Thought I would bump this thread because the time is coming soon. I checked out staying at the casino the last time I was there (this spring) because I have heard how nice it was. Not only was it fully booked, but the rooms were extremely expensive (the lowest room price I could find was around 300 a night). I think Mystic is nice to stay in versus Groton or New London. There are lots of places to eat besides the standard chain restaurants of New London and Groton. When booking a hotel in New London or Groton, it may be a good idea to ask how old the hotel is. That is the biggest complaint, that most of the hotels are so old and haven't been renovated in so long that the smell of mold and just plain "old" is uggghh. You don't have to be Navy to stay at the Navy Lodge. Coast Guard cadets are welcome there. You can google the website and give them a call for information. You have to show a military ID within 24 hours of staying there so don't know if it would qualify for R-Day.