City: Mystic, CT

Category: Accommodations

Telephone: (800) 243-2588

Address: 20 E. Main St.

Insider Pick:

Description: This old-style seaport inn sits right in the heart of the town, with the drawbridge, the old white churches, and the awesome stone library on the hill. It’s across from the Mystic flagpole, which looks suspiciously like a ship’s mast. You can see the tall masts of the seaport, too, and the walk around to the museum is about half a mile (though you could more easily swim or sail across). The inn has 45 rooms in a traditional downtown atmosphere, very different from the usual bed-and-breakfasts or inns. This is the place the sailors would have gone to rest after their long service on board a ship, though, of course, the decor and amenities are much fancier than they would have expected. The Whaler’s Inn also offers 8 rooms in the Hoxie House next door, which is a re-creation of a 19th-century hotel. The best part for families is that children are free. The attached Bravo Bravo restaurant has a wall of windows overlooking the street, a happy hour from 4 to 6 p.m., and serves high-end Italian food, for those tired of all the local lobster and clams.