Mystic Wooden Boat Show

[mmullins]

I'm thinking about heading up to the Mystic Wooden Boat Show next month. I'm also going to check out the Herreshoff Museum and Marshall Marine. Just looking for suggestions on other nautical places of interest in the area.

[kthoennes]

Oh, so many options. I'm used to South Dakota highway distances lately so to me that whole area is a walk across the street, but in that general area:

Already doing Mystic, the Herreshoff Museum and Marshall Marine. Good.

I'd add Newport - Museum of Yachting, and the Sailing Museum. Well, pretty much all of Newport is the museum of yachting and sailing. You could spent days there. They even have a Helly Hanson store where you can get a HH keychain for $9,000.

I'd add New Bedford, short drive away. The whaling museum is fascinating.

Downtown Essex, CT. Great CT River museum, you can look out over the water and imagine the British burning the ships in 1814.

Submarine museum in Groton, CT. Very impressive. Defender Marine in Waterford. And a great marine supply store in Noank. Small but I love it.

You asked for nautical so I won't go off into restaurants (Black Pearl! S&P Oyster House!), marinas, excursions, day sails, marine stores... Then there's Maine of course, schooners, Rockport, Boston, but that's way up there, even if you're otherwise in the mood for driving. No matter how many times we visit out there (CT/RI/MA), there's always more to see and do. My home turf as a kid.

[Nick14]

@kthonnes, what a fantastic list! I live in the area and learned some things.

If you’re interested in old navy ships, Battleship Cove in Fall River MA has 5 naval vessels to tour, including the WW2 battleship Massachusetts. The USS Salem, the last WW2 vintage Quincy class heavy cruiser, is nearby in Quincy MA. Of course in Boston is the USS Constellation, and the Revolutionary war era brigs Beaver and Eleanor at the Boston Tea Party Museum.

Bristol RI, where the Herreschoff Museum is located, is a delightful New England seafaring town with fun bars (Aidan’s, Portside, Judge Roy B Saloon, The Nest) and restaurants. Live Celtic music on Sunday nights at Aidan’s is a local favorite. Check out Pivotal Brewing if you like beer, the beer is outstanding and the space (a restored 19th century brick factory building) is stunning.

The town right next to Bristol, Warren RI, is an undiscovered gem. Fabulous restaurants(Bywater, Revival, Chomp, Square Peg), and The Guild brewery. Dyer boats, builder of gorgeous Downeast ‘lobster’ boats and family owned since 1930, is there.

If you go to Newport, the Newport Lobster Shack on Long Wharf has the best lobster rolls anywhere in New England. Better than any even in Maine (and I’ve tried them all).

Depending on how much time you want to spend in the area, you can take a ferry for day trips to Block Island, Nantucket, or Martha’s Vineyard.

[Datenight]

We look over the Nautilus (Submarine) Museum, it's just down the hill. Let me know if you make the trip.

Rob

[Hippocampus]

Post #2 is an excellent list. If you’re into architecture would add Stonington Connecticut. Also has a good Mexican restaurant. Our home port is in Naragansett bay. So many cool places off both east and west passage. Wickford, East Greenwich port Judith etc. make a trip up west passage worthwhile. Many folks focus on east passage but there’s good stuff off west as well.

[jpsmit]

Originally Posted by Nick14

@kthonnes, what a fantastic list! I live in the area and learned some things.

If you’re interested in old navy ships, Battleship Cove in Fall River MA has 5 naval vessels to tour, including the WW2 battleship Massachusetts. The USS Salem, the last WW2 vintage Quincy class heavy cruiser, is nearby in Quincy MA. Of course in Boston is the USS Constellation, and the Revolutionary war era brigs Beaver and Eleanor at the Boston Tea Party Museum.

Bristol RI, where the Herreschoff Museum is located, is a delightful New England seafaring town with fun bars (Aidan’s, Portside, Judge Roy B Saloon, The Nest) and restaurants. Live Celtic music on Sunday nights at Aidan’s is a local favorite. Check out Pivotal Brewing if you like beer, the beer is outstanding and the space (a restored 19th century brick factory building) is stunning.

The town right next to Bristol, Warren RI, is an undiscovered gem. Fabulous restaurants(Bywater, Revival, Chomp, Square Peg), and The Guild brewery. Dyer boats, builder of gorgeous Downeast ‘lobster’ boats and family owned since 1930, is there.

If you go to Newport, the Newport Lobster Shack on Long Wharf has the best lobster rolls anywhere in New England. Better than any even in Maine (and I’ve tried them all).

Depending on how much time you want to spend in the area, you can take a ferry for day trips to Block Island, Nantucket, or Martha’s Vineyard.

Spending a week in newport and just got back from Aiden's. Had the meatloaf mountain and listened to the music - lovely! Thanks for the recommendations. Hope to try out a few more in the thread. I should clarify we are staying on land and drove in. cheers!