Mystic Seaport

Mystic, Conn., is about 100 miles south of Boston, about a two-hour drive. Take Interstate 95 south to exit 90 and pick up Route 27 south. In a mile, parking for Mystic Seaport will be on the left. What to do Mystic Seaport: The Museum of American and the Sea 75 Greenmanville Ave. 888-973-2767; 860-572-5317 www.mysticseaport.org Daily through October, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., November-March, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Adults $17; seniors, active military, college students $15; children $9; under 6 free.

A dozen years ago the recreation of the Amistad was launched at Mystic Seaport to great fanfare. The schooner, which tells an inspiring story of freedom and interracial cooperation, made its official debut at OpSail 2000 in New York Harbor and then began annual tours of ports across the country, attracting large crowds wherever it went. In the spring of 2010, its parent organization, New Haven-based Amistad America, took the schooner to Cuba, where the story of the original ship began in 1839.

MYSTIC, Conn. - One of the nation's leading maritime museums, with more than 300,000 annual visitors, will serve up drinks, hors d'oeuvres, and stories surrounding Bill McCoy, the infamous Florida boat builder turned Prohibition hero. This Saturday, Mystic Seaport: The Museum of America and the Sea and its co-sponsor, Flat Hammock Press, invites lecturer and editor Robert McKenna to discuss "Rum Runners, the Prohibition Battle and a Sip of the Real McCoy. " Behind the famous phrase, "It's the real McCoy," lies a legend of a man who built a bootlegging empire worth millions during...

Elizabeth Hutchinson has been named curator of the Mattapoisett Historical Society's museum at 5 Church St. She will replace Bette Roberts, who is retiring after almost 25 years in the position. Hutchinson has served in a variety of positions at the South Street Seaport Museum in New York City, and also the Mystic Seaport in Connecticut and Old Sturbridge Village. She is a resident of Mattapoisett, and a former teacher at the Wheeler School in Providence. - Paul Kandarian

MYSTIC, Conn. -- The contributions of African-Americans to this country's maritime history are the focus of Mystic Seaport's "Black Hands, Blue Seas: The Maritime Heritage of African Americans" exhibit through next March. Videos, photographs, and artifacts show African-Americans, some slaves and others free men, as shipbuilders, fishermen, cargo deliverers, military men, steamship owners, and explorers. Matthew Henson, who accompanied Robert E. Peary on his historic 1909 exploration of the North Pole, is one focus.

MYSTIC, Conn. - Did 19th-century children and parents suffer cabin fever in the depths of winter? We can't say for sure. But we do know that Mystic Seaport, a re-creation of a historic coastal village and shipyard, has planned a week of activities for 21st-century families looking for something to do between Christmas and New Year's Day. Aboard the 1841 wooden whaling ship Charles W. Morgan, storytellers share tales of how seamen celebrated the...

MYSTIC, Conn. -- Let me guess: You visited Mystic Seaport as a kid on a school field trip and haven't been back since. You're not alone. "People constantly tell us they haven't been here since they were little," says Mystic Seaport spokesman Peter Glankoff. "We hear that even more than the question, 'Where's the men's room?' " This phenomenon has some folks at Mystic Seaport: The Museum of American and the Sea, as it's officially called, scratching their heads. Why, they wonder, does it take so long for a return visit?

Elizabeth Hutchinson has been named curator of the Mattapoisett Historical Society's museum at 5 Church St. She will replace Bette Roberts, who is retiring after almost 25 years in the position. Hutchinson has served in a variety of positions at the South Street Seaport Museum in New York City, and also the Mystic Seaport in Connecticut and Old Sturbridge Village. She is a resident of Mattapoisett, and a former teacher at the Wheeler School in Providence. - Paul Kandarian

MYSTIC, Conn. - With Christmas over Thursday, and the kids home for the next week, you'd better have something up your sleeve to keep the monkeys at bay. Fret not, with programs like Holiday Magic week at Mystic Seaport. Start your visit aboard the tall ship L.A. Dunton, in Mystic Harbor, and travel back in time as the museum staff regales you with tales of sailors, captains, and their families who were at sea during the holidays. Then head inside to check out the museum's newest exhibition, "Frozen In: Captain Comer and the Hudson Bay Inuit," and learn about the East Haddam seafarer...

Conveniently located halfway between Boston and New York on the Interstate 95 corridor, Mystic has always been a popular day trip, especially in the height of summer when many families are making an annual road trip. Set foot in Mystic Seaport on a July weekend and this re-creation of a 19th-century seaside village feels more like Ellis Island during the height of immigration. And good luck getting that glimpse of the beluga whales at nearby Mystic Aquarium, standing behind row after row of onlookers.

If you want to learn more - a lot more - about lobsters, you're in luck this season. London-based Reaktion books has published two volumes on the topic, both titled "Lobster," both by New England authors. As each explores the history, culture, and lore of the cherished crustacean, there's invariably a bit of overlap. Both authors are accidental lobster scholars. "When I took up the topic, I didn't know much about other lobsters around the world," says Richard J. King, a lecturer on literature of the sea in the Maritime Studies Program of Williams College and Mystic Seaport, and...

Conveniently located halfway between Boston and New York on the Interstate 95 corridor, Mystic has always been a popular day trip, especially in the height of summer when many families are making an annual road trip. Set foot in Mystic Seaport on a July weekend and this re-creation of a 19th-century seaside village feels more like Ellis Island during the height of immigration. And good luck getting that glimpse of the beluga whales at nearby Mystic Aquarium, standing behind row after row of onlookers.

When you think of this coastal town, you probably don’t think of Mystic Seaport, Mystic Aquarium, or “Mystic Pizza,’’ neither the place nor the motion picture. But you should. That’s because Mystic is not a town but a village of Stonington. And now it will come as no surprise that Stonington, with its beautiful water views, quaint inns, unique shopping options, and interesting attractions, attracts many couples and singles looking for a weekend away. Stay The Inn at Stonington (60 Water St., 860-535-2000, www.innatstonington.com,...

It’s easy to embrace the holiday spirit in New England. Twinkling lights entwine lampposts, windows, and the spindly branches of trees, brightening the cold, dark days. Homes are bedecked in holly and bows. Snowflakes swirl, carolers sing, and hot chocolate appears on every menu. Pity the poor Floridians. Santa in sunglasses? Not our style. Whether you commemorate the season with latkes or sugar plums, or by howling at the moon, there are plenty of opportunities to celebrate with light and song.

MYSTIC, Conn. - With Christmas over Thursday, and the kids home for the next week, you'd better have something up your sleeve to keep the monkeys at bay. Fret not, with programs like Holiday Magic week at Mystic Seaport. Start your visit aboard the tall ship L.A. Dunton, in Mystic Harbor, and travel back in time as the museum staff regales you with tales of sailors, captains, and their families who were at sea during the holidays. Then head inside to check out the museum's newest exhibition, "Frozen In: Captain Comer and the Hudson Bay Inuit," and learn...

MYSTIC, Conn. - One of the nation's leading maritime museums, with more than 300,000 annual visitors, will serve up drinks, hors d'oeuvres, and stories surrounding Bill McCoy, the infamous Florida boat builder turned Prohibition hero. This Saturday, Mystic Seaport: The Museum of America and the Sea and its co-sponsor, Flat Hammock Press, invites lecturer and editor Robert McKenna to discuss "Rum Runners, the Prohibition Battle and a Sip of the Real McCoy. " Behind the famous phrase, "It's the real McCoy," lies a legend of a man who built a bootlegging empire worth millions...

When you think of this coastal town, you probably don’t think of Mystic Seaport, Mystic Aquarium, or “Mystic Pizza,’’ neither the place nor the motion picture. But you should. That’s because Mystic is not a town but a village of Stonington. And now it will come as no surprise that Stonington, with its beautiful water views, quaint inns, unique shopping options, and interesting attractions, attracts many couples and singles looking for a weekend away. Stay The Inn at Stonington (60 Water St., 860-535-2000, www.innatstonington.com, $150-$445)

A dozen years ago the recreation of the Amistad was launched at Mystic Seaport to great fanfare. The schooner, which tells an inspiring story of freedom and interracial cooperation, made its official debut at OpSail 2000 in New York Harbor and then began annual tours of ports across the country, attracting large crowds wherever it went. In the spring of 2010, its parent organization, New Haven-based Amistad America, took the schooner to Cuba, where the story of the original ship began in 1839.

MYSTIC, Conn. - Did 19th-century children and parents suffer cabin fever in the depths of winter? We can't say for sure. But we do know that Mystic Seaport, a re-creation of a historic coastal village and shipyard, has planned a week of activities for 21st-century families looking for something to do between Christmas and New Year's Day. Aboard the 1841 wooden whaling ship Charles W. Morgan, storytellers share tales of how seamen celebrated the...

Thanks to actress Julia Roberts, this maritime community may be best known as the home of Mystic Pizza, the modest pizzeria that turned into an instant tourist attraction when it became the setting for the 1988 movie named after it. But Mystic's true fame is rooted in its rich nautical history. Situated at the mouth of the Mystic River near the state's easternmost shoreline, this seafaring village was once a thriving fishing, whaling, and shipbuilding center. Today, Mystic has preserved its maritime past while also drawing visitors with contemporary attractions.