WHY GO: Most people come to the island of Nantucket MA for the beaches. Or the boutiques. Or the highly respected cuisine. But Nantucket, 26 miles off the Massachusetts coast – the most remote of all New England islands – is so steeped in history, the whole landmass has been …
WHY GO: Staunton VA (pronounced like “stand ton”), is best known as hometown of President Woodrow Wilson and as the rather unlikely setting for the American Shakespeare Center. But this Shenandoah Valley burg will also delight those with any interest in design or architecture. Most of the diverse structures lining …
WHY GO: I found it very strange that a whole block of African American intellectuals found safe harbor and thrived in a place called Lynchburg VA in the early 20th century. That they did so is both testament to the town’s namesake, the Quaker, John Lynch, and its surprisingly progressive …
WHY GO: The Wildwoods, a Jersey Shore barrier island that encompasses the municipalities of North Wildwood (aka “Anglesea”), Wildwood NJ, and Wildwood Crest, embraces a fleeting moment before the groovy psychedelic era. It was a point in time when “Doo Wop” music commandeered the airwaves and kooky “Jetsonian” architecture ruled …
WHY GO: Cecil County MD is the most undiscovered county in the upper Chesapeake region, and therein lies much of its charm. Encompassing five rivers, the Chesapeake Bay, and an important transportation Canal, this area of Maryland is most known for a land-based sport – Horsemanship. The Fair Hill International …
WHY GO: If you’re a Mark Twain fan, you don’t even have to ask. To many, Elmira NY and Mark Twain are forever linked in history. How? Read on. Things to Do in Elmira NY VISIT: Mark Twain’s Study on the campus of Elmira College, Elmira NY All Mark Twain …
WHY GO: In the mid-1800s, America was questioning its ethics and morals vis a vis slavery, women’s rights, and the demon rum. At the same time, little Seneca Falls NY, on a branch of the Erie Canal near Lake Ontario, was drawing Abolitionists, Suffragists, proponents of Temperance, and other agitators. …
WHY GO: Jimmy Stewart and Punxsutawney Phil are just the beginning in Punxsutawney and Indiana PA region. Also known as an Abolitionist stronghold, and for its Christmas Trees, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and, interestingly, its “Salt Wells,” this region has plenty to recommend it. In 1910, after coal companies had …
WHY GO: Known principally for it’s world-class and uber-historic hotel, The Omni Bedford Springs Resort, the town of Bedford PA actually has a few quirky attractions up its sleeve. In addition, the somber Flight 93 Memorial is a 30 minute drive away. Stay in 200-year-old spa luxury, check out some …
This post – about the village of Port Jefferson NY on the North Shore of Long Island – is a departure from my normal Getaway Maven’s destination guide. I wrote the lead in September 2001, right after the 9-11 Terrorist Attacks. I’ve lifted sections from my essay and inserted them …