New England Travel and Vacation Gazette and Other Wicked Good Content

Article and photo (of Wrentham, MA) by Eric H. They've been called Norman Rockwell towns, a scene out of Currier and Ives, or in our modern New England world, a "wicked cool place to be." Small town America still exists in our New England communities, although often challenged by rampant development. What are some true New England small-town elements? A wholesome look from the 1950s, many times with a town common, schools and church all within the downtown district, local diner, ice cream parlor, historic municipal buildings, a general or country store, and tree-lined side streets with big-old homes. Most importantly, small town America features lots of community events, a traditional sense of values, a slower pace of life, and close-knit, low crime neighborhoods. Although few towns seem to contain all elements of small town America, here is my current top 10 list of classic New England small towns (subject to change): Chester, CT South Berwick, Maine Southwest Harbor, M...

Article and photo by Eric H. The latest VisitingNewEngland.com summer travel article is "Ten Reasons to Visit York Beach, Maine." One of New England's best family-oriented vacation destinations, York Beach features two fantastic ocean beaches (Long Sands and Short Sands), the famous Nubble Lighthouse, York Wild Kingdom Zoo and Fun Park, Brown's Ice Cream stand with its famous wild Maine blueberry ice cream, and The Goldenrod -- a restaurant that is best known for its salt water taffy making. The York Beach area is also a great place to dine on Maine seafood at places like Fosters Downeast Clambake we've fallen in love with the lobster and clam chowder You can read the full article on York Beach attractions by clicking the link above.

Article and photo by Eric H. (WOONSOCKET, R.I.) - Those who miss the famous berched chicken dinner at the former Ma Glockner's restaurant in Bellingham, Mass., will be pleased to know that the River Falls Restaurant in Woonsocket, R.I., recently reintroduced the, legendary dish. Berched chicken involves a special process that includes steaming a seasoned chicken breast for several hours and then searing it on a grill for seven minutes. "Ma" Glockner invented the dish when the restaurant opened in 1937 and was served until its closing in September 2008. At this writing, the River Falls serves the berched chicken dinner on Sundays -- along with other Ma Glockner's favorite like salad with French dressing, sweet potatoes and coconut cream pie. You can read the full article at VisitingNewEngland.com on the return of the berched chicken dinner at the River Falls Restaurant and Lounge here.

Article and photo by Eric H. Congratulations to Easton, MA, by finishing 37th in CNN/Money.com's Best Places to Live 2009 . Although we understand that it's a difficult task to choose best places to live (there's lots of subjectivity involved) Easton's high ranking does not surprise us. The town prides itself on historical preservation, conservation of beautiful open land, an excellent school system and deep community involvement. The H.H. Richardson-designed buildings (Ames Free Public Library, Oakes Memorial Hall) in North Easton, especially add a flavor to the quaint New England downtown. Add the fabulous Children's Museum in Easton, the scenic Borderland State Park, the peaceful Sheep Pasture to stroll, and easy access to Boston (35 miles away), and you indeed have a special town. Not too long ago, we featured a photo essay on North Easton , perhaps the most strikingly beautiful section of Easton. We think the article and photos will give you a taste of this ver...