10-minute drive north on Route 1 to the town of Stonington, where you will find Prescient Studios, an art glass gallery and factory. You may have already stopped into their other location, Studio Jeffrey P’an, when walking through Mystic. If you spoke to the owner, you might have learned that he always encourages kids to come check out the glass blowing in action at his factory. The artists at the factory are very welcoming and take time to describe the steps of glass blowing as they are creating. While there are shelves of beautiful art pieces on display at the factory, there is plenty of room to keep little hands a safe distance from the breakables.
On your way out of town, stop by the Mystic Market for some fresh-made treats or gourmet sandwiches for the road. From cookies and cupcakes to paninis and salads, there is sure to be something for everyone. If you happen to be celebrating a birthday while in Mystic, this is the best place around for gourmet cakes.
After your family’s first visit to Mystic, you’re sure to come home with your own list of places to visit the next time you return. And there is sure to be a next time!
Christy Newell is a 2011 Superoo, mom to two little explorers, ages 3 and 5, and married to the Coast Guard, which always keeps us in new adventures. We live our lives as perpetual tourists, treating each duty station like an extended vacation to experience all it has to offer. Keep up with her family at http://nomadicnewells.
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One of the traditions many families have is to attend a performance of the Nutcracker every holiday season. But what goes into such a complex performance? Superoo Michelle Brennan gives us a glimpse….
Starting on what is usually a very hot September day, some 60 plus aspiring ballerinas and ballet danseurs (the boys), ages 3 though teen, begin the audition process for Ballet Theater Company’s : The Nutcracker. It is hard to imagine as we start this process that there may well be snow on the ground and Christmas lights on the trees when we finish. This is the third year my family has been involved and the excitement for both myself and my daughters has not diminished.
In late September comes the mail with notification of your part and rehearsal schedule. Come October, the rehearsals begin. This year, my 9 year old daughter Natalie has 2 roles; one as a Baker in the Land of Sweets and the other as a Junior Party Girl in the opening scene where we are introduced to Clara and the Nutcracker. My 6 year old daughter Lauren is cast as an Angel with 9 other “angels”. There are roles for every gender and age, including parents who waltz during the party scene, boys that play soldiers and Fritz’ friends, and the most coveted role of Clara. The children work very hard every weekend to learn their choreography, and in the process, find out what it is like to be in a large professional stage production. During the last few weekends leading up to the performance, rehearsals are 4 or more hours long. The children need stamina and interest but there is not one child there, even down to the smallest 3 or 4 year old. that does not make it work.
As the production dates draws near we have serious rehearsals in front of us. On Monday we had a 4 hour technical rehearsal at the theater and Tuesday is our dress rehearsal. I say “we” because parents play an important role in the production. We are the back stage quick change artists, the makeup and hair stylists, chaperones, and overall green room organizers. During the production, we keep the children busy until they are “on” and direct them when they are off. The production begins on Wednesday the 15th with an outreach performance. During this event many children from surrounding disadvantaged areas are invited to experience the magic of theater and the ballet during the season of giving.
Photos by Phyllis Meredith
This year’s production is being directed by Roman Baca, an accomplished ballet dancer and director of the Exit 12 Dance Company based in New York City. He founded the dance company with two other ballerinas following active duty service as an assault man/machine gunner Marine in Iraq. His productions seem to always have a military spin and this year’s Nutcracker is no different. He and other professional dancers from his company play the starring roles in the production of the Nutcracker, as well as guest artists from other NYC troupes. These dancers are amazing and are inspiring role models for the children who have roles in the Nutcracker . In addition to Mr. Baca, a few of the dancers and their accomplishments include:
(*)Chatch Pregger: He has been a member of many ballet companies around the United States, including the Houston Ballet, Washington Ballet, Boston Ballet and Boston Ballet II. He has also danced with the Arizona Ballet, Hartford Ballet, and Texas Ballet Theatre.
Marie-Lorène Fichaux: She graduated from the Paris Opera Ballet School in France before completing her studies at the Ballet School of Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Italy. In 2000 she moved to England and joined The Royal Ballet of London.
Andrew Silks: He has trained on full scholarship at The Washington Ballet, Youth America Ballet, Boston Ballet, American Ballet Theatre and Ellison Ballet in New York City.
Mayo Kurokaw: She studied dance at Japan Jr. Ballet Company in Tokyo, Japan and Universal Ballet Academy.
Other amazing dancers include: Lisa Fitzgerald, Michael Wright, Jacquelyn Koehler, Kimberly Giannelli, Kendahl Ferguson, Crystal Danzer, Jessica Freitas, Paige Grimard. Hope Kroog and Maddie James- all equally credentialed.
The little ballet students watch the professionals in awe and some really get a chance to know them while they are housed in parent’s homes during performances and shuttled back and forth to the train station during the week by other parents. This gives the kids a chance to talk with the pros and find out more about the lifestyle of a ballerina.
As we draw near performance time, it is emotional to think of all the time and effort everyone has put into this show so that 60 children from around the greater Hartford area can dance in a full stage production with professionals in a grand setting. The executive director of BTC, Ms. Tracy Dorman, has a wealth of ballet experience, knowledge and connections. Without her, the production would not continue. We are also grateful for her helper elves from the studio that also put in LONG hours of work with no pay to make sure this is a professional and delightful production.
In addition to being in the production and loving every minute of the beautiful costumes, challenging choreography, and exposure to professional dancers, my girls have experienced and learned so much more. They have been afforded the opportunity of seeing a commitment through even when it interfered with playing goalie for a soccer team. They have made several good friends, some of which they met in years past and due to distance, only get to see through this activity. They have been mentored by older child dancers with more experience through a mentor program designed by BTC. They have seen the service parents have provided to stage a professional production. Finally, they have learned to love the stage. They feel confident performing, getting up in front of a group, and sharing the stage with true professionals. This year, I am particularly proud of my youngest daughter Lauren. Last year, she had just turned 5 during the rehearsal phase of the show. She was fine on stage and led her group marvelously but backstage she was a complete mess. She cried at every opportunity and was always looking for Mom. Although she has been studying ballet for 3 years, she said she would never dance in the Nutcracker again. This year when announcement of the audition date came, I had her brother ask her if she wanted to audition again… I did not want there to be undue pressure from me. She responded with an adamant yes and has not looked back. She goes to her rehearsals every week even when she is tired and takes it very seriously. I was peeking during one rehearsal and found her quieting another student who might have been losing focus. I can only hope that the tech/dress rehearsals and the performances go as well as the rest of the process has thus far gone.
And so another year of Nutcracker goes by. I have to be very organized during this part of the year due to the holiday season and all of the planning and activities that go into Christmas. Christmas cards have to be written early, shopping and wrapping completed before the start of the performances, baking in October and freezing all of my ‘must-bake’ cookies so as not to offend the non-Nutcracker personnel in our house ( Dad and 9 year old brother Mack who has not yet been convinced into the fun of participating) and planning my twins’ family birthday party which doubles as a holiday party… so the tree and decorations all have to be complete before December 12.
It is a crazy time of year for us. However, just one look at Natalie and Lauren’s faces when they have on their costumes, when they see a professional ballerina in her toe shoes as they try to imitate her, and when I see them take the stage…makes it all worth it!!!!!
Ballet Theater Company’s The Nutcracker will be performing at the Carol Autorino Center for the Arts and Humanities at St. Joseph College West Hartford, Connecticut December 16th through 19th 2010
*Thanks to Mr. Roman Baca for providing the dancer biographies and other Exit 12 dance company information.
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Michelle Brennan (meb123) is a Trekaroo Superoo 2010. Trekaroo is a reviews website dedicated to exploring and traveling with kids.
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The holiday season is officially here and for many of us, the season’s celebrations are not complete without a colorfully trimmed tree in our living room. Artificial trees have become more and more popular in recent years, but Christmas tree purists like myself scoff at the idea of putting our presents under anything but the real thing.
Some of my greatest Christmas memories involved my family walking around the Christmas tree farm for hours, in search of the perfect tree to saw down, only to return to the very first tree that caught our eye. Yes, we could have just as easily gone to Home Depot and picked up a tree from the masses that were stacked inside the garden department, but there was just something about cutting down our own tree that added to the tradition. No, it isn’t quite as authentic as tromping out into the woods, chopping down a tree, and carrying it back to our home through the snow, but for those us living in urban areas, a Christmas tree farm is as close to authenticity as we can get.
If your family is looking to cut down a tree for the first time this year, then I highly suggest you read our top ten tips for a successful trip to a Christmas tree farm. The list contains tips on everything from tree selection tips, to cutting advice, to tips on what to do once you get the tree home. Its a must read for first timers or folks who have been out of the tree cutting game for a while.
For families living in the Bay Area, be sure to check out our list of cut your own (U-cut) Christmas tree farms near San Francisco and Liling’s writeup of her family’s experiences at Christmas tree farms in the Bay Area.
If you live in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, we have a list of Choose and Cut Christmas tree farms in Southern California. Even though we may not exactly live in a winter wonderland, it doesn’t mean we can’t have a good old fashioned tree cutting experience!
For families living in the Pacific Northwest (aka Christmas tree central), be sure to view out list of U-cut Christmas tree farms in Oregon and Washington.
I was surprised to discover that even Florida has some Christmas tree farms! If you live in the Everglades State, be sure to check out our list Christmas tree farms in Florida.
Don’t worry, we didn’t forget about the Northeast. We have lists of Christmas tree farms in New York, U-cut spots in New Jersey, and choose and cut locations in Connecticut as well!
Still don’t see your neck of the woods on our lists? Help out fellow locals and create a list of your favorite choose and cut spots!
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Sharlene Earnshaw (aka doubleadventure) is Blogger-in-chief for Trekaroo and the blogger behind Double the Adventure.
Travel with kids to: CA | CO | DC | FL | HI | IL | MA | NC | NY | OR | PA | TN | TX | VA | WA
Let the fall festivities begin…
Pumpkin hurling? Oh yes! Where? In New Jersey at the Flying Pumpkin Festival , and Suffolk County Farm in New York. All over the US, kids are having a blast picking apples and pumpkins, catching an old fashioned hay ride or getting lost in a corn maze. Here are some of the best farms and festivals from Lydie at Trekaroo mom and keeper for Travel Is More Fun With Kids.
Pumpkin Patches:
- Pumpkin Patches that Kids Love in an Francisco
- The Best Pumpkin Patches Near Seattle
- The Most Popular Pumpkin Patches in the Tri-state Area (New York, New Jersey and Connecticut)
Harvest Festivals:
- Harvest Festivals and Oktoberfest Celebrations From San Francisco to Monterey/Carmel
- Fall Time Harvest Festivals in Washington State
- Popular Harvest Festivals in Manhattan and New York State
- Best Harvest Festivals for Kids in New Jersey
- Top Harvest Festivals for Kids in Connecticut
Photo by: www.flickr.com/photos/micahtaylor/1690423641
LiLing Pang is a contributing author on Trekaroo – a reviews site dedicated to exploring and traveling with kids.
Travel with kids to: CA | FL | HI | MA | NY | PA | TX | VA
