Like my husband and I, most visitors use Groton as a starting point for other destinations such as the Mohegan Sun and Foxwood casinos and Mystic Seaport. Prices here are lower, and it's right in the middle of everything. The pace is a bit slower here as well, as opposed to the congestion of Mystic.

Whenever we go to the Mohegan Sun, which is quite a few times per year, we always stay in Groton in order to save tons of cash on a place to stay other than the Sun. There quite a few choices for the budget conscious traveler. Our favorites are: Quality Inn, Howard Johnson's, and the Flagship Inn. Our decision on which place to stay is based on who has the lowest rates at the time, although Quality Inn is our favorite. Our only gripe about places to stay in the area is that none of the good places allow pets, and we usually travel with ours. For that, you'll have to go to Niantic (Motel 6), or New London (Red Roof Inn). If you are visiting Mystic Seaport, Groton is also a good option for places to stay, as the prices here are quite a bit lower most of the time. The traffic is also a lot less congested in Groton.


As for dining in the area, there are many places to choose from at all price levels. Our all time fave is Norm's Diner, on Bridge Street. We also love Russell's Ribs, but have to be famished to eat there, as the portions are tremendous. And for those big losers from the casinos, there's plenty of fast food joints to choose from. If you crave Chinese, The Wokery is pretty good, and open late. As for pizza places in this area, which are rated pretty high on this site, well, if you're from New York, faggedabaddit!

The Historic Ship Nautilus and Submarine Force Museum is a great place to visit for folks of all ages. However, the submarine is a bit difficult to traverse, and very young or infirm people won't be able to enjoy it. It's very tight, and much of it has to be climbed through via steep metal steps. But we enjoyed it, and went in for a second time after visiting the rest of the museum. Admission is free, but I do recommend you throw a few bucks in the donation box, as well as make a purchase at the pricey souvenier shop. For what they give you, they deserve a little in return.

Opportunities for shopping are endless in Groton and the surrounding area. Our favorite place to shop is Ocean State Job Lot. We prefer the one on Route 12, away from the main part of town. We get such a kick out of that place. They have a lot of fun and unusual products, especially in the food department. And if you look around enough, you can pick up some really neat things for cheap!

All in all, we love Groton, and highly recommend it to those who want to save money, avoid congestion, and be centrally located to where all the action is.