Thank you for all your kind well wishes. Here are some more details of our trip…
We are leaving a day early now, to split the driving in half for the kid’s sake. We’ll stay at the Swiss Inn at Bristol Mountain Saturday night – the same place Jeremy stayed this winter when he went for ski training. I’m excited to see this family-run Inn with it’s authentic Swiss cuisine and warm hospitality which he told me about. Then we will head on to New Hampshire, to Attitash Mountain– the same place you guys stayed on your vacation last year, Joanna. We hope to take a train ride, since Jesse is such a fan of trains these days, and also a day trip to the ocean. The Ocean. Specifically, The Coast Of Maine. I am so excited – I have always, always, always wanted to go to Maine! Was it “Blueberries for Sal” or “Sarah, Plain and Tall” or some other story book or movie that inspired this dream? It has been a dream so long I cannot remember it’s origin. Anyway, a day at the ocean in Maine, and a few more days in NH and then we’ll be home. Is there anything else we should absolutely see or do while we’re in the area, you New Englanders?
How fun! I love lighthouses so the coast of Maine is better in my opinion than the most tropical of beaches!
And of course fresh lobster is THE best…
Ahh, yes – couldn’t remember the title, but THAT is the book I was thinking of – not ‘Blueberries for Sal” which is the same author…
“One Morning in Maine” is another good Maine book.
Oh, how delightful – all these suggestions! Thank you, Thank you! Though it makes me realize we really ought to visit the area for 5 weeks instead of 5 days! 🙂 I will have Jeremy read these and maybe he will program some ‘way points’ into our planned route.
Haha! Enjoy my childhood Area! There is also a place called “Story Land” up near there in Glen, NH….I still remember going there with Jill and Willy. It should be beautiful this time of year also…..I’ve bribed Jill to bring me Maine Lobsters out for my birthday 🙂
oh! oh! oh! i was hoping you’d ask! *jumping up and down here*
ogunquit, maine is a lovely little town.. and they have trolley’s to take you around so you can just park your car and not have to deal with negotiating traffic (although it might not be too bad this early in the season) there is a gorgeous rocky oceanside walk called the marginal way- you really won’t want to miss that. the beach at ogunquit is great too.. a lovely big tidepool for the kiddies and dunes and unspoiled beach all the way down to the next town, moody beach. one caveat about ogunquit- it is a big hang out for gay men, so be forewarned. my father says that it has always been like this, even when he was a youngster in the 1930’s, so i suppose there is a certain integrity to it.. in a way:/ so.. yeah.
just north of ogunquit is drake’s island where we spent our summers when i was a child. the rachel carson nature preserve is very near there too.
also one spot i could never miss is the hanna andersson outlet- they bill it as being in portsmouth nh, but it’s actually just over the border in maine. oh! and speaking of portsmouth there is a great seafood restaurant called newick’s there, not fancy, but good food at a (relativly) good price.
have fun!
If you pass through Portsmouth, NH on your way to Maine, stop and check out the USS Albacore, in the Naval Yards. It’s a dry-docked, diesel powered submarine. They let you explore the whole boat, get in the crew bunks, play with the controls on the bridge . . . very cool!
Also, you must find (and you will as you get close to the beach) a local fried clams and fish shack. They’re usually looking a little run down, but they’ve got the BEST fried clams, scallops, fish and chips and steak and cheese sandwiches. There are good ones along Route 1.
If you are near Exeter, NH at all, you must go visit the museum there. Exeter was the capital of NH during the Revolution. One item on display is NH’s own copy of the Declaration of Independence. I won’t spoil the story of how they found it so you’ll have to check it out!
And if you happen to get close to Concord, NH, the current state capital, go find French’s Toy Store. This was one of my most favorite places as a kid. They sell classic toys and games. http://www.frenchstoy.com/ to check them out. And nearby there is–well, at least there was when I was a child–the best candy store ever! Whenever we went to Concord, no trip was complete without stopping there and getting a box of ribbon candy.
Those are a few starters, from one New Englander! There are all kinds of beautiful places in New Hampshire and Maine. Enjoy your trip!