New England Travel and Vacation Gazette and Other Wicked Good Content

Strolling the Common at Old Sturbridge Village in autumn. Photographer: Thomas Neill Tweet Article by Eric H. If you're looking for an educational and entertaining New England travel attraction for the whole family, Old Sturbridge Village (OSV) in Sturbridge, Mass., continues as one of the region's best destinations. The authentic, expansive Sturbridge Village living museum presentation expertly recreates rural New England during the 1790s through the 1830s.  The village layout is tremendously thoughtful and detailed with 59 historic buildings on 200 acres, three water-powered mills and two covered bridges.  Additionally, you can visit with knowledgeable New England historians in costume, ride in a stagecoach, view antiques, heirloom gardens, meet the farm animals, and take part in hands-on crafts.  Additionally, the charming Oliver Wight Tavern looks like an 1830s rural New England tavern and offers lunch, Sunday Brunch and Friday night dinners, at t...

Palmer's Cove, Groton Long Point, Groton, Conn. Tweet Article and photos by Eric H. Although primarily a summer resort, you might want to check out the Groton Long Point area before the New England weather takes a cold turn for the worse. Located on Long Island Sound in the town of Groton, Conn., (to be specific, the Noank neighborhood), this beautiful southeastern coastal Connecticut gem is a nice area to take a scenic drive or to walk or bike the area. Where ever one looks, as evidenced in this photo (Palmer's Cove), you're sure to find some amazing views by the sea. For lunch or dinner, stop by The Fisherman (937 Groton Long Point Rd.), which overlooks Palmer's Cove and Fisher's Island. The seafood is fantastic (including lobster) and the atmosphere nice and relaxed. Another option (but not for too much longer) is Abbott's Lobster in the Rough (117 Pearl St.), a famous New England seafood shack, specializing in lobster and o...

Apple cobbler cupcake (photo by Eric H.) Tweet Article by Eric H. If you love cupcakes, the fall-friendly apple cobbler cupcake at Butter Cafe and Bakery in Walpole, Mass., "takes the cupcake." This absolutely mouthwatering concoction features cake batter-like frosting with apple crumble cake on the top and loads of warmed soft apples and a hint of cinnamon and vanilla beneath. Forget all those apple, pumpkin and maple infused fall-time sweets from the big box food chains, this masterpiece gets to the "core" of locally-made fall baked goods.  No surprise, given the high-end breakfasts, lunches and sweets turned out by veteran Boston culinary whiz and Butter Cafe owner Steve Butters (a former chef at Flat Iron Tapas Bar and Lounge at the Bullfinch Hotel, Aquitaine and the Metropolis Cafe, all in Boston, Mass.). Butter Cafe and Bakery 935 East St. Walpole, MA 02081 t 508.668.2123 f 508.668.0167

Bountiful pumpkin harvest. Photo Credit:  Maine Office Tourism With all due respect to the holiday season, we often feel that fall in New England "is the most wonderful time of the year." Ambiance in New England is at its best with a cool, crisp feel in the air, apple picking, town and city fairs and harvests, scenic mountain and ocean Sunday drives, including, of course, leaves turning brilliant colors. At our Weekly New England Travel and Vacation blog, please check in often to find out about what's going on in the New England fall. We also encourage you to check out our flagship site, VisitingNewEngland.com and its Fall Vacations page as well as blogs Buy Local Shop Local New England , The Great New England Photo Travel Tour and The Thrifty New England Traveler ("Travel More, Spend Less!") to get tips and suggestions on how to make your trips to New England in the fall special and fun to the max! To kick off ...

Article and photos by Eric H. We've heard it again and again: so many people that were born and raised in Norwood, Mass., never leave. The same affinity for Norwood also holds true for numerous transplants, compelled to lay down their roots in this mid-sized, southwest suburban Boston, Mass., town. Why? Well, Norwood has a strong sense of community, a fantastic downtown with shops, restaurants, historic buildings and a fabulous town common -- plus, established tree-lined neighborhoods, good schools, plenty of activities for people of all ages, and proximity to Boston and Providence, R.I. Want proof that this is a close-knit, involved community? Take a look at the photos taken at yesterday's Norwood Town Day," which brought out thousands of people. Now that's what we call a real New England community! Editor's note: the author does not live in Norwood and has no vested interest in the town. He just likes the place!

The Flume (photo from a previous  year), Franconia State Park, N.H. Good morning, fans of New England travel! Just wanted to alert you that we just received the latest New Hampshire fall foliage updates from the State of New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism Department. You can access the foliage update on Our Facebook New England Vacations Fan Page . We are always looking, too, for reports from you on great "live time" foliage sightings throughout New England. Although it is a bit early now, keep this in mind as we are always grateful for your feedback!

Long Sands Beach, York Beach Maine (photo by Eric H.) We just launched The Great New England Photo Travel Tour Blog as part of the VisitingNewEngland.com  New England Travel News Network. This new blog focuses on photos of scenic New England, while encouraging readers to submit their own travel photos.  We strongly believe in the visual medium to tell the New England story -- viewing photos can be like "the next best thing to being there." We look forward to your New England travel photos. Please check back in often as we will be updating frequently!

The New England Travel Newsletter For Fall 2010 The VisitingNewEngland.com 2010 Fall New England Travel Newsletter has just been released and can be found at  http://www.visitingnewengland.com/NewEngland-Fall-Vacation-Newsletter-2010 . Told from a paying traveler's personal point-of-view, this locally-created newsletter features articles, colorful photographs and travel tips to benefit your New England trip planning. We also provide local resources that provide first-hand expertise on the "latest and greatest" in New England fall travel. I had a lot of fun putting this newsletter together -- really a work of love. We hope you enjoy this publication. And as always, feel free to post any New England fall travel ideas in the box below!