New England Travel and Vacation Gazette and Other Wicked Good Content

Article by Eric H. All this talk about bail-outs and recessions just makes one want to bail out to a peaceful travel destination to get away from all this ugly, elitist-driven financial madness. We couldn't think of a better place to temporarily escape than the Inn at Woodstock Hill in Woodstock, Conn. The tell-tale sign that The Inn at Woodstock Hill is an ideal getaway is that it's located in the northeast area of Connecticut called the "Quiet Corner." The Inn at Woodstock Hill delivers on this appealing moniker, majestically residing in its 1816 Federal/Georgian presence on a hill surrounded by higher rolling hills, some of the prettiest large old Colonial homes you'll ever see, and a peaceful aura that simply forces relaxation. Woodstock is indeed a worthy extension of the Inn at Woodstock Hill (or, vice versa). Void of any unctuous strip malls, hostile commuting traffic, or other "Anytown USA" trappings (why do we call this civilization?), Woodstoc...

Article and Photo by Eric H. Medfield, MA, about a half hour southwest of Boston, has a classic Leave it to Beaver look with sunny, tree-lined streets, a downtown right out of the 1950s, and friendly neighbors ( and some of the best public schools in the state ). While Medfield features some very large old and newer homes, the overall feel is more working class. People we've met from Medfield don't try to impress us that they live in Medfield, just that they really enjoy the town. You won't see a lot of people here walking around in top hats and monocles! The downtown sets the tone for Medfield -- informal, pleasant and old-fashioned. Lord's Department Store brings back the days of Woolworths's and even features an luncheonette called Coffee Sensations. Park Street Books, Friendly's Ice Cream, Casabella Pizza. Noon Hill Grill (excellent for lunch and dinner restaurant in a restored train station), Master's Touch store for home remodeling, and some hair ...

Article and Photo by Eric H. We recently reviewed Dave's Diner in Middleboro, MA, at the VisitingNewEngland.com Local Yokel Dining Guide . With its chrome, neon, counter and stools and full breakfast, lunch and dinner menu, we feel this would be a great place for families, diner aficionados and virtually everyone else who likes a good home-cooked meal within a classic diner setting in southeastern Massachusetts. Read the Dave's Diner review here

Article by Eric H. Recently, BusinessWeek Magazine named Malden as the best place to raise a family in Massachusetts with communities having populations of more than 50,000 people. This well-intended but controversial article just goes to show that there is a difference between collecting data and actually living in the city -- or seeing first-hand through the years what Malden is really like. Malden, with a population of around 56,000, is actually not a bad place, but certainly not the community many of us would want to raise a family. This is not to denigrate Malden for its has many virtues like some nice neighborhoods, affordability, proximity to Boston and a good variety of restaurants. The article praised the school system, but the story is different if you look at the stats on GreatSchools.net . There is disparity between the stats and parent/student rankings for Malden on this Web Site, but in our opinion, both need to be taken into account to potentiate finding the best school...

Article by Eric H., Photo of Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Courtesy of MOTT If you're planning on visiting New England, we recommend you check out the 40-plus travel and vacation attractions listed in the VisitingNewEngland.com " Best New England Family Vacation Attractions " article. Far from a faceless, generic, "we'll -pay-you-to-write-something-good-about-us" online informerical, we've combined personal reviews with word-of-mouth feedback from our neighbors and friends from all over New England. The article will be significantly updated from this point on, but, for now, you'll just have to do with what we feel are some of New England's best attractions for the family during the winter, spring, summer and fall!

Article and photos by Eric H. In a rare portrayal of arrogance and pettiness, I stayed away from Plymouth, MA, for many years. The rationale was quite elitist and, actually, quite pathetic: It's too close to home. Therefore, it can't be any good! I heard that there's crime there. Why, other towns around here don't have crime! Who wants to travel an hour to see a silly rock (Plymouth Rock) that's one-third the size of its original presence --thanks to chucklehead tourists chipping the rock for their own take-home souvenirs? We have many rocks in our backyard and in the heads of some of our state politicians! No one goes there anymore, it's too crowded! (coining a classic Yogi Berra line) Surely, there are better things to do like watching a Munsters Marathon on TV Land! Yes, the above statements are more designed to humor you, but, in reality, I was never too crazy about Plymouth. For a while, the downtown seemed run down, crime did rise during this time, and ...

Article and photo (Country Kitchen, Walpole, MA) by Eric H. The impending holiday seasons bring about an enhanced craving for anything sweet, especially cookies, pies and cakes. As for the rest of the season, well, people will always find a reason to eat something sugar-related. While we know that the best route to health is through eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, we also know the reality that there's a place in our hearts (although not always doing that part of our body well) for a special treat. Balance is the key and as long as you don't have a medical situation, an occasional sugary treat can be quite enjoyable. Here in New England, we have reviewed several of the best places to buy a special treat in our In Search of a Sweet New England at VisitingNewengland.com . Here, you'll find delightful bakeries, chocolate factories and other sweet-smelling places where they offer chocolates, ice cream, donuts, candies and other sugary concoctions. At the bot...

Article and Photo by Eric H. There's an affectionate old, local joke that once you live in Norwood, MA, you never leave. The reasoning behind this "townie" tradition makes perfect sense, given Norwood has always offered a sense of place with its close-knit neighborhoods, good schools, proximity to Boston and Providence, and lots of town activities going on in this southwest suburban Boston town of about 29,000 people. One of the big draws in Norwood, MA, is its thriving downtown -- perhaps the best mid-sized town center in suburban Boston. Becoming something of a "restaurant row," with an amazing diversity of dining spots, Norwood also features many local Mom and Pop stores that collectively allow you to do all of your shopping downtown. Although the type of businesses are becoming more modern with boutiques and galleries, there's still a sense of yesteryear with Brenner's Childrens Shop for clothing, old school dining spots like the Lewis Restaurant...

Article and photo (1761 Old Mill restaurant, Westminster, MA) by Eric H. Our readers at VisitingNewEngland.com had more of a hunger for an enhanced dining reviews pages, so we recently upgraded with a more navigation-friendly restaurant section called the Local Yokel New England Dining Guide . We think you'll like the new look with a featured restaurant (currently Don's Diner, of Plainville, MA) near the top of the page, all the personal restaurant review links intact and a nice variety of restaurant and food-related ads on the right -- including one of our favorite restaurants, Vello's, of Westwood, MA. We hope you find this updated page appetizing, and try one of the restaurants mentioned -- places that make New England so special in regards to its dining.

Article and Photo by Eric H. Marion, MA, doesn't receive a lot of press, but it certainly manages to pull us into its quintessentially coastal New England presence. This sleepy, little town of approximately 5,000 people in southeastern Massachusetts combines the neatly manicured look of Tabor Academy (a private school serving grades 9-12) with refreshing seacoast living. Many residents own older Colonial homes with white picket fences and American flags proudly on display, while enjoying local swimming and other recreational activities at scenic Sippican Harbor. Marion, by the way, shares the Buzzards Bay coastline that extends to nearby Cape Cod. Marion is refreshingly laid-back. There's not much going on in town, although the Marion Country Store still thrives, and there's a network of beautiful tree-lined streets leading from the downtown. Visiting Marion is like taking a trip back in time. It's not considered a vacation destination, but rather a residential commun...

Article and photo by Eric H. Pizza might not sound very "New England," but that doesn't mean us lifelong locals can't enjoy a slice or five. We recently updated our " Best Pizza in the Greater Boston Area " section on VisitingNewEngland.com , including personal reviews as well as reader feedback. We have included our favorite Italian and Greek-style pizzas -- some local landmarks like Santarpio's in East Boston and Pizzeria Regina in the North End of Boston and some hidden gems like Leo's Pizzeria in Walpole and Poopsie's in Pembroke (with a name like that, the pizza better be good). Feel free to submit your favorite Boston area pizza places and we'll consider it for publication!

Article and Photo by Eric H. The true testimony to a vacation destination is whether it would also make a great town to live. How many vacation destinations fit that bill, given so many travel spots have been ruined by phony, slick makeovers and overdevelopment that deplete the authenticity of a community? Meredith, located on beautiful Lake Winnipesaukee at the foothills of the White Mountains, is a real community with its unspoiled scenic lake views, a nice old-fashioned downtown with several local shops and restaurants, a pleasant mix of well-kept new and old homes, places to walk by the lake, and an overall peaceful sense of place. Besides the established downtown section is the historic Mills Falls Marketplace, an early linen mill which was properly restored (translated: not tacky or pretentious!) to feature 19 unique specialty shops, galleries and restaurants -- and the charming The Inn at Mills Falls hotel. There's also the Annalee Outlet Store , at 50 Reservoir Rd., th...

Article and photos by Eric H. Patriot Place, at Gillette Stadium (home of the New England Patriots) in Foxborough, MA, continues it rapid development, en route to becoming a major destination for shopping, entertainment and commercial uses. Traveling here once a week to eagerly monitor its progress, I am constantly amazed at how quickly Patriot Place is growing as it seems like it went from an empty parcel of land to an established shopping plaza in virtually no time. Stores and restaurants seem to be opening every week! The "look" is marvelous with attractive walkways and buildings, juxtaposed against the stunning state-of-the-art Gillette Stadium. Patiriot Place already has a strong presence with stores like Reebok, Victoria's Secret, Bass Pro Shops, Aeropostale and restaurants like Red Robin, CBS Scene, Skipjack, Davio's and Blue Fin Lounge. Baskin Robbins recently opened a more colorful version of its storied ice cream chain here! Recently, The Hall at Patriot...

Article and Photos (from Port In a Storm Book Store in Somesville) by Eric H. Not to be confused with the more urbane Somerville, MA, Somesville, Maine, isn't even officially a town: it's part of the municipality of Mt. Desert Island! Regardless of its designation, Somesville sure looks like a real New England coastal town with its quaint look enhanced by amazing views of Somes Sound, mountains, inlets and other rural scenery that remain unspoiled. There's not much to do in Somesville except take in the views and visit the wonderful Port In A Storm Book Store -- one of the best examples of a successful, friendly independent book store that we've found in New England. Of course, it helps to have those great water views (including a waterfall) within a stone's throw of the book store. Port In A Storm is up to date on many of the latest books, but offers an especially impressive selection of books about Maine. Acadia National Park is the real draw within Mt. Deser...

Article and Photo (of Downtown Walpole, MA) by Eric H. Now that fall foliage has pretty much ended in New England, the carousel of New England seasons will soon give way to winter with its blanket of white snow gracing our character-filled cities, towns and villages, as well as downhill skiing, cross country skiing, and cold weather events and attractions to warm your heart. We have just started a New England Winter Vacation Guide at VisitingNewEngland.com that offers many ideas for those in search of a New England vacation. Much of it centers on skiing and ski lodging at this point, but there's also a good amount of information on two New England winter vacation destinations that go well beyond their reputations for fine skiing: the Mt. Washington, NH, area and Stowe, VT. You'll also find some great Maine events, as well as links to Christmas shopping in New England and why it's good to visit New England in the winter. Enjoy, and drop us a line to let us know your fa...