Macro Monday in New England: Vermont Country Store, Weston, Vt.

The Vermont Country Store in Wetston, Vt., is one of New England's most famous country stores. I took this close-up photo in an attempt to capture the welcoming, old-time feel to the storefront. Notice the front porch benches, the rocking chairs, the old wooden door, the windows with mullions, the American flag at the top left and the family business sign -- this is so New England!  It gets even better inside with more than 5,000 hard-to-find items, some that you thought you would never see again, like Chiclets, Uncle Wiggily board game, the original Gumby and Pokey bendable buddies, Gee Your Hair Smells Terrific Shampoo etc.,

For more on the Vermont Country Store and other country stores to love during your New England travel. please read our Best Country Stores in New England article.

Celebrating Pancake Day, New England Style!

Today is Pancake Day and thought we could celebrate in grand style by showcasing through the Pinterest social media platform some of the best pancake spots in the six-state region...

 The Pancake House, South Yarmouth MA (Cape Cod) -- This is a family-friendly landmark and a often a staple of going out to breakfast when vacationing on Cape Cod. Go for the peanut butter cup pancakes here!

Polly's Pancake House, Sugar Hill NH - Generally regarded as one of the best pancake houses in New England, Polly's has the science of making a perfect pancake down to a tee. Too bad they won't reopen for the season until March 16, 2013 -- would have been a natural for Pancake Day!

Source: Uploaded by user via Melissa on Pinterest

Parker's Maple Barn, Mason NH - Rustic atmosphere, phenomenal buckwheat, pumpkin and blueberry pancakes (see link to review below).

Source: hiddenboston.com via Jenny on Pinterest

If you enjoyed this article, you might also like reading: 
Stacking up some great New England pancakes houses
Dining review of Intervale Pancake House, Henniker NH
Dining review of Parker's Maple Barn, Mason NH
Food and drink photos from around New England

BostonTweet on Twitter Offers Great Info on Boston Events, News

If you want to get the scoop on what's going on in Boston, Mass., via social media, BostonTweet on Twitter is definitely a "Hub" of information on Boston events and news.

Tom O'Keefe does a terrific job sending out information on what's going on in the Boston area. This "real-time"reporting might lead you to a discount meal, great bars, a concert or theater production, a weather update, where to go for brunch, new restaurant, official news from the City of Boston, etc.

His Twitter page has become so popular that nearly 76,000 people are following him, at this writing. Excellent use of social media, Tom, at getting timely, informative and entertaining information out to us in a clear, concise manner!

Luxury Hotels in New England on Pinterest

New England has its share of upscale lodging, so we thought it would be a great idea to create a Pinterest Luxury New England Hotels photo pin board of many of these luxury hotels.  We have included such famous landmarks, including the Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods, N.H., Ritz Carlton in Boston, Mass., Wentworth by the Sea in New Castle, N.H. (pictured above), Topnotch in Stowe, Vt., and The Colony in Kennebunkport, Maine. You'll also find some luxury hotels that don't have the "big name," while still offering wonderful settings for those looking to splurge just a little. Each hotel photo leads to a page where you can make reservations.

Not only do we see the beauty of these hotels through photos, but also the beauty of social media by categorizing this genre of hotels into one place with frequent updates. No need anymore to wait for those antiquated yearly travel guides and sifting through the book to find luxury hotels!

Massachusetts Weddings on Pinterest

The grand union between social media and weddings is wonderfully presented through the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism's Massachusetts Weddings! Pinterest pin board. From a wedding on the Berkshire Scenic Railway to saying "I do" by a lighthouse (photo above), this social media page is full of fabulous ideas on where to get married in Massachusetts. Rather than relying on those overly familiar stuffy, staged and stale wedding photos marketed to the hilt by various agencies, this wedding photo page suggests so many fun, unique scenes on wedding locations in Massachusetts.  Nice job, Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism!

Social Media Travel Info in New England

It's time to get more social in New England, and we're ready to break the ice.

I noticed how many great social media travel and local business pages there are in New England, whether it be on Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest or through bloggers (clearly, a form of social media). From state tourism agencies to the local country store, we plan on sharing what we feel are the very best examples of social media in the six-state region. Hopefully, this will help with your New England trip planning, as well as learning more about some phenomenal local businesses. I'll be blogging about social media in New England over the next few months, and, if it is well received, we'll consider switching full-time here to a New England travel social media blog.

We will also keep you up to date on our own social media pages, including Google+, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Let's get things started by recognizing the New England Aquarium in Boston, Mass., as having one of the best Google+ businesses pages.  Informative, full of photos and videos, timely and sometimes humorous, the world-class presence of the New England Aquarium is very well communicated through Google+. Great job!

Thanksgiving Day Meals, New England Style in Massachusetts

Concord's Colonial Inn, Concord Mass. (photo by Eric)

Do you enjoy going out for Thanksgiving, having someone else do all the cooking for you?  If so, you'll find no shortage of such places in New England, but the key is to find a destination that will get you in the local spirit. Here are some traditional, historic and charming New England spots in Massachusetts that are sure to provide a fabulous setting for your Thanksgiving Day meal...

The Pilgrims were to first to celebrate Thanksgiving in America, so why not celebrate at Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth? This wonderful outdoor living museum that recreates life during the Pilgrim days offers the traditional America's Thanksgiving Dinner, as well as a Thanksgiving Day Buffet. It looks like some seatings are already sold out for both Thanksgiving Day dinners, so we recommend making reservations soon if this event sounds interesting to you. Log onto http://www.plimoth.org/dining-functions/thanksgiving-dining-special-events for more information, or call (508) 746-1622 for reservations.

In Central Massachusetts, the historic Salem Cross Inn in West Brookfield provides a beautiful restaurant setting for enjoying the bounty of New England's harvest on Thanksgiving Day with traditional free range oven roasted turkey and appetizers, unique drinks and homemade desserts (the deep dish apple pie is phenomenal!).  If you'd rather have something else than turkey, then broiled salmon and pepper crusted sirloin with gorgonzola cheese are also available. With a roaring fireplace, post and beam design, and 600 acres of beautiful rolling hills, this colonial restaurant -- with part of the building well preserved from the early 1600s -- will surely bring you into the heart and soul of traditional New England.  For more information, log onto http://www.salemcrossinn.com/CalendarEvents/thanksgiving_dinner.htm, or call (508) 867-2345 for reservations.

In historic Concord (birthplace of the American Revolution), Concord's Colonial Inn offers a comprehensive Thanksgiving Day meal with a carving station (yes, including oven roasted turkey with pan gravy!), pasta, fish,  salads, cheese, a raw bar, soup, bread and sides, including fresh vegetables. This restaurant and inn overflows with colonial charm and is located at beautiful Monument Square in the heart of this beautifully preserved town. One of the inn's original buildings was once used, in 1775, for arms and provisions while from 1835-1837, famous author Henry David Thorough (Walden and Civil Disobedience) lived here before moving to Walden Pond.

You can view the full Thanksgiving Day menu at http://www.concordscolonialinn.com/sites/default/files/docs/Thanksgiving%202012.pdf, or call (978) 369-9200 for reservations.

Editor's note: we strongly advise you call ahead for Thanksgiving Day meals details and to make reservations before embarking to the above-mentioned places.

If you enjoyed this article, you might also enjoy reading:
Walking along Plymouth Harbor
20 classic New England travel attractions
10 reasons to love Central Massachusetts