04/29/2023

Darien Owns Great Island, Seriously?

If you’re looking to fall for Darien, CT, drive to Ring’s End Landing. It begins by turning off of Boston Post Road at Saint Luke’s parish. You take a sloping shot past stately homes until you reach the stone bridge, which is flanked by arguably the most picturesque sound waters on the Gold Coast. Travelers can turn right, left, but to continue straight and you’d have to go through imposing gothic gates with a no trespassing sign made on Old World tile. It looks like the kind of entrance you’d expect to see at a school for wizards. But soon you won’t need magic or an illegal action to continue forward. On May 5th, this private residence, known as Great Island, will be owned by the town.

Great Island, Darien, CT beach

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07/09/2022

Ultimate Guide to Vacation Travel Terms

There’s more to come from COVID’s restrictions than an errant face mask clogging up the laundry gasket. A new, freeing mentality has emerged, which is especially true with travel. The summer of ’22 and vacationing has rebounded with fervency. Cars are packed with beach tents, Kadima boards and groceries stocked with mini cereal boxes and a lot of condiments. International travel is so robust, escalating gas prices won’t keep those over shelter-in-place from jetting over the high seas. These past years have earned us the right to explore new territories. We even have new vacation travel terms as a result.

Beach entrance

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09/01/2021

48 Hours in Newport, Rhode Island

There’s a sadness that comes with the end of the summer, which can lead to borderline anxiety when Starbucks begins peddling pumpkin spice lattes and you are yet to let go of your lemonade. For some, leveraging summer’s end can become a ritual to crystalize memories and help ease into the autumn transition. And if there’s one place that gets summer, it’s Newport, Rhode Island, where locals wear foul weather sailing gear even on nice days and you can salivate over inventive lobster dishes on chic restaurant menus.

The lobby at the Wayfinder Hotel reinforces its modern retro style.

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04/09/2021

Thumbs Up for Travel and Being Safe

Traveling safe in a pandemic has that romantic notion of a classic novel. While today’s times is far from romantic, our first foray on a plane in a little over a year was more exciting than unnerving. It showed signs of optimism for future excursions.

Enticement to travel again.

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04/01/2021

Summer Essentials for Spontaneous Getaways

Last summer was from the year we try to mention as infrequently as possible. The challenges imposed by the unmentionable, in many ways, made it memorable. Travel restrictions turned us into explorers of our region, where we found destinations within approved driving distances. Once there, we were crafty with meals, camped out on beds with linens brought from home, and extended the day by taking long walks at sunset. Those essentials that made our visits safe, fun, and comfortable are an added travel takeaway we’ll use for this anticipated season.

New settings paired with dependable pieces is part of the savvy traveler equation.

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09/11/2020

Going Coastal – Visiting the Jersey Shore’s Spring Lake

For a restorative getaway before autumn’s routine scrambles our heads, we headed to the Jersey Shore with some trepidation of a potential Snookie sighting. Arriving to the quaint seaside town of Spring Lake, New Jersey, with its abundance of preserved Victorians and joggers, the Hewitt Wellington presides over the lake like a grand hotel commanding a diorama. We were assured that this is not the Jersey Shore of random hookups and hair gel.

Spring Lake, New Jersey, has a quiet feel for a beach town.

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09/03/2020

Going Coastal Seaside Getaway Series Near New York City – Misquamicut Beach + Watch Hill, Rhode Island

Now is the time for a collective reset, to safely break from quarantine despite the new foosball table. Travel can happen if you are sensible and refrain from slipping into the comforts of the life that once was. Research hotel and rental options that abide by clean, Covid-19 safe standards by packing your own food, cleansers, linens and continue to wear masks and social distance no matter where you venture to. As summer begins to concede to autumn, we decided to explore coastal destinations that are less than three hours from Manhattan. The seaside has long been known to soothe and restore, thus we began the trip in Misquamicut Beach, Rhode Island.

The Watch Hill Lighthouse has a majestic feel and is ideal for Covid-19 travel, as it does not attract large crowds.

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07/31/2020

Can Staycations Be Fun? Absolutely!

Staycations may bring to mind kiddie pools and an excuse not to dent your household budget over a dollar-drenching theme park destination but now it’s a necessity. Thanks again COVID-19. The summer’s safest travel option is to remain home and practice social distancing.

Make an ice cream outing a regular part of your Staycation agenda.

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07/03/2020

Why Social Distancing Promotes the Return of a Classic Summer

There’s always a long drive to get to somewhere remarkable, a sort of quest, but instead of evil spells and dragons the challenges are from jostling for armrest space with your sister and having to wait twenty minutes till the next restroom stop.

Ice cream expedition with a makeshift mask.

 

Once the highway filters into a one lane road, then a sandy beach drive, your arrival is signaled by squawking gulls staking their territory. You leap from the car while parents inspect the environs, unloading groceries of snack pack cereals and a lot of condiments. This will be your home for the most memorable weeks of summer and you will find that needs are paired down–a good sunscreen, boogie board, cold drinks, sandwiches sealed in plastic wrap and snack-sized chips packed in an Igloo. (Pringles work well because they are protected from the sand.) [Read more…]

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02/14/2020

The Ultimate Guide to Smart Packing for Travel

It’s a showdown of loaded stares, that one-on-one with the flight attendant who has the power to refuse your carryon on a maximum-capacity flight. Gone are the days of steamer trunks and hat boxes that can transport a fashionable wardrobe, which makes today’s packing a Chinese puzzle of sorts. Air travel has reached the same level of anxiety as the DMV or waiting room at the dentist’s, which makes smart packing crucial for a stress-free trip that can save money. Ever have to pay the penalty for overweight luggage? Smart packing is simple if you edit to a few easy pieces that are versatile, well made and coordinate with one another.

Consider your flight needs and only pack those items that will be used, which also saves on the potential of losing things.

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