EEk! Not a fan of village museums!
 

Headed to Southern New England in August. Planned to meet a friend in Sturbridge Village and also visit Mystic Seaport. Today I realized that both these places are "attractions," (maybe like Williamsburg?) and require admission fees. I really hate the whole costumed docent type stuff. Will there be nice spots to wander in Mystic and Sturbridge without entering a fee area?

There's not much in Sturbridge besides the Village, which has a more rural feel than Williamsburg. Be glad they're not dragging you to Plimoth Plantation.

Mystic, on the other hand, has a wonderful Aquarium and other things to do. And the Seaport isn't too bad, the ships are interesting.

http://www.mystic.org/

I visited these "villages" in the mid-1970s and enjoyed them both greatly.

Perhaps you should cancel this trip so you won't spoil your friend's fun by being an unwilling companion.

As a tourist/visitor, Sturbridge is notable for 2 things - the "Village" and an interchange on the Massachusetts Turnpike

Well that's the entire idea of those places! Yes they are "attractions". But I think they are very interesting myself.

Mystic has other places to wander, Sturbridge is pretty much the village ("attraction").

Geez "happy trails," I hardly think I warranted a rude reply! I am meeting a friend for lunch in Sturbridge because I looked on a map and it is halfway between her home in MA and my hotel in Hartford. The rest of my 4 days I will be alone for day trips (Mystic, Essex, Newport, Boston) while my husband is at a convention. I was enamored by Williamsburg and that is why I was alarmed today to discover that Mystic and Sturbridge were similar type places.

I met a friend in Mystic and didn't go into any fee area. It was later in the afternoon, so maybe that area was closed - not sure. We wandered around the downtown area a bit, ate at Mystic Pizza (we are 80's movies afficionados - nerdy I know, but we have fun ;) ) Then we wandered around an area on the other side of the harbor from where the ships are docked. We had a grand time.

" was enamored by Williamsburg and that is why I was alarmed today to discover that Mystic and Sturbridge were similar type places. "

? "Enamored" means you liked it.

...typo, I was NOT enamored by Williamsburg.

Sorry to be so dumb, I have never been to CT or MA and did not realize these towns were mostly paid-attraction areas. I guess I am more of a wanderer than a tourist attraction-goer.

Sorry, vivi.

I totally misunderstood your question.

I gathered that, at your friend's suggestion, you had agreed to visit with her or him Sturbridge Village and Mystic Seaport, and later, to your dismay, discovered that you had agreed to go to "attractions" that cost money and that include people wearing costumes--things you deplore.

My suggestion wasn't rude. On the contrary, it would be rude for you to continue on the trip I understood you to describe and sulk through the experience or insist your friend visit these places by hiself or herself while you do something else.

Now it seems your question is that you want to know where to have lunch in Sturbridge Village without going into the "attraction." That is a very different question and one I wouldn't answer because it has been over thirty years since I had several delicious meals there.

Don't know where your friend is coming from in Massachusetts, but some alternative towns to stroll around might be Worcester or Northampton. Are you looking for shopping or art museums, or ???

Mystic has some other areas besides the Seaport (which is indeed a "village" type attraction)but not enough for a whole day. Were you planning half a day in each place (they're not that close), or 2 separate days ?

Ah, don't worry, happytrails always seems to have confrontational responses. And for what it's worth I wouldn't be too excited about Sturbridge Village either.

<i>Ah, don't worry, happytrails always seems to have confrontational responses.</i>

Statements containing the word &quot;always&quot; are seldom true, as the foregoing sentence illustrates.

Quite a few of my responses have been quoted in Word-of-Mouth--all helpful and none confrontational.

Are you PUI?

Thanks for the alternate meeting place ideas! This same friend and I actually met in darling Northampton last year when we were doing the &quot;halfway&quot; thing (I was in Vermont that time.) I will investigate Worcester as an alternative.

Planning to do Mystic and environs on on a separate day.

My husband will be working long hours in Hartford which does not appear to be a vacation spot (tho we will visit the Wadsworth Atheneum on his afternon off.) So I plan to comandeer the rental car and see some new-to-me places.

No costumed docents in Mystic.

The art museum in Worcester is easy to find and delightful.

While you are in Hartford, try the Wadsworth Atheneum, one of the best small museums in the US.

Though I have never been, I'd love to visit the Mark Twain House in Hartford. The interior was designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany.
http://www.marktwainhouse.org/

You can be a &quot;wanderer&quot; and still enjoy going to the costumed/working/village reenactments. I understand the question about wanting to meet your friend elsewhere, but am surprised your strong feelings against these attractions. Do you not enjoy museums either?