Hi! I'm Kim Knox Beckius, About.com's Guide to New England Travel, and I'm pleased to be able to share with you great travel discounts, deals, bargains, special offers, packages, freebies and other tips and insider secrets as I uncover them.

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*Current New England Travel Deals*
Celebrate Rockwell This Summer
Through September 3, the Dan'l Webster Inn & Spa (read my review) in Sandwich, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod offers a Norman Rockwell package that includes discounted overnight accommodations, two free desserts with the purchase of two dinner entrees and two tickets to Norman Rockwell: Beyond the Easel, an exhibit of more than 150 of the beloved painter and illustrator's works at the nearby Heritage Museum & Gardens. Package rates start at $215 and vary by date and room selection. Reserve online or by calling 508-888-3622. posted 5/22/12

Savor the Arts
The Berry Manor Inn in Rockland, Maine, offers a Savor the Arts In-Season package through mid-October that features a plethora of enticements for art lovers. Priced from $495 per couple, the getaway includes accommodations for three nights, breakfast each morning, maps and self-guided tour itineraries for discovering the area's art galleries, wineries and lighthouses and two tickets to each of these museums: Farnsworth Art Museum and Wyeth Center and Olsen House, Maine Lighthouse Museum, Owl's Head Transportation Museum and General Henry Knox Museum. The package also includes a $50 Midcoast Money voucher for dinner at a choice of area restaurants, two matted photos of Midcoast Maine scenes by local photographers and a collection of special discounts and offers. For more information and reservations, call 207-596-7696 or toll free, 800-774-5692. posted 5/22/12

Save $2 on Paradise City Arts Festival Admission
The Paradise City Arts Festival, one of the finest contemporary craft and fine arts shows in America, runs May 26-28 at the 3 County Fairgrounds in Northampton, Massachusetts. Complete this online form to receive a coupon good for $2 off one adult admission. Regular adult admission is $12; children under 12 are admitted free. For show information, call toll free, 800-511-9725. posted 5/22/12

Your Memorial Day Weekend Can Be Just Ducky
Spend three nights at the Inn at Ellis River in Jackson, New Hampshire, this Memorial Day Weekend, May 25-28, and they'll throw in two official ducks that you can cheer on during Jackson's annual Wildquack Duck River Festival. Each year, thousands of rubber duckies race down Jackson Falls and compete for valuable prizes. You'll also enjoy breakfasts, afternoon refreshments and "Good Luck Duck" hors d'oeuvres Saturday evening and receive a souvenir patriotic ducky to take home. Three-night packages are priced from $349 to $599 per room. A two-night option may be available. For reservations and more information, call 603-383-9339 or toll free, 800-233-8309. posted 5/16/12

Visit the MFA Free on Memorial Day
The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA) offers free admission for all visitors during a Memorial Day Open House on Monday, May 28, from 10 a.m. until 4:45 p.m. Free admission includes the special exhibit, Alex Katz Prints, plus hands-on art-making activities for all ages. For museum information, call 617-267-9300. posted 5/16/12

Free Science Center Admission for Those Who Serve
The Connecticut Science Center in Hartford honors active and retired military personnel with free admission on Saturday and Sunday during Memorial Day weekend, May 26-27, and half-price admission for immediate family members. Proof of service is required. For details, call 860-SCIENCE. posted 5/16/12

Eat for Half Price or Less at Restaurants in New England
If you plan ahead, you can save a fortune on dining in New England. Restaurant.com sells gift certificates for many New England restaurants for 50 percent or more off their face value--$25 gift certificates, for example, are priced at $10. You'll find dozens of participating restaurants throughout the New England states. Best of all, make your purchase online, print the gift certificate on your printer, and you're all set to save when you arrive at your New England destination. Through May 24, use the promo code RACE at checkout and recalculate your total to save an additional 40 percent off restaurant gift certificates--that makes most certificates valued at $25 just $6. Read details carefully, as some restrictions may apply. posted 5/16/12

Add Spice to Your Life
Visit 10 inns, sample herb dishes, and take home recipes and seeds or potted herbs for your garden during an Inn to Inn Spring Herb Tour in New Hampshire's White Mountains on June 2 and 3. Tickets for the tour are included with weekend packages priced from $99 per couple at the participating inns, or call 603-356-9025 or toll free, 800-421-1785, between May 11 and 25 to reserve tickets, which are $25 per person for the two-day event. posted 5/7/12

Visit Historic New England Houses Free
Historic New England operates historic properties in the six New England states, and when the organization hosts its annual Open House on Saturday, June 2, you'll be able to tour your choice of 32 of these storied homes free. Complimentary guided tours are offered on the hour departing from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis. Properties in southern Maine and New Hampshire will offer free tours on Sunday, June 3, during the same hours, as well. For more information, call Historic New England at 617-227-3956. posted 5/7/12

16 Museums for $25
Let me grab my calculator and do the math for you: That's $1.56 per museum! You'll save a bundle when you purchase the Connecticut Art Trail ArtPass online. The only catch? You need to select a one-year period during which your pass will be valid for one admission at each of the 16 participating sites. Simply select your dates, pay with a credit card, print your voucher and hit the trail to visit some of Connecticut's finest art repositories including Hartford's Wadsworth Atheneum--America's oldest public art museum. Children 12 and under are admitted to the museums free and do not require an ArtPass. posted 5/7/12

Free Family Fishing Festival
Take your family fishing--free! You won't need a fishing license, experience or even a fishing pole when you participate in Bethel, Maine's seventh annual Family Fishing Festival from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 2, at Angevine Park. The day features free casting workshops, complimentary rods and reels for use during the festival, fly tying instruction and free mini-tackle boxes for kids, plus chances to win prizes and take home your catch. The event coincides with free fishing weekend in Maine--June 2 and 3--when license requirements are waived for both residents and non-residents. For more information about the festival, call the Upper Andro Anglers Alliance at 207-824-3694. posted 5/1/12

Free Museum Admission for Bank of America Customers
If you're a Bank of America customer, your ATM, credit or check card is your free ticket to admission during the first weekend of each month at more than 150 museums nationwide including these great New England attractions: Connecticut's Wadsworth Atheneum, Maine's Farnsworth Art Museum, Massachusetts' MASS MoCA, Harvard Museum of Natural History and Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and Rhode Island's Newport Art Museum, Providence Children's Museum and RISD Museum. Upcoming free admission weekends for 2012 include: June 2-3, July 7-8 and August 4-5. posted 5/1/12

Your Mixologist Dreams Can Come True for $20
From daiquiris to rum toddies, you'll be mixing drinks like a pro when you attend Cocktail Classes at ArtBar at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge, Massachusetts. These 45-minute sessions with Troy Clarke, the hotel's Director of Food and Beverage, are offered the second and third Thursday of each month. The introductory price of just $20 includes expert, hands-on instruction and a sampling of appetizers. Stay for dinner at ArtBar, and you'll receive a 10% discount on your check (excluding alcohol). Upcoming class themes include: Bitters/Shrubs/Syrups (June 14 and 21) and Beer (July 12 and 19). For details and reservations, call 617-806-4122. posted 5/1/12

Kids Eat Free When the Red Sox Win
At 99 Restaurants (find a location), one kid under 11 eats free with the purchase of each adult entree on the day following any Red Sox victory throughout the regular season. Browse the 99's kids menu online, and visit redsox.com for the latest team results. posted 4/24/12

Visit New England's National Parks Free
This year, the National Park Service is offering several fee-free opportunities to visit more than 100 national parks that usually charge admission including New England gems like Acadia National Park, the Cape Cod National Seashore and Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site. Mark your calendar, and don't miss the chance to take your family to see these national treasures for free on June 9, September 29 and November 10-12. posted 4/24/12

Earn Free Vermont State Parks Admission for 2012—and 2013!
An individual Vermont State Parks season pass costs $25 for 2012, but you can enjoy unlimited free access to all 52 parks this year and next by collecting points in the Venture Vermont Outdoor Challenge. This statewide outdoor scavenger hunt is fun for all ages. Simply download a scorecard for each participant, complete suggested activities totaling 250 points, and submit photos to prove your participation. You will receive a Gold VIP Coin good for free state park entry for the rest of 2012 and all of 2013. Venture Vermont scorecards must be received by October 15, 2012. Questions? Call 802-241-3655. posted 4/17/12

Stay in Maine for $99 and Get a $20 L.L. Bean Gift Card
The Inn at Brunswick Station has been open for less than a year in Brunswick, Maine, and you can stay in a king or double queen room for just $99 through May 31, plus receive a bonus: your choice of a $20 L.L. Bean gift card, two tickets to the Maine Maritime Museum or two movie tickets. To reserve this special offer, ask for the "Stay your Way" Inn crowd rate when you call 207-837-6565. posted 4/17/12

Free Tanglewood Tickets
This July and August, stay three or more nights on weekends (Friday through Sunday) or two or more nights midweek at the Berkshire 1802 House Bed & Breakfast in Sheffield, Massachusetts, and you'll receive two free Tanglewood lawn tickets. Check the schedule of concerts at Tanglewood, then call 413-229-2612 for reservations. posted 4/17/12

50% Savings in Celebration of Stoweflake's 50th
Stoweflake Mountain Resort & Spa in Stowe, Vermont, is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2012, and through May 24, guests can save 50% on accommodations and 20% on spa treatments. With rates as low as $119.50 per night, it's the resort's best deal of the year. Make reservations online or by calling toll free, 800-253-2232. posted 4/9/12

Save 20% at the Official Hotel of the Red Sox
It's two miles from the ballpark, but the Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers is the official hotel of the Boston Red Sox, and in celebration of Fenway Park's 100th anniversary,, the hotel is offering fans 20% off regular rates all season long. Book online, and enjoy savings on stays through September 30. posted 4/9/12

A Spring Fling for Horse Lovers
Through May 25, the Farm by the River Bed and Breakfast with Stables in North Conway, New Hampshire, offers a three-night Spring Fling package priced from $410 for two that includes breakfast each morning and two horseback rides or a private horse-drawn carriage ride for two. Rates start at $540 for a two-room family suite and horseback rides for four. For reservations and more information, call 603-356-2694 or toll free, 888-414-8353. posted 4/4/12

Great Rooms at a Great Price for a Great Cause
From April 23 to May 25, participating members of the Maine Innkeepers Association offer rooms at half off regular rates to guests who donate $35 to Habitat for Humanity. Reservations must be made in advance, and contributions, which will be distributed to Maine-based chapters of the nonprofit organization, must be in the form of a check. Contact participating properties for details and reservations. posted 3/19/12

Maine Spring Getaways
The Maine Office of Tourism offers a one-stop place on the Web for you to find more than 325 spring getaway deals statewide. posted 3/19/12

Tour the Berkshires in a Model A Ford
Here's an experience you'll always remember: Book a stay at the Devonfield Inn in Lee, Massachusetts, and for an additional fee of $125, two people can enjoy a one-hour tour of the Berkshires in a 1931 Model A Ford. For reservations and more information, call 413-243-3298 or toll free, 800-664-0880. posted 1/17/12

Take Your Tweety on a Bird Watching Twip, er... Trip!
The Inn at Crystal Lake in Eaton, New Hampshire, has a package available to wildlife and bird watching enthusiasts through June (excluding holidays and school vacations). Priced from $295 for two, the getaway includes lodging for two nights, full country breakfast each morning, one lunch and one dinner for two. You'll also receive trail maps for four nearby Audubon sanctuaries and a Garden Dreams gift package, plus a small donation to the New Hampshire Audubon Society will be made in your names. For details and reservations, call toll free, 800-343-7336. posted 1/18/11

A Jane Austen Weekend Awaits
The Governor's House Inn in Hyde Park, Vermont, is hosting a series of Jane Austen Weekends featuring opportunities to immerse yourself in literature, movies, conversation and old-fashioned pleasures like afternoon tea, sleigh rides and fly fishing. Many dates are scheduled in 2012 and early 2013. Jane Austen Weekend packages are priced starting at $295 for singles and $260 per person for doubles including two nights' lodging, a Friday evening talk over dessert and coffee, full breakfast on Saturday, Saturday afternoon tea, Saturday dinner and book discussion, early Sunday Continental breakfast and a chance to win prizes during the Jane Austen quiz with Sunday brunch. For reservations and more information, call 802-888-6888 or toll free, 866-800-6888. posted 1/9/12

Save on Six Flags Season Passes
Six Flags New England 2012 season passes are on sale for just $49.99 when you buy four (the same price as a single-day admission ticket!), and it's easy to purchase passes direct online, print a voucher and enjoy theme park fun for one low price. A season pass entitles the bearer not only to unlimited park visits but to free tickets for friends on select days, free admission at other Six Flags parks, food and merchandise discounts and more. Purchasers also receive a free Season Parking Pass, a $55 value, when they process their IDs at the park by April 29. posted 12/6/11

Under 40? Score $20 Symphony Tickets
The Boston Symphony Orchestra will offer $20 concert tickets to patrons under the age of 40 during the remainder of the 2011-2012 Symphony Hall season, thanks to a generous contribution from an anonymous donor. Tickets are normally priced from $30 to $110. A schedule of available performances is available at the BSO Web site. Discounted tickets may be purchased online. Eligible patrons may purchase up to two tickets per show and must provide proof of age in order to receive the discount. A $6.25 service fee is applied to each ticket. posted 11/1/11

A Taste of Providence
Immerse yourself in Providence, Rhode Island's culinary scene with the Taste of Providence package at the Christopher Dodge House. Priced at $519 through October, the getaway includes lodging for two nights in the best available room at time of reservation, plus two $100 dining gift certificates for a choice of three restaurants: Mill's Tavern, Cassarino's and Hemenway's. To reserve your stay, call 401-351-6111. posted 7/5/11

Save $1 on Battleship Cove Admission
Print this online coupon, and you'll save $1 on each of up to five general admissions to Battleship Cove, a maritime museum in Fall River, Massachusetts, with a collection of historic Navy ships. For more information, call 508-678-1100. posted 5/17/11

$3.99 Shipping on My Favorite Pillows (Buy Direct)
I had such a blissful night's sleep during my visit to the Wentworth by the Sea Hotel & Spa in New Hampshire a few years ago that I outfitted my bed at home with the same DownAround pillows the hotel uses from Pacific Coast Feather Company (read my pillow review). Now, I dream that I'm sleeping in an elegant grand hotel every night, and you can, too! For a limited time, Pacific Coast Feather Company is offering $3.99 per item shipping on all pillows and other merchandise sitewide when you buy direct from the company. posted 11/30/10

Go Behind the Scenes at the Sam Adams Brewery
Treat your favorite beer fan to an exclusive experience in Boston with the Fairmont Copley Plaza's Samuel Adams Behind the Scenes Brewery Package. Priced from $429 double occupancy and available September through December, the getaway includes overnight accommodations, a behind-the-scenes tour of the Samuel Adams Brewery, a private tasting of classic and limited edition Sam Adams beers, a three-course dinner paired with Samuel Adams brews in the hotel's Oak Room and an in-room Bucket of Cheer featuring Samuel Adams pint glasses and apparel. For details and reservations, call toll free, 800-441-1414. posted 10/19/10

Get a Deal Now, Find Out Where You're Staying Later
Deals on accommodations can be hard to come by in New England, but here's a strategy that may help you save up to 50 percent on your stay. Expedia's Unpublished Rate Hotels program (Book Direct) allows travelers to find discounted room rates and to roll the dice: You'll only learn the name of your hotel after you book. I just checked Unpublished Rate Hotels in the Boston area for the first weekend in October and found a 3.5-star Lexington, Massachusetts-area hotel for $55 per night and a 3.5-star Harvard-area hotel for $69 per night. posted 9/7/10

Visit the Boston Children's Museum for $1
Regular admission to the Boston Children's Museum is $12 for guests ages 1 and up, but you'll pay just $1 per person if you visit on Friday evenings from 5 to 9 p.m. These $1 Friday Nights are made possible by Target. For more information about the museum, call 617-426-6500. posted 7/19/10

Bed, Bet & a Bite
Connecticut's Mohegan Sun offers an overnight package priced from $302 for two that includes a $100 food and beverage credit at Bar Americain or Todd English's Tuscany, a cookbook by either Bobby Flay or Todd English (depending on your restaurant choice) and one $10 free bet per person. For reservations, ask for code PTFBV when you call toll free, 888-777-7922. posted 2/17/10

Your Private Chef Awaits
The Private Chef Gourmet Dining Package at Vermont's Phineas Swann Bed and Breakfast Inn is priced from $499.99 for two and includes accommodations for two nights, a bottle of wine, breakfast and afternoon tea daily and a candlelit, four-course dinner for two prepared and served by a private chef. For details and reservations, call 802-326-4306. posted 2/17/10

Buy-One-Get-One-Free Tickets Aboard the Downeaster to Maine
Relax and save money on your trip to Maine with special deals on Amtrak Downeaster train service. Use promotion code V353 to receive a free adult ticket when you purchase one adult full fare ticket on select trains. posted 5/12/09

Spoil Your Guy with the Pail Ale Male Mancation
Want to reconnect with your special guy? Surprise him with a getaway that's all about him. The Cabernet Inn in North Conway, New Hampshire, is offering an all-inclusive Pail Ale Male Mancation that includes lodging for two nights, a gourmet breakfast each morning, a $50 Moat Mountain Brewery gift certificate, a $10 Village Cigar Emporium gift certificate and a pail filled with a six-pack of his favorite beer, pretzels, peanuts and your choice of a "Life is Good" or "Life is Crap" T-shirt (to suit his mood). Package prices start at $339 per couple including taxes. For details and reservations, call 603-356-4704 or toll free, 800-866-4704. posted 5/5/09

A $239 Wine Lovers' Escape
With the Wine Tasting Dinner Package at the Eddington House Inn in North Bennington, Vermont, available Tuesday through Saturday nights, you'll enjoy a five-course dinner for two at Pangaea Restaurant with paired world-class wines, endless desserts at the inn, one night's lodging and a full breakfast--all for just $239 per couple (add $25 during fall foliage season). Call 802-442-1511 or toll free, 800-941-1857, to book your escape. posted 8/12/08

Free Photo Critique with Your B&B Stay
Diana Mara Henry is not only the innkeeper at Lathrop House Bed and Breakfast in Springfield, Massachusetts; she's an accomplished photographer. Book a stay, and she will review your portfolio and provide a free one-hour critique. For details and reservations, call 413-736-6414. posted 1/14/08

Exchange Your Money for Berkshares and Save
Planning to visit the Berkshires in western Massachusetts? Then you really should exchange your U.S. currency for Berkshares. Yes, the region is printing its own money--accepted at many shops, restaurants and businesses (full list)--and you'll receive a ten percent bonus when you exchange your money for Berkshares at participating banks. This FAQ explains how this unique local currency works. Essentially, you can buy 100 Berkshares for $90, so your vacation dollars will go further. Questions? Call 413-528-1737. posted 3/21/07

Free Scenic Byways Map
Complete this online form, and the Federal Highway Administration will send you a free map that shows those roads designated as All-American and National scenic byways, including several great routes in New England. posted 10/17/06

Escape NYC with Metro-North One-Day Getaways
Depart from Grand Central Station for a day in Connecticut at Norwalk's Maritime Aquarium, the Bruce Museum of Arts and Science in Greenwich or Mohegan Sun casino. For more information or to request a free "One-Day Getaways" booklet, call 212-532-4900 or toll free, 800 METRO-INFO outside of New York. posted 7/26/05

Kittery Coupons
Planning to do some outlet shopping in Kittery, Maine? Print these free coupons before you leave home and enjoy extra savings. posted 5/31/05

Boston to Mohegan Sun for Just 13-15 Bucks
Sunshine Travel offers daily bus departures from the Boston area to Connecticut's Mohegan Sun Casino, and tickets will only cost you $13-15 round-trip. All passengers over 21 receive a $20 meal credit and $40 in match play coupons. Buy your ticket online, or call 617-695-1989 for more information. Wondering what it's like to ride the Sunshine Travel bus to the casino? Read this account from The Boston Globe. posted 5/31/05

Save on Train Fare for New England Campus Visits
Visiting New England college campuses with your high school student? Here's an online offer from Campus Visit that will allow you to buy one Amtrak ticket and get one for half price. posted 7/27/04

Women Only Weekends in the Finger Lakes
The Finger Lakes region of New York State makes it easy to reconnect with friends with its collection of "Women Only" weekend getaway packages. Inns and hotels have designed weekend escapes just for groups of women friends and featuring special add-ons such as massages, dinners, museum admissions, wine tastings and more. Follow the link above to peruse more than two dozen available packages, then call individual lodging properties to check availability and reserve your weekend with the girls. posted 11/25/03

Special Offers from Mystic Merchants
The Mystic & More! Convention & Visitors Bureau makes it easy to find special offers on accommodations, dining, shopping and more in the Mystic, Connecticut, area. posted 5/20/02

Friends of Harpoon Get Special Deals
Sign up online to be a member of Harpoon Brewery's "Friends of Harpoon," and you'll be entitled to a variety of special offers such as invitations to exclusive special events and savings at New England retail establishments. Membership is free. posted 4/10/02

Request Free Mount Washington Brochures Online
Use this online form to request free travel literature and maps for New Hampshire's Mount Washington Valley. posted 10/9/01

A Maritime Experience for Two
The Galen C. Moses House, a Victorian bed & breakfast in Bath, Maine, offers a weekend getaway package that will allow you to immerse yourself in Midcoast Maine's maritime history. The getaway weekend includes lodging for two nights, a romantic dinner for two, two gourmet breakfasts and two passes to the Maine Maritime Museum. The price is $345 per couple including taxes, $445 June through October. For more information and reservations, call 207-442-8771 or toll free, 888-442-8771. posted 7/2/01

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