Each year, with the exception last year, for the last 6 years, I have taken the kids on a three day adventure to Mystic, CT.
With a 3 hour drive it's easy to do in a day and not stay over, but we try to fit a lot in in 48 hours. This year was extra special! We invited 2 other homeschooling moms and their children to join us! Three moms,8 kids and lots of fun.
Some advice before we begin our journey:
- Go on the off season so you can see more and do more without crowds.
- Stay in a hotel that offers FREE breakfast - saves you some money and gets an early start on adventure.
- If you want do to the Mystic Seaport and Aquarium then purchase the Sea Pass, saves you 15%.
- Bring your bathing suit for some swim time (if your hotel has a pool)
We stayed at our usual place, Hampton Inn, Groton CT (only 5 minutes from the Mystic exit and 50 bucks cheaper per night than the Mystic location) We love Hampton Inns. With the free WiFi, hot breakfast, 4pm snacks (warm gooey cookies) and newly renovated rooms we couldn't go wrong.
Top Left: First order of business when we arrived was the pool. We were the only ones there using it and it got loud..lol
Top Right: stopped at the first rest area into CT for our picnic lunch.
Bottom Left: At night we take over the lobby (leaving some space for others to spread out of course) with games, scavenger hunts, fellowship time and oh the complementary hot chocolate and tea!
Bottom Right: A pic before heading out to the seaport for the day.
This is our visit to the Submarine Base Museum where we learned about submarines including a chance to tour a real one in the water. The children LOVED the room where you can control the sub yourself. This is up from the hotel at the Groton Exit. Never disappoints.
NOTE: They are only open Wednesday - Monday, free admission, donations accepted, free parking, picnic tables outside available.
On the way home we hit the ever popular PEZ factory and museum. The staff had this great BINGO game ready for visitors and the kids quickly got to work. With a $ 5 admission fee and they give you a $ 2 credit towards a purchase and a free PEZ for completing the BINGO, it's a break even price point and a ton of FUN! This is a working factory also where we can watch them make the PEZ and package it up. NOTE: Only 2 miles off the exit on 95.
Out visit to the Mystic Aquarium is always a fun time. SO much to see and the shows are fabulous!
Our biggest day out was the day we went to the Mystic Seaport. So much to see, do and learn. The seaport staff is so friendly and always ready to teach us about life way back when. We were able to go aboard several ships and ask a ton of questions.
(plan on the better part of a day here. We got there at 9:30 and left at 3:30 and could have done more)
You can't take a trip to Mystic without stopping by and enjoying some yummy Mystic Pizza. The movie is playing on a loop at the restaurant. The memorabilia is fun to look at around the place also.
Ice cream stop on the water was a MUST before leaving this quaint town.
If you have some extra time, walking the shops downtown is a lot of fun! We did not have any down time in this trip so we have to let that one go until next year.
One night we did a fine dining night at Captain Daniel Packer Inne. I made a reservation a head of time since we had a large group. We have eaten here before. The food is EXCELLENT and they have a children's menu. (side note- anytime we went out of the hotel, we did not allow electronic devices to come with us..it was heaven for us!)
In other news....The girls had their last Homeschool Presentation day at the library, the day we got back from our trip. This month the topic was Biography. Molly did Walt Disney and Sammie did Bruce Lee.
Our kitchen remodel has begun (last week) and we are using the bbq grill as much as we can. I have a make shift kitchen set up in the basement also with most of the essentials needed. Kinda like between a kitchen and camping. Doing the dishes is the toughest part of the process.
That bees nest was found by our contractor in our ceiling of the kitchen. It was a nice speciman and had been abandoned years ago.
WOW Fun week last week! We are back to school this week (book work) and leaving Friday for our first camping trip of the season. They are calling for 90% chance of rain...haha...oh well...
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL THE MOMS OUT THERE.
Until next time - be blessed!
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