Hiring a Car in Mexico?

An Adventure in Itself!We are just recovering from the long flight and gathering our luggage trying to get ourselves and all our bags to the car hire counter when other people, wearing different uniforms, yell in strange accents to us:  “Try our special offer and get one day free!! Come in my friends!!!” One more over there, ready to intercept us, and then two more at the very edge of our car hire agency. So, after saying “no thanks” to many...

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Pump House Indoor Waterpark, Jay Peak Resort, Jay Vt.

Jay Peak Pump House Waterpark (Photo Credit: Jay Peak Resort Media Office)The Pump House Indoor Waterpark at Jay Peak Resort in Jay, Vt., in is not your basic, garden variety waterpark.We all know that water parks can "slide" in quality and innovation very rapidly, thus suddenly becoming "lame" in the eyes of kids and "a bad value" from an adult perspective.With its state-of-the-art waterpark and other attractions, Jay Peak has found a new life in...

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Christo's Brockton is Gone, Christo's to Go Arrives in Whitman, Mass.

Christo's in Brockton, Mass., had been a local dining legend for more than four decades. Some called it "Cheers South" -- South of Boston's version of the famous Boston restaurant.Former Massachusetts Gov. Mike Dukakis once dubbed Christo's "The Greek Salad King." Thousands of customers each week called Christo's their "go-to" local restaurant. I personally remember family gatherings -- whether it be for happy times like birthdays and Mothers Day...

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Maine Whoopie Pies and Lobster

Forget the fruitcakes, South Beach Diet cookbooks and Ugly Christmas sweaters: Maine whoopie pies are the way to go for an appealing, and, in this case, mouthwatering holiday present -- or to consume for oneself. What's not to like about a combination of rich chocolate cake with creamy white filling?The Maine Whoopie Pie is Maine's official state treat. Several local companies produce these delicious desserts. Grocery stores, bakeries and restaurants...

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Student Prince and Fort Cafe Reopens in Springfield, Mass.

MassLive is reporting that the Student Prince and Fort Cafe has reopened in Springfield, Mass., after being closed temporarily.The famous German-American downtown Springfield restaurant nearly closed for good after the Scherff family "could no longer sustain the financial losses and declining business and looked to retire,"according to the MassLive article. Peter Picknelly, chairman and CEO of Peter Pan Bus Lines, saved the restaurant...

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Wahlburgers Restaurant Set to Expand Across Massachusetts, United States

The Wahlburgers web site is reporting plans to expand with new nationwide restaurant openings, including Massachusetts in the Fenway section of  Boston and in Lynnfield. This expansion comes just three years after the original Wahlburger's opened at the Hingham Shipyard in Hingham, Mass.A popular burger joint founded by executive chef Paul Wahlberg and celebrity brothers Mark and Donnie, Wahlburgers agreements have been made for 20 locations...

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TripAdvisor Acquisition of Massachusetts-Based Vacation Home Rentals is Great News

We are delighted that TripAdvisor recently acquired Vacation Home Rentals, a Massachusetts-based vacation rentals business.I have always been impressed by Vacation Home Rentals with its excellent variety of vacation rentals, but feel that a great thing just got better with Vacation Home Rentals becoming part of  TripAdvisor.  By leveraging the power of TripAdvisor, Vacation Home Rentals can only get better with its offerings. That is really...

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2015 Red Sox Tickets On Sale Now for Spring Training, Regular Season Games

Fenway Park, Boston MA (photo by Eric)The New England Travel and Vacation Gazette has learned that 2015 Boston Red Sox spring training and regular season tickets are now on sale at Ace Ticket in Boston, Mass.The spring training season begins on March 3, 2015, with  games scheduled against Northeastern University and the Boston College Eagles at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, Mass.  On March 6, the first spring training game against a Major...

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Bostonia Public House in Boston MA Gets Google Maps Virtual Tour

The Bostonia Public House, a superb newcomer to the Boston, Mass., restaurant scene, recently had a Google Trusted Photographer create a Google Maps Virtual Tours that showcases the attractive two-floor layout.The casually upscale American restaurant, located in the Financial District, features a historic spirit with its Mayors of Boston wall and local historical pieces throughout the sleek but welcoming, unpretentious dining rooms.You can take the Bostonia Public House Google Virtual Tour below, or on Google Maps. Enjoy stepping up to the log...

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Six Flags New England Wicked Cyclone Triple Inversion Coaster Scheduled to Debut in Summer 2015

The Los Angeles Times reports that a 1983 Cyclone wooden roller coaster will be transformed, at Six Flags New England in Agawam, Mass., into an "intense" triple-inversion Wicked Cyclone wood-steel hybrid. The coaster, inspired the original Coney Island, N.Y., classic, is set to debut in summer 2015.Although shorter than the original, the new version will be significantly faster and descend from a 120-ft. tall lift hill to a 78-degree first drop before going through a 120-degree overbanked turn, according to the Times.  Along the way, the rider...

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Christmas by Candlelight, Old Sturbridge Village MA

If you dream of celebrating a traditional New England Christmas, then Christmas by Candlelight at Old Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge, Mass., is probably the greatest travel gift of the local holiday season.Set in an expansive 1830s New England living history museum, Christmas by Candlelight stays true to time warp form by sticking to authenticity. You'll experience sleigh rides, roasting chestnuts, gingerbread making, cider mulling, yule logs,...

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Lighting of the Nubble Lighthouse Christmas Event, York Beach, Maine

The lighting of the Nubble Lighthouse in York Beach, Maine, truly shines like a beacon during the Christmas season.The friendly Parks and Recreation folks up in York have taken one of New England's greatest lighthouses and made it even better. The lights really define the beautiful shape of the lighthouse while the frigid Maine air almost seems to warm up to the incredible illumination.The 2014 Lighting of the Nubble takes place on Sat., Nov. 29,...

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A Christmas Stroll on Nantucket

Anyone who tells you that coastal New England isn't compatible with Christmas celebrations is clearly out to sea.A grand holiday tradition dating back to 1973, the Christmas Stroll on Nantucket features historic walking tours, tree decorating, caroling, craft shows and artist displays, raffles, cookie decorating and music events, just to name a few. Merchants often take the extra effort to make the holiday season special with warmly decorated stores, one-of-a-kind gifts, and discounts.What started as an event to keep locals from leaving the island...

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Seven New England Restaurants Beyond 100 Years Old

Wayside Inn, Sudbury MAGiven that about 60 percent of restaurants fail in their first year of business, it's amazing to come across New England dining spots in business for more than 100 years. Their longevity is almost always due to keeping the food quality intact, focusing on great customer service and keeping intact unique architecturally historical elements. It also doesn't hurt to have historical icons or celebrity as customers along the way,...

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12 Reasons to Love Central Massachusetts

Brookfield Orchards, North Brookfield, Mass. (photo by Eric)Central Massachusetts represents the heart and soul of New England quite well with its quaint small towns, winding country roads, hills and valleys, and a pace of life that is generally much slower than Boston. The region also features Worcester, an impressive city that keeps getting better each day through its major revitalization projects and a strong cultural and academic base with nine...

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