The Fall in New England is b y far one of the most special and beautiful places to be.  The leaves changing colors, the crisp morning air, and of course the build up to Halloween.  This weekend, the 9th and 10th of October, was a particularly beautiful time that embodied these very characteristics.  Since the weather was going to be perfect for enjoying the outdoors and all it offers, I planned a day hike on Saturday with some friends at the Wompatuck State Park, on the south shore of Boston followed by a cookout back at the house.  On sunday, Erin and I went to the Newburyport Fall Festival, in Newburyport, MA about 50 minutes north of the city.

Wompatuck State Park

The hike at Wompatuck was a perfect start to the weekend.  We got there around 3pm, when the lighting in the Fall is perfect and went for about 3.5 miles and about 2 hours.  We discovered and old abandoned “factory” that we later found out was part of the munitions depot used in WWII in the Battle of the Atlantic.  The park is very large, so we were alone in the wilderness for the entire trip, which is always nice when your with friends.  Wompatuck is located off of route 3A about 30 minutes south of Boston and has over 260 campsites, 12miles of paved bike trails and many more miles of hiking trails.  You can see our track below:

Newburyport Fall Festival

On Sunday Erin and I went to the Newburyport Fall Festival for so good old family fun.  Newburyport, if you don’t already know, is located about 50 minutes north of Boston on 95.  Its a small coastal town there boasts a very eclectic and artsy crowd.  There are plenty of restaurants in all different types of food, that you will surely find something delicious.  The center square of downtown is always lively any time of year, but during the festival there are tons of vendors selling everything from food, to jewelry, to artwork.  After walking around for a few hours and shopping all the vendors and shops, we stopped by Loretta.  They have delicious sunday brunch/lunch in a small intimate atmosphere.  They had the door open giving a nice fall breeze through the place.  After strolling along the Merrimack river for a little while after eating, we decided to hit the road and head back to Boston.

Conclusion

I must admit, I don’t know if I’ve had a more perfect New England fall weekend before, as the weather was perfect, and all our activities worked out as we planned (as well as getting a great amount of exercise walking and hiking).  You can check out more photos on my Photo Gallery page as well as my Flickr page.

Feel free to comment on YOUR favorite Fall activities!

Related posts:

1. World’s End Trail – Hingham, MA
2. Ponkapoag Pond Walking Trail
3. Blue Hills Reservation

Rockland ocean front

As the winter months approach in New England, I find myself desiring less day hikes and more multi day trips.  New Enland in the fall and winter is one of the most beautiful places I know, and as such, I feel compelled to travel to all over it to take in as much as I can.  This last weekend was my 25th birthday (or as my mother so nicely points out that I’m halfway to fifty) and I decided to take a 2day/1night trip to the beautiful coastal town of Rockland Maine.  Rockland is an old fishing town whose roots are planted as deep as the great forests that surround it, and whose citizenry is kind and welcoming to visitor and local alike.

For my birthday my girlfriend reserved us a room at the Old Granite Inn in downtown Rockland.  The Old Granite Inn is a classic Maine B&B with a modern and unique twist.  The building is an old Elks Lodge that was renovated into a B&B by owners Ed and Joan.  The inn is right at the far end of main street and provides unobstructed views of the harbor, pier and ocean beyond.  Upon entering we were greeted by the owners’ dog Zack, a friendly English Springer Spaniel whose laid back personality fits his owners.  The rooms here all have a bit of a modern zest that provides the feel of a luxory condo in the city, but the friendly and open atmostphere of the midcoast Maine region.

After checking in to the B&B, Erin and I ventured out into the heart of Rockland to explore what the town had to offer.  The main street in town, aptly named Main Street, is riddled with cute boutiques and quaint art gallories.  Each one seems more unique than the previous, and each one offers new treasures to uncover.  Main Street also has its fair share of restaurants for

Old Granite Inn

your dining delight, and all have an excellent array of fresh seafood choices.  But more on this later.

I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about the 7/8 mile long rock pier in the harbor of Rockland that leads to a lighthouse at the end.  The pier (pictured below) is a little outside of town, but juts into the harbor very noticbly from anywhere in town.  Its main purpose is as a breakwater for the boats in the harbor and also a lighthouse for incoming fisherman.  The lighthouse is open in the summer months, but when we were there it had already closed for the seaon.  Still there is something interesting about exploring abandoned buildings, even if seasonal.  From the deck of the lighthouse you are privy to extravagant views of the Maine coastline that might stretch as far as Bar Harbor on a clear day.  While the pier is very safe under most conditions, several locals told us that if the moon is right, and its been raining a lot they’ve been able to kayak across the pier covered in water.  But there is no worry of a flash flood overtaking it, so tread confidently.  The area around the pier is also a playground/sunbath for the local seal population, and even though it was mostly cloudy, we caught one lying on a rock a hundred meters or so away.

Back in town, it was getting close to dinner time, but we didn’t want to use our one meal on only one restaurant, so we decided to try a couple and break up the meal.  For pre-dinner drinks and appetizers we went to In Good Company, an old bank that had been converted into a 8 table dining experience.  The ceilings are high, the kitchen is inthe open (with only the head cook/owner making all the meals) and the wine cellar is the old vault.  The food is a mixture between a french bistro and European cafe.  The lighting is dim and romanitic, but still appropriate for a first date, and the menu is superb.  The food constantly changes, so there isn’t a worry about having tried the whole menu and the wine selection.  We ordered the proscuitto and provolone stuffed green peppers and the french baguette and cheese platter.   The former of the two went great with the South American wine we had, providing a perfect blend of spices, salts, and fruits.  The latter of the two was a

The Pier Lighthouse

fresh baguette from the bakery down the street and some freshly sliced cheddar and butter.   And if it doesn’t sound decadent enough, then the icing on the proverbial cakes is that the entire menu is all locally grown foods (with the exception of the wine).

After our taste explosion of a pre-dinner meal, we decided to try out the local tavern up the street that touted local beef burgers and Maine-made beer from Sebago Brewery.  When we got there the place was packed, which is always a good sign if the local eat there too, and we had to wait at the bar for a few minutes for a table to open up.  We ordered a couple of Sebago beers and observed the local scene in all its glory.   When we finally got seated, half a beer later, the service was friendly and welcoming.  I ordered the aforementioned burger and Erin ordered the fish n’chips.    Both were amazingly fresh and delicious, and Erin couldn’t stop raving that hers was “the best and most fresh fish n’chips she’d ever had”.  We ended the night with a few beverages at Bull Fenney’s where we got a chance to meet some interesting characters.  Now mind you it was the day before Halloween, but we ended up sitting next to a couple who had just gotten married and the entire wedding party had dressed as zombies.  It was one of the coolest things we’d seen in a while.

To summarize, Rockland is a great little coastal town that has some quaint and special places.  Its a great place to visit for romantic weekend away or just a fun getaway with friends.

Related posts:

1. Photo of the Week: 10-29-09
2. Photo of the Week: 8-28-09
3. Ponkapoag Pond Walking Trail

Well I am back after about a month long hiatus so without further delay here is the Photo of the Week for the last week in October.  Enjoy.

Boston from East Boston

Check out more photos on my Photo Site and on my Flickr

Related posts:

1. Photo of the Week: 8-28-09
2. Photo of the Week 6-26-09
3. Photo of the Week: 9-18-09