We spent last weekend in Mystic, CT which has always been a favorite stop of ours. It’s perfect for a dog friendly day trip (it’s under an hour from Providence) or weekend.
This time, we stayed the night at the Spark by Hilton. It opened in 2023 (it was formerly the Days Inn and has been rebranded and beautifully renovated) so feels fresh, clean, and new. It’s also the perfect spot for traveling with your pup. The entire property is only two levels and there are multiple doors around the building which making getting in and out with a dog really easy. Better yet, there’s a lot of grassy space surrounding the building and a number of doggy bags and doggy bag bins, so potty breaks are extremely easy. They truly embrace having pets – they have treats at the front desk, collapsible bowls for the rooms, and signs for the door that let housekeeping know you have a pet inside. It’s right of of 95, about 1/2 mile from Olde Mistick Village, and less than 10 minutes from downtown Mystic. It’s also 10-15 minutes from Stonington and New London.
In terms of pet friendly things to do, Mystic has a lot going on. Olde Mistick Village is a great spot to start. It’s a pretty property with several restaurants and cafes (all of which have nice, dog-friendly outdoor space). There’s a cute duck pond in the middle which will keep your puppy entertained for hours. Jealous Monk was delicious and super welcoming to dogs!
Mystic Seaport Museum is apparently dog friendly on the grounds (paid admission), but not on the ships or in the buildings. We did not try this trip.
Downtown Mystic is an absolute gem, full of cute shops, restaurants, and tons of great views and places to stroll along the water. Many shops welcome pets with open arms, and you’ll find water bowls all over the main street. There are several patios and places with outdoor seating to share a meal or a drink with your pup at your side. We tried Bank & Bridge Brewing, The Mariner, and Sift downtown, but there are a bunch of others (I’ll list some below).
Outside of downtown, there are a bunch of great little restaurants, ice cream stands, and fried food shacks. We checked out Sea View Snack Bar and Twisters (right next to each other with great views of the water), Sea Swirl (no charge for pup cups!), and Dog Watch Mystic (great patio and lawn space with plenty of room to spread out).
Downtown has several walking paths along the water, but Esker Point Beach (just across the border in Groton) is one of the more accessible dog-friendly beaches in the region. It’s not large, but it has more facilities than a lot of dog friendly beaches (inc. actual bathrooms – not porta potties!) and parking on site.
Mystic (and nearby towns) is truly a perfect getaway for people and their pups! Here’s a list of dog friendly spots we can recommend (you’ll find even more recommendations here):
- Jealous Monk
- Sea Swirl
- Dog Watch Mystic
- Twisters
- Sea View Snack Bar
- Bank & Bridge
- The Mariner
- Sift
- Tox Brewing
- Indulge Coffee
If you have pup-friendly recommendations for Mystic, share them with me on Instagram!
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