WHY GO: Here’s a strange fact: Stratford Ontario Canada, a good two-hour drive from Toronto and home to the preeminent Shakespeare Theater Festival, is also the hometown of Justin Bieber. Talk about Yin/Yang. This small outpost has also been nurturing quite a Locavore culture, drawing high-caliber chefs who work magic …
WHY GO: When Ayn Rand needed to gather material for The Fountainhead when President William Taft sought a summer home when Tom Thumb came a-courting, they all turned to the Thimble Islands, a slip of Connecticut that many New York City to Boston travelers miss. Most assume that the dingy …
The Getaway Mavens have been hard at work, collecting and organizing the best romantic destinations in Northeast USA (Virginia to Maine). The following surprisingly romantic weekend getaways near NYC, Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington DC are perfect: to pop the question, for a nearby honeymoon, to celebrate a special life event, …
WHY GO: Troy NY, formerly ratty, now considerably hip, has been undergoing a slow renaissance for a couple of decades. Troy is the “Official Home of Uncle Sam,” as the War of 1812 beef purveyor, Sam Wilson, lived here. But it’s also known as “The Collar City,” for the detachable …
New York is full of towns and destinations you wouldn’t ordinarily think of as “Romantic.” But combing through the following 35 ideas for romantic getaways in NY just might open your eyes to new places to explore together. From snug B&B’s to urban hotels, revitalized cities, and quiet lakeside resorts, …
Iceland, from the tourism perspective, seems to have just two seasons: Sightseeing in Summer and Northern Lights in Winter. But, there’s a shoulder season in which you might, and here I stress the word, might, be able to tour around AND see the green dance of the Aurora Borealis. That’s …
WHY GO: Beavers. OK, now that I have your attention: Albany NY history begins with a slick little creature, whose pelts were coveted in the 1600’s by the fashion plates of Europe, and were found in abundance in this Hudson River region. So, traders came to the new Dutch settlement, …
WHY GO: Come sit a spell, listen to home-grown bluegrass, learn about “The Big Bang of Country Music,” watch some future Hollywood or Nashville star on a small-town stage, and then stay in boutique hotels, new and old. State Street divides the twin cities of Bristol TN and Bristol VA, …
Would you consider 1800’s farm settlements, the “World’s Oldest Soda Fountain”, killer butterscotch pies, Bonnie and Clyde robbed banks, best blue cheese, presidential diners, tiny cornfield towns, and the like, romantic? Then you’ll love driving US Route 6 Iowa with your best buddy for a nostalgia trip like no other. …
WHY GO: Schenectady NY, nicknamed “The Electric City,” remains a General Electric Company Town. Founded by Thomas Edison in 1892, GE still dominates this upstate NY city. But Schenectady is also home to Union College, and is an Amtrak stop, with a historic live Theater in an appealing downtown. And …