Karen Hammond

Fall is fabulous in Maine, and all the more so if you take time to explore the state’s exceptional wine trail. Vintners are doing amazing things not only with grapes but also with fruits like blueberries, cranberries, and elderberries. The results are both innovative and interesting. Many of the wineries are situated at family-owned farms where you can also enjoy visiting with the farm animals (a pig named Lettuce! Goats named Chardonnay, Riesling, and Pinot Noir!).  I had so much fun visiting wineries that stretch almost from one end of the state to the other that I wrote about them for Wine Enthusiast Magazine.  Here’s a link if you’d like to check it out.  http://www.winemag.com/Wine-Enthusiast-Magazine/Web-2011/Maines-Wine-Trail/  At the end of the article you’ll find links suggesting  places to stay and a trolley that will take you to some of the midcoast wineries. Enjoy this unusual experience, perfect for a fall getaway!

This is a great time of year to travel through Northern New England, so why not plan a drive along the Kancamagus Highway in New Hampshire. A National Forest Scenic Byway, “the Kanc,” as it’s popularly known, has it all — lovely scenery, great swimming holes, forests, and waterfalls–and winds through the heart of the White Mountain National Forest.  It’s a great trip that you can do in as little as an hour is your time is limited, but why not plan a leisurely journey  to enjoy the scenery and the wildlife, and stop for a swim or to eat lunch beside a gurgling stream. Amenities are very limited, so plan accordingly and be sure that sunscreen and insect repellant are readily available.

While you’re in New Hampshire, you might like to look for finds at Antique Alley near the Lee traffic circle, about 45 minutes from Manchester. You’ll find all kinds of large and small antiques in the shops at Antiques Alley–  at large and small prices to fit any budget. It’s always fun to see what you can find in a dusty corner.

For more information about these and other trips in New Hampshire and elsewhere in New England, I hope you’ll check out my new book, Backroads & Byways of New England: Drives, Day Trips & Weekend Excursions. There’s a link to Amazon on my website, or order from your favorite bookstore (and please consider supporting your local independent bookstore). Signed copies are available from me by email.

Wherever you travel in New England this summer, have a wonderful time. Thanks for stopping by, and feel free to post a note and tell me about your own favorite trip in New England or elsewhere.

Here’s another great spot for a family vacation in Maine : Linekin Bay Resort in Boothbay Harbor. I’ve just returned from a couple of days there, and if you like to sail, or want to learn to sail, or even if you just like to relax and watch the sailboats  in the distance, this is the place to be.  There are plenty of other activities for the whole family, from Ping-Pong and tennis to swimming in the warm saltwater pool if you’d like to avoid the chilly bay water. All meals are included, making this a very family-friendly option. I met several families who return year after year and one lovely 95-year-old woman who has come back every year since 1946. Now that’s an endorsement! Check them out at LinekinBayResort.com.  Moorings are available, so you can even arrive by boat for the ultimate Maine experience!

In days gone by,  many New England families made a  trek along the Mohawk Trail at least once.  Today the Trail has a nostalgic ’40s and ’50s feel to it, but it’s still fun.  Small restaurants and little shops, including some owned by Native Americans, still line the trail and make for interesting stops.  Don’t miss “Hail to the Sunrise,” a 900-lb. bronze casting of a Native American that honors the tribes whose members were the first to use the Mohawk Trail. Nearby Historic Deerfield is a must for history buffs with its 18th- and 19th-century homes and a tavern, most still on their original sites.

Why not continue up to New Hampshire and visit its magnificent lakes, including famous Squam Lake in Holderness, setting for the film On Golden Pond.  Check out  Lake Winnipesaukee, too, the sixth-largest naturally formed lake in the country. Its name means “Smile of the Great Spirit” and the lake is known by anglers around the world for its terrific bass fishing. With state parks and plenty of swimming holes, you’ll find plenty to do on a hot summer day.

As we drive through New England, it’s time to visit the coastal area of Massachusetts, just north of Boston.  Here you can visit Salem, infamous for the witchcraft trials and  a former maritime port of great importance, nearby Danvers, which played an important role in the witchcraft delusion, the American Revolution, and many other historical events, and Cape Ann — the “other Cape.”  On beautiful Cape Ann, watch for the towns of Essex–famous for clams–the fishing port of Gloucester, beautiful Manchester-by-the-Sea, with its pretty little beach where the sand squeaks when you walk on it (Singing Beach), and scenic Rockport,  home to painters and artisans.  If you love history, good food, or beautiful beaches, you’ll find them all here.

Meanwhile, here on my little island in Maine we’ve enjoyed beautiful weather for three whole days–quite exciting given the kind of winter and spring we’ve had. Summer residents are returning and the first tourists are bumping across the bridge onto the island.  As always, it’s good to see things come alive for the summer season.

Chapter 3 of Backroads & Byways of New England: Drives, Day Trips & Weekend Excursions focuses on Rhode Island’s East Bay and Sakonnet Peninsula, a lovely place for a summer jaunt. Gardeners will love the beautiful Blithewold Mansion and Arboretum in the town of Bristol, while the Herreshoff Marine Museum attracts sailing aficionados from all over the world.  Tour the Rhode Island coastline  and enjoy some “stuffies” (delicious stuffed clams) while you visit our smallest state.

 Rockland, Maine, also shouldn’t be missed if you’re touring New England. Take a windjammer cruise, enjoy fabulous cuisine at Primo, one of the country’s top restaurants situated in breathtaking surroundings, and stay overnight at one of Rockland’s four historic inns. Ferries leave from downtown Rockland to some of Maine’s intriguing islands and their year-round fishing communities.

This peaceful corner of Northeastern Connecticut is very different from bustling Hartford. You can reach it by taking Route 169, a designated National Scenic Byway, into Woodstock. This is a great drive for history buffs, who can visit the Nathan Hale Homestead in Coventry and the Prudence Crandall Museum in Canterbury, among other historic spots. The Thread City Crossing Bridge in Willimantic, watched over by beady-eyed bronze frogs, is a fun stop, especially if you’re traveling with kids.  There are plenty of great places to eat, including Sweet Evalina’s on Route 169. To learn more, check out my book, Backroads and Byways of New England: Drives, Day Trips & Weekend Excursions, available at your local bookstore or from Amazon.com.  Next, we’ll move on to Rhode Island and visit the East Bay and Sakonnet Peninsula, so check back soon.

By the way, if you’re thinking about next spring’s travels, be sure to include the Nantucket Wine Festival, held every year in May, in your plans.  It’s a truly stellar event.

 

 

The first chapter of Backroads & Byways of New England covers a beautiful section of southern New England with a long seafaring history. In this chapter you’ll read about pretty seaside towns like the Borough of Stonington and better-known places like Mystic, home to the Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration. Or perhaps you’d prefer a hike through the Pequotsepos Nature Center with its eight  miles of walking trails. You’ll also learn about scrimshaw and the story behind Mystic Pizza, plus lots of other things to see and do in this pretty corner of New England.

Backroads & Byways of New England is now on sale through Amazon and your local bookstore and makes a great gift for the New England traveler (active or armchair!) in your life. As several readers have pointed out, Father’s Day is coming soon, and if your Dad loves to drive, loves history, or just enjoys good food in beautiful settings, this book makes the perfect gift.

Next we’ll talk about another interesting section of beautiful Connecticut.

I’m happy to report that I have the first copies of Backroads & Byways of New England in hand and it looks great. You can order it from Amazon now and your local bookstore will have it shortly or can order it. Unlike many guides, this one takes you into the less-traveled corners of New England, so be prepared to poke around in unexpected places and see things that many travelers miss. I’ll soon start blogging chapter by chapter about some of the book’s  highlights. Meanwhile, thanks to all who have ordered early copies. Enjoy, and have a wonderful tour of beautiful New England!

After a long winter and dreary early spring, beautiful sunny days have come to this small island off the Maine coast. One of the highlights of an early morning walk or run is hearing the birds–cardinals, robins, jays, chickadees, and especially the pileated woodpeckers whose noisy breakfast foragings resound through the woods. They’ve been silent so long, it’s good to have them back. Human visitors to the island are returning as well. The rumbling of cars over the old swing bridge increases every day and as always, it’s fun to see the island come alive again after a quiet winter.