When I sketched out a rough plan for this trip, I was excited about the prospect of visiting Salem MA. Home of the witch trials Salem does Halloween in a big way. Unfortunately, we weren’t the only ones headed there, it seemed as if half of everyone on the eastern seaboard wanted to go there too. It didn’t help that … Read More
New England Coast Road Trip – Day Four
Newport, Rhode Island is a vibrant town with so much to do that a single day doesn’t really seem enough. But we crammed so much in today that it felt as if we’d spent a week here. Our first jaunt was on Ocean Drive, marveling at the expansiveness of the mansions and properties for which the city is known. Rocky … Read More
New England Coast Road Trip – Day Three
Mystic Seaport Museum (Connecticut) has changed in numerous ways since I last visited it. And from my perspective, most changes have been positive. My only real issue was their map and signage, which need a lot of help. Hugging the Mystic River, the seaport is both a recreation of a whaling village from the 1800s and a working ship restoration … Read More
New England Coast Road Trip – Day Two
While this is definitely a road trip, the distances we are driving each day are short. This morning we went a whopping ten miles to New London for breakfast. Jake’s diner on State Street was a terrific way to start the day—a veggie omelet filled with heaps of fresh mushrooms and broccoli, excellent coffee, and a charming host. We meandered … Read More
New England Coast Road Trip — Day One
Today is the start of a ten-day road trip up the New England Coast. I’m with my friend Sue, a wonderful travel companion. We had a plan, and then abandoned it completely. Driving up Interstate 95 I saw a tiny sign, “Pez Visitor Center.” How could we resist? It’s a totally silly place that brought me back to my childhood. … Read More
Thorncrown Chapel, Eureka Springs Arkansas
If you have no other reason to visit Eureka Springs (Arkansas) you should go to see Thorncrown Chapel. E. Fay Jones, a student of Frank Lloyd Wright, designed it. The small mountainside chapel has received many prestigious architecture awards, including being named one of the top ten American buildings of the twentieth century by the AIA. It’s easy to understand … Read More
Fantasy Destinations
Yesterday the subject line on an email from Conde Nast Traveler read “Fantasy Destinations.” It intrigued me and I clicked to see where they had chosen. I’d been to many of the locations selected, from India to Italy, Spain, Morocco, Russia and Cambodia. That leaves many to still explore. But I was surprised by some omissions. I would have included … Read More
Excerpt from the new travel book I’m writing
Patagonia – Chile: 2009 The highlight of the cruise was a four-hour journey in a small ice cutter through the iceberg-strewn waters of a fjord. Because there were so few passengers, we all managed to squeeze onto the small ship. The bow was narrow and sharply pointed and looked quite battered. Unlike most ships, ice cutters have reinforced hulls and … Read More
Springfield Massachusetts and Hartford Connecticut
I knew that Dr. Seuss grew up in Springfield because years ago I’d been to a small exhibit there about his childhood. When I read that a whole museum is now dedicated to him, I had to see it. Part of a larger complex that includes art, history and natural history museums, the Dr. Seuss exhibition is the most unusual … Read More
Shelburne Falls and Smith College, Massachusetts
As I sped down the highway on my way to Northampton, I saw a small sign indicating an attraction— “Bridge of Flowers.” At the next exit I got off and followed the signs to Shelburne Falls. It was a twelve-mile detour, but when you have no set plans that’s not an issue. When I’d done a google search the night … Read More