New England Travel and Vacation Gazette and Other Wicked Good Content

Article and photo (Wayside Country Store, Marlboro, Mass.) by Eric H. Just a reminder that we recently started a blog called "Shop Local, Buy Local New England!" This special section of VisitingNewEngland.com centers on what we feel are some of the best independently-owned stores across New England. Recognizing that small business has always been the lifeblood of our business economy, we decided to start this web site to "get the word out" on worthy locally-owned businesses.  You'll find country stores, old-fashioned department stores, clothing shops, ice cream shops and bakeries, book stores, general stores and more.  We know no one works harder in the business world than the local business owner; we felt it was time to celebrate the spirit, work ethic and community value of these unique, one-of-a-kind New England stores. You can read the "Shop Local, Buy Local New England!" blog by clicking on the text link above.

Report by Eric H. Photo by  Sarah Musumeci, courtesy of MOTT, MassVacation    April not only means the beginning of warmer weather in New England, but also some famous events -- be sure not to miss the following two in Massachusetts: Boston Marathon, Mon., April 19, 2010   This famous 26-mile running event starts in Hopkinton, Mass., and ends in Boston! Lexington and Concord Patriot's Day Parades, April 17-18, 2010   What better place to see Patriot's Day parades than the birthplaces of the Revolutionary War in Lexington and Concord, Mass.? Be prepared to witness authentic reenactments and colorful "Colonial period groups marching the parade.

Article by Eric H.   Sometimes, the concept of a restaurant is far more important than what they serve. Such is the case with Mike's Mess Hall, a new restaurant in Medfield, Mass. While the soups and sandwiches are quite good at Mike's, the mission of this veteran-run "hidden restaurant," now open to the public, has far more meaning as profits support local vets and create scholarships for school-bound locals. Located in the back of the American Legion Hall on Peter Kristoff Way, Mike's Mess Hall features a rather large no- frills dining room with a long counter, and standalone tables, pool tables, a golf video game, and big screen televisions.  Veterans keep the conversation lively, talking about current events from Medfield to Washington, D.C.  The staff is courteous and the atmosphere quite welcoming as there seems to be an aura of gratitude to those customers who have gone out of their way to enjoy some very good food (including burgers, gilled chicken sand...

Article and photo (Jordan Pond, Acadia National Park, Maine) by Eric H . We are pleased to announce that the 2010 New England Travel Newsletter is available for your reading pleasure at http://www.visitingnewengland.com/New-England-Travel-Spring-2010-Newsletter.pdf  . Our first online newsletter includes spring-related articles on Kennebunkport, Maine, Boston, Mass., Ogunquit, Maine, an amazing castle in Connecticut, a few key spring events, colorful large photos of New England, and more. The New England Travel Newsletter will be published four times a year -- spring, winter, summer and fall. Please feel free to contribute by emailing your story ideas, tips and calendar of event items. We hope you enjoy the newsletter, and would appreciate any feedback you have so that we can help this publication grow with each season. Happy travels!

by Eric H. (photo of Kennebunkport, Maine in April by Eric H.) VisitingNewEngland.com will be publishing its first online New England travel newsletter within a few weeks. You can sign up for this free publication on most VisitingNewEngland.com pages in the right column  . Spring travel articles, tips, resources and photographs that you'll only find from VisitingNewEngland.com are just some of the features of the spring travel newsletter. We will publish several times a year, and hope to expand the content with each issue. With the spring issue almost ready to be released, we recommend signing up within the next five days. Thanks, and happy New England travels!

Cohasset Town Common, Cohasset, Mass. (photo by Eric H. Article and photos by Eric H.  I had a chance to tour more of the Cohasset and Scituate, Mass., area yesterday. Both South Shore towns (located about 25-30 miles south of Boston) offer some wonderful coastal views -- particularly along Jerusalem Way in Cohasset and quaint downtown districts with restaurants and cafes with outdoor seating as well as gifts shops, boutiques, galleries, and an overall nice "Main Street USA" feel. Cohasset's town common is surely one of the greatest village greens in New England with its pond and large expanse of land surrounded by historic buildings. If you have a chance, please sign up at our Facebook Fan Page to take a look at a video taken at Minot Point in Scituate of the ocean current.  The waves were really spectacular, as you will see! Below is a photo of the rush of the ocean yesterday: To give you a flavor of the two towns, here are some photos of Cohasset Village, ...

Article and photo by Eric H. Cohasset Harbor, located in the picturesque South Shore suburban Boston coastal town of Cohasset, Mass., offers a nice setting for a spring day. Whether it's fishing, walking, or just viewing the scenic protected harbor, the feeling is relaxed and purely quintessential coastal New England. The Atlantica Restaurant , specializing in seafood and water views, is located here, as well as the Cohasset Harbor Inn resort , making for a delightful, "hidden" New England getaway. Even though you feel like you're a million miles from the hectic urban, suburban life at Cohasset Harbor, Boston is only about a 35-minute drive! For additional info and another view of Cohasset Harbor, please check out our Cohasset Harbor travel photo essay at VisitingNewEngland.com.