Our family (with 2 sons age 6 & 2) will stay in Falmouth (cape code) for 3 days at the end of August. After cape cod and on the way back home to NYC, we are planning another other stopover. We are thinking about either Newport, RI or Mystic, CT. Any suggestion which place is more fun for my two kids.
Does anyone stay at Days Inn Mystic (55 Whithall Ave) before? Is this DI close by to seaport or aquarium?

With kids, I think Mystic is better. Can't help on the DI location.

Definitely Mystic. The Mystic Aquarium is a fantastic destination for children. Plus, they'll really touring the schooners at Mystic Village.
(PS: Mom and Dad will have good time, too!)

For young kids, Mystic is the choice. Depending on time and interest, another area site they may be interested in is the Submarine Museum at the New London Sub Base. It's free and the highlight is the USS Nautilus which is docked there. You can board her on a self guided audio tour. Very neat to see the small spaces in which the men had to live and work. It could be a quick stop enr home.
For more info go to:
http://www.ussnautilus.org

K.

Thank you for all your suggestion. I will be staying in DI Mystic for a night. Any good family restaurant suggestion in Mystic. No pizza pls.

Mystic is a good choice. The Days Inne is approx.1/2 mi. to the Aquarium,and Mystic Village (little shops & stores with walkways connecting ea.)
Good family restaurants.....The Steak Loft at Mystic Village; Margaritas(one of my favorites)just 2 mi. down Rt. 27 to Main St. right over the draw bridge, and left on Rt.215, in an old factory, 2nd fl. Good food and atmosphere, don't fill up on the free salsa and chips before the meal; or if you are interested in a great Chineese Buffet and don't mind traveling to New London, approx. 9 mi.in the New London Shopping Center, off I-95, try the Panda Buffet, everything under the sun....fantastic !!
Take the kids to the Nautilus Museum, they can actually board the U.S.S. Nautilus Submarine and its one of the few museums that there is no admission.
Also, you may want to check out Mystic Carousel and Fun Center,193 Greenmanville Ave. Just south of the Days Inne, next to I-95. You can walk over and get an ice creme at the Ice Creme Parlor next door to the carousel.
Have Fun, Larry0070.

Thank you to all of you giving me so much valuable info on Mystic.

Seems like you've gotten great advice on Mystic. I know I really enjoyed the seaport when I was a kid.

But just wanted to mention that Newport has some very fun and inexpensive things for kids too. I've been there twice since Memorial Day with my girls (7 and 10) and we haven't run out of things to do yet. There is a nice beach with a carousel (fifty cents a ride), the Cliff Walk is great fun (free) , there is a tour of Fort Adams that includes going down into the "listening tunnels" ($4/person) that was a big hit with the kids. We've flown kites a state park that was right on the ocean with free parking and clean restrooms. We climbed on the rocks there too.

Also went to a Newport Gulls baseball game. The Gulls are part of a collegiate summer league so the quality of baseball is pretty good. The crowd was great and there are all sorts of goofy promotions between innings. The tickets cost fifty cents for the kids and $2 for adults and we were there on free ice cream night. So for fifty cents we saw the game, the girls got a Hoodsie, caught a foul ball, ran around the outfield chasing the team mascot and danced to silly songs. You can't beat it.

We still haven't taken a boat tour of the harbor, gone to a mansion, visited the Tennis Hall of Fame, etc etc. These are more costly.

Anyway, the point is that Newport has alot to offer for families as well as adults.

Have a great trip.

I certainly agree with the Mystic suggestion - I'm an adult, and I love going to the aquarium and village. You asked about restaurants, and since you don't want pizza (not Mystic pizza????) - there are alot of seafood restaurants around there. If you go into downtown Mystic, there are some restaurants right on the main road - and you will also pass an Inn - I think it's the Seafarer's Inn - on the right side of the road near Mystic Seaport. Have a great time...

The restaurant that the last person referred to is the "Seaman's Inn". It's a good restaurant, but with kids, I wouldn't recommend it. They are under new management (well from a few years ago)and have excellent food, but it's more upscale now. Go Fish is my favorite restaurant as a former local, but I'm not sure about the kids menu. It has an interesting motiff with lots of fish decorations - it's at Mystic Village.

As to whether you should visit Newport or Mystic - as an adult I would say Newport, but as a child I would say Mystic due to the aquarium, seaport, etc.

While the aquarium and seaport in Mystic are great......my experience as a "gramma" tells me that your 2 kids would love a day at Second Beach in Newport( actually Middletown just next to Newport), especially in August when the water and waves are great!