[MaddHaus06]

OK, so I think we've finally found our "it" spots (after sifting through half a dozen *whew*) and I'm wondering if any of you could provide any insight. I was given the suggestion of Essex so I took a look at the town website. I also came across Mystic and by far, these two towns embody everything that we are looking for (a downtown area with plenty of boutique shops, restaurants, and with plenty of outdoor amenities for the kiddos and older homes). While I love everything I've seen, it doesn't describe the folks who live there. Do any of you live, work, often frequent these areas and if so, what is the overall feel/vibe of the town/people? Any comments (good or bad) would be greatly appreciated, thanks a million

Sincerely,
Madison

[skytrekker]

Mystic is a census-designated place (CDP) in New London County The population was 4,001 at the 2000 census. Though often referred to as a town, Mystic is not a municipality. Rather, it is located within the towns of Groton (west of the Mystic River) and Stonington (east of the Mystic River).

Southeastern Connecticut & Mystic will see a fair amount of tourism in the period from about late April to early November- with Mystic Seaport and the Aquarium seeing a fairly large influx of out of stater's. The towns center is quiet charming, with shops, a draw bridge, some nice restaurants, unique shopping and many historical homes and buildings.

Essex is in fact a town- population around 6500. Located on the lower CT river, the town has been called one of the best small towns in America to live. The town has the Essex Valley railway- and is the home of Dickinson witch hazel. Essex has a small tourist trade in the mild weather. There are art galleries, fine restaurants, Inns and a refined atmosphere.

Folks in Essex tend to be friendly, but reserved, and live their lives in a subdued understated way. The same can be said of Mystic. Both places exemplify what New England 'is' to people from other parts of the country.

[JayCT]

Mystic is very "touristy" and has a lot of traffic during the summer. Essex is a little more quite. there are some tourists but no where near the number that Mystic has. Schools in Essex are very good while schools in Groton and Stonington do not score as well on standardized tests. Hope this helps. Jay