Hotels in Coastal Connecticut

Forget the postcard-perfect lighthouses - Connecticut's coastline delivers a maritime buffet of experiences that would make a sea captain giddy. At Mystic Seaport Museum, historic vessels transport you to America's seafaring heyday. The nearby aquarium introduces beluga whales who seem suspiciously interested in your camera. Waterfront towns serve lobster rolls that make fast food chains weep with inadequacy. Music spills from harborside venues where locals tap their feet to everything from sea shanties to indie rock. The Shoreline Trolley Museum lets you ride vintage streetcars, while Peabody Museum houses dinosaurs that once stomped through these neighborhoods. In winter, trade saltwater for snow at Mount Southington, where beginners can pretend they've mastered the slopes.