Mystic is considered a mere village, a salty New England town. Mystic is so much more, it is the home of famous Mystic Seaport, a premier maritime museum known nationwide. The Seaport Village is a 17-acre re-creation of the 19th-century harborside village. The Seaport village remains a living time capsule that carries the visitor back more than a century in maritime history. The Seaport has a collection of vessels from the 1840's to the 1930's. Most are smaller wooden sailing, paddling and rowing craft but there are also ships like the the L. A. Dunton, a 123-foot Gloucester fishing schooner.

Mystic has also been known for shipbuilding, whaling, fishing, clipper ships and sea captains' homes. The area's biggest business is the tourism. Visitors are drawn to the area which offers a mix of hotels, motels and B&Bs, seafood restaurants and fast-food eateries, eclectic boutiques and factory outlets to name a few. Not to mention the nearby Mystic Marinelife Aquarium, the submarine Nautilus and the U.S. Naval Submarine Base in Groton, and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy across the Thames River in New London. Mystic has also benefited from the many visitors of the two casinos; Mashantucket Pequot Indians' Foxwoods Casino and Resort and the Mohegan Sun Casino/ Entertainment Center.

The town is divided by the Drawbridge which rises many times a day to let the water traffic through bringing all the pedestrians and vehicles to a complete stop. If a visitor happens to be stopped by the bridge there are ice cream and sweet shops as well as a wonderful view to entertain them while they wait.