Felicity Long - Great Escapes: New England

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Copyright 2010 by Felicity Long

First Edition

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Great Escapes: New England

ISBN 978-0-88150-868-0

Map by Paul Woodward, The Countryman Press

Book design by Bodenweber Design

Text composition by Chelsea Cloeter

Published by The Countryman Press

P.O. Box 748

Woodstock, Vermont 05091

Distributed by W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.

500 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY 10110

Printed in the United States of America

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There is something magical about New England, and I have always believed that the urgency of the changing seasons has something to do with that. How much more beautiful is a sparkling spring day exploding with the first flowers of the season when thrown into relief by the hard winter that came just before? The joy and challenge of embarking on this book provided the opportunity to revisit some of my favorite haunts and to explore new ones, all the while trying to convey that sense of magic. Lucky for me, I had help in that quest. Special thanks to my husband, Chris, and my travel buddies, Avis Pinkos and Carole Moore, for sharing their love of New England with me during our innumerable Thelma and Louise road trips. Thanks also to Joan Law and her husband, Tingey Sewall, for their hospitality in the Berkshires and for their in-depth knowledge of the region. Author John Galluzzo offered his invaluable time and knowledge about Nantasket Beach in Hull, while ranger Donald Cann, also a writer, shared his love of the Boston Harbor Islands with me. Many thanks to the Weintraub family and to Eric Hager for showing me the lesser-known side of Marthas Vineyard. Thanks also to Lisa Gunville for her hospitality in Shawnee Peak and for her wonderful insights into this lovely, evolving area. I want to give a special shout-out to my kids, Cole, Shane, and Chloe, whose love of skiing revived my passion for the sport and got me onto the slopes of just about every ski area in New England in the last 10 years. Yes, we ski in the Rockies, too, but we have had some of our best ski days right here, closer to home. Thanks also to Shane for his beautiful photos of Marthas Vineyard, which grace that chapter. I also want to express my appreciation to the representatives of the various New England visitors bureaus, many of whom did backflips to help me find bits of arcane information about their areas, and some of whom even took me on personal tours of their favorite lookouts, taverns, and scenic vistas.

Whether this is your first trip to New England or your hundredth, I hope this book will inspire you to get to know our beautiful region even more.

There are a lot of features to love about New England; size is not one of them. We dont have the tallest ski mountains, the highest ocean waves, or vast prairie lands as far as the eye can see. What we do have are more charming towns, villages, beaches, and ski areas than we could cram into a book twice this size, many within an hour or two of Boston. Willing to venture a little farther? Vermonts appealing blend of rural charm and yuppie splendor, Maines rocky coast and picturesque islands, and Connecticuts beachy state parks are chock-full of activitiesboth high adrenaline and low keythat can fill a few days, or even a few hours. And because nobody does the change of the seasons like we do, weve incorporated some tips to put you in the right place at the right time.

Foodies can follow their noses through the region, dining on everything from lobster roll sandwiches on toasted hot dog rolls and fried clams served with mounds of onion rings to quahog chowder and microbrews. Nor is dining out in Boston the uninspiring, staid affair it used to be. Big-name chefs are vying for the attention of trendy young residents and visitors alike, and good old-fashioned Yankee pot roast and Indian pudding have given way to fusion and ethnic fare as well as fresh interpretations of old regional favorites.

And as much as we love Beantown, Boston is the not the only game in town for visitors who like their adventures with an urban twist. Portland, Maine; Portsmouth, New Hampshire; and Providence, Rhode Island are among the cities undergoing a renaissance from conservative also-rans to hot destinations in their own right.

To help save you time as you navigate the beauties of this regionnot to mention, steer you toward some out-of-way places most tourists havent discovered yetwe have included 25 or so of our favorite escapes to point you in the right direction.

When planning your escape, be aware that prices of accommodations and restaurant meals in New England vary dramatically by season. A seaside hotel might triple its rates in summer, while prices at a mountain resort will likely spike during fall foliage season. Keep in mind, also, that even the priciest ski hotels will probably offer ski-and-stay packages that combine discounted rooms with lift tickets. Those deals are less likely to be available during school vacation weeks and holidays.

The price of fresh seafoodparticularly lobster and clamsalso rises and falls from year to year and season to season. In the summer of 2009, for example, lobster sold for a remarkably low $5 a pound retail, but we have seen it at more than twice that in previous years. Most restaurants use the term Market Price on their menus, with the understanding that diners will ask before ordering.

1 CRANES BEACH, IPSWICH, AND ESSEX, MASSACHUSETTS

About 28 miles from Boston on the North Shore

Devotees of Bostons North Shore are justifiably proud of Cranes Beach in Ipswich, whose spectacular sand dunes and thriving flora and fauna give Cape Cod a run for its money.

The beach offers 4 miles of white sandy beach and an astonishing 1,000-plus acres of dunes and salt marshes. Because of the fragility of the dunes, conservation is crucial here, but that doesnt mean visitors cant explore the area to their hearts content. Boardwalks and 7 miles of trails snake through the dunes, allowing walkers to immerse themselves in a variety of habitats. Keep an eye out for intriguing plants along the way, as well as birds including egrets, terns, and herons.

If your idea of a perfect day at the beach is more about snoozing and swimming, you can do that here, but plan to arrive early on good-weather days to avoid having to wait for a parking place. Unlike many Massachusetts beaches, nonresidents can park here for $22 a carload on weekends and holidays; $15 weekdays from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Pay half-price after 3 PM or bike or stroll in for $2 anytime.