New England Travel and Vacation Gazette and Other Wicked Good Content

Concord's Colonial Inn, Concord Mass. (photo by Eric) Do you enjoy going out for Thanksgiving, having someone else do all the cooking for you?  If so, you'll find no shortage of such places in New England, but the key is to find a destination that will get you in the local spirit. Here are some traditional, historic and charming New England spots in Massachusetts that are sure to provide a fabulous setting for your Thanksgiving Day meal... The Pilgrims were to first to celebrate Thanksgiving in America, so why not celebrate at Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth? This wonderful outdoor living museum that recreates life during the Pilgrim days offers the traditional America's Thanksgiving Dinner, as well as a Thanksgiving Day Buffet. It looks like some seatings are already sold out for both Thanksgiving Day dinners, so we recommend making reservations soon if this event sounds interesting to you. Log onto http://www.plimoth.org/dining-functions/thanksgiving-dining-specia...

One of our readers, Stacy, would like to visit New England in December. Here is what she wrote: We want to do a short trip from Thursday-Monday from Atlanta Georgia in December. We have never been to New England and want to see as much as possible. Any ideas where to start? Where to fly into, rent a car, and possibly stay different locations each night? Thanks for the question, Stacy! We could write a book on what to see and do in New England during December, but for bandwidth purposes, here are some suggestions that I think you'll love: Fly into Portland International Jetport in Portland, Maine, rent a car there, and drive 45 minutes south to Kennebunkport, Maine, where the spirit of Christmas saturates this beautiful small coastal town the first and second weekends of December. Amazing light displays, horse drawn sleigh rides, caroling, holiday musical entertainment, arts and craft shows, and historic trolley rides  are just a few of the events  that will get you int...

Main Street Market and Cafe, Concord MA (photo by Eric) When visiting Concord, Mass., last week, a local recommended dining at the Main Street Market and Cafe. Great recommendation!  The building is historic, the setting "old-timey" and the crowds bustling at this spot that acts more like an upscale townie restaurant than a market (really not much of a market to speak of here). The brick walls, wooden floors counters and low and high rise tables will make you feel right at home and the location in the heart of downtown Concord is ideal for grabbing a breakfast, lunch or dinner. I tried a bowl of beef chili with butternut squash and loved it! At first, I thought this might be too odd a dish -- that is, replacing beans with butternut -- but the combination turned out to be better than the traditional recipe. From Belgium waffles and baked goods to hot grilled paninis to pistachio crusted salmon filet, the Main Street Market and Cafe's menu is certainly extensive. ...