Time for a Road Trip

During the first two weeks of December in Kennebunkport, Maine people visit from all over for their Christmas Prelude Celebration. Earlier this year we heard locals talk about the event and decided that this was time to check it out. For you shopaholics all the stores in town are open as well as a number of craft fairs. But more than that it is a place you can go to really get into the spirit of the season. You will find warm friendly smiles everywhere you look and decorations throughout the town.

{Editors Note:  Unfortunately when we visited earlier in 2016 the space that housed Breaking New Grounds was under construction and the coffee shop closed.   Please don't let that keep you from taking a trip to one of the most beautiful seacoast towns in New England.} The coast of New England has many unique qualities - the salty smell in the air, the afternoon sea breeze, lobster traps, fishing boats, and of course quaint towns. We enjoy the ocean very much and have spent quite a bit of time in many towns throughout the area. One of the best and most relaxing of these can be found in the small town of Ogunquit, Maine at Breaking New Grounds.

There is nothing better than taking a road trip to Salem, Massachusetts this time of year to get you into the spirit of Halloween. It seems that whenever we visit it is always a dark dreary day which is fine since it suits the environment well. Ghosts, goblins, and of course, witches come to mind when we think of this small city. There are many attractions available for those of you that enjoy getting scared out of your wits. While we tend to enjoy the people watching more than most of the “haunted” themed events, it makes sense to also incorporate some good food into our road trip to the north shore of Massachusetts .

Nothing says fall like a trip to an apple orchard. Luckily living in New England affords us the opportunity to have an abundance of orchards and we are always on the hunt for something fun to do on a beautiful fall weekend. If you are like me and not the biggest fan of apple picking (much to my wife’s chagrin), you will be happy to check out a festival held at a local orchard in Hampton Falls, NH.

It's time for another road trip and this time we take you to Rhode Island. My wife and her family lived in the Providence area for a time and they frequented Chelo's quite a bit. Having flown out of Providence recently we decided to check out the location directly across from the airport. We normally visit the Providence restaurant.

Unlike a road trip this was more of a joy ride where we jumped in the car without any idea of where we were going or if there would be anything worthwhile to do or see when we got there. It could have been an oasis or a disaster. So one afternoon we decided to head south from Tampa towards the water thinking that there must be some nice beaches along the way.

Back when I first visited Parlee Farms in Tyngsboro, MA several years ago it was just a small family operation with a tiny retail space as well as a petting zoo. Boy, have times changed. Today, the crowds are large and they keep adding more including apple picking (complete with a hay ride out the orchards) pumpkins, barn animals, and a bakery. Over that time we have seen them grow significantly and one thing has remained constant in the fall, our hunger for their homemade apple crisp.

When I told my wife that I liked frozen custard more than ice cream she almost fainted. Let me explain, my wife’s favorite dessert has always been ice cream and after we got married I jumped on the bandwagon. However, I discovered a fantastic frozen treat years ago in Vermont – Chesster’s frozen cookie sandwich – vanilla custard between two chocolate chip cookies. It was amazing and I thought much better than ice cream.

On one of our days in Florida we decided to take a road trip to Sanibel Island. My wife had talked about going there for vacation and I'm thinking. Hmmmm..... let's check this out, not knowing when we might have a chance to visit in the future. We could live here, she could go to the beach and I to Jet Blue Park and the Red Sox spring training in Fort Myers. Oh, to dream!

Because I’ve never been to Mexico, I imagine finding a restaurant housed in an old building and perhaps with an outside dining area where you’d sit among the trees while sipping on a margarita. I also envision the food would be top notch and that I’d realize long before the first bite that I was in store for something special. We have found such a place in Newport, Rhode Island at Perro Salado.

With the promise of more warmer weather,  it’s time to start road tripping again and this adventure takes us to the great state of Maine and Robert's Maine Grill in Kittery. While some people only associate seafood with the beach and summer time, Robert's is good year round. Located on Route 1 between several outlet malls, this is the perfect place to go after a shopping trip during the Christmas season or during the summer after a visit to nearby York Beach (a personal favorite of ours).

For our next drive we would like you to experience some great Italian food at Pagliuca's in Boston. Yes, there are many options in the North End but this is one of our favorites. We have been to Pagliuca's dozens of times over the past 10 years and have also checked out a bunch of other restaurants in the area. Joe, Freddie and staff all do a great job serving up mouth watering food.

When my in-law's stumbled upon Rein's Deli many years ago, it was a food gift like no other. Visits have become a family tradition and I'm glad to be part of them now.

Our next road trip brings us to the small town of Norwich, Vermont for a taste of the bakery life. You may recognize the name King Arthur Flour from your time in the kitchen baking delectable delights. I remember the name from when I was a child and my mother only bought this brand of flour for her baking needs. So when my wife told me that we should go visit their campus, I had my reservations. Were we going to watch how flour was made? Some fantastic road trip I initially thought. However, she has never steered me wrong so I agreed and away we went. If you’re like I was and think this is just about bags of flour you would be sadly mistaken.

On a recent holiday shopping trip to Boston we decided to head over to one of our favorite haunts, Georgetown Cupcakes . We've tasted many cupcakes over the years and we feel that they are the best in New England. In fact, we think they are so good that we put them at the top of our list of the best . We first sampled Georgetown Cupcakes at their original location when we were in DC a few years ago. They are just as good now as they were then.

Earlier this year, as we were driving through Rhode Island around dinner time, we were trying to think of a place to eat. All of a sudden, my wife piped up and asked if I wanted to go to Wright's Farm Restaurant near Smithfield? Since I had already driven by the exit, I did a sharp u turn as she described the meal.

The story of how we found Sullivan's and their delicious hot dogs goes back a long time. It began at a dive bar in Boston. We had befriended a townie who loved to tell colorful stories. He also loved food and he told us about a place in Southie called Sullivan's that had really good hot dogs. Since my wife and I love a good grilled hot dog the search began.

When I was a kid (many years ago) my family visited Acadia National Park and the Jordan Pond House Restaurant . Although I have visited as an adult, It has been a long time and after a recent trip, I realized what I had missed. It's now time for you to experience the same... on the road to Maine.

I am going to suggest something a little different on this road trip, a drive to Wolfeboro, New Hampshire for a flurry at Bailey's Bubble . For those of you who have never heard of a flurry, it is soft serve ice cream combined with your favorite candy or whatever else you might like, this is all mixed together to form an thick icy treat.

For our next trip we are sending you to Maine for a stay at the West Street Hotel and good eats at Paddy' Irish Pub & Restaurant . The locals in Bar Harbor may not be happy with the development on the water front but for the rest of us who want to visit Tom Walsh and the team at Opal Collection have brought a new classy flavor to Bar Harbor.

Maybe it's just me but I think you're going to love our next road trip, it is time for you to take a drive to the circus, let me explain. A few years back after a trip to the Finger Lakes we stopped in Saratoga Springs on the way back to New Hampshire. While browsing in the shops along main street, we were getting hungry. We asked one of the local merchants for a recommendation for lunch and she suggested the Circus Cafe . The name threw me off and I was hesitant at first. After much deliberation due to the fact that there are so many restaurants lining the streets of Saratoga Springs we decided to give the Circus Cafe a try.

Back in 2006 we were on vacation in San Diego. One evening looking for a place for dinner, we noticed The Field Irish Pub and decided to give it a try. After a few adult beverages, we tried Boxty for the first time and loved it. For those that are unfamiliar, Boxty is an Irish dish . The best way to describe Boxty is to think of a thin potato crepe which is rolled and stuffed with with one of your favorite meats and covered in a creamy sauce. Ever since that first time my wife and I have been on a Boxty frenzy. Whenever we visit a new place, we're always on the the lookout for Irish Pubs that might have Boxty. Alas, this is not as easy as it might seem. We have looked throughout New Hampshire and New England and up to this point could not find any good Boxty, We even tried Boxty at Gallagher's Boxty House in Dublin, Ireland and sadly it was not that great.

For our next road trip we are taking you into the city of Boston for a stop at jm Curley , named after the former mayor of Boston, James Michael Curley. Although they don't have a large menu, the food is delicious and worth a visit.

One of our favorite coastal towns to visit in New England is Bristol, Rhode Island. Unlike many other coastal towns, Bristol has yet to be overdeveloped. When you are near the water it is quiet and relaxing, hopefully, this serene place will remain unspoiled for all to enjoy for many years to come. A fun fact about Bristol - it is the home of the oldest July 4th parade in the country.

Our next trip, takes us to the small town of Quechee, Vermont. Here, you will find the Simon Pearce Restaurant , a real culinary gem, you must hop in the car because it's definitely time for a road trip.

For our inaugural road trip we have decided on an old favorite, MARIO'S in Lexington, Massachusetts. Mario's is a great family style Italian restaurant in that they are very reasonably priced and their portions are large.

My wife and I enjoy our free time on the weekends and rarely stay home or near home.  Thus became the habit of taking road trips with and without destinations.  Often, we will jump in the car and just drive and go in whatever direction feels right. So, it shouldn't surprise you that these trips would involve food - whether it's breakfast, lunch or dinner.