Just because summer is winding down, it doesn’t mean your fun has to end. In fact, around New England, sipping a hot apple cider or exploring a corn maze represents fall at its best.
I always love the feeling when you put on a sweater with your favorite jeans for the first time since the year before. Being outside in the crisp clean air, checking out the harvest moon while sitting around the fire pit - roasting marshmallows for s'mores - of course and above all else; feeling the crinkle of leaves behind your boots! We put together a list of destinations to help you make the most of this season.
- In addition to leaf peeping throughout the New England countryside, why not walk the Freedom Trail in Boston Massachusetts this fall (for me, it is just way too hot in the summer to do this!) This 2.5 mile trail connects 16 historical sites from the American Revolution. The 90 minute tour is led by 18th century dressed guides April thru November. Designated stops include a timeworn cemetery, The Boston common, Paul Revere House, The Old North Church, Bunker Hill Monument and the USS Constitution plus other historic sites. The kids will love it and there are plenty of snacking options along the way. So enjoy the perfect weather that nature has creatively assembled for your enjoyment as you stroll the Freedom Trail in Boston this fall. Be sure to wear one of our American Flag hats or New Englander hats or perhaps something from our American Pride Collection.
- A visit to the seaside resort and yachting center of Marblehead is full of surprises. Stroll the old neighborhoods and you’ll find nearly 300 colonial-era homes. There you’ll find many homes featuring the title of cordwainer, the 17th century word for shoe maker. Shoemaking was a major industry in the town for much of its history. From the Chinese junk ships sailing in the harbor on a childhood visit to the limitless scenic drives, lighthouses, graveyards and seafood, Marblehead’s quiet coastal charm will have you coming back for more.
- The Gulf of Maine holds many surprises too. It's home to seals, dolphins, clown faced puffins and whales. Spring through late October the Humpback, Finback and Minke whales feast on herring from the area known as Jeffreys Ledge, just 20 miles off the coast of Maine. Hearing the words “there she blows” as a whale surfaces and blows water through its blowhole before putting on a show so thrilling you’ll want to see these mammoth whales again. Bring a camera and binoculars and wear sturdy rubber-soled shoes and sunscreen; you’ll be windblown and tired after the trip, but also exhilarated. There are a wide variety of tours out of Maine so check them out this year.
- For devotees of Mark Twain, the Mark Twain House & Museum in Hartford, CT is a must see. His unique, and often humorous, prospective was not limited to his writings and lectures as you will learn upon entering his bedroom. There you’ll find his beloved bed, made famous in a 1906 photo shoot and interview featuring Twain himself nestled in his ornately carved dark walnut bed. The mattress is small, but it’s the pillow placement that’s most interesting. It’s placed at the foot of the bed. You see by sleeping backwards in the bed Twain could view the angels perched high on the headboard posts, said to bring him a peaceful sleep and agreeable dreams, or if you’d rather believe some quirky Twain lore, because “he wanted to see what he had paid for. Be sure to pick up our Mark Twain note cards which contain some wry observations.
- Breakfast in a Portuguese bakery is a sweet treat you shouldn’t miss while visiting New England. But, did you know it was the coastal whaling communities that drew the Portuguese immigrants here? John Philip Sousa composed Stars and Stripes Forever, Emma Lazarus wrote the inscription on the Statue of Liberty, both are Portuguese. Tom Hanks, Aerosmith’s Joe Perry, and several Boston Red Sox players are all of Portuguese ancestry. The sense of community is still strong and many religious festivals survive today, Portuguese restaurants are abundant and let’s not forget Madeira wine, another gift from the Portuguese.
- Did you know the Pilgrims discovered the cranberry? They called them “crane berries” because the blossoms looked like the head and beak of cranes often seen along the shore in Plymouth. The Native Americans taught the Pilgrims to use the cranberries as medicine, natural dyes and of course delicious food. Fall is cranberry season in Massachusetts, so plan a visit to a cranberry bog for a dose of visual splendor and some tasty eats and don’t forget to take some pictures!
Naturally, you can look for some of fall favorite activities like leaf peeping, pumpkin patches, festivals (although I’m not sure there will be as many, given COVID-19), apple picking… be sure to boast your love of New England and shop our goods Made In New England.
If you need more inspiration, pick up our Traveler’s Collection where you’ll find a map of New England, a couple of guides and more.
Whatever your plans this fall, we hope you “Explore What Excites You!”
Enjoy,
Chris and The Piper and Dune Family
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