Tobago: Premier Eco-Tourism Destination

Tobago has over 200 bird species on just 116 square miles of land. The island has several great vantage points for bird watching including the Grafton Caledonia Wildlife Sanctuary, the Main Ridge Forest Reserve and Little Tobago Island, a small offshore island located just off the village of Speyside. Tobago is home to over 6000 species of plants and animals, including one of the highest densities of bird species in the world, on just 116 square...

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Grand Turk: Turks & Caicos Best

Grand Turk is the capital island of the Turks and Caicos, its historical heartbeat, and home to a state of the art luxury cruise ship center. It is here that Christopher Columbus first made landfall on his initial voyage to the New World in 1492. Almost 500 years later, US astronaut John Glenn "discovered" Grand Turk himself, after he became the first American man to orbit the earth.Cockburn Town is the center piece of the island with a wonderful...

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Lime Cay: A Hidden But Precious Gem

One of the most admired and hidden gems of Kingston is the uninhabited island Lime Cay which has clear waters and white sand beaches. Located just off the coast of the famous pirate town Port Royal, you can reach there by a short boat ride from Morgan’s Harbor at Port Royal. It is popular place with Jamaican yachtsmen and many locals who visit to relax and feel the ambiance of nature's bounty.There is no formal transportation to get there unless...

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Curacao: One in a million destination

Experience what makes Curaçao unique and exquisite! Beaches and spectacular diving, stunning architecture, activities and adventures for every interest, plus a multi-cultural diversity, intriguing music, art and cuisine are just few of Curacao's bests.Located in the tropics, just 12° north of the Equator, Curaçao has a warm, sunny climate year round. The average temperature is about 27° C (in the mid 80s F). Cooling trade winds blow constantly from...

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Saint Lucia: Paradise in the Equator's North!

St Lucia lies at latitude 13 54’ north of the Equator and 60 50’ west. One of the Windward Islands, it is located in the middle of the Eastern Caribbean chain of islands and is approximately 21 miles south of Martinique and 90 miles northwest of Barbados. Castries (population 50,000) is the island’s capital and is situated North-west of the island. LanguageThe main language in Saint Lucia is English although many St. Lucian's also speak French and...

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Little Cayman: Ultimate in Comfort & Splendor!

Little Cayman is the smallest and least developed of the three Cayman Islands, located 87 miles northeast of Grand Cayman, five miles west of Cayman Brac, 480 miles from Miami and 90 miles south of Havana.First discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1503 and rarely visited (except for the occasional pirate) until recent times, Little Cayman is now a favorite destination of modern-day explorers, photographers, naturalists and, of course, divers. The...

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Antigua and Barbuda: A Tourist Haven

Antigua & Barbuda is one of the Caribbean's must-see destination. The island had warm, steady winds, a complex coastline of safe harbors, and a protective, nearly unbroken wall of coral reef. It would make a perfect place to hide a fleet. And so in 1784 the legendary Admiral Horatio Nelson sailed to Antigua and established Great Britain's most important Caribbean base. Little did he know that over 200 years later the same unique characteristics...

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Barbados: An Island of Diverse Culture, Haven for Adventurers

The island is well developed, and there are internationally known hotels offering world-class accommodation. Time-shares are available, and many of the smaller local hotels and private villas which dot the island have space available if booked in advance. The southern and western coasts of Barbados are popular, with the calm light blue Atlantic Ocean and their fine white and pinkish sandy beaches. Along the island's east coast the Atlantic Ocean...

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Beef Island: One of Virgin Island's Finest!

Beef Island is an island in the British Virgin Islands that is located to the east of Tortola, and the two islands are connected by the Queen Elizabeth Bridge. Beef Island is the site of the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport (IATA code EIS), the main commercial airport that serves Tortola and the rest of the British Virgin Islands.Trellis Bay is a short walk east of the airport. Trellis Bay is a small town (market, restaurant, coffee shop,...

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Anguilla: The Island of Incomparable Adventures

Anguilla is a tiny island with a big reputation. With a population of some 12,000, Anguilla is a British Overseas Territory, 16 miles long, and 3 miles at her widest point. Boasting 33 white sand beaches with crystal clear waters, a contemporary international style, extraordinary vistas, world-class accommodations and mouth-watering cuisine, Anguilla is the culmination of your search for the idyllic tropical escape.This island is a retreat for couples,...

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The Wide Appeal of Guido's Italian-American Restaurant in Walpole, MA

Article and photo by Eric H.Everyone likes Guido's Italian-American Restaurant in Walpole, MA, and many even love it. Ask virtually anyone in the Norfolk County area who has been to Guido's and they'll tell you nothing but good things. During these tough economic times, who wouldn't love mounds of delicious Italian food (except those on a diet) and fresh, homemade pizzas at low prices? Add a local, hometown personal touch with friendly, attentive...

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Visiting Quaint Wayland Square in Providence, RI

Article and Photo by Eric H.Rodney Dangerfield -- God Bless your soul -- take notice: Wayland Square, a pleasant section in Providence, RI, gets no respect.While the busy, funky, eclectic and sometimes cloying, precious College Hill caters to Brown University and Rhode Island School of Design college students, Wayland Square resides, almost silently, a few blocks down. And while Providence Place, Federal Hill and Waterplace Park bring in the tourists...

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The Inn at Woodstock Hill Offers the Quintessential New England Travel Getaway

Article by Eric H. All this talk about bail-outs and recessions just makes one want to bail out to a peaceful travel destination to get away from all this ugly, elitist-driven financial madness. We couldn't think of a better place to temporarily escape than the Inn at Woodstock Hill in Woodstock, Conn.The tell-tale sign that The Inn at Woodstock Hill is an ideal getaway is that it's located in the northeast area of Connecticut called the "Quiet...

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Gee, Wally, Medfield is Sure a Neat Town!

Article and Photo by Eric H.Medfield, MA, about a half hour southwest of Boston, has a classic Leave it to Beaver look with sunny, tree-lined streets, a downtown right out of the 1950s, and friendly neighbors (and some of the best public schools in the state). While Medfield features some very large old and newer homes, the overall feel is more working class. People we've met from Medfield don't try to impress us that they live in Medfield, just...

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If You're Looking for a Great Diner, You'll Love Dave's Diner in Middleboro, MA

Article and Photo by Eric H.We recently reviewed Dave's Diner in Middleboro, MA, at the VisitingNewEngland.com Local Yokel Dining Guide. With its chrome, neon, counter and stools and full breakfast, lunch and dinner menu, we feel this would be a great place for families, diner aficionados and virtually everyone else who likes a good home-cooked meal within a classic diner setting in southeastern Massachusetts. Read the Dave's Diner review h...

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Is Malden The Best Place to Raise a Family?

Article by Eric H.Recently, BusinessWeek Magazine named Malden as the best place to raise a family in Massachusetts with communities having populations of more than 50,000 people.This well-intended but controversial article just goes to show that there is a difference between collecting data and actually living in the city -- or seeing first-hand through the years what Malden is really like.Malden, with a population of around 56,000, is actually not a bad place, but certainly not the community many of us would want to raise a family. This is not...

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How to Visit More Than New England 40 New England Travel Attractions in One Day

Article by Eric H., Photo of Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Courtesy of MOTTIf you're planning on visiting New England, we recommend you check out the 40-plus travel and vacation attractions listed in the VisitingNewEngland.com "Best New England Family Vacation Attractions" article. Far from a faceless, generic, "we'll -pay-you-to-write-something-good-about-us" online informerical, we've combined personal reviews with word-of-mouth feedback from our...

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New England Town of the Day: Plymouth, MA

Article and photos by Eric H.In a rare portrayal of arrogance and pettiness, I stayed away from Plymouth, MA, for many years. The rationale was quite elitist and, actually, quite pathetic:It's too close to home. Therefore, it can't be any good!I heard that there's crime there. Why, other towns around here don't have crime!Who wants to travel an hour to see a silly rock (Plymouth Rock) that's one-third the size of its original presence --thanks to...

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For New Englanders Who Have A Sweet Tooth...

Article and photo (Country Kitchen, Walpole, MA) by Eric H.The impending holiday seasons bring about an enhanced craving for anything sweet, especially cookies, pies and cakes. As for the rest of the season, well, people will always find a reason to eat something sugar-related.While we know that the best route to health is through eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, we also know the reality that there's a place in our hearts (although...

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New England Town of the Day: Norwood, MA

Article and Photo by Eric H.There's an affectionate old, local joke that once you live in Norwood, MA, you never leave. The reasoning behind this "townie" tradition makes perfect sense, given Norwood has always offered a sense of place with its close-knit neighborhoods, good schools, proximity to Boston and Providence, and lots of town activities going on in this southwest suburban Boston town of about 29,000 people.One of the big draws in Norwood,...

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The Local Yokel New England Dining Guide

Article and photo (1761 Old Mill restaurant, Westminster, MA) by Eric H.Our readers at VisitingNewEngland.com had more of a hunger for an enhanced dining reviews pages, so we recently upgraded with a more navigation-friendly restaurant section called the Local Yokel New England Dining Guide. We think you'll like the new look with a featured restaurant (currently Don's Diner, of Plainville, MA) near the top of the page, all the personal restaurant...

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New England Town of the Day: Marion, MA

Article and Photo by Eric H.Marion, MA, doesn't receive a lot of press, but it certainly manages to pull us into its quintessentially coastal New England presence.This sleepy, little town of approximately 5,000 people in southeastern Massachusetts combines the neatly manicured look of Tabor Academy (a private school serving grades 9-12) with refreshing seacoast living. Many residents own older Colonial homes with white picket fences and American...

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Best Pizza in the Boston Area

Article and photo by Eric H.Pizza might not sound very "New England," but that doesn't mean us lifelong locals can't enjoy a slice or five.We recently updated our "Best Pizza in the Greater Boston Area" section on VisitingNewEngland.com, including personal reviews as well as reader feedback. We have included our favorite Italian and Greek-style pizzas -- some local landmarks like Santarpio's in East Boston and Pizzeria Regina in the North End of...

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New England Town of the Day: Meredith, NH

Article and Photo by Eric H.The true testimony to a vacation destination is whether it would also make a great town to live. How many vacation destinations fit that bill, given so many travel spots have been ruined by phony, slick makeovers and overdevelopment that deplete the authenticity of a community?Meredith, located on beautiful Lake Winnipesaukee at the foothills of the White Mountains, is a real community with its unspoiled scenic lake...

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Additional Perspectives on Patriot Place, Foxborough, MA

Article and photos by Eric H.Patriot Place, at Gillette Stadium (home of the New England Patriots) in Foxborough, MA, continues it rapid development, en route to becoming a major destination for shopping, entertainment and commercial uses.Traveling here once a week to eagerly monitor its progress, I am constantly amazed at how quickly Patriot Place is growing as it seems like it went from an empty parcel of land to an established shopping plaza...

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New England Town of the Day: Somesville, Maine

Article and Photos (from Port In a Storm Book Store in Somesville) by Eric H.Not to be confused with the more urbane Somerville, MA, Somesville, Maine, isn't even officially a town: it's part of the municipality of Mt. Desert Island! Regardless of its designation, Somesville sure looks like a real New England coastal town with its quaint look enhanced by amazing views of Somes Sound, mountains, inlets and other rural scenery that remain unspoiled....

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Warming Up to a New England Winter Vacation

Article and Photo (of Downtown Walpole, MA) by Eric H.Now that fall foliage has pretty much ended in New England, the carousel of New England seasons will soon give way to winter with its blanket of white snow gracing our character-filled cities, towns and villages, as well as downhill skiing, cross country skiing, and cold weather events and attractions to warm your heart. We have just started a New England Winter Vacation Guide at VisitingNewEngland.com...

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New England Town of the Day: Foxboro, MA

Article and photo by Eric H.The hundreds of thousands of people who visit Foxboro (also spelled Foxborough), MA, yearly for a New England Patriots football game or shopping and entertainment at the adjoining, soon-to-be-completed Patriot Place might not even know that there's a real, live town here. Foxboro, a town of about 16,000 about 25 miles southwest of Boston, is true "small town America," blessed with a quaint downtown, a large circular village...

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New England's Hearty Appetite for the Phantom Gourmet

Article and photo (Salem Cross Inn, West Brookfield, MA) by Eric H.For those of you with a hearty appetite and who are constantly searching for the best New England restaurants, we recommend visiting the Phantom Gourmet, watching its show on Channel 38 Boston (Saturdays 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., Sundays 11 a.m.) and listening on WTKK 96.9 FM Boston radio on Saturday from 4-7 p.m. (it's amazing how they can be in two places at the same time!). With hungry...

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New England Town of the Day: Oxford, MA

Article and photo by Eric H.The Main Street of Oxford, MA, features just about everything that is good about a traditional New England small town: a wide tree-shaded street with great sidewalks, grand old Colonial and Victorian homes with cozy front porches, tall white steeple churches, a classic old library, a park and town common, and a diner. The diner, Carl's, offering some of the hugest breakfasts we've ever seen, really showcases the close-knit...

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New England-Based Businesses Offering Unique and Familiar Christmas Gifts

Article by Eric H.It's not even Halloween yet, but let's admit it: the Christmas/holiday shopping season showed signs of evolving after Labor Day in some stores. And reality is that we are less than two months away from the holiday season -- we all know how quickly two months can pass.I have researched some New England businesses that offer high quality merchandise for the whole family. You can view some of these businesses and their Christmas and holiday gift ideas at VisitingNewEngland.com. Businesses include the Vermont Teddy Bear Company...

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New England Town of the Day: Sandwich, MA

Article and photo by Eric H.Sandwich, MA, pleasantly combines two of the best elements of New England: the quaint white steeple church, tree-lined, Colonial home downtown look and the seaside charm of New England. Proving that you don't have to drive too far through Cape Cod to get the true essence of this legendary vacation destination, Sandwich, the oldest town on Cape Cod incorporated in 1639, is just minutes from the Sagamore Bridge -- connecting...

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New England Town of the Day: Barrington, RI

Article and photo by Eric H.Barrington, RI, doesn't get the press that nearby Newport and Bristol receive, but that doesn't mean it's any less of a idyllic New England coastal town. Primarily an upscale residential community, Barrington features plenty of splendid water views with the Warren River on the east and the Narragansett Bay on the west and south. Barrington is also located on the East Bay Bike Path, spanning 14 miles from Providence to...

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In Search of the Best Maine Blueberry Pie

Article by Eric H., Photo Courtesy of HiddenBoston.comI love blueberries. They are packed with antioxidants, taste great and, better yet, transform into something more magical in the form of a pie. Here in New England, we are not exactly bereft of great-tasting blueberry pie. The blueberries often come straight from the source, Maine, creating the foundation for locals to practice the art and science of making the perfect Maine blueberry pie.Out...

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New England Town of the Day: Essex, CT

Article and photo by Eric H.Perhaps best epitomizing the quaintness of a small Connecticut Colonial seaport town, Essex is a true visual delight with its idyllic location on the Connecticut River. Tucked away in south central Connecticut, Essex boasts a picturesque marina, beautiful town park with gazebo, quintessential historic New England lodging at the landmark Griswold Inn, and 14 miles of sidewalks leading you past historic homes and interesting...

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Bath, Maine, Getting Ready for the Holiday Season

Intro by Eric H., Bath holiday event info, courtesy of VisitMaine.comWe've written before in The Weekly New England Travel and Vacation Blog about Bath, Maine, as a wonderful, coastal mid-Maine travel and vacation destination. A truly authentic small Maine city with a vibrant, historical downtown, travelers often think of Bath as a summer travel spot, given its proximity to beaches and all the great benefits that come with it -- seafood restaurants,...

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