New England News – all the latest from the Six States
June 2014
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Sample the world’s most extreme weather year-round at Mount Washington
Welcoming more than 100,000 visitors each year, Mount Washington Observatory’s mountaintop museum has been reborn as ‘Extreme Mount Washington’. Entirely re-imagined, the new interactive experience delivers the awe and wonder of a Mount Washington winter – until now only witnessed by a handful of visitors. Through hands-on, high-tech exhibits, a compelling sample of the world’s worst weather is now presented to all-season visitors.
It is the combination of extreme cold, wet, high winds, icy conditions and low visibility consistently found atop Mount Washington which earn it the title “Home of the World’s Worst Weather”. Despite its relatively low elevation (6,288′), Mount Washington is located at the confluence of three major storm tracks, and as the highest point in New England it generally takes the brunt of passing storms. The steepness of the slopes, combined with the north/south orientation of the range, cause the winds to accelerate dramatically as they rise up from the valleys. Entry to ‘Extreme Mount Washington’ is priced at US$5 per person.
www.mountwashington.org
RHODE ISLAND
Zip-line into an historic US coastal fort
Visitors to Newport, Rhode Island, will soon be able to experience a zip-lining experience like no other – soaring 430 feet through an historic US coastal fort! The Fort Adams Tandem Zip Line, set to be launched this summer, is part of the Fort’s ‘Adventure Learning’ programme, designed to give visitors an active way of learning more about US military history, architecture and engineering.
A National Register of Historic Places site, Fort Adams is actually the second fort of its name in Newport. The current Fort Adams, constructed between 1824 and 1857, was the USA’s largest, most sophisticated and complex fortress of its day. Exploring its many underground tunnels is another draw for adventurous visitors.
www.fortadams.org
CONNECTICUT
Connecticut launches dedicated antiques trail website
The State of Connecticut has launched a dedicated web presence for the Connecticut Antiques Trail, which showcases more than 60 antique centres, shops and auction houses across the state. The Trail links the state’s antiquing community, making it convenient for residents and visitors to discover, explore and enjoy the art behind this popular pastime.
Featuring news of antiquing events, as well as interactive maps, details of nearby attractions and accommodation, including historic B&Bs, the Connecticut Antiques Trail website offers a wealth of ideas on how to explore this fascinating, scenic state.
www.ctvisit.com/antiquestrail
MAINE
New Nova Star connects Maine with Nova Scotia
Mid-May saw the inaugural voyage of the Nova Star, which is now making daily round-trips connecting Portland, Maine with Yarmouth in Nova Scotia. The 10-hour voyage is a true cruise experience rather than a ferry, with an array of dining options, a spa, casino and live entertainment, and it offers a new type of two-nation vacation for visitors to New England. Adult fares start at US$79 one-way.
Portland itself is enjoying a burgeoning reputation as a dining town – named ‘America’s Foodiest Small Town’ by Bon Appetit and one of the Food Network’s top five ‘Delicious Destinations’. Most of Maine’s award-winning chefs are here, and there’s a fast-growing food truck scene happening too.
www.novastarcruises.com
www.visitmaine.com
VERMONT
Discover Vermont’s Native American heritage
The Vermont Department of Tourism & Marketing has teamed up with the state’s Abenaki tribes to help visitors learn more about Vermont’s first peoples. The new dedicated www.VermontVacation.com/Abenaki website serves as a hub for events, exhibits and destinations, allowing visitors to explore the 12,000-year history of Native American peoples in Vermont.
Since the early Paleo-Indians first arrived, Native communities have continually lived in Vermont and their knowledge, experience and traditions have exerted a deep influence on many aspects of the state’s rich history. Today Vermont is home to four State-recognised Native American tribes. The website offers opportunities for visitors to participate in Abenaki culture, enjoy Abenaki art and even compete in Abenaki tournaments.
www.VermontVacation.com/Abenaki
MASSACHUSETTS
Revamped TV & movies tour, plus the return of the Cape Flyer
For movie loving tourists looking for a distinctive way to mark travel, On Location Tours could be their ticket to the inside scoop on celebrities in the Hub and an unforgettable view into how TV and movies are made. Enjoy sites featured in American Hustle, The Heat and R.I.P.D. on the refreshed Boston TV & Movie Sites tour. For June – September 2014 tours will depart daily at 11 a.m. from the Boston Common Visitors Center.
www.onlocationtours.com/boston-tours/
Meanwhile, the Cape Flyer returns this summer with its rail service between Boston and Cape Cod – visitors can avoid the traffic and be on the Cape in just 2 ½ hours!
www.capeflyer.com
For further information on New England, visit www.discovernewengland.co.uk
