This enchanting town features many of Connecticut’s greatest highlights, including a scenic, indented coastline and traditional maritime villages.
Stonington’s idyllic coastal villages capture the immense charm of Connecticut’s coast. Here, famous destinations such as MysticOpens in a new window and Stonington Borough offer tastes of tranquil New England life. Feel immediately at home among these warm and friendly communities. Travel throughout the area to encounter picturesque landmarks, charming streets and interactive museums.
Imagine being William Chesebrough, the pioneer who settled in Stonington with his small family in 1649, forming the town’s foundations. The area emerged into prosperity in the 19th century as it connected to major cities with the advent of rail and steamboat travel.
Visit the Captain Nathaniel Brown Palmer House, an elegant timber mansion from 1852, for a glimpse of the town’s trading past. The house displays artifacts from the life of “Captain Nat,” who became a ship’s master at 18 and had already discovered a section of Antarctica by his early 20s.
The Old Lighthouse Museum, a quaint gray stone structure on Stonington Point, has been aiding sailors in navigating the sound since 1840. Stand at the end of the point to see the three states of Connecticut, Rhode Island and New York at once.
Stroll around the village of Mystic and visit the Mystic Seaport: The Museum of America and the SeaOpens in a new window, one of the country’s best maritime history museums. Board the Charles W. Morgan, a wooden whaling ship, and spend hours amid replica shipyards, a seafaring village and a planetarium. Take your family to the Mystic AquariumOpens in a new window to see beluga whales, penguins and alligators.
Stonington’s villages are interspersed with vast, often empty swaths of nature. Hike among the hills and hardwood forests of Barn Island Wildlife Management Area and watch the undergrowth for sightings of deer and waterfowl. Explore Knox Preserve and follow short trails on the edge of Quiambaug Cove.
Stonington is located on the eastern edge of Connecticut, bordering Rhode IslandOpens in a new window. Fly into T.F. Green Airport in ProvidenceOpens in a new window, about 45 minutes away by car. Stonington is a year-round destination. The borough remains a peaceful place to visit, even in peak tourism months.
