New England Travel and Vacation Gazette and Other Wicked Good Content

The North End of Boston is a vibrant, colorful interesting Italian neighborhood that also happens to be regarded as one of the most popular dining destinations in the Northeast United States. I've never had a meal or dessert here that I didn't like, so it's hard to create a "best of list." Nevertheless, here are six superb North End food destinations that come to mind... Italian Meal -- Benevento's Casual and cozy with a marble bar, tin ceilings and lots of wood, Benevento's is so welcoming that its atmosphere alone would be worth the visit. Lucky for us that it is owned by the famous al Dente restaurant next door and serves some of the freshest pasta imaginable along with chicken and veal dishes and brick oven pizza. See more on Benevento's Italian-Style Pizza -- Regina Pizzeria This is the original Regina Pizzeria that started serving its one-of-a-kind brick oven pizza back in 1926. The atmosphere is plain but fun and lively, and the owne...

Hart's Turkey Farm roast turkey dinner. Photo credit: Hart's Turkey Farm Hart's Turkey Farm should be called Hearts Turkey Farm because the Meredith, N.H., restaurant has plenty of it. This is one of those old school restaurants that makes you feel good all over. Simplicity is the catalyst: serve great turkey dinners in big portions, be good at creating all other meals, always prioritize customer service and have customers dine in an atmosphere that feels warm, inviting and traditional without a hint of trendiness. While the name says "turkey," people I have known through the years have experienced an equal love affair with the whipped potatoes, gravies, fresh vegetables chowders, soups, homemade pies and its own ice cream.  The older generations love telling friends and family about Hart's, and I suspect the younger generations will have stories to tell, also, as they get older. It's heartwarming to find a restaurant that seems to please all ages le...

Jamestown, R.I. (photo by Eric) For a small state, Rhode Island has so many interesting, beautifully low-key small coastal towns. Sometimes getting overlooked because travelers opt for busier Newport or Cape Cod, these underrated communities are certainly worth discovering. These towns can serve as a nice antidote to the increasingly loud, congested world we live in -- that is, away from the worst traffic, over-hype and tackiness that can impede the more familiar New England travel spots. Peace and quiet is a good thing, and much-needed elements to reconnect to the New England land that we love! Although these Rhode Island towns are optimal to visit during the summer and early fall with all businesses open, any time of the year will do just fine. A nice winter weather day with snow blanketing the back roads and main streets, and spring offering a warm reawakening of the senses after a long-cold winter are certainly nice times of the year to visit, too. Here are some of those ...

Once the colder New England weather arrives, it's like all the good lobster rolls go into hibernation. A silly rationale, of course, as it is obviously the myriad local seafood shack and restaurants that close for the off season. As the summer brings virtually endless choices for great lobster rolls, the winter often puts a deep freeze on this popular local dish's availability. Not all hope is lost, however, as some phenomenal lobster rolls can be found during the off season. While traveling Massachusetts, for example, two informal roadside shacks come to the rescue with tasty lobster rolls that have lobster meat packed to the gills within a tasty roll and with little to an acceptably moderate amount of mayo. Kelly's Roast Beef at Revere Beach  (and several suburban Boston locations), and Wood's Seafood at Plymouth Harbor in Plymouth  make exceptional lobster rolls, year-round. While Kelly's is best known for its roast beef, they might just make the best lob...

L.L. Bean flagship store, Freeport, Maine (Photo credit: Maine Office of Tourism) Many outdoor stores leave us out in the cold with their mixed bag of merchandise, but not the L.L. Bean flagship store in Freeport, Maine. This is the grandaddy of all outdoor stores -- including the L.L. Bean retail and outlet stores across the country --  in business more than a century, more than three million visitors a year and open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. With its famous big boot out front (see picture) and an incredible, organized variety of clothing and outdoor recreation equipment, this 200,000 sq. ft. store and seven acre campus is like the Disneyland of outdoor recreation stores. You'll find separate buildings for hunting and fishing, biking, boating and skiing, and an outlet store.  An L.L. Bean home goods store opened across the street in 2009. In addition to the classic, well-made merchandise that made L.L. Bean famous, it's also quite entertaining at the Free...

Article and Photos by Eric H. If you're tired of dining at those box-shaped restaurants that all look the same (and often offer the same tasting things), then we suggest taking a look at some of the photos below. Every once in a while, there's a restaurant that stands out from the others -- unique in appearance and usually with an endearing gimmick. Before briefly describing each restaurant, we present to you the photos: Prince Pizzeria, Saugus, MA Beef Barn, North Smithfield, RI Tex Barry's Coney Island Hot Dogs, Attleboro, MA Milk Bottle Restaurant, Raynham, MA The Traveler Restaurant, Union, CT (look at all the books!) The Lyndon Freighthouse, Lyndonville, VT The Western Hotel, Harrisville, RI The Prince Restaurant , in Saugus, MA (517 Broadway, Route 1 South, Tel., 781-233-9950) with its "Leaning Tower of Pizza" structure, features some wonderful Italian-style pizza and pasta with homemade sauce. The Beef Barn , in North Smithfield,...

Noank, Conn. Editor's note: We recently received an email from one of our readers looking to possibly move to Connecticut. Here is her inquiry, followed by our response... Hi, my name is Courtney and I found your website completely truthful and helpful. I talked to my cousin who lives in the northern part of the east coast and she described exactly what you did! I am currently in Orange County, California, and don't like the "ingenuinity" (we're assuming the word is"disingenuous") and mindset of the people. I have found that Connecticut is a place with great weather and has a lot if cities with a small town feel. I was wondering if there was any way that you could help me specify my search in CT? I would like a city with a small town feel where your neighbors are sweet, but it still has a high quality of life. Essex and Stonington caught my eye, but I've never been so I can't say! Thank you for your time. Thank-you for your inquiry. We d...

Yummy Green Briar jams (photo by Eric) If you like jam to go with your sandwich, then head on over to the Thornton W. Burgess Society's Green Briar Jam Kitchen in Sandwich, Mass., on Cape Cod. This living museum offers visitors the chance to see how the process of cooking jams the old-fashioned way takes place, as well as jellies, relishes, pickles in a turn-of-the-century kitchen where local resident Ida Putnam began the Jam Kitchen in 1903. The sun-cooked preserves are cooked slowly in what is reported to be the oldest solar-cooking operation in the United States! A gift shop on the premises offers these homemade preserves. For those inspired by the cooking process, workshops are also available to learn this time-tested craft. There's also a prominent nature center here featuring water views, hiking trails, a wild flower garden and the Robert S. Swain Natural History Library with books on the natural history of the United States. All in all, the Center is really a b...

Great Northern Trading Company at Mills Falls Marketplace Mills Falls Marketplace in Meredith, N.H., offers its own shopping and dining identity instead of being just another generic, unctuous tourist destination. Here's the scene at the Mills Falls Marketplace: several shops and restaurants, brick walkways and flowers gardens, a 40 ft. waterfall and great views of Lake Winnepesaukee. What could have been another low moment in the trend of commercial developers creating shopping destinations as  sterile as possible happily bucks the trend by offering something you will experience nowhere else. Nothing smug and pretentious exists here,  just a lot of rustic New Hampshire charm and the spirit of small, local business owners making things so warm, interesting and inviting. Given the heartwarming appeal of Mills Falls Marketplace, you'd never know that this former linen mill Inn at Mills Falls (left), waterfall, and Giuseppe's restaurant (right) that dates back to ...

Article and photo by Eric H. Nubble Lighthouse at Cape Neddick, Maine, majestically stands as one of New England's great lighthouses -- noteworthy, as many lighthouses in the region exemplify true coastal architectural beauty. Perhaps it's just one of those "you just have to be there" situations, but in our attempt to best describe, Nubble Light is wonderfully maintained and perfectly situated with stunning, panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean. The "Down east" salt-sea air, the renowned rocky Maine coast, the small Sohier Park with true "wide screen" views, and adjacent Fox's Lobster House restaurant -- with lobster, an ice cream stand (with amazing wild Maine blueberry ice cream) and picnic benches, help make this area a "must-visit" destination during your New England travels. We love visiting Nubble Lighthouse during the summer for its refreshing breezes, the fall for some peace and quiet from tourists, the winter when Nubble...

Lobster on the premises at Markey's (photo by Eric) We have found that at Markey's Lobster Pool in Seabrook, N.H, there's no need to "shell" out a lot of money on lobster. This no-frills, order-at-the-counter restaurant with lobster tanks and indoor picnic-like benches inside and out tends to focus on the food and value rather than the hype. Last summer, we ordered a delicious steamed lobsters for under $10 a pound and a lobster roll for about the same price! Of course, the market value varies by day and food prices (and just about everything else) are more expensive this year, but you get the picture: this is a lobster shack for the budget-minded. Of course, the steamed lobster is a highlight, but Markey's also serves various fried, broiled, steamed and baked fish entrees and appropriate seafood shack sides like corn on the cob, french, fries, onion rings and cole slaw. They also make great fish and clam chowders, as well as a good lobster bisque. For...

Putnam Pantry in Danvers, Mass., proves that a build-your-own ice cream smorgasbord is superior to a self-serve frozen yogurt shop any day. Select your ice cream size at this long-time North Shore favorite located in a cozy, historic red cottage, and then go to town with just about any topping imaginable, including one of the best homemade chocolate sauces on the planet.  This chocolate nirvana makes sense as Putnam Pantry is not only about ice cream: It's is a third generation chocolate and candy maker where, on the premises, candy makers stir large simmering kettles containing white, milk and dark chocolate, pastel toppings and sweet fillings. At Putnam Pantry, you can also choose from more than 300 varieties of candies. It's really an amazing scene.  Additionally, Cathie's Cafe at Putnam Pantry opened in 2017 serving espresso drinks, drip coffee, baked goods, sandwiches, soups and salads. All is phenomenal here, but it's the sundae bar that many prefer. After...

New England has its share of outstanding diners, and the ones that constantly make the "best of lists" almost always deserve landing on the media's dining out dean's list. Diners like The Maine Diner in Wells, Maine, Red Arrow Diner in Manchester, N.H., the Agawam Diner in Rowley, Mass., and Modern Diner in Pawtucket, R.I., get lots of press, but what about those other diners that inexplicably tend to fly under the radar? Often, in their own unique ways, those diners are every bit as good as the more popular ones. Here are four of my favorites... Patriots Diner (photo by Eric) Patriots Diner, Woonsocket, R.I. This neon and chrome beauty located just outside downtown Woonsocket gets high marks from us for a dedication to home-cooked meals, a big menu that has something for everyone, huge portions, and convenience for being open 24/7. Whether breakfast platters, three egg omelets, French Toast, pancakes, waffles, soups, burgers, triple decker club sandwich...

We all know that New Englanders are a hardy bunch as proven by having to put up with these long, cold, snowy winters. It is not well-known, but New Englanders are also pretty hardy during the summer, too. In faraway lands where beach goers run for cover the minute one cloud appears in the sky, New Englanders often thumb their noses, collectively, to the changing weather scenario and carry on by enjoying their beach day. Want further proof? Take a look at this Short Sands Beach, York Beach, Maine, summer scene where virtually everyone ignored this ominous cloud cover... Do you think this is a result of determination to enjoy the beach day no matter what, or just being plain crazy? Your thoughts?

Woodman's Seafood Restaurant in Essex, Mass., is a household name in New England, and with good reason: its founder Lawrence "Chubby" Woodman invented the fried clam here more than 100 years ago. Today, Woodman's is a thriving  local and tourist favorite that also specializes in lobster, lobster rolls, New England clam chowder and other seafood, but it is the fried clam that impresses me most. Yes, New England offers many great seafood shacks for fried clams, but for some reason Woodman's seems a notch above the elite destinations. They just know what they are doing, and the heaping portions further help the matter. I think Zagat sums Woodman's up best:  "A cult classic—right up there with baseball and apple pie, this Essex icon is an enduring American cult favorite." Forbes FYI also acknowledged Woodman's as having "the best seafood in America." I'm quite sure both media outlets factored in the fried clam when speaking so hig...

My Grandmother Had That...Antiques  in Wrentham, Mass., is one of those "hidden gem" antique stores that is jam-packed with antiques, collectibles and other items from the past. Located in a charming, two-story old red barn at 446 South St. (Route 1A), My Grandmother Had That...Antiques certainly lives up to its name. You'll find furniture, lamps, desks, chairs, plant holders, fine China sets and just about everything your grandma had, and also didn't have -- like a web address, Facebook fan page or any hint on the Internet that this place exists! Unless you're a Wrentham native, one familiar with the antiques industry, have driven by the red barn on South St., or somebody that just reads maps of Wrentham all day, My Grandmother Had That...Antiques is as hard to find as the rarest antique. You won't even find the name, "My Grandmother Had That," on the building, just a sign that states "Antiques." The My Grandmother Had That name is on ...

Northeast Harbor, Maine, never has received much press as a premier Maine vacation destination. That is nearby Bar Harbor's job when vacationing in Acadia National Park, Maine.\ Bar Harbor is really fine as it has an interesting downtown with loads of shops, restaurants and lodging options -- as well as proximity to all Acadia National Park attractions -- but people like us prefer the quieter side at Northeast Harbor. It's a classic, quaint Maine village at its best with cars parked downtown but with very few people walking the downtown. It's peaceful, has some nice galleries, boutiques, a small market, variety store, hardware store and not much else. A few minute's walk from the downtown is a beautiful harbor, and the Docksider, a seafood shack with a small dining room offering some of the best and most affordable lobster dinners you'll find in Acadia National Park. The beauty about Northeast Harbor is that its splendidness compares to the famed scenic attra...