New England Travel and Vacation Gazette and Other Wicked Good Content

Nubble Lighthouse in the early evening -- amazing! (photo by Eric) Don't forget about coastal New England during the fall season! We tend to think of the mountains in New England as the place to take in the fall colors of New England. It's true that you'll get a higher concentration of fall foliage in these regions. We find, however, that visiting places like southern Maine during the fall makes for just as fun of a time. The summer crowds lessen greatly and many of the shops and restaurants are still open for the season. If you're lucky, you'll catch a fall harvest event, thus adding to the overall grand feeling of being by the coast. Virtually empty Short Sands Beach (photo by Eric) We love York Beach, Maine, during the fall. On a good weather day, it's nice walking Short Sands Beach or Long Sands Beach and virtually having the beach to yourself. Or sitting on the rocky coast and gazing at Nubble Lighthouse -- one of America's most photographed l...

Chocorua Lake. Photo credit: Lawrence Carbonaro Here are 50 New England fall foliage season destinations, attractions, restaurants and hotels for your trip planning purposes. Please feel free to add your favorite fall travel things to do in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont! Together, we can build an incredible list! 1. Pick apples at Belkin Lookout Farm, Natick, Mass: http://visitingnewengland.com/applepicking.html 2. Take a scenic New England fall foliage driving route: http://visitingnewengland.com/fall-foliage-questions.html   3. Discover some of New England's best fall foliage in Maine: http://visitingnewengland.com/maine-fall-foliage.html 4. Enjoy apple picking, apple dumplings with vanilla ice cream and a general store at Brookfield Orchards in North Brookfield, Mass.: http://visitingnewengland.com/brookfield-orchards-apples.html 5. Visit the Shaker Hill Fall Apple Festival, Sept. 24-25 in Alfred, Maine: http://visitin...

1761 Old Mill restaurant, Westminster, Mass. Perhaps it's a mix of location, dining atmosphere and foods compatible with autumn, but I have found the following restaurants as ideal destinations during the fall season: Salem Cross Inn West Brookfield, Mass. -- The historic home, roaring fireplace, post and beam design, rolling green fields outside and some delicious Yankee fare make the Salem Cross Inn an ideal fall dining spot, situated in the beautiful New England town of West Brookfield. Love the maple jack chicken sauteed with Applewood bacon scallions and sundried tomatoes. The chicken is then topped with Monterey jack cheese and a dijon mustard sauce. Yum! The 1761 Old Mill, Westminster, Mass. -- This former saw mill features a waterfall, covered bridge, duck pond, long outdoor front porch and on the inside, a roaring fireplace (do I detect a pattern here?) and charming post and beam dining rooms. The steak, seafood and chicken dishes are quite good, although not up t...

Plymouth Harbor in Plymouth, Mass., is a pleasant destination for a day time or evening stroll (provided it's not raining cats and dogs like today). After a nice seafood dinner at one of the waterfront restaurants like Woods Seafood or the Lobster Hut , the unmistakable coastal New England feel in the air makes for a relaxing yet refreshing time. Along the way, you'll see the Mayflower II (a replica of the ship that brought the Pilgrims to America), Plymouth Rock and several spots to eat some ice cream (we like Peaceful Meadows the most), or buy a souvenir ( John Alden Gift Shop is very neat!). Some boat companies offer cruises as well as fishing and whale watching tour opportunities. There are even a few hotels along the way like the Bradford Inn and Suites that provide waterfront views Although Plymouth is very famous as a vacation destination, I feel that Plymouth Harbor tends to fly under the radar as a top notch coastal spots in New England. Enjoy this special place, wh...

Good morning from New England! Today, we'll focus on happenings in the Boston area. Let's start off the day by mentioning Coffee Sensations inside Lord's Department Store in Medfield, Mass. Coffee Sensations is actually an authentic, old fashioned luncheonette that brings back memories of the lunch counter at Woolworth's Department store. They serve lunch and dinner and know how to make great shakes, burgers, pancakes and other comfort foods. They also serve delicious homemade ice cream from the Black Cow in Millis, Mass. My favorite dish is the chopped chicken panini that features moist chicken, hots and the right touch of mayonnaise.  Lord's is in a bit of a time capsule, too, reminding us of the old neighborhood general stores that we grew up with -- no surprise, given Lord's is well over 60 years old!... Over in neighboring Walpole, Mass., The Walpole Farmers Market is still open through the end of October on the Walpole Town Common (Wednesdays, 2:00 p.m. ...

New England Travel Thoughts It's a rainy day here in the Northeast,   a good day for travelers to visit some of Boston's best museums  like the Museum of Science, New England Aquarium and Museum of Fine Arts Boston... Congratulations to Bondir restaurant in Cambridge, Mass. , chosen by Bon Appetit Magazine's in its  " The Best New Restaurants in America in 2011"   (September 2011 edition). Bondir bills itself as a restaurant serving "Sustainable Modern American Cuisine."... Today, we give shout outs to Attleboro, Mass. , for its great community and patriotic spirit; Narragansett, R.I. , for its wonderful ocean beaches; Old Lyme, Conn. , for a remarkable sense of preservation; Dover, N.H. , for bringing its downtown back to life in a big way; Woodstock, Vt. , for its postcard picture perfect look; and South Berwick, Maine , for just being itself, a sleepy, friendly little town... It's amazing how Davis Square in Somerville, Mass. , has gone from a ra...

I can hardly wait until The Big E New England States Fair , running Sept. 16-Oct. 2 at the Eastern States Exposition Grounds in West Springfield, Mass. Love the midway, animal exhibitions, parades, musical entertainment and comfort food vendors... Was driving up Route 495 in Hopkinton, Mass., the other day and already saw some leaves changing color . Scary thought, as it seemed like Memorial Day Weekend was just a few weeks ago. I'm looking forward to the peak colors, though, later this month and in October (depending on location in New England)...To answer the age old argument -- which is better for pizza in Boston, Santarpio's or Pizzeria Regina ? The answer is "yes!"... Coastal Newburyport, Mass. , has a near perfect downtown. The choice of stores, restaurants, the water views, brick sidewalks, historic old buildings and homes make for an ideal, walkable central district... Come to think of it, though, coastal Portsmouth, N.H. , is just as nice and a great way to ...