The post Under-the-Radar New England State Parks, My Latest Story for Yankee Magazine appeared first on Active Travels.
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While New England may have only a handful of parks with “National” in their name, it is blessed with an enviable collection of state parks, including many whose names are known well beyond our region’s borders. What hiker doesn’t dream of conquering Baxter’s Mount Katahdin? Who would want to miss the foliage fireworks of Franconia Notch? But just as appealing, especially now, are the parks with a quieter appeal, offering swaths of land to roam while rarely running into crowds. Here are seven hidden gems where you can find a retreat to restore body, mind, and spirit.
To read more of my latest story for Yankee Magazine, please press here.
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Home to some of the continent’s most stunning scenery, coupled with one of Europe’s least densely populated countries, Scotland perfectly fits the bill for post-pandemic travel. Whatever sport you choose, we can arrange the activity, lodging, guides, and meals with a tour operator we love to use in the UK, Celebrated. Hikers and mountain bikers can head to the ancient pine forest of Cairngorms National Park, the largest national park in the UK. Or canoe on the River Spey to the famous Speyside whisky distilleries. Sea kayakers can paddle around Applecross and the spectacular Isle of Skye, where for one summer, my brother worked as a bellhop for a hotel. The Brits didn’t tip so well back then, but he still loved being there. Sailors head to the Inner Hebrides for two days of sailing around Mull, Islay and Jura (where George Orwell wrote many of his books), finishing at Isle of Eriska and their Relais & Chateau estate. Celebrated has vetted many private estates in Scotland, from medieval castles to island cottages. So if you prefer a private home to a resort, Scotland is a great option. Let ActiveTravels know your dates and we’ll package together a memorable trip!
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What a treat it was to escape the office yesterday and head to North Andover’s Stevens-Coolidge House and Gardens during the peak of their spring tulip bloom. The circa-1729 farm and early 20th century Colonial Revival home were bequeathed to the Trustees in 1962. Thanks to a two-year renovation to the 91-acre grounds by the Trustees, this sylvan oasis 30 minutes north of Boston has never looked better. They’ve built a new entrance and parking lot, replete with the opening of the Garden Gateway building crafted from a former maintenance shed and now containing classroom space, gift shop, and snack counter. They also doubled the size of the garden and planted thousands of bulbs and hundreds of perennials, trees, and shrubs. The tulips in all shapes, sizes, and colors were glorious to witness in the bright morning sunshine yesterday after two days of rain. Lilacs are just starting to bloom and then comes an explosion of peonies. So don’t get discouraged if you can’t get the timed tickets you want at first. There will always be something in bloom this spring and summer. Go anytime for a therapeutic walk through these gardens and meadows. Better yet, bring a picnic!
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]]>The post 2020, The Year of the Botanical Garden appeared first on Active Travels.
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Whether it’s viewing the exotic proteas in bloom at the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden in Cape Town or sniffing and touching my way through the many herbs at Montreal Botanical Garden’s Courtyard of the Senses, botanical gardens and arboretums have figured prominently in my travel writing over the years. Even when I have no assignment, I’ll happily visit the nearby New York Botanical Garden or Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay Harbor, Maine, two of the finest getaways in the northeast. Even more so this year, when we finally gathered the courage to leave our houses and venture outdoors, only to be embraced by a sea of color, fresh air, and serenity. After driving 16 hours from Boston to Chicago to see Lisa’s mom, Fran, we spent the entirety of the next morning strolling almost every path of the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe. It’s a retreat we know well since Fran lives in nearby in Lincolnwood and rarely have we missed a chance to visit when in the area. But it felt especially like a salubrious retreat this summer, to see all the flowers in bloom, walk the meditative Japanese Garden surrounded by water, and breathe deeply. On our drive back from Chicago, we stopped about 30 minutes east of Cleveland to wisely spend several hours at the Holden Arboretum. We were surprised to find a canopy walk, high above the treetops, not unlike one you would find in Costa Rica. We also met artist Patrick Dougherty as he created three of his whimsical Stickwork sculptures from the maze of twisted willow branches. When I think back on the limited travel we did this summer, this will certainly be one of the highlights.
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Iceland has become increasingly popular in winter as more and more travelers try to check the Northern Lights off their wish list. While it’s certainly not a guarantee, you have a good bet to see the Aurora Borealis in the clear Iceland night sky. And you can’t beat the flight, 5 hours direct from the East Coast. We work with a wonderful tour operator in Iceland who will set up outdoor winter activities like hiking the glaciers, while arranging the best chance to see the Northern Lights. If interested, please let ActiveTravels know and we’ll start arranging.
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]]>The post Peru Week with Abercrombie and Kent: A Healing Ceremony with a Local Shaman appeared first on Active Travels.
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Abercrombie and Kent has just launched Wellness-Inspired Luxury Small Group Journeys to Peru, India, Kenya, and Southeast Asia. On my last day in Cuzco, I received a small taste of what they offer on these itineraries when a shaman from a mountain village in the Sacred Valley met me at the outdoor courtyard of my hotel, the Belmond Monasterio, a former 400-year-old convent, and performed a healing ritual honoring both my family and the Mother Earth goddess Pachamama. The hourlong ceremony united Mother Earth with the mountains, signifying the union of female and male, as he created a circle of local spices like anise, candies, even a condor feather. Then the shaman wrapped it all up in a cloth to bring back to his village and burn as an offering. He learned to be a shaman from his grandmother and his last words to me were “to keep a pure heart.” I felt re-energized and purified after the meditative encounter.
If interested in any of Abercrombie and Kent’s new Wellness Journeys, please let ActiveTravels know and we’ll check dates and availability. I want to thank Jean Fawcett, Media Relations Manager at Abercrombie and Kent for helping to arrange this memorable trip to Peru!
To all my Jewish friends and family, L’shanah Tovah!
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Philanthropy Day is always a highlight on any trip I’ve taken with Abercrombie and Kent. In the Masai Mara, I had the chance to talk about my life as a travel writer to the first group of women to ever attend school in the region. One of the girls who I met was continuing her education at Oxford! In Livingstone, Zambia, we visited a village, where wells were built so people didn’t have to walk five miles in the bush to get a pail of water. We also visited a health clinic and bike shop, all built thanks to Abercrombie and Kent and their generous clients. You can read it about it here. The company’s philanthropy is built into the fabric of the experience and it’s no voluntourism gimmick. On the contrary, it’s a meaningful and poignant day that often exceeds any other memory on the trip, including being on safari in Africa or seeing Machu Picchu in Peru.
Our day in Sacred Valley was no different. We started at a mountainous village some 12,000 feet in elevation, where the community is known for their exquisite weavings. They showed us their technique, cleaning the alpaca wool and using dyes, all from nature, like the beet red coloring they would find from squeezing a cactus beetle. The yarn is then used to create hats, tablecloths, purses, and dolls, and sold in the market in Cuzco. We then visited a school serving underprivileged and undernourished children in the region called Children of the Rainbow. It was started by a woman from the Netherlands who was backpacking on the Inca Trail and became enamored with the kids. She came back and adopted 18 children, all of whom went on to college, and have now unlocked the chains of poverty. She then went on to create this school, giving 170 kids ages 3 to 13 and their families hope for a better future. The children were adorable, eating lunch when we arrived. We were shown the new library and the new playground, all recently built thanks to the help of Abercrombie and Kent. Ask the 18 people in my group what their favorite day on the weeklong trip was and I guarantee the majority will say Philanthropy Day.
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]]>The post Quick Escape: Provincetown, Massachusetts appeared first on Active Travels.
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June and September are our favorite months to visit P’town, before or after the summer crowds arrive. Stay with our friends at the Salt House Inn, smack dab in the center of Provincetown (with parking, no less). Then go whale watching, bike up and down the dunes on the unique Province Lands Bike Path, see the glorious pine warblers swoop from pine to pine just inland of the parking lot at the Province Lands Visitor Center, and, of course stroll the stretch of beach at Race Point surrounded by the sea. For dinner, head to that P’town classic, the Mews, to dine on lobster risotto, pan seared scallops, or almond crusted cod. Remember that you can take the 90-minute high-speed ferry from Boston’s Long Wharf to Provincetown and avoid an often congested drive.
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A 3-hour drive north of San Francisco past Santa Rosa and Healdsburg, you reach the Mendocino Coast, home to the fifth-generation owned Little River Inn. The oceanfront property perched on the hillside overlooking the Pacific, feels nestled in its own world, far away from the lights of a city. Indeed, it’s the perfect locale to see the stars on a crystal-clear night. Even better now that the property is offering the Stargazing Family Fun package. Spend 2 nights in an ocean view room with two queen beds and you’ll receive a Little River Inn travel blanket, loan of their custom stargazing kit with special binoculars, star map, star guide and flashlight, hot chocolate to enjoy while stargazing one night, and detailed information on stargazing in the area. Cost of the package for a family of 4 begins at $430 a night.
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Soft and cushiony, with a shade of pink to enhance the dramatic effect, the sand on the beaches of Bermuda is better than advertised. Hemmed in by jagged rock formations and backed by cliffs, the finest beaches are a mix of horseshoe-shaped coves filled with tanning bodies and small jewel-like pockets of sand with just enough space to contain a couple or two. This sublime stretch of coastline serves as the ideal welcome mat for the weary waves that have rolled some 600 miles from the coast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, the closest landmass to the west. May and early June are the ideal months to visit this 23-mile speck of land in the Atlantic. The surge of travelers, many venturing here aboard cruises in the height of summer, have yet to arrive, so you can see the island in its natural relaxed state. Stay at the newly revamped rooms and suites at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess and they’ll escort you by jitney to their private beach. Or try the resort that’s been receiving rave reviews since its debut the summer of 2017, The Loren. Flights are direct and only 2 hours from New York, Boston, and DC. If you need suggestions on what to do while you’re there, please see my Boston Globe story. ActiveTravels is here to help check lodging availability and pricing.
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