New England Travel and Vacation Gazette and Other Wicked Good Content

Editor's note: Mid-October is usually the best time to enjoy peak fall foliage in Central Massachusetts. For updates on best leaf peeping times, call the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism at 800.227.6277 Article by Tom K., avid motorcycle enthusiast This route starts out in Rutland Mass., takes a scenic route through Charlton, Mass., and down to Pomfret, Conn., for lunch at the Vanilla Bean Cafe . We then head northwest from the Vanilla Bean through the central Massachusetts towns of Southbridge, Sturbridge and eventually, Ware. From Ware, we head into Hardwick, around the eastern side of the Quabbin, up to Athol, and down the western side into Belchertown, but not without stopping at the Hamilton Orchards in New Salem for warm cider doughnuts, first. I have taken this route many times and still enjoy the ride! Start at Colonial Convenience/Mobil gas station at the Intersection of Route 122 (Barre Paxton Rd.) and Pleasantdale Rd. Follow Pleasantdale Road into ...

Jordan Pond in Acadia National Park, Maine, might be far away for most people, but it will surely be close to your heart, forever, once you visit this magical place. Best known for the Jordan Pond House restaurant (open mid-May through late October) with its famous popovers, afternoon tea and Maine seafood, Jordan Pond, itself, is really the star attraction with its peaceful body of water, hiking trails to view different yet amazing perspectives along the way, dramatic open fields and big skies, and easy hike up the "Bubbles" where you can get a commanding view of the fresh water pond. Acadia National Park is one of the jewels of the eastern seaboard with its mix of ocean and mountains; Jordan Pond might be the apex of this wonderful travel experience. The Jordan Pond House Restaurant and Jordan Pond are located on the Park Loop Road in Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island.

Massachusetts Town Greens book Who loves a good old-fashioned New England town common? If so, I am pleased to tell you that I have written a book entitled "Massachusetts Town Greens" that features 70 beautiful town commons. The experiences of visiting these town commons and writing about them has truly been amazing and I look forward to sharing them with you in the book! Many of the town greens in Massachusetts have historical significance  -- whether as former cow pastures, military training grounds, religious centers, etc. -- but also serve as fabulous modern day gathering places that, depending on the town green, include farmers markets, Veterans and Memorial Day observances, summer concerts on the common, and seasonal festivals. The look of a typical town common is wonderfully familiar with a gazebo, paved walkways, benches, dedication monuments and, of course, scenic green spaces. The book includes historical information, interesting anecdotes, descriptions ...

Deerfield Inn Bed and Breakfast, Deerfield MA (photo by Eric) Over at our flagship site, VisitingNewEngland , we have published three recent Massachusetts travel articles focusing on historic Boston, a new Plainville bookstore owned by a famous author, and a beloved old New England inn... Guest blogger Juergen Roth has contributed a marvelous photo travel essay on historic Boston landmarks . He is an exceptionally gifted photographer and darn good writer, and I encourage you to check the incredible photos he took at twilight. We also feature an article on An Unlikely Story , a new book store located in Plainville, Mass.  Jeff Kinney, author of the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" book series is the owner of this great indie bookstore that also has a  side benefit -- that is, bringing life back to downtown Plainville, a small town with good bones. Also in the spotlight is the Deerfield Inn Bed and Breakfast , a quintessential lodging destination in one of New England most we...

Let's face it, budget-friendly dining along Plymouth Harbor in Plymouth MA is hard to find -- even at some of the much heralded seafood shacks. A good cheap eats option is Pebbles, an outdoor seasonal shack with picnic-style seating located right across the street from Plymouth Harbor and very close to famous attractions like Plymouth Rock and the Mayflower II  and the Pilgrim Hall Museum. This unpretentious roadside restaurant hits the spot with surprisingly good lobster rolls, fried seafood, New England clam chowder, burgers, hot dogs, chicken fingers and ice cream. The portions are generally substantial and the service very quick.  It's really a nice spot to watch the pulse of Plymouth with its many tourists from around the world and scenic water views while taking in that nice coastal summer breeze! Pebbles isn't going to win any culinary awards but for us folks looking for good value and food, this is a good dining choice. Pebbles is located at 76 Water St., P...

Richie's Slush, Everett MA (photo by Eric) Richie's Slush in Everett, Mass., announced in mid-May that it would close it storefront after nearly 60 years in business, but  thankfully had a change of heart to reopen the legendary Italian ice landmark. The Sunday message on the  Richie's Slush web site said,"(Due) to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control, Richie's Store on the Parkway will not be opening this season. We apologize for this and hope you will purchase Richie's Italian Ice Products from one of our many other fine locations and retailers ." The new message , posted today, reads, "Because of hard work and an overwhelming support from our customers, Richie's Original Store on the Parkway in Everett will RE-OPEN this Friday May 15th! We would like to thank all of you for being such valued and loyal customers of our business for the past 50 years. We have always appreciated and enjoyed serving you and also want to thank yo...

Swan Boats of Boston (photo by Eric) The good news about taking a Boston, Mass., vacation is that there's no shortage of wonderful travel attractions. The bad news:  there's no way you'll be able to see all of them during your stay, given the city's seemingly infinite rich historical and modern offerings. While the following list is by no means exhaustive, these low and moderate cost attractions represent the best of Boston travel: Boston Duck Tours  - This educational and entertaining excursion allows you to discover  Boston and its incredible history on a World War II style landing craft on the streets of Boston -- and then into the Charles River for great views of Boston and Cambridge. New England Aquarium  This world class museum seems to get better every year and features the Giant Ocean Tank spanning four floors and featuring more than 1, 000 animals. including Myrtle, a 550 lb green sea turtle. Fenway Park Tour Knowledgeable and often humorous guid...