26 Crazy and offbeat roadside attractions in Mystic (2024)

Went to the Mystic Aquarium and had a wonderful visit. Very educational and many interesting sea creatures to view and learn about. Many exhibits one can touch the animals, the visiting children were all ecstatic while learning about ocean life and conservation. A big shout out to the food prep there, I had a BLT that was really amazing! I highly recommend a trip to the Aquarium, quite fun.

We went for out first time as a family & it was worth the drive.Once you walk in, they take your photo, for later you can order a keep safe memory.The seal show was so cute, you're able to see the penguins swim through out the water. You'll see fishes,turtles, sharks, you can touch stingrays. They have an area for the smaller kids to play, you can have a boat race. Definitely a fun family day that the kids will enjoy.Also they have a lot of parking ! And a gift shop.

Had a super fun time at the aquarium! So many different animals and the staff was so attentive and kind, always coming up to us and explaining information about the animals. Seriously super cool and definitely a must see if in the area! Pro-tip buy tickets days or weeks in advance!! They’re always more expensive day of.

Mystic Aquarium in CT exceeded all my expectations! It's an incredible place that blends education, conservation, and entertainment seamlessly. The exhibits are beautifully designed, providing a captivating and immersive experience for visitors of all ages. From the majestic beluga whales to the playful penguins, each animal encounter left me in awe. The staff is knowledgeable and passionate, sharing fascinating insights about marine life and conservation efforts. The touch tanks were a highlight, allowing me to interact with gentle sea creatures up close. The aquarium's commitment to marine conservation and rescue efforts is commendable. It's an ideal destination for families, friends, and solo adventurers alike. I had a memorable and enjoyable time at Mystic Aquarium, and I can't wait to visit again!

What a wonderful treat to see and experience! Excellent viewing above and below water. California Sea Lion show was quite amusing. Nice, contained space but not too small making you want more.

Spent a nice Friday here with my daughter. They had a dinosaur exhibit that was free that day so we got to explore that which I'll say was awesome, so many interactive games for kids and a playground inside. If it wasn't free that day we wouldn't have spent the extra to experience it however it made it such a unique visit (after I've been there about 4x now) so I'm glad it was an option and I'll likely think twice next time about spending the extra.It's a beautiful aquarium and we really had a great time. Food options are nice there too. Staff is all nice.

Don’t miss the sea lion show like us. These are the show times when we were there: 11am, 1pm, 3pm. I’m not sure if it changes daily but you have to check. No extra admission fee. My advice is that you have to go all the way up to the theater entrance to see the sea lion show times so you will know and won’t miss the show because once it starts, the door is locked. We didn’t get to see it because we saw show times outside the ray touch pool and thought that was it. There was a show time listed at 4pm and went up to the theater at 3:30pm to find out that the last show started 30 minutes ago. I guess better luck next time for us. So may I suggest to the management, since1) the sea lion show is one of the major highlights of the visit,2) the aquarium admission fee is not cheap(good thing there’s no extra admission fee to see the sea lion show),3) you just can’t walk in at any time to see it, 4) show times are limited (11am, 1pm, 3pm only and we got there past 2pm),5) the walk to the theater entrance is not a short distance,6) some visitors travel a long distance (so they would want to make the most out of their visit)to maybe overhead page 10-15 minutes prior to the show times or to have the show times posted in the bottom of the stairs of the theater or anywhere in the aquarium that’s easily visible, so visitors, especially the ones who don’t know that there’s a sea lion show, can be made aware and can just look at the show times quickly then enjoy other activities while waiting. Thank you.Otherwise we had an amazing experience which would’ve been more amazing had we not missed the sea lion show.Parking is free. Better to buy tickets online prior to coming so you don’t have to stand in line. Staff are friendly and pleasant.

This is an amazing family experience. While their beluga whales are amazing, their indoor sea lion show is even better and their dinoseas indoor exhibit is a family favorite. This is a real treasure of Mystic and Connecticut, and makes for a great day trip. The restaurant also has pretty decent food choices. Enjoy!

A very nice aquarium, with amazing beluga whales, sea lions and penguins all outdoor,as well as the indoor aquarium. Disappointing that for the steep price, the virtual reality experience, as well as the dinosaur exhibit has additional expensive prices. Mostly helpful and friendly staff. Could have been a more information to when show and feeding times are.

A smaller aquarium but fun for all ages. A normal visit will be about one to two hours depending on what you want to see. Everything is nicely organized and usually not over crowded. It's a great time for the family if they have an interest in aquatic life, with plenty of exhibits and interactive ones.

Went here for a day trip and it was fantastic. The exhibits are wonderful and great for people of all ages. The aquarium was clean and the staff was friendly. All of the staff was so nice and genuinely seemed like they enjoyed their jobs. The staff was knowledgeable and great with younger kiddos. We arrived early which was good because the parking lot is fairly small for how high the demand is. It was $44 per person but you can spend all day there. The jellyfish and the touch tanks were the best in my opinion. Overall, we really enjoyed our trip and will be back in the future.

Oh my goodness! This is the best aquarium I've been in my life so far! I've been to a lot of aquarium Sea World in Australia and Florida and many places in USA this is by far the best so far I've been! It's an hour drive for us but is worth it! We watched 4D theatres twice inside Dino Seas which is seasonal fromFlorida we have to pay extra! We came to mystic for free for me and my 3 kids under the Ct summer museum program for residents! We watched sea lions show indoor arena! We will have to find Africa penguins later! There's so much to do here! It's amazing!

Amazing. Lots for the kids to do and fun as a grown up too. The California Seals show was great, but so were all of the other features of the aquarium. There's a lot to do outdoors there too.

My first time at this aquarium, and it was amazing how they had plenty of rental wheelchairs, and most tanks were easily viewed from that level.It was a lot of walking, and I have a number of injuries still healing. I was grateful for the option of using the wheelchair like a walker or sitting and being pushed when needed.We LOVED the mermaid exhibit! My only comment would be that I ended up waiting in line twice because the woman sending people to wait at various windows sent my brother and I (our group) and then asked if it was okay if another group joined. I said I had waited half an hour to have the experience and to get a picture. She added three kids to our window anyway and the mermaid didn’t interact with my brother and I at all, just the kids. We got no picture and had to go back in line for another one.Adults like mermaids too!!! By the time we got in like the second time I did get to interact with the mermaid but not a good picture because my brother had given up and was sitting across the way.I was just disappointed is all. He came all the way from NY for this. We were so excited, and we just wanted to be treated like equals with the kids, in terms of wanting the experience.

Took my toddler and 7&9 year old niece and nephew there with my sister in law last Saturday. We had a great time. We walked around the tanks for an hour and then saw the sea lion show. It was a great activity to do to get out of the house in the winter. We reserved tickets through our EBT cards and the admission was free!!! Definitely a plus😁

We brought our oldest child for a preparatory tour/ sleep over at the USCGA and my youngest and I needed something to do. We found this place. It is absolutely amazing and totally worth the money.We stayed for hours! If you have young kids make sure you splash out the extra 12 for the Dino thing...little kids adore it!.The staff was professional, the exhibits were amazing, and we just had a fantastic time!

I bought tickets online but there are tickets boths/ digital ticket atm just outside the main entrance. So no issue.Plenty of free parking spaceThe place is fantastic Marine life experience specifically for kids. White whales, turtles, sharks, penguins, stingrays, sharks, tortoises, jelly fishes etc. Kids play areaStaff is so friendly and engaging.Kids loved The sea lion show.Many species of fishes and marine life.Overall a great experience.

I was thinking of going somewhere fairly close , within an hours ride, to do something out of the ordinary. I came up with the Mystic Aquarium. I brought my 17yr old son along. I wasn't sure ifhe would still enjoy it as an older teenager but he really liked it, not in a way that a young child would but with a more scientific point of view as well as a healthy dose of teenage boy gross humor describing various fish and animals.Gross descriptions aside, it's a great place to go to see fish from all over the world as well as the displays of local fish and wildlife.There are outdoor exhibits with seals, penguins and Beluga whales. Indoors it has interactive exhibits ,where you can "pet" some of the fish as well as an outdoor tent where you can pet some Cow nose rays.There is also a California sea lion show which was both fun and educational.You can take your time while there but you have to purchase tickets in advance for a specific time. If you just show up like I did they have kiosks where you can pick a time and buy your tickets . Luckily for us there were openings for the time that we got there so we were able to go right in. It's such a big place that it probably could accommodate you when you get there but if you want to be safe I would go online and purchase in advance.Masks are required indoors so make sure you bring one.We spent about 2and 1/2 hours there which was enough time to see the exhibits and a show but I would have liked an extra half hour to an hour to go thru the exhibits a little more slowly.We got there at 130 and it closed early(4pm) because it was New Years Eve.I would allow about three hours to see it all especially if you have small children in tow.All in all a great experience! Enjoy!

A very cute aquarium! The prices have gone up immensely but I know they are an intricate part to supporting and maintaining marine wildlife off our New England coasts.I wish the signage to the marine life had said where they were from. We love learning about where each animal comes from and there are not enough verbiage to educate.The staff needs to have a stronger voice to the ignorant and blatantly irresponsible patronage who do not follow the rules. Washing your hands, using the two finger pet rule and avoiding certain areas of the petting pools is so dang important. Repeating the rules in a passive aggressive manner does not make people listen. Back bones and strong representation to the aquarium recommended.Otherwise, a beautiful clean aquarium for the public to be enjoy. Kid friendly. Handicapable friendly. Educational to a point thanks to the staff.

It's decent size and nice for a visit. We had a pleasant time. You have to buy time slot tickets either at the door or possibly online. We were unaware and had to wait two hours before we could enter. We grabbed lunch and walked around Mystic Village which was enjoyable.It is very crowded most days so expect to be in the vicinity of others. Don't expect to immediately be able to experience an exhibit without first having to wait and take turns with other patrons.The animals seem generally happy. The exhibits are clean and the aquariums are too. It's difficult to truly get a full learning experience because of the crowds however the staff is mostly knowledgeable.There are interactive areas for children, information hubs for different exhibits, and a few regionally themed aquariums that were interesting.We paid extra for the dino exhibit. It was interesting with life sized robotic dinosaurs. If you have experienced something like this before it's probably similar to what you have experienced albeit it was nicely done.Overall if you've never been to an aquarium this is a decent experience. I probably won't go again just because of the crowds, it made it difficult to enjoy what they had to offer. Four stars because they do what they do pretty well but for me it wasn't anything I haven't experienced somewhere before.

If you're going to go more than once, which I recommend, just get a membership. Tourist season in Mystic is impossible for any reason, and the aquarium is no exception, but it's definitely worth frequent visits the rest of the year. I'm still glad I get to see a variety of pinnipeds here, but I wish the California Sea Lions could be enjoyed in a regular habitat, not just the theater tank. The facility is tidy and the staff looks genuinely happy to be there.

You must go here!! One of the best aquariums I have ever visited! Seeing multiple beluga whales in person and interacting with them through the glass is something I will never forget. The aquarium has a huge outdoor section with several cool exhibits — beluga whales, seals, penguins. The indoor section is great as well with a large variety and tanks and exhibits. The sea lion “show” was both entertaining and educational, shedding light on some ways to be more environmentally friendly!

BUY TICKETS AHEAD OF TIME! Nice place. Smaller than the Boston aquarium. Fun interactive things to do and GREAT customer service!!! We went at 9am and people were already waiting in line. So pre-buy tickets! All the staff that we came in contact with provided excellent knowledge about the animals, facility and area. We went on a long holiday weekend. If I was to go again I would go at a time with less kids.

We were excited to go here because my son-in-law had been when he was a small child. The price was almost enough to make us leave. I have been to much better aquariums for half the price. We did enjoy the outside part the most.

Bit expensive but nice. I hadn't been in years. Lots of useful information about exhibits. Food is pricey also. They have 4 squished penny machines. Gift shops are pricey. Could not find any discounts. The Seal show was great. Liked the beluga whales. Many exhibits cost extra so be aware. Most exhibits are outside so bring water and sunscreen.

There are indoor and outdoor exhibits and several hands-on activities for kids. However, it wasn't as big as I hoped it would be. Still a good attraction for children though. They offer free admission for active and retired military members and a discounted fee for family members.

We have been here quite a few times and it never gets boring! Sad that the penguins area was out due to construction but well be back again. The beluga are always happy and the sea lion show was spectacular as usual. They updated it! Enjoy some of our photos and the video of the beluga saying hi

What a fun place! It’s not the biggest aquarium in the country but it makes up for it in guest service and interesting exhibits. The sea lion show was cheesy but cute. The main gallery had interactive exhibits and lots of interesting info. We saw the sea lion feeding and the attendants did a great job of explaining their actions and behavior of the animals. And of course the belugas were so dang cool! If we lived closer, we would definitely get season passes but a trip every year is definitely warranted!

Great aquarium with both inside and outside exhibits. Highly recommend going when the weather is nice. My 20 month old had a blast here!

Not to crowded, was able to get a good view of all the animals. Food is a bit expensive but not horrible. Spent about 2 hours inside. Saw the sea lion show. Lots of informative staff around to offer knowledge and answer questions. Animals were active.

A bit pricy for the size, but there are some attractions that make up for it.The stingray encounter is a fun thing for the kids to do, touch and feed. The beluga whales are fun to watch as well as the penguins and the sea lion show, albeit short, it was entertaining.Slightly overcrowded today, but as expected for Labor Day weekend.Overall, it's an enjoyable destination, but far from the best aquarium I've been to and if all were same distance from my home, this wouldn't be my first choice but it's still a worthwhile spot while in Mystic.

We had so much fun at Mystic Aquarium! The highlights of my trip were seeing the penguins, beluga whales, and the sea lion show! If you are debating whether or not to see the show, I highly recommend watching it (great experience for both kids and adults). I’d recommend getting there a little early to get a good seat and there’s a little bit of audience participation at the front middle row if you’d like that.Inside the aquarium, there were a few interactive exhibits where you could touch the fish or crustacean and one where you learn about waste.All the staff were very nice and welcoming. We had a really wonderful time seeing all the animals. Overall, highly recommend this aquarium!

The place is big. The workers are all very kind. They will answer all your questions. They have a few touch tanks. The place was kept up really well. The feedings were my favorite parts to watch with all of them.

Wonderful aquarium experience! It was a super hot day today though - I recommend going in the Fall or Spring when the temps are NOT in the 90s.The Beluga whale and Sea Lion feedings were extremely cool to see.

My daughter, dad, and I came here to celebrate my birthday Labor Day weekend. Despite it being very crowded, we had a great time. We got there at 9 am. to avoid too many lines and crowds.We decided to go to Dino Seas first as I wanted my daughter to do her thing first. We spent about an hour here. It was nice as it was air-conditioned. When you first walk in, there's a giant sharks jaw you can stand behind and take a picture, with a holder for your phone conveniently a few feet in front. There are games for kids, short 3D movies, large figures with their descriptions on the wall, a play area, as well as fish, reptiles, and amphibians displays.By the time we made it out of there, the place was packed, but we made our way to the seals,sea lions, and penguin outdoor displays. We also saw beluga whales, which I had never seen, which was super cool, but I do worry about their welfare.After that, we went inside and saw all the cool fish and shark displays. Spent some time at the very crowded but very cool touch tank. Tried to be patient with the crowd and just be able to take in as many tanks as we could. The jellyfish were definitely a favorite. 🪼After that we went to the sea lion show. We got there 30 mins early so we could sit in the front. By the time the show started, it was packed, so if you are there with small children, the elderly, or disabled I recommend getting there early. The show itself was great. Even my grouchy 11 year old liked it. The sea lions and their trainers are very smart and funny.We took 1 last look around outside before we left and headed for the giftshop. Being a financially challenged family, we opted for smaller souvenirs like a magnet, a pin, and a small novelty toy for our daughter.I had a great time and didn't really have any problems. It was cool to see all the animals and all the employees were kind and helpful.

I recently visited Mystic Aquarium and had an overall enjoyable experience. The beluga exhibit was definitely a highlight, though I did feel that the space seemed a bit small for four belugas. Still, watching them up close was magical. The seal show was a little cheesy but did a great job teaching kids (and adults) about environmental responsibility, especially how not to be wasteful.For families, the water table for the kids was a big hit! However, if you have young children under six, be aware that they may be too small to touch the stingrays and sand sharks, which was a little disappointing for the younger ones in our group.My main drawback was the price. At nearly $50 for an adult on the weekend, it felt a bit steep. That said, it’s a great educational and interactive experience, especially for families.

Do arrive by their opening, so you can secure proper parking. The first seal show is at 11 AM, which was amazing. Play with sharks and sting rays. Learn more about the Long Island Sound and the technology inspired by it. Explore the aquatic life of the Amazon. Best of all use various links to go on a listening tour. The staff are friendly, so ask for help and directions. This is a place to frequent often, so get a membership to enhance your learning.

A little expensive for what you get. The outside animals have people educating you about them. The inside is nice. The Dinosaur area costs extra for some reason. If it was included the price would be worth it.

AWESOME aquarium for kids and adults. Exhibits were fantastic. Animals seemed happy! Live feedings were fun, especially the sea lions in the theater!

This aquarium was amazing, so much to see and do. We fed sting rays, the touch tanks were very cool, plus the sea lion show was very entertaining. We loved it all

Very cool aquarium to visit. The beluga whales are clearly the stars of the show here. The aquarium boasts seals, penguins, sea lions, and obviously fish, crustaceans, corals. Overall, very nice place to visit for 3 hours, lots of kid friendly stations and activities. Highly recommend.

I’ve always loved it here! I hadn’t been since my 16 yr old was 2. I would visit more often but it’s on the pricey side and to go with the whole family would just break our budget. I recently found out that if you have an EBT card and you reside in CT or RI you and up to 3 other people get in for free! All you need is your card and ID. Something to consider if you’ve been wanting to visit but it’s out of your price range for a day trip.The park is clean and welcoming. The staff are very nice and knowledgeable. The aquatic animals seem happy and well taken care of. It was a beautiful day at the aquarium.

This aquarium is great every single time it truly never gets old! It’s such a beautiful place and you can tell the animals are taken care of and loved. Everyone who works there is very informative!

One of my favorite places to bring my preschool age daughter. She loves the kids outdoor climbing area and water table. As she gets older it’s been fun to see how much she enjoys looking at all the animal exhibits too!

We went on a rainy day and it was amazing. We saw all the animals and my kids had a blast. The staff is friendly, kind and accommodating.The animals are all very happy.My sons really enjoyed the sea lion show.Can’t wait to go back.

It was an amazing experience f0r my oldest kids. If you have a child on the spectrum be careful it gets very loud busy and disorienting for a spectacular child. She did enjoy the tanks but wanted to swim with the fishes literally

Very nice aquarium with a good selection of animals! The displays were informative and talked about the animals and the environment in an approachable way. Gets a bit crowded but still manageable.

We recently visited Mystic Aquarium for the first time, and it was an absolutely amazing experience! From the moment we walked in, we were captivated by the incredible range of exhibits and the dedication to marine life conservation and education.The aquarium offers a variety of exhibits that cater to all ages. We were particularly fascinated by the Arctic Coast exhibit, where we had the chance to see majestic beluga whales up close. The Pacific Northwest exhibit was another highlight, featuring playful sea lions and seals. The interactive touch tanks were a big hit, allowing us to get hands-on with rays and small sharks. The Jelly Gallery, with its mesmerizing displays of jellyfish, was both beautiful and educational.One of the most commendable aspects of Mystic Aquarium is their support for veterans and active-duty military personnel. They offer free admission to veterans and active-duty members, which is a wonderful gesture of appreciation. Additionally, family members receive a $10 discount on their tickets, making it an affordable outing for the whole family.The staff at Mystic Aquarium were friendly and knowledgeable, always ready to share interesting facts and answer our questions. The facilities were clean and well-maintained, ensuring a comfortable visit for everyone.Overall, Mystic Aquarium provided a fun, educational, and memorable day for our family. We highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great aquarium experience. Don’t miss out on this incredible destination!

Great way to spend an afternoon. Small but nice aquarium in Connecticut. There is a great play area called Seal Pup Play Place for toddlers and young kids with marine theme. Loved the nature trail with lots of lotus flowers. Excited to see the remaining beluga whales which were moved from Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ontario. There were nurse sharks, California sea lions, seals, sting rays, jellyfish, etc. Sea lion show was around 15 minutes long.Parking is free. It was not too busy on a weekday and we got a spot right by the entrance. No outside food allowed, but they have picnic area outside. Outside drinks were fine but we had to throw out the straws so they are not a danger to the animals.Bought tickets online same day for $40 and it was the same price in person. If you buy online in 1-2 weeks in advance, it’s cheaper. No cash accepted but they have machines that you can exchange cash for a prepaid card to buy tickets.Extra charge for non-members for dinosaur exhibit.Employees are helpful, friendly and knowledgeable and provided facts about the exhibits.

So fun! There are so many things to do here. We got there bright and early and had bought our tickets online so we got right in. It was a lot less crowded in the early morning. It’s about half inside and half outside. They have feeding schedules posted for each out door animal. There are workers at each station telling you all about the animals which was neat and they answer questions. There is an outdoor play area for smaller kids(8 and under) it is in the shade. Definitely lets the kids get some energy out. There are so many add ins throughout the aquarium. My daughter did the hurricane simulator and loved it. Only $6. There are a few touch tanks: shark, star fish, sting ray etc. the food and drinks are over priced but that’s to be expected. The dinoseas was a nice add on which wasn’t too expensive. They have quite a few interactive activities, a kids play area, 2 4D movies and some neat animatronic dinos and turtles. This is all indoors. The sea lion show was awesome! It is less than 30 minutes. Very entertaining and interactive. You are able to come and go as you please you just need a stamp before you leave. Great experience and pretty affordable. Recommend dining elsewhere or packing from home. The food is tasty but pricey.

It’s always amazing to visit here at Mystic Aquarium. My toddler loved it! The gentle giants beluga whales❤️. Food options are less but overall awesome and don’t miss the sea lions show.

It was spring break week, so a lot of families. First time visit and love the attractions of sea life. Staff was attentive and willing to answer questions. Unfortunately, I only had a few hours there, but I enjoyed our time immensly.

This aquarium serves as an enjoyable excursion for families and couples alike. My spouse and I visited the aquarium and had a pleasant experience. The animals appeared to be well-cared for, and the staff demonstrated attentiveness to their needs. We express our gratitude to Mystic Aquarium for providing us with a delightful and memorable getaway.

Surprised my cousin who turned 60 years old the day of our visit! We had a nice time. We especially appreciated the knowledgeable host/ hostess at the exhibits that were open to all of our questions. We enjoyed the cleanliness of the place as well.

This is a very nice small aquarium. You can go through most of the aquarium in a few hours. It is mostly outdoors- so keep that in mind. It was a bit pricey, but at least you know the money is going back to the animals. I like that they have live people at each animal area who are spitting out facts about the animals and who are available to answer any questions you have about them. This is very nice to have even during the times it's not a feeding time or special event. We did not do the dino experience, so I can not comment on that. We went with someone who had a lower body injury. We were able to borrow a wheelchair. There are some inclines and declines, so be aware you need someone strong to push said chair. Would go back in a few years.

Had the best day ever 🙌🏼 it’s very clean and organized and the animals are well taken care of. The staff is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the animals and friendly/eager to teach you about them. My friend and I had a great experience and will be back definitely ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️