Debbie Despres

Where’s the oldest and largest historic district in Connecticut? Old Wethersfield, CT, of course, where more than 150 homes predate the Civil War.

A fall day trip to Bristol, Rhode Island, including historic downtown, Colt State Park, the Blithewold Mansion and Gardens, and more!

Over the river and through the woods to Grandmother’s House — that is, Pickity Place in Mason, NH, for lunch plus gift and garden items.

The seaside town of Warren, Rhode Island, boasts a working waterfront plus shops, restaurants, antiques dealers, art galleries, and more.

What do Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park have to offer? Shops, dining, and outdoor activities that make this a Maine destination that’s worth the trip.

Enjoy a dose of historic holiday cheer during the annual Christmas by Candlelight weekend celebrations at Old Sturbridge Village.

The village of Hancock, New Hampshire, is certainly resplendent in autumn, and spring and summer show off the lush green of the common, and the full canopy of the many mature trees.  A fresh coating of snow gives the place a Currier & Ives vibe in winter. But here in early November, though the leaves […]

Manufactured in Orange, Connecticut, since 1974, some 3 billion PEZ candies are gobbled up annually—and that’s just the U.S. consumption.

Not only does the hamlet of Cornish, New Hampshire, have some impressive covered bridges, it’s also the home of Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site.

Learn more about the steamboat Ticonderoga, a popular attraction at the Shelburne Museum in Shelburne, Vermont. Launched in 1906, the Ticonderoga (or the Ti, for those who knew it well) was a state-of-the-art side-wheel steamer that transported passengers, freight, and cars—even an elephant once—on Lake Champlain, cruising at 23 miles per hour; only trains could […]

Tower Hill Botanic Garden in the inviting town of Boylston, Massachusetts, earned a spot on Yankee’s “Best Public Gardens” list in the Mar/Apr 2014 issue, and was also named an “Editors’ Choice” selection in Yankee’s May/June 2014 issue.  Hmm.  Seems it must be worth a drive over to investigate, which is what I did, albeit […]

Just the other day, when the sky was a piercingly clear blue and much of the region was still digging out from a recent snowfall, I stopped in the historic section of town known as Jaffrey Center, taking in the natural beauty of its surroundings. It’s easy to take these scenes for granted when they’re […]