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After venturing to an all-day New Wave concert at the Rose Bowl this past May, I made the wise choice to visit good friends an hour south of LA in Laguna Beach. As soon as I arrived, I couldn’t help but de-stress in this small beachfront community backed by towering canyon walls. Summer is the busy time of year when the crowds head to the long stretch of beach and go to the annual arts festival, Pageant of the Masters. Come spring or fall, it’s a little more laid back and you’re free to explore the many picturesque coves like Shaw’s Cove that surround the main beach. To the north of town, not far from a resort we like in the region, Resort at Pelican Hill, Crystal Cove State Park boasts a glorious stretch of coastline and tidal pools. Tim and I took an early morning walk and then grabbed breakfast al fresco back in town at one of their great coffee shops and breakfast joints like Anastasia Cafe. The perfect way to start any day!
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Connecticut’s extensive network of Blue-Blazed hiking trails weave across relatively flat terrain, creating one of the best walking systems in the Northeast. The trails are all inland, through forests of maples, oaks, and birches. However, there are several coastal walks not associated with the blue-blazes that are worthy of a visit like the 234-acre Harkness Memorial State Park, a gem in Waterford. Bequeathed to the state in 1952, the 42-room Italianate mansion, manicured lawns and gardens are a perfect place for a stroll or picnic. Tour the house and then head outside on small stony paths that snake through the gardens. In May, this is quite a treat with many of the perennials in bloom. The great expanse of lawn slopes down to the shores. In the summer, a concert series brings well-known performers to the grounds.
This entry is excerpted from my latest book, New England in a Nutshell. The book/ebook is slated to published on July 2nd and you can pre-order now at Amazon or at the independent bookstore, Northshire, located in Manchester Center, Vermont and Saratoga, New York. The ebook includes all hyperlinks to listings. The paperback includes front and back cover illustrations from Manhattan-based artist, Sarah Schechter, and a small sampling of photos from Lisa Leavitt, who accompanied me on many of my assignments, resulting in published work for the Boston Globe.
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Doug Mayer, founder of Run the Alps, one of the premier running outfitters in the world, sent me his list of 2019 trips this week. These sell out quickly, with many returning guests, so if there’s a trip you like, don’t wait too long to book. In Chamonix, France, even the Mayor is an ultrarunner. The famed alpine town at the base of Mont Blanc is also the world epicenter of trail running. Join Run the Alps for a week of running here (June 24-31), which includes a stop at breathtaking Courmayeur, Italy, and the chance to take part in the Cross du Mont Blanc, one of the oldest trail races in the Alps. Their itinerary running the iconic Berner Oberland route still has openings July 21-27. In Zermatt and Grindelwald, Run the Alps has revised their itineraries to fit a variety of trail running abilities. They’ve also secured entries into the Eiger and Ultraks trail race series, with races including distances of 10, 30, 50 and 101 km, if you’d like to take part in an Alps trail race. Who wouldn’t want to run with the Matterhorn as your backdrop?
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Country Walkers, the tour operator that likes to slow down to appreciate the splendor of the world on two feet, is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2019 with a slew of new trips to far-flung locales like Zambia, Chile, and New Zealand. But we really like the itinerary to Sri Lanka, an 11-day jaunt coined "Sri Lanka: Ancient Temples & Tea Trails." The February trip is already sold out, but there’s still availability on the December trip. We had dinner in Bangkok recently with a woman who has traveled all of Asia on 2 to 4-hour flights. She told us she loves Sri Lanka and returns there often. Fantastic scenery, history, culture, and people.
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Next week, I’ll be discussing my favorite fall foliage activities in the region. Yet, I love September just as much as October in New England. The summer crowds are gone leaving the beaches deserted. It’s been unseasonably warm all week, in the low to mid-80s. With cousins in town from Arizona and my brother in from New York, we took advantage of the warm weather on Tuesday to drive up to a family favorite, Wingaersheek Beach in Gloucester. A mere 45-minute drive from my home and I was sifting my feet in the soft white flour-like sand looking at the gorgeous lighthouse at the point. It was low tide and we walked on a long sandbar almost out to that lighthouse. There were few people on the beach and best yet, there was no charge to enter. When we had our fill of sun, sand, and ocean, we headed to nearby Woodman’s for the requisite lobster roll, steamers, and onion rings. This place always has a long line in summer, but we marched right up to the counter to make our order. The weather is supposed to be warm and sunny the rest of the month so hit the coastline and dip your feet in the ocean one last time.
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Almost equidistant between Saint John and Saint Andrews, New River Beach is best known as one of the finest stretches of sand on the Bay of Fundy. Yet, just a wee bit to the east of the crescent-shaped beach is one New Brunswick’s most glorious hikes, the nature trail to Barnaby Head. Walk on a boardwalk lined with long planks through a bog that a moose could love. Soon the vistas of the Bay of Fundy open up as you arrive at Chittick’s Beach. The rocky shores are sandwiched between jagged bluffs and boulders carpeted by seaweed. Out to sea, you could never tell that the Bay of Fundy experiences one of the greatest tidal shifts on earth, often more than 30 feet difference between high and low tide. The water looked as flat as an ice skating rink and there were no signs of boat life on this overcast day. There were also no other hikers as we made our way on a narrow, root-littered trail that hugs the shoreline. What a treat! You enter an emerald forest where both rocks and trees are smothered in moss and the soft path feels springy. The sweet smell of pine only enhances the experience. We enter another lonely beach, Deep Cove, where we hear the distinct yodeling call of the loon and see the white tops of eider ducks. Soon we’re at the tip of the peninsula, Barnaby Head, hearing the clanging of a buoy bell on the water. The crisp sea air is therapeutic, washing away any worries. It’s good to be back in New Brunswick.
Photo by Jeff Katz
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Monday morning, Lisa and I had the privilege of walking the Cliff Walk under sunny skies. Rhode Island’s most popular trail is perched on the rocky shores above the Atlantic, ocean on one side, the backyards of the massive Bellevue Avenue mansions on the other. In the summer months, this 3 ½-mile route is crowded with hundreds of folks yearning to see the sloping lawns and backside of those summer “cottages” the Vanderbilts, Whitneys, and Astors built at the turn of the century. This time of year, you’ll pass the occasional dog walker or jogger as you take in the expanse of the sea all by your lonesome. Park your car on Narragansett Avenue near the walk and proceed to the right. The sun was beating down on the clear and shimmering ocean waters. We soon spotted The Breakers, the Italian-style villa commissioned by Cornelius Vanderbilt in 1895. Another highlight is the red and gold lacquered Chinese-style pagoda at the Marble House. We enjoyed learning about the history of each estate at sign posts scattered throughout the walk. Simply type the number into the website and you’ll get the scoop.
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Just returned from a rejuvenating 24 hours in Newport, one of my favorite stopovers in New England any time of year. Starting today, the historic seaport gets into the Holiday spirit with a month-long citywide celebration simply called Christmas in Newport. The long list of activities includes live music at The Breakers estate and lantern walks over the twisting cobblestone streets. Newport is also home to a slew of intriguing boutique shops, ideal for Holiday shopping. Not far from the mansions on Bellevue Avenue is the Alloy Gallery, owned by a Rhode Island School of Design-trained jewelry artist who displays contemporary wares created by her and her colleagues. Women’s blouses, dresses, and jackets can be found at Tyler Boe, at Bannister’s Wharf. Kids will like the quirky games, clothing, books, and other odd miscellaneous knickknacks found at Pleasant Surprise on Thames Street. Close by is the Newport Historical Society Gift Shop, selling sea soap, shells, gardening and history books on New England.
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]]>The post Favorite Fall Foliage Walks In and Around Boston, Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary appeared first on Active Travels.
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A family favorite, this 600-acre Mass Audubon sanctuary in Natick is a popular birdwatching and walking retreat in the western suburbs. Bordering the Charles River, nine miles of trails weave over marsh and river on boardwalks and into thick forests of tall pines. There’s even a small waterfall to be seen. Rest atop one of the bridges to look for lounging turtles or to spot a great blue heron spreading its vast wings and slowly taking to flight. Other birds include kingfishers, osprey, and wood ducks. Trails are open dawn to dusk and cost $5 for nonmembers.
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]]>The post Favorite Fall Foliage Walks In and Around Boston, Mt. Auburn Cemetery appeared first on Active Travels.
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It might sound macabre to hike through a cemetery, but Mt. Auburn is no ordinary burial ground. Opened in 1831, it is the first large-scale designed landscape in the country. Now a National Historic Landmark, the 174-acre arboretum is known for its peaceful strolls along ponds or in dense woodlands which boast more than 700 types of trees. Walk amidst the century-old sugar maples while you visit the graves of Winslow Homer, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and Isabella Stewart Gardner. The Friends of Mount Auburn offer guided walking tours during the fall. Visitors are welcome every day of the year from 8 am to 5 pm.
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