Outdoor Sampler
Dateline: 06/22/98
There are so many things to do in the New England outdoors that it's hard to know where to start! Lovers of fresh air and open spaces can't help but be drawn to New England's lakes and rivers and ocean coasts, its mountains and valleys and fields, its gardens and forests and parklands. Here is a sampling of outdoor getaway ideas for each of the six New England states. I've picked one outdoor adventure for each state to get you started and included links to some other Web resources that will help you plan an escape from the rat race this summer.
Soaring through the Uncrowded Connecticut Skies
"Anyone who ever watched a hawk circling with motionless wings on a column of air has longed to fly," is the greeting one receives at the Internet home of the Soaring Center of Connecticut. If you want to literally leave the world behind, a ride in a glider, coasting lazily and quietly through azure skies just might do the trick! The Soaring Center offers a number of adventure packages for either one or two passengers to fly with expert pilots, priced from about $120. The Soaring Center is located at the Waterbury Airport, and directions are available online. For more information, call (860) 283-5819.
For more Connecticut outdoor recreation ideas, try:
- Connecticut Tourism's Outdoor Recreation links
- Connecticut Dept. of Environmental Protection's directory of State Parks and Forests
- Great Outdoor Recreation Pages for Connecticut
Experience the Northeast's Oldest National Park in Maine
In 1916, Lafayette National Park, now known as Acadia National Park, became the first national park east of the Mississippi. The 40,000-acre park on the Atlantic coast encompasses every outdoor experience imaginable--from forests to mountains, from lakes to the open seas. An estimated 1.5 million visitors will experience the park's preserved beauty during July and August this year. There are numerous options for exploring Acadia, making it an outdoor destination that's suitable for all travelers. For example, without ever leaving the air-conditioned comfort of a car, visitors who want just a taste of the outdoors can take a scenic drive along the 27-mile Park Loop Road for a great view of shoreline, forest, and mountain scenery. A cassette tape tour is available for rent or purchase at the visitor center. Want to turn your outdoor escape into a learning experience for the whole family? Ranger-led tours of the park are fun and educational. A schedule of the day's programs is available at the visitor center. For the even more adventurous, Acadia offers walking and hiking trails for all skill levels, biking, swimming at two beaches, freshwater and ocean fishing, and boating. The National Park Service's extensive web site for Acadia National Park contains all the information you need to plan your trip, including directions to the park, camping information, and an explanation of entrance fees.
For additional ideas for outdoor adventures in Maine, turn to:
- Maine Outdoor Summer Activities, a feature from About.com's Guide to Portland, Maine
- Maine's Outdoor Sporting Guide, a supplement of the Maine Resource Guide
- Maine Guides Online, a searchable database of tour guides who'll show you Maine's best spots for a variety of outdoor activities
Ride the Rapids in Massachusetts
Grab the gang and head for the rushing water of Massachusetts' Deerfield River to do battle with the outdoors on a whitewater rafting expedition. Crab Apple Whitewater offers a variety of Massachusetts Whitewater Rafting options. From April through October, Deerfield River in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts provides everything from intense whitewater challenges to beginners' rapids to a more relaxing than adventurous Float Trip that the whole family will enjoy. Use Crab Apple's online reservation form to request more information or even book an outing, or call them toll free at 800 553-RAFT. Zoar Outdoor, also offers guided and self-guided trips on the Deerfield River. The popular Zoar Gap adventure is appropriate for beginning and intermediate rafters. Use their online survey form to request more information, or call Zoar Outdoor toll free at 800 532-7483.
Other resources for planning your Massachusetts outdoor getaway are:
- Long Walks on Cape Cod, a great guide to trails from Great Outdoor Recreation Pages (GORP)
- Massachusetts Outdoors, a terrific resource from Visit Massachusetts
- Scuba Diving on Cape Ann; See rocks and wrecks, and it's closer than the Caribbean!
Whale Watching and Other Watery Winners in New Hampshire
The Isles of Shoals Steamship Co. in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is your source for a variety of cruise adventures, including whale watches. What fun! If you want to see whales, there are many choices in New England, but the waters off the New Hampshire coast have been the best bet for spottings for the past three years running. In addition to the whale watching expeditions, the Isles of Shoals Steamship Co. also offers picnic trips to Star Island, sunset lighthouse cruises, and a variety of evening cruises, including a Downeast Lobster Clambake voyage. Schedule and ticket information is available online or by calling toll free: 800 441-4620.
For other New Hampshire outdoor ideas, try:
- Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway, a great way to enjoy New Hampshire's fabulous outdoor scenery
- Climb New Hampshire, a guide to mountain climbing in the Granite State
- New Hampshire Parks and Recreation, a guide to state parks
Stroll Acres of Gardens and Grounds at Rhode Island's Blithewold
Enjoying the outdoors needn't be a journey into the untamed wilds. In fact, the manicured landscape of Blithewold Mansion and its gardens and arboretum offer an ordered, yet amazingly pleasing, outdoor experience. The Bristol, Rhode Island, former summer home of a Pennsylvania coal magnate features 33 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds and gardens overlooking Narragansett Bay and Bristol harbor. Highlights of the historic landscape include a Japanese water garden, a bamboo grove, unique flower gardens, and the largest redwood tree east of the Rockies. The grounds of the mansion are open year-round, and guided grounds tours, along with guided tours of the mansion, are available through October 1. For more information, admission prices, and directions, call (401) 253-2707.
Other sites with helpful information on outdoor recreation in Rhode Island are:
- Rhode Island Fishing and Outdoor Trails, including a section on women in fishing
- Rhode Island Boating, very thorough information from Visit Rhode Island
See Vermont from a Different Viewpoint with Vermont Bicycling Tours
"Cycling erases the boundaries between you and your surroundings, letting you experience the buzz of bees on apple orchard blossoms, the moist warmth of a freshly hayed field, the splash of a gull as it catches its afternoon meal." With that enticement from Vermont Bicycling Tours (VBT), it's hard to imagine that there's any better way to see the sights of Vermont than by bicycle. Each tour features a fresh air trek along the scenic roadways of Vermont, stops at points of interest, and includes lodgings and dining at some of Vermont's best regional establishments. VBT offers five different Vermont weekend bicycling tours and seven longer trips, ranging in difficulty from easy to challenging.Tour descriptions and schedules are available online, and you can also request a catalog using their online form. If you can't wait to book your trip, you may also make a reservation online using VBT's secure server, or call them toll free at 800 245-3868.
Looking for other outdoor ideas in Vermont? Try:
- Outdoor Recreation Sugarbush/Mad River Valley, a guide to the outdoors in Central Vermont
- Escape Routes, Green Mountains area expert outdoor guided tours
- Vermont Outdoors Magazine, Web site features one new article reprint each month from the previous month's issue
Enjoy your time in the outdoors this Summer! And, if you find great places to share, drop me a line!
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Outdoor Sampler heading created by Kim Knox. © 1998
