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Finding the Best Downtowns in New England

admin — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 13:51:40 +0000

If downtowns are the "center" of your travel agenda, then New England will not disappoint with several communities offering vibrant, appealing central districts.

While many New England downtowns have fallen apart due to the rise of the "superstore," budgetary woes and abysmal community planning, other communities have thrived through vision, determination and a commitment to excellence. These are the towns that realize that a viable downtown brings in more money, keeps people attracted to that given community, and ultimately serves as a barometer, of sorts, to what the rest of the community is like. There's really nothing like a beautiful downtown for residents to use, travelers to visit, and those considering moving to potentially call their own.

Topping our list of the best downtowns is Guilford, Conn. Located about 20 minutes southeast of New Haven, downtown Guilford sports a stunning, large town common framed by well-maintained historic colonial homes, restaurants and coffee shops and independently-run shops. It's not really a "mom and pop" store-type town as many of the shops are of the boutique and gallery type, but the overall feel is old-fashioned, quiet and safe. Perhaps the best thing to do in downtown Guilford is sit on a bench at the town common and soak in the New England flavor.

Running a close second behind Guilford is Wolfeboro, N.H. Perhaps if Wolfeboro had no mountains and a lake, then it would just be another town center, but when you combine the cute shops with all that glorious Lake Winnepesaukee water and the mountain ranges behind it, the town comes alive. It's a beautiful downtown to walk with the lake and mountains behind a few blocks of shops and restaurants. Perhaps this is why Wolfeboro is known as America's Oldest Resort Town."

Coming in third is the town of Concord, Mass., home of the Revolutionary War. This western suburban Boston town has beautifully maintained its considerable historic origins with some of the most stunning colonial homes in the region, a magnificent looking public library, the peaceful Monument Square town common, and plenty of small shops and restaurants in its downtown and nearby Depot Square neighborhoods. The tree-lined side streets have a classic New England look with one big home after another -- many with beautiful front porches, white picket fences, and backsides that keep on going and going. Beautiful, historic Walden Pond, the Concord River (great for canoeing) and the Old North Bridge are within walking distances.

Weston, Vt., is our next choice for the best downtown. The whole center is on the National Register of Historic Places! The landmark Vermont Country Store serves as the village's retail centerpiece (you could spend a day shopping at this rustic, charming store specializing in lots of "hard-to-find" merchandise), with beautiful rural village scenes, a gazebo at the town common, classic white Vermont churches, inns and surrounding views of the revered Green Mountains.

Bringing up the rear, but still finishing as one of our favorite downtowns is Bristol, R.I. Known as the "most patriotic town in America," Bristol has American flags displayed throughout town, a red, white and blue painted median strip in its downtown and the oldest Fourth of July celebration in America (it's truly a spirited celebration!). Bristol seems like the proverbial "all-American" town where everyone seems to know each other, and stores that serve residents and tourists, alike (books, toys, photo supplies, coffee shops, and other delightful local small town storefronts). Bristol is also packed with restaurants, many specializing in seafood (the Lobster Pot, Quito's, to name a few). Of course, Bristol's location is ideal -- located on scenic Narragansett and Mt. Hope Bays, you can get pleasing glimpses of the water from the downtown and even better views on the outskirts, especially at beautiful Colt State Park and the stunning Mt. Hope Bridge. Bristol is so special, many locals prefer it to another wonderful Rhode Island destination, Newport. Now that's saying a lot!

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Where’s The Best Place For You To Stay In New England – A Hotel, B&B Or Rental House?

admin — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 12:52:38 +0000

Gas prices be darned. You finally got time to vacation, and you're heading to New England. Trouble is, you're not quite sure whether you should stay in a hotel/motel, a B&B inn or rent a vacation house. Here are some insights into the best lodging for your needs.

Because we don't know your specific interests, or what presents itself as the best place for you to stay, we'll plug some traditional variables into the equation, and that should help you narrow your choices.

If you're single or a couple, before you read this, take a look at the many spas and resorts up here. They are designed as ultimate destressors, and offer all kinds of exquisite pampering services.

If you're not interested in being pampered or you're a family, read on.

Let's start with your budget. Gas prices are a factor and may mean that the grand hotel you had in mind is now beyond your means, so we'll say you can work with between $1,500 to $3,000.

Most people are convinced that the region's ski season or spectacularly colored autumnal leaves are the biggest draw to New England, but they're mistaken. Starting with Memorial Day and coasting through Labor Day, summer is when the most tourists flock to New England-even those who live inside the region.

But as the seasons change, so do the rates, and if you're looking for lower rates in the summer, you may be in for some sticker shock. However, while you may pay higher hotel fees in summer, you don't have to surrender your first born for lift tickets-unless your kids bug you to go a mountain and make ample use of the Alpine Slide and growing number of other rides at something like $19 per ride if you go to Vermont or New Hampshire.

Second, how long are you planning your stay? For most folks, five days is about the max. When you've been away that long, you need to take a vacation from your vacation. Let's say we'll choose five weekdays. The smart thing is to get away at a time when you're nowhere near a holiday or weekend. There are myriad advantages to weekday getaways, especially for skiing if you decide to come up in the winter. You'll have much shorter lift lines, more mountain to yourself and lower-priced lift tickets.

Third, how many people will be going with you? Let's say three and a half: your husband, your daughter and son, aged eleven and thirteen respectively. The "half" part is next.

Are you planning on bringing any pets, a dog, cat, boa constrictor? Let's say Mugs, your Chihuahua, will be making the trip. While there are many pet-friendly places to stay, pets usually aren't welcome at many hotels unless it's a no-tell motel that'll rent you an 8-by-10-foot cabin for $49 a night per person and you can't get the fold-up bed to stay up, so it becomes your table.

Fifth, is being close to a single mountain or attraction important, or will you be heading for the shore? Would you rather be near a lake? All of the New England states have wonderful ponds, lakes or beaches. If you like to play in the surf, Newport, Rhode Island has three beaches, each with a bit rougher surf. Vermont and New Hampshire have wonderful lakes. Lake Champlain in Vermont makes its way to the Hudson. And Lake Sunapee in New Hampshire is a prized vacation spot. Maine is loaded with gorgeous lakes and rivers, especially the Kennebec. Connecticut has wonderful shorelines and lakes. Massachusetts has some of the best surf up on Cape Cod.

No matter where you go, let's figure out what accommodations are best for you.

Hotels/Motels

Room rates at hotels and motels typically range from $159 a night to $349 a night. So it pays to do your homework, which is best done on the Web. If you've decided to go to Vermont, Stowe in the North is loaded with hotels, resorts and spas. In the southern part, the Stratton area is a great place to stay.

Hotels offer more amenities than do smaller lodging places, such as indoor pools and the like, and there's usually that piece of chocolate on your pillow.

Many of the lodging entities cut deals with various ski resorts and summer charters to provide you with stay-and-ski or stay-and-play packages that can work well for you budget-wise.

B&B Inns

These really run the gamut from being breathtakingly romantic and luxurious to being a spare room in someone's house.

Rules. Some B&B innkeepers seem to busy themselves in the morning thinking up new ones. They love them. Some are uber strict-one in Vermont, for instance, demands that guests, "not sit on the bed." Oh, okay so you sleep where, in that wonderful Shaker chair? How exactly does one get into bed without sitting on the edge? At this place, I guess you have to dive into bed.

While their prices are comparable to hotels and motels, you can find some great deals at B&B inns, and like hotels, many of them offer stay-and-play packages.

But... B&B inns are notorious for not allowing pets to stay unless it's a dog-friendly inn, of which there is a growing number. Second, the thing about B&B getaways is that they are geared more toward romantically minded guests; those who bring that all-important shiny rock with which to pop the question. They're also geared to those looking to destress in absolute silence.

The rooms are often frilly, but very nice and you want to find an inn with a nice host or hostess. You can tell the difference immediately when they pick up the phone. I don't know of any B&B where the owner doesn't answer the phone. If they scream, "What," head for the next on the list.

The best thing to do is to tell an innkeeper that you will be bringing your son, daughter and Mugs along, and if they don't growl or sputter on the other end of the line, that's good news. While you get a room and breakfast (thus the name of these inns), some also serve dinner.

Some with larger dining rooms rent space to chefs who prepare marvelous delicacies for the discerning palate. BB&Ds are very rare, however, and you're still on your own for lunch, but you can always get that $25 hamburger and $14 soda at the base lodge when you want a skiing break or to tear the kids away from the Alpine Slide.

In all seriousness, while there are many superb B&B getaway deals out there, they do tend to be geared more toward adults than they are to families because there's one bed per room. They won't turn you away, but it may not be the ideal place to stay for your son and daughter, who would have to sleep on roll-out cots or in another room-double the fare.

House or Condo Rental

Ignoring time shares for this article, that leaves us with renting a house or condo for the week. This a hybrid mix of a hotel and B&B, but with all kinds of room and total privacy. The owners often have rules posted, and you must be absolutely certain you obey them or no refrain next year.

You do have a whole house to yourself, you can eat without having to go out, you can sleep in if you want without some lady with a cart knocking on your door to make your bed.

There are really two kinds of rental housing: a house in the proximity of a ski area, or a condo right on the mountain or lake and beaches. If you're not comfortable driving in snow, then a trailside condo will be your best choice if you're here to ski.

During the spring (after mud season-you don't want to visit Northern New England during mud season), you can drive anywhere and spend the bulk of your time sightseeing. Houses can also offer the best budget deals. In towns with a ski area, houses and condos start at about $150 per night depending on when you go-again, avoid holidays and weekends-and can charge as much as $500 a night depending upon where they are. Usually, the closer to a mountain they are, the more expensive they are if it's a big house, but that's not always the case with condos.

In the final analysis, doing a house or condo rental with all of your variables could be your best bet. At $150 a night, that's $750 for five nights.

Here's a good tip: When you first get into town, assuming you're not exhausted from the drive, visit a local supermarket and get enough food for a week so you don't have to drop a ton of dough at restaurants.

Most houses have not only TVs and cable or satellite, but VCRs and DVD players, as well, so your little guy and gal can bring some favorite tapes or DVDs along.

It's not all perfect. Many of them insist that you to change the sheets on the beds and leave the house as neat as you found it. But if that's all you have to do to enjoy some privacy, relaxation and do-what-you-want-when-you-want freedom, this is the way to go. Just make sure Mugs doesn't leave his mark on the carpets.

Finally, if you like the house and would like to own your own as a vacation home, now that the housing bubble has exploded, prices have come way down from ridiculous peaks, so take a ride and look for "For Sale" signs. Take down the broker's number at a house your like and give them a call. It may be the best vacation investment you'll ever make, because when you're not there, you can rent it out and have your guests pay the mortgage.

By: James Hyde

From his hotel in the city – Rome at your fingertips Walking is one of the best ways to explore the...

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The Itsy-Bitsy Vacation Planning Guide

admin — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 16:06:31 +0000

This time of year I’m inundated with people asking for my vacation planning advice - I own a regional vacation site and offer free consultation. The problem is information overload. Vacation web sites contain so much information that people get overwhelmed with the confusing number of choices and decisions – it can be disheartening.

I’ve developed a few questions I get people to think about and answer that really gets them realistic about vacation planning for their destinations and accommodations.

So here are the questions and advice I give to people touring my specialty region – New England - but I know are relevant to vacation planning almost anywhere.

HOW MANY DAYS DO YOU HAVE FOR YOUR VACATION?

If you’re flying in to a central airport allow the first day to pick up your car and drive to your destination. Take time to settle into your accommodation, get orientated and scout out for a relaxing dinner location.

Similarly on the last day, you should allocate for driving back to the airport, dropping off your car and getting through security to catch your flight. So if you’re planning on seven vacation days in the area – now you’re down to five for touring and sightseeing.

DO YOU PREFER TO TOUR OR STAY IN ONE PLACE?

This is an important question for you to answer as touring requires more vacation planning but also offers the chance to see more of a region’s diversity.

If you prefer to be based at one location then it makes the lodging choice easier. But there may be no one place centrally located for destinations and attractions, so you need to ensure where you stay is close for all the things you want to see and do. Check with a regional map and calculate distances. I can’t tell you the number of people that think they can drive from New York to the Maine Wilderness in one day and still have time to hike a mountain.

Which is a nice lead in to...

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO SEE AND DO?

Don’t try to see and do everything, or the vacation will just be one big blur. Be realistic on just how many attractions you can enjoy and not be exhausted at the end of the day.

So write out the things you like to do and see. Do you like excitement and plenty to do at night or enjoy a quiet village atmosphere? Are you a history and museum buff, or attracted more to the scenic beauty of an area? Do you like to hike in the mountains, or doze on a beach?

Once you’ve chosen a few themes they’ll help make your vacation planning easier by zeroing in on a realistic area to cover during your stay, depending on whether you’ll be housed in one spot or touring around.

WHAT DO YOU WANT IN ACCOMMODATION?

Are you looking to lodge at a Four-Star resort and spa or a campground near a lake?

The one thing these two extremes have in common is reservations. You can’t expect to turn up in the height of summer or a popular seasonal time and hope to find a room. Do some quick research to find out what’s available in the region. For example the New England region is famous for its Country Inns and Bed and Breakfasts - a type of accommodation that suits couples and singles, but not necessarily families with young children.

I always urge visitors to book their accommodation early in their vacation planning - even before their flights.

I hope this brief article will help you zero in on that trip of your dreams and avoid an expensive mistake you live to regret.

By: Cliff Calderwood

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Things to Do in New England

admin — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 11:30:29 +0000

New England is one of the most beautiful regions of the country. I have been there many times, mainly with my family. My parents used to rent a house up at Cape Cod every summer, where my sister and I would stay with them. I have also been to Boston many times. Some other fun places to visit in New England are the islands of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard as well as Acadia National Park in Maine.

Cape Cod is beautiful, especially in the fall when all the trees change color. I have never been there in the fall but I've been there many times in the summer with my family, when it's also quite pleasant. The cape runs about 30 miles north along the Atlantic coast and has some nice beaches. Provincetown is right on the tip of the cape. This is a fun town with lots of hip youngsters and some fun shops.

Boston is one of my favorite cities in the United States. I have been on the Freedom Trail twice, which passes by several important buildings pertaining to the American Revolution, including Fanneuil Hall, an old market, as well as the North Church, where Paul Revere began his famous ride. Fanneuil Hall contains Durgin Park, one of my favorite restaurants, with superb prime rib as well as some exquisite clam chowder.

A trip to New England would not be complete without visiting Maine. I was in Maine with my family for a week and ate lobster every day. Lobster is so cheap in Maine that you see hamburger stands which also sell lobster. Acadia National Park is a beautiful spot in Maine, well worth the trip up there.

By: David Terr

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Old Sturbridge Village, One of the Great New England Museums

admin — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 22:57:43 +0000

Old Sturbridge Village, in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, is a “living history” museum. It functions very much as a New England town of the 1830s would have, and it's fascinating and enlightening to see how skills—long forgotten by most of us—were employed in a variety of ways to make such a village thrive.

As an historical site, Old Sturbridge Village brings the early to mid 1800s to life vividly with considerable detail and historical accuracy. Each building was brought to the site from other towns around the region to make up a Village typical of the period in rural New England.

Here one can learn about the emphasis on the agrarian lifestyle that characterized much of the nation during the period.

Much more than a museum, historical site or simply a great New England museum, Old Sturbridge Village is quintessentially New England in its essence and character. It's steeped in Yankee ethics, tradition and ingenuity and the surrounding area is peaceful and inviting.

This great NewEngland museum is about as complete an early 1800s town as one can find anywhere. Its exhibits are living characterizations of a far simpler time; a lifestyle replete with differing beliefs, religious and philosophical, that blended here into a unique, harmonious environment that flourished as the nation grew.

In fact, a visit to the village gives one a hint of utopia, a social concept carefully nurtured in nearby parts of New England during the 1800s.

Staff members here, laboring at early American chores in authentic period dress, are happy to demonstrate their crafts and trades and are very knowledgeable about the lifestyle, technology and culture of the era they represent. Having them as living, oral-history reinactors with the exhibits and visitors adds enormously to what one sees in each building, field or common.

The village complex comprises two parts: The common and center village, where social interaction occurred; and the countryside, where the farming was done.

One learns best by doing, and Old Sturbridge Village knows well how to teach. Visitors may build a stone wall (using lightweight foam "rocks") and small-scale snake-rail (zigzag) fences; assemble a small-scale post-and-beam structure; pump water using a hand pump on the Common; "raise" a bucket from its various components in the Cooper Shop; try on a straight-lasted shoe in the Shoe Shop, and more.

There are also various opportunities to interact with the times at the farm, including harvesting activities (pulling root vegetables, digging for potatoes, picking corn, threshing and winnowing grain, etc.). In January and February, visitors can take a turn at dipping tallow candles.

Old Sturbridge Village is open year-round and each season brings related special events.
As for holidays, special focus is given to Washington's Birthday, Independence Day, and Thanksgiving, the three major holidays in the Village's period.

Also new to the Village is an exploration of the history of Christmas traditions in December. The Village is decorated for the month of December, known as "Spirit of the Season," and offers several candlelight evenings.

If you're interested in a way of life long since past, you can recapture it here in all of its fullness. It's a must stop on any New England getaway.

By: James Hyde

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