Timing is everything

STAY Down the road from the aquarium and only a two-minute drive from the seaport is the Hilton Mystic (20 Coogan Boulevard, www.hiltonmystic.com, 860-572-0731, rates from $74). Parking is easy and the large indoor pool is popular with kids unwinding after a long day of seeing the sights. Four blocks from the Amtrak station, the 49 rooms at the Whaler’s Inn (20 East Main Street, www.whalersinnmystic.com, 800-243-2588) are smack in the center of town. Rates for double rooms, including continental breakfast, start at $109 in winter.

DINE Off the beaten track, Somewhere in Time (3175 Gold Star Highway, www.somewhereintimecafe.com, 860-536-1985, $3-$10) might feel like somewhere in the middle of nowhere. But once you arrive and see the slew of people lined up for breakfast, you realize this is a local institution. Grab a mug of coffee and get ready to dig into the large selection of omelets, pancakes, and French toast. Nearby is B.F. Clyde’s (129 North Stonington Road, www.bfclydescidermill.com, 860-536-3354), open in 1881 and home to the oldest steam-powered cider mill in America. The mill won’t be running in December, but you can still come to the store and try the sweet cider, pumpkin bread, apple pies, and maple syrup. For Mystic pizza, try the new kid on the block, Pizzetta (7 Water St., www.pizzettamystic.com, 860-536-4443, $11-$18.50). Order one of their thin crust pizzas like pesto or white clam, and wash it down with a Connecticut microbrew, Mystic Bridge IPA. If you’re in the mood for steak frites, ribs, grilled salmon, or pasta dishes, try Azu (32 West Main Street, www.ckrestaurantgroup.com/azu, 860-536-6336, entrees $14-$26), which always has a festive feel, whether it’s before the holidays or after New Year’s. Top it off with a sundae or hot chocolate at Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream (2 West Main St., www.mysticdrawbridgeicecream.com, 860-572-7978), where homemade ice cream has been served at this same site for over 100 years.