#112: Killington and Woodstock (Page 727, 2nd Ed pg 885)

July 7, 2011: Woodstock "claims the title of oldest ski resort in America, and the site of the first ski tow." And, according to Ladies'Home Journal, it is the "prettiest small town in America."

And, as you can see here, is the only town in America to have 5 church bells cast by Paul Revere & Co.

What else makes it a great town? Well, it has covered bridges for one thing.... (this is the Woodstock Middle Bridge erected in 1969)

And there are picturesque scenes like this.

Verdict: No, I don't think you have to go here before you die. But, was it a delightful, clean, charming town? No doubt about it!

#111: The Lakes Region (Page 662; 2nd Ed pg 825)

July 8, 2011: Welcome to Wolfeboro!

No trip to the Lakes Region is complete without getting on the lake! We each paid $20 to take a boat ride around the lake. Sandy was the operator of "Little Millie" and Dan was our "driver." They were great and we had a FABULOUS time!

Here are just a few of the gorgeous homes you see lining the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee...

This is the home where French President Sarkozy "summered" a couple years ago.

And Mitt Romney's home....

And the Yum Yum Shop. This is a fabulous bakery where we had sandwiches on homemade bread. And, as the name says, it was Yum Yum!

Verdict: We love, love, loved the time we spent here! It is known as America's "first summer resort." Lots of shops, restaurants, beautiful water, homes, etc. You won't be disappointed!

#110: Thanksgiving at Plimoth Plantation (Page 651; 2nd Ed pg 814)

July 10, 2011: Here are the hours and the ticket prices of Plimoth Plantation and the Mayflower as of July 2011. Considering I have 3 kids under the age of 6, I can appreciate the fact that they don't charge anything for kids under six.

The Mayflower II. The original Mayflower is long gone, but this is a replica of the ship that helped the British flee religious persecution in 1620. Very fun for kids to explore.

And no trip to Plymouth is complete without seeing Plymouth Rock. The rock is located in Pilgrim Park, a great park lined with benches and paths that sits right next to the water. Boat rides are also available.

Plimoth Plantation is made to resemble what life was like approximately one year after the Mayflower docked and the ship's inhabitants were greeted by the Wamponoag Indians. You can visit the Wamponoag Homesite, the English Villiage and interact with the "Indians" and "the English."

Verdict: Well, as you can see, it wasn't Thanksgiving when we were here, but it was a beautiful summer day, so I enjoyed it all the same! Do you have to necessarily pay the $25 to see Plimoth Plantation or the $10 to explore the inside of the Mayflower? Well, no. But should you see Plymouth, see the Rock, the Ship (replica from the outside), soak in the town of "where it all happened." Well, yes!

#109: Martha's Vineyard (Page 650; 2nd Ed pg 813)

July 11, 2011: Welcome to Martha's Vineyard! I have been wanting to go to MV for quite some time, so I was very excited to check out this quaint Massachusetts Island. To access MV, we drove to Falmouth, then caught a $9 ferry over to Vineyard Haven.

There are several "Black Dog" shops on the island, but the original is here in Vineyard Haven.

If we would have had more time, we would have rented bikes to explore the island, but time was of the essence, so instead, we hopped on a bus to get to Oak Bluffs. The public buses go to every town on the island and charge just $1 per town. Or you can get a $7 pass good for unlimited rides for the day.

Oak Bluffs is famous for their Gingerbread Houses...

a great beach,

and the Flying Horses Carousal with the flying rings.

Before we knew it, it was time to catch our ferry back to Falmouth. So, our last MV experience was to try the Quahags. It kind of looked/tasted like a spicy seafood stuffing inside a big clam shell. All three of us tried it and none of us liked it. But still glad we experienced the Quahag!

Verdict: I loved Martha's Vineyard and I absolutely plan on going back when I can spend more time to check out all the other towns. I want to go over the bridge to Edgartown to see the place Jaws was filmed. I want to go to Chappaquiddick and see "the bridge". Iwant to go to the beaches on the south of the island and I want to go to Aquinnah and see the cliffs and the Lighthouse. Basically, I want to go back and spend a week....

#108: The White Barn Inn (Page 641; Listed as The Kennebunks in the 2nd Ed, pg 801)

July 10, 2011: The White Barn Inn, located within walking distance of the beach, is an unassuming hotel from the outside.

Here it is

The pool is very nice, surrounded by stone. There is a cabana in the corner and plenty of lounge chairs.

But the real treat of the White Barn Inn is their restaurant. You have two choices. You can order from this menu at $98 per person...

or this one at $140 per person. And this price does not include your beverage, tax or gratuity. The menu changes weekly and is prepared by the renowned Chef, Jonathan Cartwright.

Verdict: I am not a foodie, so this is not something I think you need to do before you die. While I truly appreciate the talent of a Chef that is able to create such dishes as "Pan Roast Lola Duck Breast on Sunchoke Puree with Roasted Red Pepper Coulis, Grilled Apricots and a Cardamom Infused Sauce," it just almost seems immoral to me for one person to spend that much money on one meal. Having said that, the staff was very friendly and if you ARE a foodie, then this is the place for you! So, while I don't personally think the White Barn Inn is something you HAVE to experience before you die, I do think that Kennebunkport is! What a delightful town! A fun little downtown area, friendly people and GORGEOUS waterfront homes (including the home of George and Barbara Bush). I loved Kennebunkport and would absolutely go back!

Note:  In the 2nd Ed, this is listed as "The Kennebunks" and this is just listed as an option of one of the places to eat while there.  This is as it should be.  Good move, Patricia!  You don't need to eat at the White Barn Inn before you die, but you really should visit Kennebunkport.  It's been 7.5 years since I've been there and I still so vividly remember the church, the Bush compound, the outdoor restaurants, the charming neighborhoods.  I absolutely loved it!

#107: Maine Lobster Festival (pg 642, Listed as Penobscot Bay in 2nd Ed pg 801)

July 8, 2011: When you think of Maine, you think of lobster. And when you think of lobster, think of Rockland. Rockland, Maine is home of the annual Maine Lobster Festival.

But, if you happen to go to Rockland a couple weeks before the actual festival, enjoy a lobster at Rockland Cafe. We had delightful servers (Darlene and Bianca) and everything was fantastic! Lobster is served at market price (for us, it was $20) and comes with fries and cole slaw. And for dessert, head to Route 1 and enjoy homemade ice cream at Dorman's Dairy Dream. You won't be disappointed!

Verdict: Did we have an absolute blast here? Yes. Do I like lobster? No. So, did I NEED to do it before I died? No. But, if you love lobster and you find yourself in Main, should you absolutely eat that lobster in Rockland? Yes!

#106: Acadia National Park (pg 639, 2nd Ed pg 800)

July 9, 2011: My friends, Mariellen and Mindy and I took a girls trip to New England. We spent two nights in Bar Harbor and explored Acadia National Park, the second-most visited National Park in America. We started out on the 27-mile Park Loop Road and our first stop was at Sand Beach.

Thunder Hole

Gorham Mountain

Wildwood Stables. This is where you can take carriage rides on Rockefeller's famous carriage roads.

The view from Jordan Pond House. Gorgeous. And the poppers and food are DELICIOUS! We had dinner here and it was the best meal of the trip! However, the restaurant is closed from October thru April.

One entrance, of many, to the 57-mile network of carriage roads.

And no trip to Acadia is complete without watching sunrise from the top of Cadillac Mountain! This is the spot where America catches it's first rays of sunlight, so if you go (at 4:50 am), you (and the others on the mountain with you) are the first person in America to see the sun on that day! How cool is that?

Verdict:  Yes!  I loved it!!

Note:  When I went to Acadia, I made a notation in my book that, where it says "the swooping 20-mile park loop road", it should in fact say "the swooping 27-mile..."  And sure enough, in the 2nd Edition, they updated it with the correct mileage 👍