Stonington or Newport?
 

Sort of an addendum to my earlier post. We have decided to forgo Mystic totally. We are considering Stonington. Would love some insight. Looking for a long weekend in early December. Last year, we went to Newport, RI, and love it once again. Wondering if Stonington is another good option, or should we just head back to Newport?

Newport is much larger and livelier with more restaurants and bars. Stonington Borough has only three or four restaurants, but does boast an extraordinary collection of well-preserved buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries. So if you're looking for a quieter time, taking a walk or two, Stonington would be my choice. Mystic is about five miles away, should you exhaust the attractions of Stonington. Also, the casinos are about a half-hour away, should you want some tacky "high-life."

Mystic is legally part of Stonington, so you aren't really forgoing it. Stonington is a good place from which to visit Watch Hill, RI (Od Yankees at Play) to the immediate east and Essex and Old Lyme to the west. Fra_Diavolo is absolutely right about the architecture.

Have you been to Newport in the winter? It is a special taste.

What Fra and Ack said and if that isn't enough to entertain you, about 15 minutes west on the grounds of the sub base in Groton is the submarine museum where the Nautilis (first sub to go under the north pole) is. New London is an interesting place to visit and there is a museum in the custom house for a look at the way we got money to support the country before income tax and museums/arboratum on the grounds of Conn. College and also the Coast Guard Academy. In Watch Hill, RI, have lunch or dinner at the Ocean House Hotel for a taste of how things were back when. If money is no object or you get a good package, stay there and drive over to Stonington.

If you like a walk along the marshes, go to Barn Island in Stonington east of the Burough.

BTW, this part of the state has several towns like Stonington, that have several villages or communities, each of which has a different character. Stonington has the Burough, Mystic, Pawcatuck, Lord's Point, Latimer Point, Wampassuc Point, Mason's Island, Enders Island, Old Mystic etc. and to add to the confusion, Mystic is partly in Stonington and partly in Groton.

If you are coming from Boston or NY, you could take the train to Mystic and rent a car, but there are only a few trains that stop there each day, most folks would train to New London and rent a car there.