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Lobster Rolls, Frog Jumping Contests & White Water Rafting – It Must Be Summer in Maine
This summer is an old fashioned SCORCHA! – so it’s time to head to the cool, clear mountain villages of Maine where breezes blow and temperatures are comfortable. While throngs of tourists cling to the rocky coastline (which is impressive we must admit), more discerning families head inland where spring fed lakes and rumbling rivers guarantee a refreshing vacation stay.
NorthernOutdoors.com
Be A Really Cool Family – Go White Water Rafting On The Kennebec River! You can’t get much more refreshing than a plunge down the rapids in an inflatable boat. The adrenaline rush all the water and amusement parks are trying to duplicate is right here in northern Maine on the Kennebec, Penobscot and Dead rivers. Until July 15th it’s value season at Northern Outdoors – you can take 35% off standard summer rafting and lodging prices. AND all summer long, kids raft at half price on weekdays. On Wednesday it’s single parent day, two kids pay half price with a single paying parent. These rivers will give you the ride of your life!
New England Fall Foliage Trains – Scenic Views Without The Traffic
New England is blessed with some of the most spectacular fall foliage displays in the world. The diverse variety of hardwood forests climbing dramatic mountainsides and reflected in shimmering lakes guarantee scenic overload. This year skip the traffic jams on the highways and view the...
6 Heavenly New York Brunch Spots
Just because the stores and museums are closed, doesn’t mean Sunday mornings need to be dull in NYC. Beat the heat and the city noise by heading to a rooftop garden restaurant for brunch close to the heavens. Few cities are as vertically exuberant as New York, with skyscrapers reaching for the clouds everywhere you look. This summer there’s a new trend in dining, “high-altitude brunches” where great food meets awesome views – a perfect pairing. Here are 6 locations around the city to enjoy cooling breezes, spectacular views and delicious cuisine:
#1 230 Fifth Let the bubbly flow on Saturdays and Sundays (year round) at the Champagne Party Brunch. This is Manhattan’s largest rooftop venue, offering 14,000 square feet of palm-decorated dining and stunning views of the city including the Empire State Building.
#2 Hotel Gansevoort Super chic hotel in the former meat packing district. The Plunge Bar invites you to a “Get Up Get Down Brunch” (Sat & Sun) where diners are wowed with 360 degree views of the Hudson River and Manhattan.
World's Most Luscious Food Markets
Local food markets give a glimpse into the soul of a destination. The crops that local farmers grow and the culinary creations that food artisans produce speak to the history of the location and the traditions of its citizens. Nothing is more pleasing and engrossing than roaming among the stalls of a neighborhood farmer’s market or the grand food halls of a metropolitan city. In China I was almost afraid to look (bugs on a stick?!), in Vancouver the smells and colors were dazzling, in Hawaii I found vegetables I had never seen before in my life, and the markets in Rome and Paris were sensuous. Now that it’s harvest time around the world, don’t miss the opportunity to visit a luscious food market wherever you roam – here are some of the world’s favorites:
Americas
New York – Chelsea Market, a hub of foodie activity
San Francisco – Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, large Organics Markets, operates 3 times per week
New Orleans – Crescent City Farmers Market, Uptown and Downtown fabulous fruits
Seattle – Freemont Sunday Market – more than fruits & veggies – treasures of all description
Hawaii – Hawaii Farmers Markets Online, several gorgeous markets on every island
Vancouver – Granville Island Public Market, The ethnic diversity of Vancouver makes this market a sensory explosion
Mexico City – Mercado de la Merced, nirvana for chili pepper lovers – every color of the rainbow!
World’s Best Chocolate Vacations!
For everyone who loves chocolate as much as I do, it's time to plan a vacation swirling with chocolate tours and adventures. Nothing matches the euphoric lift after munching on a creamy chocolate delight. Here are eight destinations for immersing yourself in...
Skipping Hut to Hut in the White Mountains National Forest
Don’t I wish! Clint and I just returned from an adventurous 3 day hike in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, superbly guided by folks at the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC). If you’ve ever thought of going on a scenic hike in the mountains, read on…. this is a tale of ‘girl challenges mountain and the mountain nearly won’!
What was I thinking?!! A perky jaunt over well trodden trails to peaks revealing breathtaking vistas….. just the thing to challenge our aging frames? My aim was to get us out of our “comfort zone”, meet some like minded people, and enjoy the summer mountain air. Let me say, Heidi I’m not – I totally misjudged my capacity for up hill hiking. Our comfort zone was stretched beyond all recognition and my short little legs quivered like licorice sticks by the time we arrived at our hut on the second day. Clint’s previously broken leg actually stood up really well – I was wishing I had some of that titanium riveted in mine on a few occasions (not really).