Mystic Seaport Children's Museum

Cruise into Historic Mystic Seaport on a crewed yacht charter in the New England area, dock right in front of the re-created seaport town of yore and let the fun begin.  Docking in Historic Mystic Seaport on your crewed yacht charter is docking in the middle of the hustle and bustle of an active seaport from yesteryear, and is an outstanding family adventure for children of all ages.  Spending time in Historic Mystic Seaport on a crewed yacht charter with children is an active hands-on colonial history learning experience filled with fun. 

Mystic Seaport - Children Cannon Fun

Right along the harbor front in Historic Mystic Seaport are shops and businesses typical of the 1800’s, housed in buildings from the era, still actively operating to supply the goods and services that a busy 19^th century seaport needed to support visiting and returning sea going ships.  Along the harbor front in Historic Mystic Seaport are a cooperage, print shop, blacksmith, rope maker, sail maker and ship’s chandlery.  A large ship returning home or visiting a seaport such as Mystic would be able to unload cargo, make repairs, reload cargo and set out again plying the worldwide waters to trade or perhaps to hunt for whales.  The bustling shops in Historic Mystic Seaport are active every day and manned by Historic Mystic Seaport staff happy to explain and demonstrate their trade, all of which helps history come alive as an active learning experience for all children.

Children Rolling the Cooperage Barrel

While there, roll a barrel across the floor of the cooperage to understand the ingenuity behind the barrel shape, or print a page at the printers on the old printing press.   Step foot on board the 113’ Charles W. Morgan, which is the last surviving wooden whaleship in existence.  Below decks on the Morgan, you can still see the huge try-pots which were used for melting down blubber into whale oil and the very small living quarters in which the crew lived for years at a time on the often dangerous hunt for whales.

Children's Events - Build a Toy Boat

Mystic Seaport has activities especially for children of all ages.  Stop in the Seaport Activities Center to try your hand at typical sailor’s activities such as knot tying, and at the Discovery Center, feel the baggywrinkle.  Climb in and out of boats of all sizes, sit on cannons, and try line throwing on the Village Green.  Stop in at the Treworgy Planetarium to learn to follow the stars in the night sky.   Tour the village on a horse and cart ride, and stop in to make your own candles, in the old fashioned way by dipping wicks in wax.  Make a wooden toy ship at the toy ship shop from the myriad of wooden toy ship parts available to be assembled by diagrams or your imagination, and dappling in maritime art is available at the art shop.  A number of excellent museums are also available to visit, along with an active wooden restoration ship yard. 

Charles W. Morgan - Mystic Seaport

Several days could be spent in Historic Mystic Seaport learning and experiencing life in the 1800’s in a typical seafaring town, or spend a very active afternoon, however, no matter how much time you have to visit, children leaving Historic Mystic Seaport will leave just a little bit more knowledgeable than when they entered, and have had a great time while learning. 

Cape Cod Canal

Extending out into the Atlantic as a peninsula, Cape Cod, is an integral part of the New England coastline, and should always be a part of a yacht charter in southern New England waters.  Often referred to locally as “The Cape”, Cape Cod is technically both a peninsula and an island, as “The Cape” is separated from the mainland by the man made Cape Cod Canal built in 1914, which effectively cut “The Cape” off as an island from the mainland.  The Cape Cod Canal is also a boon to yachtsmen that want to include waters south and north of Cape Cod in a crewed yacht charter itinerary in southern New England.

Cape Cod, MA

Cape Cod is divided into three distinct regions: Upper Cape, Mid-Cape and Lower Cape.  This local distinction has nothing to do with geography, but with wind directions that controlled and designated the ability to sail from area to area.  The region names were established during the time when the principal means of transportation was by water with a vessel under sail.  The Cape region names were designated by the prevailing winds. Prevailing westerly winds in this area meant that a sailing vessel sailing in a northeast direction along either coast of Cape Cod would be sailing downwind to Lower Cape, while a sailing vessel sailing in a southwest direction would be sailing against the prevailing westerly winds and sailing upwind or to Upper Cape.  Just along the southern coast of Cape Cod alone, one could sail to Upper Cape, Mid Cape or Lower Cape depending on the cruising direction and do the same on the northern coast of Cape Cod.

Chatham Lighhouse, Cape Cod

Cape Cod is bordered to the north by Massachusetts Bay and Cape Cod Bay and on the south by Buzzards Bay and Nantucket Sound.  Much of the east facing part of The Cape after “the elbow” of Chatham consists of wide, sandy beaches.  A large portion of this coastline is now protected as part of the Cape Cod National Seashore, organized by President John F. Kennedy. However there are also great sandy beaches along with protected harbors along both the northern and southern shores of Cape Cod.

Cape Cod Cranberry Harvesting

After English settlement of Cape Cod, much of the industry was centered around fishing and whaling.  Cape Cod is a natural location to grow cranberries, which are native to the area, and cranberry bogs are still a common sight, with cranberry agriculture a strong industry.  However towards the end of the 19^th century, Cape Cod also developed into a summer haven for city folks, especially those in Boston, establishing a tradition that continues today, with summer visitors escaping from Memorial Day to Labor Day, bringing needed income and tourism to The Cape.  With over 550 miles of coastline comprising the northern and southern shores of Cape Cod, there are plenty of beaches, anchorages and harbors with yachting always an ever popular endeavour.  Also popular is sport fishing and off of Provincetown, whale watching during the summer months.  Along the southern coast of Cape Cod are the islands of Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, Cuttyhunk and the Elizabeth Islands, which when visiting these islands is combined with visiting harbors on the southern coast of The Cape, such as Hyannisport, the result is a great yacht charter cruising itinerary for southern New England. 

Cape Cod Anchorage

Maine Coast

On a crewed yacht charter in Down East Maine, you might find yourselves actually cruising south and east on your charter yacht from the mainland, meaning actually cruising down and east.  The Down East area is defined as the coastline and islands of the state of Maine from Penobscot Bay to the Canadian Border, and is a lovely yacht charter cruising area while on a yacht charter in these waters. With hundreds of pine covered rock studded islands, and waters filled full of cold water fish and shellfish, including the infamous Maine Lobster, this area is a yachtsmen’s delight and a great cruising area for a crewed yacht charter in New England.

Camden Harbor, Maine

The term “Down East” is said to have been derived from trading days as clipper ships out of Boston had to sail east to Maine with the wind behind the stern, which meant sailing downwind in an easterly direction.  Returning to Boston was sailing upwind in a westerly direction, and Mainers can still be heard to say that they are going up to Boston, even though Boston is actually at least 50 miles south.  Included in this area is Acadia National Park with miles of hiking trails around Bar Harbor, and three National Wildlife Refuges.

Quoddy Light House, Maine

Great ports of call in Down East Maine are Camden, Rockland, and Bar Harbor on Mount Desert Island and also Southeast Harbor and Northwest Harbor, with islands in the area such as Vinalhaven and Deer Isle.  Whale watching and puffin watching are great activities, as well as sea kayaking, hiking, and bicycling.  Light houses dot the area, many still used as navigational aids, with the most famous being the West Quoddy Light with a candy striped red and white painted light tower.  Around and about you will see the old wooden classic schooners such as the “Rachel B Jackson” or the “Mary Day”, taking day sailors out for a great historic sail Down East. 

Bar Harbor, Maine - Restaurants and Shops

On shore in the villages are little streets with trendy shops and boutiques, museums, antique shops and art galleries.   Each village is well worth a stop to explore while cruising through Down East Maine on a crewed yacht charter, enjoying the waters, the seafood, the many islands, anchorages, villages and activities available in this unique cruising area on a crewed yacht charter. 

Boston Harbor Rowes Wharf

As one of the oldest cities in the United States, Boston is a stop in history on a crewed yacht charter itinerary in New England.  The Boston Greater Regional Area is split by the Charles River that ends in Boston Harbor and is navigable for smaller yachts.  Out in Boston Harbor is the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreational Area comprised of a surprising number of harbor islands such as Calf Island, Gallops Island, Great Brewster Island, Green Island, Little Brewster Island, Little Calf Island, Long Island, Lovells Island, Middle Brewster Island, Nixes Mate, Outer Brewster Island, Rainsford Island, Shag Rocks, Spectacle Island, The Graves, and Thompson Island, all of which can be seen as you wend your way into the Boston inner harbor dockside on a crewed yacht charter including Boston on your yacht charter itinerary.

Boston Night Skyline

Boston was founded in 1630 by Puritan Colonists from England in search of religious freedom.  The first settlement was on the Shawmut Peninsula, headed by Boston Harbor and on the northern side bordered by the Charles River.  The downtown area and the North End right on the harbor were the first areas to be developed.  Boston was a hot bed of revolutionary activity during the fight for freedom from British rule, and there are several important historic sites remaining in the greater Boston area, including the location of the Battle of Bunker Hill. 

Faneuil Hall area, Boston

Dock downtown in Boston, and head ashore to wander the streets of the North End, now with a strong Italian cultural feel, to visit the Old North Church the starting location of the famous Revolutionary War midnight ride of Paul Revere.  Follow the Freedom Trail out of the North End and across to the Boston Commons, visiting various marked historic sites along the way.  The old market area near the harbor, with the original customs house of Faneuil Hall, has undergone a successful adaptive reuse to become today a bustling area filled with shops, restaurants, bars and in the summer months featuring great outdoor entertainment with wandering musicians, magicians, tumblers, stilt walkers, mimes and others adding to the festive feel. 

Boston, MA - Beacon Hill

In the center of old Boston, bordered on one side by Beacon Hill and the other by Back Bay, is the Boston Commons, once the common meadow area for animal grazing, and now a lovely city park, with the famous Swan boats.  On Beacon Hill and in Back Bay are townhouses of the once and perhaps still rich and famous of Boston history, interspersed with shopping streets such as Charles Street at the bottom of Beacon Hill, filled full of antique shops, or Newbury Street in Back Bay with international shops filled with goods with famous labels.

Boston Public Gardens Swan Boats

Boston is considered a center of education and culture with over 100 colleges and universities in the Greater Boston Area.  The most well known probably being Harvard, M.I.T, and Radcliffe.  These educational institutions have attracted an international group of students and have become centers for cultural, scientific, philosophic, and artistic growth.  And beyond the city educational centers, such as Harvard Square, are the Boston Symphony Orchestra, numerous theatres, the Boston Opera Company, the Museum of Fine Arts, and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, all well worth visiting or purchasing tickets for play or performance. 

Down on the water Boston is a major east coast seaport and one of the oldest continuously operating fishing ports in North America.  A natural protected harbor on Massachusetts Bay, the Port of Boston has been used as a trading center since before colonial times, and now is a natural safe protected stop on a yacht charter itinerary in New England. 

Bar Harbor, ME

 Bar Harbor, Maine, a quinsentential Maine coastal village perched on the eastern shore of Mt. Desert, is a must stop visit by crewed yacht charter on a yacht charter of New England when cruising along the Maine Coast.  Facing a large harbor and surrounded by Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor offers something for everyone.  Stop in Bar Harbor on a crewed yacht charter, and be the first to see the sunrise in the United States on any given day, from the top of Mount Cadillac in Acadia National Park.  Visit the museums of Bar Harbor and Maine history and explore the many shops filled with typically Maine souvenirs.  And enjoy a feast of Maine lobster choosing from a lobster roll to a full lobster boil. All of this and more is available when sailing into Bar Harbor on crewed yacht charter.

Bar Harbor Docks

 In the 19^th century, Bar Harbor, Maine was a premier summer resort, with cooling summer breezes, and featured the largest resort hotel at that time in America.  Nearby, the quickly dubbed Millionaire’s Row area of Bar Harbor featured a line of private summer mansions for families with last names such as Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, Astor, and Mellon to name a few.  After cruising into Bar Harbor on your crewed yacht charter, stop in at the Bar Harbor Historical Museum, open afternoons, to see the exhibit of photographs, clothing and other historic items from the Gilded Age of Bar Harbor.  And if museums are your interest, the town has other museums as well.  Maine is an area rich in Native American culture and history, which is celebrated at the Abbe Museum.  And take time to visit the Mt. Desert Oceanarium and Lobster Hatchery and the Bar Harbor Whale Museum. 

Bar Harbor, ME

Surrounding Bar Harbor is Acadia National Park, with 41,000 acres of glacier carved mountains, valleys, lakes and beaches.  Created by donations from ecologically concerned summer residents from “Millionaire’s Row”, Acadia National Park was the first national park created east of the Mississippi.  There are 120 miles of hiking trails, through terrains for all endurance levels.  And for those who prefer to drive or bicycle through the lovely natural terrain, there is the 27 mile scenic Park Loop Road covering the area from beaches, past pristine lakes and through the mountains.

Bar harbor Shops & Restaurants

 Include Bar Harbor as a stop on your yacht charter itinerary for “Down East” Maine, and wander the streets of this historic town, visiting the various shops and museums, stopping for a taste of lobster and perhaps stopping to sample the brew of a local microbrewery, and enjoy the outdoors where mountains meet the sea at Acadia National Park.

Mystic Seaport Lighthouse

What could be a better place to visit while on a yacht charter in New England than Old Mystic Seaport, a living history museum showcasing life in a New England coastal town in the late 1800’s; and the largest maritime museum in the United States? If you make dockage reservations early enough for your yacht charter visit, you can sail or cruise right into Mystic Seaport and dock next to the world’s last wooden whaleship the “Charles W. Morgan’. Wake up on your yacht charter to various sights and sounds from the pages of history as a 19th century working seaport comes alive.

Mystic Seaport - Tall Ship at dock

Mystic Seaport Village, a living museum is comprised of over 30 New England trade shops and businesses, each in original historic buildings moved from various New England seaports. A bustling recreated seaport from the late 1800’s, each day Mystic Seaport comes alive with actors role playing as industrious New Englanders, dressed in period clothing, working trades and businesses that were all part of a prosperous New England port town. Visit the sail loft, where the sailmaker is repairing and making new sails for the Mystic Seaport vessels. Visit the ropewalk, where natural fibers are being twisted to form rope, which is a never ending supply needed for sailing vessels. Pop into the Ship Carver’s shop where fine figureheads are being carved to grace the bow of the various vessels. The “towns people” are well versed in their trades as done in the late 1800’s, and each has a story and tale to tell of their lives and loves in this historic seaport town.

Mystic Seaport Village

And of course, a seaport could not be a seaport without docks and ships. Mystic Seaport owns over 500 vessels, many open and on display on the docks. Rounding out America’s largest maritime museum, are various exhibits, galleries, attractions, and activities. And view wooden shipbuilding and repairing at the Mystic Seaport Preservation Shipyard. Several hours or several days could be spent visiting Mystic Seaport, however a visit of any length is always well worthwhile. So be sure to sail into Mystic Seaport on your yacht charter in southern New England, and spend some time exploring America’s seafaring past.

19th century wood carving tools

Mystic Seaport - Village Blacksmith shop

The old seacoast town of Portland, located in southern Maine, is a funky city filled with galleries, one-of-kind boutiques and shops, and eclectic restaurants serving everything from the traditional fare of New England clam chowder, lobster rolls and Maine seafood to nouveau cuisine.

Uptown, a few blocks from the waterfront, is Portland’s secret treasure–the Arts District. Located along Congress Street, this once traditional shopping area has turned into a mecca of art galleries, antique shops, and artist studios.

Portland, Maine – Historic Downtown Building

The world class Portland Museum of Art, the Children’s Museum of Maine, the Institute of Contemporary Art at the Maine College of Art, the Center for Cultural Exchange, the State Theater, the Portland Stage Company, the Center for Maine History, and the stunningly-renovated Merrill Auditorium all line Congress Street. Here is also where you will find The Wadsworth-Longfellow House, the 19th century childhood home of the poet, and The First Parish Church, which uses an original cannon ball from the revolutionary war as a chandelier.

Portland, Maine – harbor schooner heading to sea

Portland’s Old Port rings the harbor and is a very successful revitalization of a old commercial industrial port. Originally a very busy industrial commercial harbor, shown by the remains of the cobblestone streets and the large historic warehouse buildings, Old Port has been beautifully adaptively rehabbed with the warehouses turned into artist studios, and a chic shopping area with upscale restaurants and other entertainment. Just steps from the harbor, Old Port offers a lot to see and do, for visiting yachtsmen, while still retaining the historic working harbor look and feel of yesteryear.

Portland Maine Lobster Markers

And while in Portland, be sure to sample a Maine lobster, available served in a variety of methods, from simple steaming, to baked and stuffed with crab meat, cooked into a bisque or perhaps de-shelled, buttered and baked in a dish. Don’t leave Portland without a taste of a Maine lobster, even if it is the infamous lobster roll on the run. The Portland city downtown harbor is a great stop on a cruise on a yacht charter along the coast of Maine.

Maybe hard to believe and rarely mentioned, but while piracy was raging in the Caribbean, it was also alive and well in Newport, Rhode Island at the end of the 17th century and into the 18th century. For Newport then, was one of the premier colonial harbor towns, with a large deep water port that allowed ships to sail right up to the docks and unload, a luxury when many locations required anchoring out, with shallow draft skiffs to bring goods ashore. However, a lenient and even encouraging atmosphere was just as much a draw as a deep water active port for those that “bent the rules”, to make Newport not only their home, but also their port for refit work, and overhauls. Goods were easily swallowed into a vast void ashore and pirate captured ships were even re-named and provided new colonial Owners in the courts of Newport. In fact piracy in Newport was so prevalent at the end of the 1690’s, that notice was taken in London and censure was sent. A request was even made in London by English Trade Officials to remove the Charter for the colony of Rhode Island.

Newport, Rhodes Island, White Horse Tavern, Pirates watering hole in late 1600′s

However, even so, the Navigation Acts passed by England in the early 1690′s only encouraged piracy, and soon Newport was a stomping ground for Blackbeard, Henry Every, William Kidd and Thomas Tew to refit their ships, take on provisions, recruit young enterprising “sailors” from the locals and even take up residence, as Thomas Tew was often referred to as Newporter.

Into the early 1700′s, piracy began to impact the local burgeoning honest tradesmens and their Newport shops, as the age old philosophy of looking for the best price, was being found locally in the holds of pirate’s ships nd not on the shelves in the local shops. By 1720, piracy was so frowned upon by the previously welcoming authorities, that 26 pirates were hung outside of Newport, which sent a message far and wide that only legal commerce would be tolerated, at least until the age of rum running and prohibition, which was also an active operation in Newport.

Sailing into Newport Harbor, just like the pirates of before, still allows a sail right up to the docks as the deep water nature of this harbor has never changed. However now, instead of being a pirate, visit Newport on a yacht charter and take the Pirates and Scoundrels Walking Tour in colonial Newport offered usually each summer and find out why Rhode Island, at the end of the 17th century was often referred to as Rogue’s Island instead of Rhode Island.

Visit the Northrop and Johnson Yacht Charters Website

Newport, Rhode Island sprang up around one of the deepest natural harbors on the east coast of the United States quickly making Newport an important 17th and 18th century trading city with deep keeled ships sailing right into the heart of the city and up to the docks to unload their cargos from around the world. This deep water natural harbor and the constant thermal winds have made Newport one of the first sailing cities of today. However, Newport, especially colonial Newport is the home of many “Firsts”. This historic city of colonial “Firsts”, is waiting to be explored on your yacht charter cruise of southern New England.

Here at Northrop and Johnson Yacht Charters, we are extremely familiar with Newport Harbor as our office is right on Coddington Wharf, named after, John Coddington, one of the founders of Newport in 1639.

Newport, RI – Historic Harbor

All of Historic Newport, and the locations of colonial “Firsts”, are within walking distance of the once bustling colonial harbor that rivaled New York City and Boston in importance. Rhode Island was known for religious tolerance and in 1658 a Jewish group arrived from Portugal and Spain, fleeing the religious persecution of the Spanish Catholic Inquisition, settling in Newport and built Touro Synagogue, now the oldest synagogue in the United States. Touro Synagogue is still open for services and welcomes visitors for services and also during other certain hours, as long as you are respectfully dressed.

Newport, RI – White Horse Tavern

Near the Touro Synagogue is the White Horse Tavern, offering fine dining still today, along with rumored ghostly encounters from yesteryear. Originally built in 1652, the White Horse Tavern became a tavern in 1673 and today is the oldest tavern in the U.S. in continuous operation. Stop in for lunch, dinner or a great Sunday Brunch for a centuries old dining experience.

Newport, RI – Old Colony House

Right in the middle of the historic colonial center of Newport is the Old Colony House. Build from 1736 to 1739, the Old Colony House was the first statehouse of Rhode Island where such visiting dignitaries as President George Washington and President Thomas Jefferson met together with local leaders. The Old Colony house is the oldest statehouse still standing today in the United States., and stories suggest that the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence took place from the second story balcony over the main front doors. Visitors are welcome, and upstairs is the original colonial court room, where court room scenes from the movie “Armstad” were filmed, but be sure to check the schedule for open hours.

The Artillery Company of Newport was formed by King George II in 1741 and is the oldest continuously operating Artillery Company in the U.S. In 1798, the Artillery Company ordered cannons from a foundry owned by Paul Revere, which are still being fired today. The Artillery Company can be seen at special events in Newport wearing full Revolutionary War uniforms with the cannons cast by Paul Revere’s foundry blasting away. The home of The Artillery Company, in the center of Historic Newport and near the harbor, houses a military museum said to have one of the best exhibits of uniforms through the ages and from around the world in the United States. And the cannons cast in Paul Revere’s foundry are on display there as well.

So, sail into the deep water harbor of Newport, just like the Clipper Ships did in pre-Revolutionary War days ladened with pineapples and molasses from the Caribbean, and tie up at the docks in the heart of Historic Newport and experience a city of colonial “Firsts”.