Mt. Washington Auto Road
Hiking Mt. Washington is a popular thing to do for outdoor enthusiasts visiting the Mt. Washington Valley. Getting to that summit is an attainable goal and the view from the summit is an apt reward. If, however, you happen not to want to execute that climb to get those views, there is an alternative.
The Mt. Washington Auto Road near the Pinkham Notch Visitor’s Center on Rt. 16 is a thrilling way to go. You, your family and your vehicle can make this climb yourselves at your own rate and attain the summit and its rewards, including a ‘This car climbed Mt. Washington’ bumper sticker!
The weather on Mt. Washington is the most unpredictable in the world. No two trips to the summit are the same. The option to drive yourself isn’t available when the snow flies, but if you’re in the area in temperate weather, consider the drive. It’s amazing, memorable, and the story will be worthy of the retelling.
Photo credit: zappowbang
Fireworks in Maine 2010
What a great way to finish a great day in Maine! Because of the more rural nature of Maine, the skies are dark and the fireworks are brilliant as a result. We love our fireworks up here, and there are many displays planned throughout the summer.
The State Fire Marshall has conveniently provided a listing of approved fireworks displays for 2010 on their website. This is a great place to start your planning for including a fireworks display in your visit to Maine. Weather in Maine is variable, to say the least. Always confirm locally that the fireworks will go off as scheduled.
Photo credit: Sabrina Fobes
Scribner’s Mill Back to the Past Celebration
This annual event is the major fundraiser for the Scribner’s Mill Preservation group. They pull out all the stops and it is a great historical event. The Back to the Past celebration is always the first weekend in August. The efforts of dozens of volunteers and exhibitors help make this a great experience for the whole family.
There are people demonstrating and selling hand crafted items — e.g., spinners and knitters, a tatter, weavers, and a beader. There is a pig roast. There is music. There are diversions for children. There are antique vehicles like a fire truck that periodically shows how water was taken from the nearby stream to put out a fire. There is the mill itself, an amazing feat of restoration. There is a working blacksmith’s shop. There is the house, which is itself being put back to how it looked in it’s hey day.
It is a marvelous way to spend a day. It helps with the mill restoration and is a great step into Maine history.
Photo credit: Sharife
Yarmouth Clam Festival
It’s July in Maine and time for the annual Yarmouth Clam Festival, an event which involves about 3000 volunteers united to earn funds for Yarmouth’s non-profit organizations, school groups, and churches. This event begins at 6 p.m. on Friday with a parade which is as much fun for spectators as it is for parade participants. Following is three days of wonderful entertainment for the whole family.
Stuff you’ll find at the festival are a broad listing of competitions and events, an impressive craft and art show, and of course, lots and lots of good food, featuring clams — steamed clams, fried clams, clam cakes — lots and lots of clams. If you happen to be in Maine this weekend, check out the Clam Festival website for a listing of events and other information, including directions and parking suggestions.
As a side note, from personal experience, I can tell you to keep an eye out for any of the many yard sales in Yarmouth that are sure to be under way this weekend. As these are generally found on the way to or from the Festival doings, they help make the whole experience interesting.
Photo credit: KitAy
Maine State Parks: Cheap Day Trip Options
Maine has a lot of outdoors for vacationers to enjoy. Parks abound. There is one National Park (Acadia), a piece of the White Mountain National Forest, and 31 or so parks managed by the Maine Bureau of Parks that charge fees. The Appalachian trail passes through or near several of these.
Day passes are completely reasonable to visit one of these parks. Fees for adults range from $4 for residents to $6 for non-residents, depending on the park. For children 11 and under, admission is $1. Senior Maine residents go free; non-residents no more than $4. If you’ll be in Maine for an extended period, like a summer, or live in Maine, consider an annual pass. $70 vehicle pass gets access to all 31 of the fee-charging parks for a year.
Maine’s natural entertainment is it’s biggest tourist asset. If you go to Maine, don’t limit your visit to the beaches. Look into one or more of Maine’s state parks.
Photo Credit: Chris Dag
Texas Roadhouse
As a rule, I don’t tout chain restaurants. There’s too much room for inconsistency from store to store. I believe I’ve found an exception. I recently had the opportunity to dine at Texas Roadhouse in two different states. The quality was consistent. It was fun…unlimited peanuts in the shell and an invite to drop those shells to the floor (warning to those with peanut allergies). The food was fresh and delish — I had pulled pork once and a remarkably tender and perfectly prepared sirloin on the other occasion. The service was great — friendly, attentive wait staff, and a quality check at the end of the meal.
Above and beyond the dining amenities, a notable plus for the budget wise is the list of 10 meals offered for 7.99 during the week for early diners. Hours vary by location.
All-in-all Texas Roadhouse is an enjoyable dining experience. I have no complaints and look forward to my next visit, no matter where I may be.
Photo credit: BKM_BR
Lakeshore Park – Ashtabula, Ohio
I grew up in Ashtabula, Ohio, next to a town park right on Lake Erie. On a recent visit home, my sister and I took several walks through this park, as one of its entrances is only a couple hundred feet from our mother’s front door.
With the help of the Army Corps of Engineers, Lakeshore Park has grown into a very nice something-for-everyone park. Some of the features include beach, boat launch, Frisbee golf course and bocci courts, picnic tables and hibachis, duck pond with ducks, geese, and swans; pavilions, lots of open space, ball field, playground, bathrooms and a concession stand. The one notable drawback (in my opinion) is that dogs are not allowed in the park.
Oh, and for those of you who need you some WiFi, Lakeshore Park is equipped!
There is no fee to get into the park, but reservations may be necessary for pavilion space for family reunions, or weddings, say. If you find yourself on American’s ‘North Coast’, specifically, Ashtabula, Ohio, take a visit to this lovely and historic park.
Colosseum
I went to Italy in 2000, a great year to be in Rome. The Sistine Chapel had just been restored; much of the sculpture in public had been given a facelift; the city was alive. So, What made the biggest impression on me? Besides the Sistine Chapel, that is… The Colosseum. The movie Gladiator was also released in 2000, and the Colosseum played a key part in that film. I had seen Gladiator before the trip, and the Colosseum was whole, had seating, had a floor. I can’t find proof of historical accuracy, but still, all in all, a pretty impressive bit of architecture.
The real thing impressed me no less. Standing in it gave me goosebumps. The structure is nearly 2000 years old, and except for piracy for building materials and damage caused by nature, what’s still standing — and it’s a lot — is a statement on Roman architectural skills. It’s history is amazing; its uses varied. Seeing the ampitheatre; seeing the tunnels that ran under the Colosseum floor; standing where there used to be seats and imagining all it was (in my case, with the visual help taken from the movie Gladiator) makes the Colosseum a must-see site on a Rome visit. And, at least when I visited, there was no fee for entry.
Related Reading: Things to Do in Bolzano, Italy
Photo credit: dumplife
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Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum
This is an amazing venue. Anyone who’s listened to the radio any time between 1950 and today will know someone in the Hall of Fame whose music s/he holds dear. But the Hall of Fame in the peak of this building designed by I.M. Pei is just the beginning of what’s to see here. The museum holds an incredible amount of items of historical relevance. A lot of performers are represented within this structure. Exhibits are always changing.
Even though there is a fee to get into the main exhibits and the Hall of Fame, there are many events during the year that are free to the public. Check the website to see what’s coming up. If you may be visiting the Hall more than once, annual membership is completely reasonable.
Consider taking in Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum if you are anywhere near Cleveland. It’s well worth the trip.
Photo credit: artifishall
Shelburne Museum – Americana by the Acre
Located near Lake Champlain, the Shelburne Museum houses a pretty spectular collection of Americana. Included is the steamship Ticonderoga, pictured above, which, in an amazing feat of engineering, was moved overland the two miles from Lake Champlain. There is also a lighthouse from Lake Champlain that was disassembled and moved to the museum and a miniature circus that is pretty amazing. These attractions are just the tip of the iceberg.
This is a great family adventure. The price of admission is good for two days, which will be necessary. The price for Vermont residents is the best deal at 1/2 price, but the family fare — $50 for two adults it their children — is pretty fair for the rest of us.
Photo credit: pdbreen
