Barnacle Billy's, Ogunquit, Maine, is a Timeless Dining Tradition

Source: momslifesavers.blogspot.com via Moms on PinterestBarnacle Billy's restaurant in Ogunquit, Maine, seems like a rite of passage into the Maine summertime.Rarely do you find someone in New England that doesn't know about this landmark seafood restaurant specializing in fresh Maine lobster, steamed clams, chowder, lobster rolls, lobster stew, over sized drinks and, well, barbecue chicken (don't laugh, it's really good).It's not that Barnacle...

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Bar Harbor, Maine: Wouldn't You Like to be There Now?

Source: acadiamagic.com via Heather on PinterestWhen creating our New England Pinterest pinboards, I came across one photo that I keep coming back to:  a colorful picture of downtown Bar Harbor, Maine.  Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!Bar Harbor is the lively commercial center of the Acadia National Park area. Just minutes from Acadia where the ocean meets the mountains, Bar Harbor has an enviable and impossibly beautiful harbor location...

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Markey's in Seabrook, N.H., Focuses on Lobster Quality and Value

Lobster on the premises at Markey's (photo by Eric)We have found that at Markey's Lobster Pool in Seabrook, N.H, there's no need to "shell" out a lot of money on lobster.This no-frills, order-at-the-counter restaurant with lobster tanks and indoor picnic-like benches inside and out tends to focus on the food and value rather than the hype. Last summer, we ordered a delicious steamed lobsters for under $10 a pound and a lobster roll for about the...

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Nantasket Beach Still Has That Special Summer Feeling

The Paragon Carousel at Nantasket Beach (photo by Eric)Many people felt like they were being taken for a ride when Paragon Park at Nantasket Beach in Hull, Mass., closed its legendary amusement park in 1984.The better part of a century brought a joyous beach and amusement scene that exuded a classic New England summer tradition with, to name a few staples, the unbeatable combination of rides, arcades, souvenirs, waves and ice cream. Who can forget...

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Visiting an Old-Fashioned Jam Kitchen on Cape Cod

Yummy Green Briar jams (photo by Eric)If you like jam to go with your sandwich, then head on over to the Thornton W. Burgess Society's Green Briar Jam Kitchen in Sandwich, Mass., on Cape Cod.This living museum offers visitors the chance to see how the process of cooking jams the old-fashioned way takes place, as well as jellies, relishes, pickles in a turn-of-the-century kitchen where local resident Ida Putnam began the Jam Kitchen in 1903. The sun-cooked...

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Commonwealth Barbecue in Wrentham, Mass., Serves Authentic BBQ Cuisine

Ancient New England proverb: when it comes to barbecue food, it's better to have slow cook food than food from a slow cook.The Boston, Mass., area offers several great places for well-prepared slow cook barbecue foods (definition: utilizing less heat than grilling over a longer period of time), including Blue Ribbon BBQ in Arlington and Newton, Redbone's in Somerville, Mass., and Firefly's in Marlborough. All these dining spots have chefs that clearly...

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Mt. Washington Auto Road in New Hampshire Reaches New Vacation Heights

Mt. Washington Auto Road, Pinkham Notch, N.H.(photo by Joe Gill, Boston Sports Then and Now)If you're looking to bring your New Hampshire Memorial Day to Labor Day Weekend summer vacation to new heights, we suggest taking a road trip to the Mt Washington Auto Road.Wildly popular with families looking for commanding scenic views -- and often ignored by acrophobics, poor drivers and people that want to stay at or near sea level -- the eight-mile long...

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Four Bike Trails in New England That Are "Wheel" Good

Cape Cod Canal Bike Trail (photo by Eric)Do you like riding a bike but are afraid of the crazy drivers out there on the road or the awkwardness of passing pedestrians on the sidewalk? Well, the good news is that many bike trails have emerged in New England (a good number of them converted from old railroad tracks), offering paved trails and great scenery. Here are four bike trails in New England that we highly recommend:Cape Cod Canal Trail The amazing...

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Newport Mansions Offers A "Rich" Travel Experience

Belcourt Castle, Newport, R.I. (photo by Eric)Touring the Newport mansions in Newport, R.I., might seem like an obvious New England travel attraction, but it's definitely a "rich"  experience worthy of a visit.Once "summer cottages" to the rich and famous from the Gilded Age (beginning in the mid-19th century), many of the Newport mansions  remain in great shape and available for tours. The Preservation Society of Newport County offers...

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What it's Like to be at Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison, Conn.

Source: Uploaded by user via Brea on PinterestTwo miles of beach, a boardwalk, 558 open camp sites and also extensive open spaces away from the beach to walk: what's not to like about Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison, Conn.?Hammonasset Beach is the largest beach in Connecticut, and certainly one of New England's finest. Located on Long Island Sound,  the extremely well-maintained beach is situated on 919 acres with every step of the way...

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3 Rhode Island Seafood Shacks to Make You As Happy as a Clam

Evelyn's Drive-In, Tiverton (photo by Eric)Cape Cod and Maine tend to get most of the accolades when it comes  to the best New England seafood shacks. Let's not forget, however, about the small state of Rhode Island that comes up big with countless outstanding roadside seafood spots. Here are three examples:Seafood lovers will certainly not feel underwater when visiting Evelyn's Drive-in in Tiverton. This plain-looking seafood shack features...

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12 Great Downtown Districts in New England

Do you love a good downtown? We have a few favorites in our region that offer small town New England appeal, stores, restaurant, historical preservation and traditional ways, and an overall welcoming feeling. Without further ado, here are some of those great downtown districts where we'll let the pictures do the talking...Salem, Mass.Bristol, R.I.Keene, N.H.Mystic, Conn.Milford, N.H.Northeast Harbor, MaineHanover, N.H.Chatham, Mass. (Cape Cod)Wickford...

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City-Like Dining in Suburban Spaces at The Raven's Nest in Walpole, Mass.

Apple goat cheese salmon with asparagus, rice, and cinnamon and cranberry balsamic glaze from The Raven's Nest, Walpole, Mass. (photo by Eric)Driving into the city for a "date night" out can be such a pain -- fighting traffic and rude drivers, paying more for parking and tolls than a meal, and having our car value go down about 60 percent in one night from hitting pothole after pothole.Fortunately, the past 10 or 15 years have been good to us Boston...

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Visiting My Grandmother Had That Antiques in Wrentham, Mass.

My Grandmother Had That...Antiques  in Wrentham, Mass., is one of those "hidden gem" antique stores that is jam-packed with antiques, collectibles and other items from the past.Located in a charming, two-story old red barn at 446 South St. (Route 1A), My Grandmother Had That...Antiques certainly lives up to its name. You'll find furniture, lamps, desks, chairs, plant holders, fine China sets and just about everything your grandma had, and also...

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20 Classic New England Family Travel Attractions

The Salem Witch Museum, Salem, Mass. (photo by Eric)Here are 20 classic New England family travel attractions that are sure to please families visiting Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont:Outdoor Living MuseumsOld Sturbridge Village A long-time favorite New England family travel attraction, Old Sturbridge Village depicts rural New England life in the 1800s "in the company of farmers, craftsmen and fascinating...

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