Whether you're a seasoned nudist or you've wanted to experience the freedom of clothing optional recreation for the first time, here are 10 New England campgrounds, resorts and inns that cater to the less than fully clothed.

Only want to dip a toe into nude recreation? This Saturday, July 11, you can help set the Guinness World Record for skinny dipping at one of four New England sites participating in the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR) coast-to-coast record-setting event.

Poll: Would you stay at a nudist resort? Cast your vote, and see what others are saying. Is your wife the only thing standing between you and a nude vacation?

More Cool Ideas for Hot New England Days

• Visit the Hurricane Harbor Water Park at Six Flags New England
• Keep Cool in Caves and Waves
• Chill Out at Connecticut's Largest Water Park
• Tour Howe Caverns in Upstate New York
• Pretend It's December at Santa's Village
• Try Whitewater Rafting
• Go Tubing on the Farmington River

_{Photo: Getty Images / Vincent Besnault}

When Boston Harbor welcomes the world's tall ship fleet, it is truly a spectacle to behold. Sail Boston, an event which has not been held since 2000, gets underway today as 50 ships from 20 countries visit New England's shores.

More Events This Weekend in New England:

• See a Civil War encampment, a concert by Asia, fireworks and much more free this Saturday at Hartford Riverfest.
• Watch colorful hot air balloons, fireworks and mud bog races at the Hillsborough Balloon Fest & Fair in New Hampshire.
• Celebrate the Champlain Quadricentennial at the Burlington International Waterfront Festival in Vermont.
• Enjoy rides, crafts, a car show and continuous entertainment on six stages at the Whaling City Festival in New Bedford, Massachusetts.
• Hear gospel music, partake of a spaghetti dinner and more as the nine-day Maine Potato Blossom Festival gets underway in Fort Fairfield.
• View flicks made by Maine and New England filmmakers at the 12th annual Maine International Film Festival.

_{Boston Harbor photo © 2007 Kim Knox Beckius}

New additions this week to Kim's New England Deal Sheet:

• The Cape Ann Whale Watch package at Comfort Suites in Haverhill, Massachusetts, is just $129.95 per night including two whale watch tickets (a $90 value!);
• New Hampshire's Fairfield Inn Nashua Merrimack offers an eBreak rate of $59 per night this weekend; and
• Maine's Sebasco Harbor Resort has a Lighthouse & Lobsters package featuring lighthouse lodging, lobster dinner and more.

Follow @newenglandgirl on Twitter for breaking deals and more New England travel tidbits.

_{Comfort Suites Haverhill photo © 2008 Kim Knox Beckius}

In most of New England, a lobster roll is actually a lobster salad roll, but here in my home state of Connecticut, we're partial to a more decadent version of New England's signature sandwich: the hot buttered lobster roll. I'll tell you where you can enjoy New England's ultimate lobster roll: a quarter-pound mound of sweet, buttery lobster meat on a toasted, buttered, sesame seed bun. Yum!

More for Lobster Lovers

• The Best Place to Buy Live Maine Lobster
• I Scream, You Scream... Why? Lobster Ice Cream!
• A Maine Lobster Boat Adventure
• A Decadent Snack: Lobster Nachos

^{Lobster roll photo © 2008 Kim Knox Beckius.}

If you own a dog or have ever loved a dog, put Stephen Huneck's Dog Chapel in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, at the top of your list of places to visit in New England. Why did artist Stephen Huneck build the Dog Chapel? And how can you honor the canine companions who have touched your heart? Join me on this virtual photo tour for answers and a preview of this heavenly place for dogs and their people.

Take Your Camera to Vermont

• One Drive, Five Covered Bridges
• New England's Most Photographed Farm

_{Dog Chapel photo © 2002 Kim Knox Beckius.}

Celebrate an old-fashioned, New England-style Fourth of July this year. I've got ideas for you, whether you're visiting the region or hosting a celebration at home. Thank you to Mark J. Romani for submitting the fireworks photo at left. Click the image to see a larger picture, and if you capture any great photos during your New England travels this summer, be sure to submit them for possible publication.

Celebrate the Fourth!

• Boston Harborfest - It's more than a Fourth of July celebration.
• Celebrate the 4th and Champlain's 400th - At the Burlington International Waterfront Festival in Vermont.
• Hartford Riverfest - A 4th of July celebration on the banks of the Connecticut River... on the 11th!
• Strawberry Recipes from New England - Something red for your 4th of July celebration.
• Blueberry Recipes from New England - Something blue, too!
• 17 Recipes for Boston Baked Beans: Simple to Traditional - A perfect picnic side dish.
• More Ways to Celebrate the 4th in New England

New additions this week to Kim's New England Deal Sheet:

• Get two VIP tickets to the Basketball Hall of Fame for less than Shaq's shoe size;
• Put some last-minute sizzle in your 4th of July holiday with one call to Maine's Beach House Inn;
• Spin the wheel to win prizes or save on your stay at the Whaler's Inn in Mystic, Connecticut; and
• Enjoy free admission to participating museums this weekend with your Bank of America ATM, credit or check card.

_{Beach House Inn photo © 2008 Kim Knox Beckius.}

Planning a holiday weekend cookout? You're not going to serve the same old burgers and hot dogs, are you? Grilled lobster is delicious, and it's easier to cook lobster on the grill than you might think.

My step-by-step visual guide to grilling lobsters, which I created to go along with my grilled lobster recipe, features photos and tips to help you follow each step in the process, from parboiling to feasting on tender, smoky lobster meat.

More for Lobster Lovers

• The Best Place to Buy Live Maine Lobster
• I Scream, You Scream... Why? Lobster Ice Cream!
• A Maine Lobster Boat Adventure
• How To Eat a Lobster
• A Decadent Snack: Lobster Nachos

_{Lobster on the grill photo © 2008 Kim Knox Beckius.}

Want to get out of the heat? Tired of relying on the AC for relief? Head for New Hampshire--home to New England's only commercial caves and one of New England's largest water parks. Visit Water Country, Polar Caves, Lost River Gorge and other cool New Hampshire attractions when New England gets hot in the summertime.

Discussion: What Are YOUR Favorite Places to Keep Cool?

More Cool Ideas

• Visit the Hurricane Harbor Water Park at Six Flags New England
• Chill Out at Connecticut's Largest Water Park
• Tour Howe Caverns in Upstate New York
• Pretend It's December at Santa's Village
• Try Whitewater Rafting
• Go Tubing on the Farmington River

_{Polar Caves photo © 2001 Kim Knox Beckius.}

The Boston Red Sox set a Major League Baseball record earlier this month when Fenway Park was sold out for the 500th consecutive home game. As you might imagine, scoring Red Sox tickets can be tricky, but it's not impossible. Here are some tips on how to get Red Sox tickets for travelers who hope to see a home game while visiting Boston.

_{Fenway Park photo © 2000 Kim Knox Beckius.}