Damkier's Travels: New England Road Trip

Portland Head Light near Portland, ME

I have always wanted to visit New England. After spending a week in Washington, DC and environs, I rented a near new Chevrolet Malibu and drove nearly 1,500 miles in a little over one week. I drove from Washington to Albany, then through Vermont and New Hampshire to Maine. After stopping in Boston, I drove through Rhode Island and Connecticut heading to New York City. My visit to Boston will be covered in a separate post.

Me and Stephen Curry

Only a slight detour from Albany to Vermont was a stop in Springfield, MA to visit the Basketball Hall of Fame. Although the facility is a bit of a let down compared to the much nicer Baseball Hall of Fame, it was a nice stop to see the history and fame of basketball in the town in which it started. There are displays of all the great players, but most visitors like the large court on which you can play or just shoot some hoops. After lunch, it was time to head north to Vermont.

View from Maple Farm near Montpelier, VT

Even though the states are small, it takes several hours to head north from Massachusetts into rural Vermont. What am I saying, all of Vermont is rural! This small state is sparsely populated and full of green forests and wonderful mountain vistas. This is where the East Coast goes to get away from it all. I had a blast hiking around a real maple farm with pipes through the forest sending their liquid gold to the sugar house. This was also an opportunity to visit the headquarters of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream which was introduced to our family as a result of a special college project with my mother, so it was nice to see the place in person. After a relaxing night in a historic bed and breakfast, it was time to head out again through New Hampshire and Maine.

Getting Ahead of the Storm in New Hampshire

Unfortunately, the East Coast has real weather that can get complicated in the summer. I was hoping to spend some time in New Hampshire exploring Mt Washington on the famous cog railway, but the weather forecast was predicting a rather large storm. I had to leave early to drive ahead of the storm. Even though the landscape was gray from the clouds, I was impressed by the giant forests and large mountain ranges. This is real remote and rugged country worthy of another visit. Fortunately, I arrived in Portland before the storm hit.

Ogunquit Seaside Village

After a day shopping at LL Bean in Freeport and a nights rest in Portland, I headed down the Maine coast in search of lobster and lighthouses. I found plenty of both before the next storm front moved in. During the break in the weather, I managed to visit both the Portland Head Light and Nubble Light between Portland and Boston and had a delicious lunch in Ogunquit. This place looks just like you would imagine a New England coastal village would look like, even down to the fancy birdhouses on the walls. The Maine coast is very rocky and rugged making for wonderful photography easily recognized the world around.

Music Room at The Breakers

After several days in Boston, I made a quick stop at the Fairbanks House south of the city. This house is the oldest timber frame structure in the United States and was home to the Fairbanks family of which I can trace my own lineage. Although they were closed, I was able to see the simple and rustic part of my history. Further down the road was Newport, Rhode Island. This small town in the tiniest state was home to the richest families in the country with many opulent summer "cottages" dotting the shoreline. Most of them are now open for tours showcasing the gilded age of American industry where robber barons and monopolists created lavish homes that were actually rarely used. While exploring The Breakers and Marble House, I learned that many of the owners used their own AirBNB to rent out these mansions when traveling. Everything old is new again!

Chapel at Yale University

Connecticut is often overlooked by most travelers since it lacks the major attractions. However, since it is located between Boston and New York, it is often worth a stop to see the attractions. Yale University is located in New Haven, CT which is a popular destination due to its location on the Acela High Speed Rail line in the Northeast. The university is old and gothic with impressive buildings and extensive history. Their free art museum is very good and highly recommended if for nothing else but to go inside these old buildings. PEZ is also based along Interstate 95 and is a popular stop for their fun visitor's center and fun items.

Driving through Rural Rhode Island

It is easy to see why New England captured the hearts of early colonists and continues to inspire people today. The area is a contrast between large urban areas and very remote nature areas full of maple trees and small villages. You can easily drive through several states, but it pays to linger and enjoy the relaxed and spectacular scenery. This trip was also a great way to finally add a few more states to my list. I have now visited 47 states, only missing Alaska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. While I plan my next trips to those states, please enjoy the following pictures below.