Some quick recommendations for a visit to Portland, Maine, a favorite spot:
Portland Pie Company have gluten-free pizzas
There’s a section of the Berlin Wall in Old Port – near DiMillo’s On The Water, a renovated ferryboat that’s a restaurant on the water.
The Portland Museum of Art has an impressive collection… Winslow Homer! Monet! Etc.
A Mariners ice hockey game would be worth watching, if they’re at home: https://www.marinersofmaine.com/list-schedule
It’s time to celebrate the New York State tree – the sugar maple. The sugar maple was adopted as the state tree for the Empire State in 1956. This weekend (and last, though many of us were too busy celebrating St. Patrick’s Day to notice) is the 23rd annual Maple Weekend – when maple farms across New York State invite the public to come tour their maple farms and see firsthand the process of producing maple syrup and related products. The Maple Producers Association also has a comprehensive list of pancake breakfasts available this weekend to try your New York maple syrup, as well as an interactive list of participating maple farms to visit. Check their website for more details.
If you happen to be in “Downeast” Maine for a few days’ R&R, York has plenty of attractions to make for a good visit. Home of Cape Neddick Lighthouse, better known as “Nubble Light”, York has beautiful coastlines and attractive beaches. There’s even an arcade right at the beach. At The Goldenrod you can watch the saltwater taffy being made fresh right before your eyes – and their lunches (and frappes!) are delicious.
For the fiber enthusiasts, York has a very attractive and welcoming yarn shop (the Yarn Sellar) which happens to be on the Maine Yarn Cruise (a summer yarn crawl around the state) and stocks Maine yarns.
And last but certainly not least – the York Wild Kingdom offers fun for all ages, whether that be on the amusement park rides or visiting the wide variety of animals at the zoo and butterflies in their Butterfly Kingdom.
Happy vacation planning!
A co-worker was heading to Boston for a weekend a while ago and asked for my recommendations for things to do. This is what I came up with…
For simplicity for visitors arriving for a few days, I recommend getting seven-day LinkPasses for the T- it’s $19 for unlimited travel on subway and local bus services, and makes it much easier to go through the turnstiles than buying a ticket each time you go. Info on passes is here: http://mbta.com/fares_and_passes/passes/. You can buy passes from the machines at any T station. If you really need a cab, I strongly recommend Boston Metro Cab (and they didn’t even pay me anything)- http://boston-cab.com/
Boston Harbor Cruises and the whale watches go from Long Wharf: http://www.bostonharborcruises.com/ (historic sightseeing cruises are here: http://www.bostonharborcruises.com/boston-harbor-cruises/historic-boston-tour/schedule-rates/)
Everyone forgets about the Harbor Islands, which are a wonderful day out and have something for everyone, from historic forts to good hiking trails and activities for all ages. Info on the Boston Harbor Islands National Park area (and ferries out to the islands) is here: http://bostonharborislands.org/
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The ferry to Georges Island, one of the thirty-plus Boston Harbor islands, only takes about 45 minutes from Long Wharf, but it could easily be a world away. The ferry itself is a treat- as you watch the skyline of Boston recede, the sea breeze will give you respite from the summer’s heat. As you look out across the harbor, you’ll see the other harbor islands dotting the horizon, and each of them has their own unique and interesting story. You’ll pass Castle Island, which has been the site of a fortification since 1634, and Logan Airport on the opposite side of the harbor. You’ll also pass Spectacle Island, which has been used for a variety of purposes over the years, and currently boasts beautiful walking trails (with spectacular views of the city), picnicking areas, swimming facilities and a weekly clambake on Thursday evenings during the summer. Georges Island hosts Wednesday evening barbecues during the summer months. Continue reading
