Into the Mystic - and Stonington

Stonington & Mystic, Connecticut, are less than 2 hours from Boston and make a fabulous extended day trip at any time of year.

Stonington's big draw is a charming, very walkable village known as Stonington Borough, with several terrific restaurants on Water Street, which is the narrow, one-way main road along the water through town. Noah's and the Water Street Cafe are both charming, casual, with upscale menus, open for lunch and dinner, reasonably priced, and Skipper's Dock is on the water, in good weather definitely opt for the deck, good food, especially seafood. Boom is at Dodson's Marina and has a view of the water, a little pricier and the food's richer. The best and most charming place for coffee, tea and cookies in Stonington Borough is The Yellow House.

Water Street is lined with wonderful antique stores, art galleries, marine shops, unique clothing boutiques, and such, but it's relatively low key, very tasteful and not too touristy. Lots of artsy New Yorkers summer here, but there's also a working group of fishing boats. Down near the boats, there's a house where you can buy local fish and scallops on the honor system. You just pick out what you want, put the money through a slot, and take your change out of a can. There's a farmer's market nearby every Saturday morning in season, and some gorgeous old captain's houses. Everyone likes to walk around on the docks and see the boats at Dodson's - there are some beautiful classic yachts there. The lighthouse (above) and museum at the end of the Water Street is open to the public, and you can climb up to the light for spectacular views. Nearby, the Palmer House is also worth a visit, as is Stonington Vineyards, which is open year 'round and offers tours. (continued below)

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Just down the road is Mystic (interesting note, Mystic is not a town - half of it is part of Stonington and half is part of Groton). The Mystic Seaport Museum is definitely worth a visit - you and/or your kids will love climbing over the old ships. There are restaurants in and near Mystic Seaport, but the best is Bravo Bravo in Mystic Village for either lunch or dinner. The village has good shopping, a little touristy, but the drawbridge is fun to watch - the river's busy, so it goes up and down a lot.

On the way home, go via Rt 1 through Westerly, RI. In Charleston, stop at the Fantastic Umbrella Factory on the Old Post Rd. - a unique shopping experience. It's a collection of artsy shops in old barns and sheds with treasures like great inexpensive clothing, cards, musical instruments, toys, jewelry, and posters - a really crazy mix. There's also a good vegetarian restaurant called the Spice of Life alongside a garden center and petting zoo and farm. It's straight out of the hippie sixties! I think it's just open weekends. Definitely not upscale, but fun.

The nice thing about heading to Rhode Island and Connecticut is that people from Boston mostly go to the Cape, so even on busy summer weekends, there's not a lot of traffic coming and going - and it only takes a bit more than 1.5 hours to reach Stonington and Mystic.

- The Day Tripper Divas thank reader Betsy Baldwin for this excellent roundup!

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North Shore Outings

Opening Day Celebration, Ipswich Historical Society, Ipswich - May 23

• 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. - What better way to launch the summer season and check out this favorite North Shore destination? View the Student Clothesline Art Show, timber frame construction demonstration, new colonial house display, maypole dance, antique carriages, crafts, food, and more. Visit the new and improved gift store or take a tour of the houses. The event is co-sponsored by Mercury Brewing Company, makers of Ipswich Ale, who will present the history of beer making. Admission: free. Address: Ipswich Historical Society, 54 South Main Street, Ipswich, MA 01938. Information: 978-356-2811.

Also around the North Shore this weekend and in the coming week:


Stevens-Coolidge Place House Tours, Stevens-Coolidge Place, North Andover - May 23- 24

• 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. - Discover how the Coolidge family transformed an early 19th-century farm into a bucolic summer estate in the early 1900s. The house features murals, a tavern ballroom, and original collections of furniture, glass, porcelain, textiles and personal belongings. Recommended for children 8 years and older. Fees: Members: Free and Nonmembers: Adult (18 and older): $8 and Children: $5. The spectacular gardens are free and open to all, sunrise to sunset. Address: Stevens-Coolidge Estate, 137 Andover Street, North Andover, MA 01845. Tel: 978-921-1944 x4009.

Newburyport Spring Fest, Downtown Newburyport - May 24 - 25

• 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. - Enjoy spring and merchant hospitality in Newburyport as art, crafts, food & music fill downtown for Newburyport Spring Fest 2009. Downtown Newburyport, Market Square, Newburyport, MA 01950. Tel: 978-462-6680.

Young Farmers, Appleton Farms, Ipswich- May 26

• 4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. - Become a first-hand farmhand as you dig in the dirt, compare compost, plant seeds, grow crops, churn butter, spin wool, care for cows, and more! Fees: Members: $72 per session and Nonmembers: $90 per session. Please pre-register. Address: Appleton Farms, 219 County Road, Ipswich, MA 01938. Tel: 978-356-5728 x15.

Traditional Quilting, Ipswich Museum & Historical Society, Ipswich - May 26

• 12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. - Classes to adults and middle school students in the traditional quilting by teacher and quilter, Rhonda Galpern, of the New England Quilt Museum in Lowell. Times: Adults: 12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. and Students: 3 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Fees: Adults: $65, students: $55. Address: Ipswich Museum & Historical Society, 54 South Main Street, Ipswich, MA 01938. Tel: 978-356-2811.
  

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Passport to Science

Association of Science & Technology Centers - Passport Program

You can visit nearly 300 renowned science centers or museums in countries like Italy, Sweden, Beijing, or Capetown—for free! First, join your local participating science center or museum (like Museum of Science, Discovery, or HMNH). Then check the ASTC Passport Program list to find other participating museums where you will be traveling. There are now 290 affiliated museums and science centers in over a dozen countries around the world.

En Garde in Worcester!

PLEASE NOTE: The Higgins Armory Museum has been closed. The collection was distributed  to other museums in the Worcester area.

Last weekend, we revisited one of our favorite winter indoor destinations - the unique Higgins Armory Museum in Worcester. Worcester steel magnate John Woodman Higgins assembled this one-of-a-kind collection in the early 1900s, and when when his wife kicked the collection out of their house, he erected a stunning steel building to house it!
On weekends, the Higgins offers demonstrations on armor, swordplay and other aspects of medieval life and combat. There's also a great kids' zone with a giant chess game and dress-up area, and a several authentic pieces of armor that kids can try on. At kids' birthday parties, the birthday boy or girl gets to be King or Queen in the Great Hall (for members only). Originally recommended by stained glass artist Dan Maher for one of our early Dispatches. About an hour from Boston but street access in Worcester is tricky; take a good map. Phone 508-853-9697.

Battleship Cove, Part I

Battleship Cove boasts the world's largest exhibit of naval warships. Located in the shadow of the Braga Bridge in Fall River Massachusetts, the World War II battleship USS Massachusetts stands at the centerpiece of an exhibit that also includes a WWII submarine, and two ships from the Cold War era.

As a kid, my grandfather would take my brother and me to Battleship Cove every year. We had a great time, climbing up and down the ladders and sitting on the AA guns pretending we were in the midst of an attack by enemy aircraft. It was one of the highlights of every summer's vacation.

A couple of weeks ago, I finally got the chance to go back there when some friends with an interest in history were visiting from out of town.

Admission to the exhibit is a very reasonable $14 (and you can get a $1 off coupon on the website). There are no guided tours, but there are plenty of signs and labels that give some fascinating information about life aboard ship while visitors explore at their own pace.

I took a lot of pictures, so I'm going to do this in two parts. First will be pictures of the USS Lionfish, the USS Joseph P. Kennedy, and the missile corvette Hiddensee (built in the Soviet Union for the East German navy, this ship was eventually sold to the US and operated under a US flag as a navy research vessel).

[more photos]

- by Rick S., on the Compleat Day Tripper group on Gather.com

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New Bedford Bound!

It was a sunny day (that always helps on a Day Trip) when my husband and I set off for a jaunt to New Bedford. It was an easy hour's drive and we quickly found an on-street meter (not enforced on weekends).

Our first stop was the National Park Service's visitor center, where we grabbed a map of the area and directions to our two planned destinations. First was the Seamen's Bethel, a small chapel for whaling crews, where the pulpit is in the shape of the bow of a ship (that was also featured in the movie of Moby Dick).

Our next stop was New Bedford Whaling Museum where we spent nearly two hours wandering the halls learning about the local New Bedford glass industry as well as distant whaling adventures that the area is known for.

After the whaling museum, we decided to make the 10-minute walk to the Rotch Jones Duff House & Garden Museum to see a 19th century sea captain's manse as well as the nicely maintained garden, renting the recorded headsets for a self-guided tour, which added to the value of the trip.

Despite adding on the Duff House, there were many more spots in New Bedford area we wanted to check out. We shall return!

-by Caroline Ronten, DayTripper Sales & Marketing Diva

History Comes Alive in Sturbridge

See history come alive in quiet simplicity in Old Sturbridge Village, a little southwest of Worcester. This is a settlement created by gathering together and restoring original buildings from towns throughout New England. Trained guides demonstrate colonial life in this re-creation of an 1830s New England village. There are more than 40 restored structures, including a school, a tavern, a few churches, a meeting house, a bank, some shops, and several homes. In addition, there's a working farm and a water-powered mill. The costumed staff demonstrates the making of soap, bread,shoes, tinware, and even horseshoes, all in historically accurate costumes. Map

Be a Compleat Day Tripper!

The Compleat Day Tripper

• New Metro Boston Edition coming in September - completely revised & updated
• Cape Cod & South Coast Edition due out by October!
• Vermont/NH and Western Massachusetts editions in development!

Get out and about with these wildly popular, newly revised and expanded guides to family-friendly expeditions. By popular demand, the latest editions will feature sections on accessible activities, birthday parties, and swimming pools. You'll find some very frank reviews, plus great index, destination websites, and contact information for each family-tested Day Trip. A portion of the proceeds benefit local public schools. The electronic editions make perfect companions to the books, and include clickable website links. Put the PDF on your PDA or iPhone!

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Trains of Our National Heritage

The Day Tripper Divas recently visited a model railroading exhibition at the Museum of Our National Heritage in Lexington, which runs interesting cultural programs all year, including two railroad shows in the winter. The HUB Division of the National Model Railroad Association (NMRA) was chartered in 1958 and draws members from Eastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod. The Northeast Ntrak Model Railroad Club arrives at MONH for a similar show on Feb. 17 & 18. Enjoy the photos!

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Thar She Blows! at the New Bedford Whaling Museum

The annual Moby Dick Marathon isn't the only reason to visit the New Bedford Whaling Museum, one of the more unique museums around. From the giant blue whale skeleton to the Lagoda, the world's largest ship model, this place is pure New England. And, if you were lucky on Jan. 3-4, you caught part of the 11th annual Moby Dick Marathon in about the most appropriate setting possible.

Read an article on the Melville Marathon and more
on the museum by Marlissa Briggett.

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Marlissa Briggett writes for the Cape Cod Magazine, The Boston Globe, The Boston Phoenix and other publications, and is the author of The Compleat Day Tripper: Cape Cod & S. Coast Edition (scheduled for publication by Pierce Press in 2007). She can be reached via email.

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Swords & Play at Higgins Armory Museum

The Divas finally made it through snow and sleet on Dec. 30 to visit the Higgins Armory Museum, a truly unique museum in Worcester, originally recommended by Dispatches reader Dan Maher for one of our early issues There are great demonstrations on the weekends, plus a great kids' zone with a giant chess game and dress-up area, and a host of armor collected by Worcester steel magnate John Woodman Higgins in the early 1900's. At kids' birthday parties, the birthday boy or girl gets to be King or Queen in the Great Hall (for members only). Call 508-853-9697.

Boston Children's Museum Update

On Jan. 1, the Boston Children's Museum will close for a few months to wrap up renovations. In the recent renovation, the BCM is improving the famous Milk Bottle, upgrading the famous big blue elevator, and creating a great new expansion that will be unveiled at the grand reopening in April. But if you're heading down to the South Street Station area, you can still enjoy the Boston Tea Party, Aquarium, Harbor Cruises, and much more on the waterfront.

Photos from Fuller Craft Museum

The Divas attended the opening of the Fuller Craft Museum's newest exhibit, "Wear Art: Now and Then," took in jewelry and woodworking class demonstrations, and strolled arond the grounds. The Museum is in Brockton, about 30 minutes from 2 & 128.

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Give Holiday Cabin Fever the Boott!

If you find yourself with cabin fever over the holidays, try taking your family or out-of-town visitors out on a Perfect Day Trip* to Lowell. We did this recently, and by absolute luck, we stumbled on the historic Boott Mill Museum, where generations of men and women, including my children's great-grandmother, labored to make a better life for their families.

Friendly park rangers give you an authentic mill apron and answer questions along a trail of life-sized pictures of children through the mill. Walking through the weaving room is a step back in time - minus the dust, but including the din of the clacking looms (don't forget to take the complimentary earplugs). Upstairs, you can follow the process of turning cotton into thread, into cloth. Try out a small loom and listen to the voices of men and women who actually worked in the mills. By another stroke of luck, I later found our copy of The Bobbin Girl by Emily Arnold McCully handed down by Lowell relatives, which made for great reading that night.

There are many reasons why Lowell makes a Perfect Day Trip: From the mill, you are just steps away from many other indoor and outdoor Lowell attractions, including The Revolving Museum, antique shops, (Jack) Kerouac Park, the Lowell Spinners (in season) and dinner at The Lowell Brewery. You can take a trolley tour along the Canals and check out the music festivals in the summer. The National Park Service site is a great place to preview your trip to Lowell. - by Laurie Smith

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* Downtown Lowell, Harvard Square, and Moody Street in Waltham are just a few of the dozens of "Perfect Day Trips" featured in The Compleat Day Tripper.

Stow Away for Airplanes & Apples!

Stow's the place to be this weekend - while you're devouring your "$100 Hamburger" on the terrace of Nancy's Airfield Cafe, you can watch your 8-to-17-year-old take a small airplane ride (free every 2nd Saturday of the month), courtesy of the Young Eagles based at Minuteman Airfield. Then, Nancy recommends picking a few apples & pumpkins in the crisp autumn air at nearby Shelburne Farms, Carver Hill (try the ice cream!) - or join the throngs at Honey Pot Hill. Nearby you'll also find the Fruitlands Museum (a former Alcott house) a cozy place featuring a Shaker cafe, Native American dioramas by Henry Brooks, a gorgeous view, and free concerts on Thursdays. Nancy, who's big on using local natural foods in her cafe, will tell you how to get to local organic farms like the Small Farm, Applefield, and Blue Heron. If you still have time and energy after all this, take in the Children's Discovery Museum in Acton on the way home! This Perfect Day Trip will be covered in further detail in the blog, and many of the destinations Nancy told the Divas about are in our book, The Compleat Day Tripper - and the cafe website has directions, maps, and more area links - but of course Nancy is the best source of information!

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Harvard Square makes a Perfect Day Trip almost any time, but when the fun, funky, and fabulous Oktoberfest hit the Square on Sunday October 8, the Divas were there, right next to our sponsors, Children's Technology Workshop! We wish to thank our fabulous AHS booth workers Silvain and Claire-Marie and Jule & Ben with their hobby-horse polo, and all you loyal Day Trippers who stopped by!

Subscriber Raves

• "It was an obvious choice to contact you. We were going to put together a list of activities that we found on our own for our grant project, but you have already done it!" - Bonnie Payne & Michael Watson, Activate Arlington
• I am at the playgrounds in town a lot with young children and have mentioned your pamphlet to other parents and told them where they can buy it. I think it's terrific and saves parents/grandparents the stress of having to look everything up separately. - Chris Graves, Arlington
• ROCK ON! at Garden in the Woods is a fantastic outing with small kids! The paths are very easy for little ones and looking for the sculptures throughout make for a fun game. The interactive sculpture building area was also a lot of fun. - Amy Speare, Arlington Family Connection
• "Just wanted to say WOW! The email blast [last Dispatches] you sent out was absolutely fabulous! Thank you so much for including me in the email list." - Lisa Traxler, Arlington

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North Shore Children's Museum Update

A reader discovered several changes took place during last year's move of the North Shore Children's Museum in Salem. The famous 50ft. tugboat and a few of their other old favorites were not moved to the new location, but the new spot now features a cool fire truck, some computers, a tide pool, ball activities, an indoor play structure, pretend stage complete with TV and costumes, a pretend diner, dentist office and post office. Admission is a reasonable $4.50. Thanks to Linda de Valpine for this update!

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Eye Wonder at DeCordova

Eye Wonder is a free family program that focuses on “seeing” and “doing” in the DeCordova Museum, in Lincoln, just about 10 minutes from routes 2/128. For more information call 781/259-3632.

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Don't Strike a Match Here!

Heading up to the beach in Rockport? Consider a side trip to this strange and wonderful roadside attraction - "The Paper House," made entirely of newspapers! This is (perhaps the weirdest) one of 250 literary sites on the new Literary Map of Massachusetts, an online site in development by the Massachusetts Center for the Book. Thanks to MCB Executive Director Sharon Shaloo for this tip! Map

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