Connecticut Charm | Olde Mystick Village & Franklin’s General Store | Mystic

Mystic is a magical shoreline town known best for it’s historic seaport and beautiful downtown on the water. But if you have twenty minutes to spare, don’t skip the Olde Mystick Village. This little village of shops, tea houses, and cute places to eat is located directly across the parking lot to the Mystic Aquarium. Often overlooked, Olde Mystick Village is one of my favorite places to find unique gifts, tea, and food. A personal favorite of mine is the Kite Shop and the Toy Soldier. This village of shops is wonderful year round from summertime to snowy winter, and even grey rainy spring days like today. The first stop on your journey through the village should be Franklin’s General Store.Here you will find the most creatively shaped pastas. Stop by the candy section. I’ll often come here to pick up some unique sauces and spreads. These make great hostess gifts and father’s day presents. But the absolute best part about Franklin’s General Store is the fudge! There are a couple places for fudge in town, but Franklin’s has the largest selection of flavors. There is a lovely natural toy section for children.And did I mention that the back of the store has one of the best selections of local books?The soaps make lovely birthday gifts or Christmas stocking stuffers, even for the men in your life. My father would surprise us with popcorn cobs from Franklin’s and they also have a wonderful cheese collection. Tigerlily Tea is run by a lovely husband and wife team. They have an extensive collection of imported teas. I picked up an amazing cherry tea here for my mother’s birthday gift the other year. 

Sofia’s Mystical Christmas is popular amongst tourists and locals alike. If you visit in the late springtime like we have, you will meet some baby ducks at the pond!The Toy Soldier is a personal favorite because they have a large collection of vintage and classic children’s toys. These toys are stylish, well-made, and created to fuel a child’s imagination for endless hours of playtime. You will also find some modern toys here. This store will make you feel like a child again.