Dec 18, 2008 7:58 - By: Darren Farrington
Of all the vacation attractions in Connecticut, I think that Mystic Seaport in Mystic most defines the state’s history. From the seventeenth century, a naturally protected shoreline on Long Island Sound has provided safe harbors for trading, fishing and whaling ships. In 1929, Mystic Seaport—the Museum of America and the Sea—was founded as a maritime museum of these tall ships, ship building, and a recreated nineteenth-century coastal town. My family has a membership there which pays for itself with just two or three visits each year.
It won’t surprise anyone who knows me to learn that my favorite time of year at the Seaport is summer. Even in winter though—and especially around the holidays—there are some fantastic programs going on for visitors. This year Time.com listed Mystic Seaport as the number two holiday destination in the United States. Here are its three most popular holiday attractions.
Lantern Light Tours
Lantern Light Tour at Mystic Seaport
This is much more than a tour—it’s a show that moves its audience from place to place. Groups are greeted by a costumed guide who’ll bring them through the town on Christmas Eve in the year 1876. Based on the premise that the town is putting on a production of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, the tour blends Seaport history with the familiar Christmas ghost story.
Tours run through December 28 on scheduled dates and reservations are strongly recommended. Admission fees and other details can be found at the Seaport website.
Carol Sing
On December 21, the Seaport hosts its annual Community Carol Sing which attracts thousands of visitors each year. Even better? If you bring a canned food to be donated to charity, your admission is free. All ships, buildings and exhibits will open at 10 a.m., the Seaport’s carolers perform at 2 p.m., and at 3 p.m. the Community Carol Sing begins.
The Community Carol Sing attracts thousands to Mystic Seaport.
Another great attraction to take in this day is at the Seaport’s planetarium. The Star of Bethlehem is a show about “the splendor of the winter skies, merging science, mythology, religious observance, winter traditions and music.” (I didn’t think I could paraphrase that great description.) The planetarium program runs hourly from noon through 3 p.m. and does require an additional admission of $2.50 ($2.25 for members), but it’s worth it.
Holiday Magic
We all know that museums sometimes bore kids to tears. And I literally mean tears. But even my seven year-old has been enjoying Mystic since she was about two. There are playscapes (for warmer weather) and a children’s building that a lot of kids don’t want to leave.
Taking advantage of kids’ love for the Seaport, they’ve scheduled some activities for the school break that cater to families and kids. Tours aboard a historic fishing schooner include sailors’ stories about their holidays at sea and their families back home. Daily nineteenth-century magic shows and even some how-to magic should interest young illusionists. Special shows are also at the planetarium, and another exhibit lets kids explore a far away sea—the Arctic—at the museum’s newest exhibit. Daily schedules and admission fees are available at the Seaport website.
I may be a warm weather type of guy, but activities like these at Mystic Seaport make even me think winter in Connecticut may be bearable. As much as I love the Seaport any time of year though, I’m still waiting for spring and summer.
All photos courtesy of Mystic Seaport, the Museum of America and the Sea.
There’s about to be more magic in 
