More than 42 million Americans are expected to travel this Memorial Day Weekend and one of the top places to visit is in Connecticut. USA Today ranked Mystic as one of the top five summer destinations this year.
"It resonates with people," said Bruce Flax, president of the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce. "It is a big indication that it is going to be a very, very successful summer here."
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WATCH HEREThe summer season unofficially kicks off Memorial Day Weekend. With nice weather expected, Flax called the three day weekend a recipe for success.
"We are expecting a lot of people here in Mystic," said Flax.
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SIGN UP According to the Chamber of Commerce, Mystic was already seeing an increase in the number of visitors. Now with the USA Today ranking, they are expecting a "monster" season.
Julie White was visiting Mystic on Thursday from Edinburgh, Scotland. She and her husband first visited Mystic about six years ago after reading that Mystic was ranked one of the top ten destinations in the U.S. She recently read that it was ranked number four for this year and decided: "We should go back! So, here we are!"
"I think you've got a bit of everything. You've got food. You've got a beautiful waterfront," said White. "All the history, all the things you can do...it's great!"
Local
The big tourist attractions in Mystic, the Mystic Aquarium and the Mystic Seaport Museum, are both gearing up for a busy Memorial Day Weekend.
The Mystic Aquarium is opening a new exhibit experience Saturday. The attraction, Dino Seas: An Immersive Journey, will open just in time for the busy weekend and will help kick off the celebration of the aquarium's 50th anniversary.
The Mystic Seaport Museum is also opening a new exhibition for the holiday weekend, Alexis Rockman: Oceanus. In addition to the exhibition, they will have live music and will begin offering a river shuttle service from downtown Mystic to the museum.
"We are really connecting downtown with the museum and bringing people back and forth. That is just something else we are really excited about this summer," said Sophia Matsas, director of marketing and communications for the museum. "We just have a feeling that this is going to be a great summer."
