Best Rooms With a View ROSE FARM INN, Block Island If you can’t see the sea from your room, you can definitely see meadows and wildflowers, possibly the deer or pheasant that roam the 20 acres of this former farm. Bike rentals onsite. Rates: from $139 May 8-June 18, from $179 June 19-Sept. 7, including […]
Waterfront Surprise SEAMEN’S CHURCH INSTITUTE, Newport This 90-year-old institution for travelers offers public restrooms; the very welcoming Aloha Cafe, with homemade sandwiches and soups (large bowl under $5); and the captivating Chapel by the Sea, with frescoes of maritime-related saints and nautical motifs from floor to ceiling, font to altar. 18 Market Square. 401-847-4260; seamensinstitutenewport.org […]
Best Free Therapy BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY COURTYARD, Boston One of the most peaceful, secluded, and historic places in the city. Walk into the library’s McKim Building and you’ll come upon a breathtaking Italianate central courtyard surrounded by an arcaded gallery. Sit on the bench with a book, or head to the adjoining restaurant for a […]
Best Pub MATT MURPHY’S, Brookline A no-frills, friendly spot straight out of an urban Dublin neighborhood. The cheese platter with soda bread is a meal in itself; and the fish-and-chips comes with spicy ketchup and pickled onions–all of it wrapped in newspaper. 14 Harvard St. 617-232-0188; mattmurphyspub.com Best Romantic Restaurant L’ESPALIER, Boston After years of […]
Best Movie Theater KENDALL SQUARE CINEMA, Cambridge There is life beyond the megaplex, and here it is: a smart mixture of classics, foreign, and independent films. Perks include fresh pastries and coffee, plus inexpensive parking. 1 Kendall Square. 617-499-1996; landmarktheatres.com Best Toy Store HENRY BEAR’S PARK, Brookline, Cambridge, Arlington Books for all ages, retro and […]
Best Men’s Sportswear THE BROWNS, Williamstown From durable U.S.-made Bills Khakis to Jack Victor sportcoats and a lot of quietly cosmopolitan designer clothing in between, this attractive, friendly shop will help redefine your wardrobe without breaking the bank. 16 Water St. 413-458-1618; downtownwilliamstown.com Best Mountain View STONY LEDGE, Williamstown Stony Ledge, accessible from Mt. Greylock’s […]
Best Heirloom Veggies URBAN OAKS, New Britain You may not expect to find an organic farm in the Hardware City, but that’s exactly what you get at Urban Oaks. The volunteer-run store is chock-full of heirloom and specialty produce, from ‘Thai Dragon’ peppers to ‘Red Kuri’ squash. 225 Oak St. 860-223-6200; blog.urbanoaks.org Best Women’s Boutique […]
SLIDE SHOW: Winslow Homer works I stand alone on a boulder-strewn shoreline, a rugged symbol of Maine. The waves thrash against the rocks. They shoot a salty mist onto my face and clothing. The sound is almost deafening. It’s no surprise that they call this part of Prouts Neck “Cannon Rock.” Or maybe it’s named […]
Fairest of Them All For sheer scenic beauty, no New England strand tops Crane Beach’s 4 miles of soft, white sand, against a backdrop of undulating dunes, piping plovers, and the mansion at Castle Hill for company. If you walk a bit, you’ll find a private spot, even in high summer. Locals caution that July’s […]
Castle Hill Inn & Resort is all very F. Scott Fitzgerald: a rolling hill covered in a rich carpet of emerald-green grass, cascading to the water’s edge; sun-filled patio and a sea of umbrellas; the regulars in crisp linens and print sundresses sipping champagne and discussing whose yacht is in the harbor. But you don’t […]
Through some magic of architecture, the dining room at The Red Inn promotes the illusion of floating, like the many boats just outside in Provincetown Harbor–or maybe we were seeing things after our pre-lunch bike ride through the dunes to one of the lighthouses. The sea-level view here seems never-ending; the Atlantic just rolls on […]
I live in a house with two small boys, two large dogs, and one boisterous husband. Silence is truly golden. I find myself cherishing the kind of peace and solitude that in my youth would have left me with a bad case of cabin fever. Time and maturity have taught me to embrace silence. In […]
