New England Travel and Vacation Gazette and Other Wicked Good Content

Hart's Turkey Farm roast turkey dinner. Photo credit: Hart's Turkey Farm Hart's Turkey Farm should be called Hearts Turkey Farm because the Meredith, N.H., restaurant has plenty of it. This is one of those old school restaurants that makes you feel good all over. Simplicity is the catalyst: serve great turkey dinners in big portions, be good at creating all other meals, always prioritize customer service and have customers dine in an atmosphere that feels warm, inviting and traditional without a hint of trendiness. While the name says "turkey," people I have known through the years have experienced an equal love affair with the whipped potatoes, gravies, fresh vegetables chowders, soups, homemade pies and its own ice cream.  The older generations love telling friends and family about Hart's, and I suspect the younger generations will have stories to tell, also, as they get older. It's heartwarming to find a restaurant that seems to please all ages le

Jamestown, R.I. (photo by Eric) For a small state, Rhode Island has so many interesting, beautifully low-key small coastal towns. Sometimes getting overlooked because travelers opt for busier Newport or Cape Cod, these underrated communities are certainly worth discovering. These towns can serve as a nice antidote to the increasingly loud, congested world we live in -- that is, away from the worst traffic, over-hype and tackiness that can impede the more familiar New England travel spots. Peace and quiet is a good thing, and much-needed elements to reconnect to the New England land that we love! Although these Rhode Island towns are optimal to visit during the summer and early fall with all businesses open, any time of the year will do just fine. A nice winter weather day with snow blanketing the back roads and main streets, and spring offering a warm reawakening of the senses after a long-cold winter are certainly nice times of the year to visit, too. Here are some of those

Once the colder New England weather arrives, it's like all the good lobster rolls go into hibernation. A silly rationale, of course, as it is obviously the myriad local seafood shack and restaurants that close for the off season. As the summer brings virtually endless choices for great lobster rolls, the winter often puts a deep freeze on this popular local dish's availability. Not all hope is lost, however, as some phenomenal lobster rolls can be found during the off season. While traveling Massachusetts, for example, two informal roadside shacks come to the rescue with tasty lobster rolls that have lobster meat packed to the gills within a tasty roll and with little to an acceptably moderate amount of mayo. Kelly's Roast Beef at Revere Beach  (and several suburban Boston locations), and Wood's Seafood at Plymouth Harbor in Plymouth  make exceptional lobster rolls, year-round. While Kelly's is best known for its roast beef, they might just make the best lob

L.L. Bean flagship store, Freeport, Maine (Photo credit: Maine Office of Tourism) Many outdoor stores leave us out in the cold with their mixed bag of merchandise, but not the L.L. Bean flagship store in Freeport, Maine. This is the grandaddy of all outdoor stores -- including the L.L. Bean retail and outlet stores across the country --  in business more than a century, more than three million visitors a year and open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. With its famous big boot out front (see picture) and an incredible, organized variety of clothing and outdoor recreation equipment, this 200,000 sq. ft. store and seven acre campus is like the Disneyland of outdoor recreation stores. You'll find separate buildings for hunting and fishing, biking, boating and skiing, and an outlet store.  An L.L. Bean home goods store opened across the street in 2009. In addition to the classic, well-made merchandise that made L.L. Bean famous, it's also quite entertaining at the Freeport l

Article and Photos by Eric H. If you're tired of dining at those box-shaped restaurants that all look the same (and often offer the same tasting things), then we suggest taking a look at some of the photos below. Every once in a while, there's a restaurant that stands out from the others -- unique in appearance and usually with an endearing gimmick. Before briefly describing each restaurant, we present to you the photos: Prince Pizzeria, Saugus, MA Beef Barn, North Smithfield, RI Tex Barry's Coney Island Hot Dogs, Attleboro, MA Milk Bottle Restaurant, Raynham, MA The Traveler Restaurant, Union, CT (look at all the books!) The Lyndon Freighthouse, Lyndonville, VT The Western Hotel, Harrisville, RI The Prince Restaurant , in Saugus, MA (517 Broadway, Route 1 South, Tel., 781-233-9950) with its "Leaning Tower of Pizza" structure, features some wonderful Italian-style pizza and pasta with homemade sauce. The Beef Barn , in North Smithfield,

Noank, Conn. Editor's note: We recently received an email from one of our readers looking to possibly move to Connecticut. Here is her inquiry, followed by our response... Hi, my name is Courtney and I found your website completely truthful and helpful. I talked to my cousin who lives in the northern part of the east coast and she described exactly what you did! I am currently in Orange County, California, and don't like the "ingenuinity" (we're assuming the word is"disingenuous") and mindset of the people. I have found that Connecticut is a place with great weather and has a lot if cities with a small town feel. I was wondering if there was any way that you could help me specify my search in CT? I would like a city with a small town feel where your neighbors are sweet, but it still has a high quality of life. Essex and Stonington caught my eye, but I've never been so I can't say! Thank you for your time. Thank-you for your inquiry. We d