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Showing posts from 2016

Mansions and Munchies; Christmas in Newport, Rhode Island

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Winter tends to be a tough time of year to plan a road trip because of the cold weather and worries about possible difficult driving conditions. However, on those days that are nice we always find time to get out of town. Newport, Rhode Island is generally thought of as a summer destination but you may want to take a trip to help get you in the holiday mood. With the festive season upon us, we thought it would be the perfect place to enjoy seeing some Christmas decorations. Three of the historic Newport mansions (The Breakers, Marble House, and The Elms) are open and dressed in their holiday finest from November 19th to January 2nd. 

Boat House offers beautiful sunset views

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We found a restaurant (new to us) on the water in Tiverton, Rhode Island for our next road trip. The Boat House faces the water to the west instead of the east like so many other establishments on the Atlantic coast. For this reason they can offer some of the most beautiful sunset views you will see in New England. Because of all the large windows, every seat offers the same breathtaking views.

Our top breakfast picks in Bar Harbor

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Bar Harbor has quickly become one of our favorite places in New England. Between the beautiful views of the coast, cute shops in downtown, and Acadia National Park just down the road, there’s so many reasons to visit. All of that is wonderful but I would also add that Bar Harbor is home to some of my favorite breakfast destinations.

Small Restaurant Big Taste at Silver Fork in Manchester, VT

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Manchester, Vermont is one of those quintessential New England towns that everyone should visit at least once. Think of green lush grass with beautiful white houses throughout as you drive along and find what we believe is the cutest of them all.

Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar in Boston

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The next time you are up for a trip into Boston we found a Mexican place that you should take some time to check out. Just off Boylston on Dartmouth Street is Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar. In addition to their delicious food many will appreciate the gothic environment that conjures up vampires and dark places. If you are like me and enjoy a horror movie or strange and weird spots this is perfect.

Junior's for the best Cheesecake at Foxwoods

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My father in law is not obsessed with food like some of us. When we go out and I ask him what he thought of a meal, the typical reply is that it was “okay”. Although he won't admit it, there is one thing that he enjoys more than any other and that is desserts – particularly cheesecake. So every once and awhile we would be chatting and casually mention that the cheesecake at some random place is really good and he would always pipe in and say "but it's not Junior’s cheesecake!" Since I’ve never had Junior’s, I didn’t understand what the big deal was but apparently their cheesecake is what he compared all others to.

Periwinkles in Essex, Massachusetts

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We love a road trip that brings you to the water and this time we take you to the small town of Essex on the North Shore of Massachusetts. Essex is a quintessential New England town with its historic houses some dating back to the 1600’s, antique shops, and plenty of dining options. Although there are a number of restaurants in the area that serve seafood, Periwinkles is one of our favorites. Situated on the Essex River this is a nice quiet spot to chillax. Grab a seat on the outside deck and you will soon forget all your troubles as you enjoy the beautiful surroundings. For those of you who prefer to dine in air conditioned comfort, have no fear. There is also a large dining room inside the restaurant.

Kimball Farm Ice Cream at Bates Farm in Carlisle, MA

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This Sunday when the temperature in New Hampshire is expected to hit 70 degrees naturally we start to think about ice cream. Of course my wife would argue that ice cream tastes just as good on a winter’s day so we know that many others enjoy this sweet confection year round. For anyone visiting New England for the first time or if you usually eat the store bought variety, do yourself a favor and put visiting a homemade ice cream on your bucket list of must do’s this spring or summer. Since New Englanders eat more ice cream per capita than any other part of the country, there are many spots to choose from and one our favorites is Kimball's at Bates Farm in Carlisle. We have visited numerous times over the years and we’ve never been disappointed.

Cappy's Chowder House, Camden, Maine

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(Editors note: Unfortunately from what I have been reading Cappy's Chowder House has closed. There is plenty to do in Camden so this is still a destination worthy of a road trip.  Happy travels everyone, Rich) Camden, Maine is one of those picturesque New England coastal towns that you really should visit when you have a chance. You may recall that Memorial Day this year was miserable weather wise. With the rain pouring outside we debated whether to take a road trip or stay home. Well, you guessed it, getting out of the house and on the highway won out over hanging out at home so we started driving.

Twisted Farm Food and Hash House a Go Go

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With road trip season in full swing we decided to head south to Connecticut over the holiday weekend for one of our favorite breakfast places of all time. Our story begins back in 2006 when my wife and I were on vacation in San Diego, California. As many of you know we are always looking for great places for breakfast so we feverishly search for the best local joints when we travel. During this quest I stumbled upon Hash House a Go Go as the favorite. We stopped by and the wait was something like 45 minutes. After passing the time chatting with the locals, we had what was one of the best breakfasts of our lives.