It wasn’t intentional to spend all of my summer vacation time in coastal New England. But, sometimes, serendipity gives us just what we need…
Coastal Maine
My interest in visiting coastal Maine peaked while reading Nora Roberts’ Lost Brides trilogy (Inheritance, The Mirror, The Seven Rings). Roberts’ writes moving to the New England tundra in January seem glamorous, so surely visiting in summer would be good? It was, in fact, amazing.
Planning for the visit quickly, joyously, morphed into that of a Girls’ Trip with my two high school best friends. We settled on Belfast, ME and the Seascape Motel & Cottages as our home base due to its proximity to Acadia National Park and additional small coastal towns we wished to explore. Our two bedroom cabin was cozy perfection, with the added bonus of a clean, well maintained pool, and community fire pits where we enjoyed s’mores and wine.
Our four nights, three days, passed too quickly. We were fortunate enough to be in Belfast for their annual Arts in the Park local artisan market, where we robustly contributed to the local economy. A full day was spent exploring Acadia National Park and the town of Bar Harbor. The park offers stunning vistas around every turn. Lunch at the Tipsy Whale and (more) shopping in town provided a nice balance to the day. While it’s difficult to choose which of the experiences was my favorite literary moment come to life, it was during our third day, spent (doing even more) shopping and dining in Camden, that I determined it could easily stand in for Roberts’ fictional Poole’s Bay with its local shops and friendly residents.
Newport, Rhode Island
My father’s 90th birthday celebration brought my husband and I to mainland Rhode Island, but there was no way I was going to be in the state without spending extra time in one of my favorite US locations – Newport. Celebrated for its regal American sailing history and opulent Gilded Age summer “cottages,” Newport leans into it’s unique identity.
It was a rare, rainy day when we arrived on Aquidneck Island. Fortunately, we had a guided island tour scheduled with Coastal Cruisers, which kept us dry. Even though we had been to Newport multiple times, I wanted to experience this new tour company first hand before potentially recommending it to clients. The Newport Signature tour was wonderful. Our local, born-and-raised guide provided insight on town history we did not already have. This would be a perfect orientation for someone visiting for the first time, or the first time in a long time.
After dodging the rain, we checked into the Almondy Inn Bed & Breakfast. 5 Stars all around. Well appointed rooms √, world class breakfast √, walking distance to most dining and attractions √, innkeeper with a heart of hospitality √√√.
We spent three days, sailing Narragansett Bay, touring the Gilded Age mansions and “casino,” shopping (do you sense a theme here?), and eating our weight in seafood. Don’t judge. Seafood is a scarce commodity in Central Texas… A large amount of time was spent researching the real-life locations, often mentioned in novels, that transport a reader into the unique atmosphere of Newport.
I have returned rejuvenated, invigorated, and inspired. My Coastal New England summer travels have left me with two conclusions:
1) I could definitely embrace a Lady-Who-Lunches-By-The-Sea Era
2) “Taking the sea air” should be revived as a remedy to cure all that ails you post haste
I delved into literary Coastal Maine and Newport in the second and third episodes of my new Storied Travel & Adventures podcast. Tune in via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube for a fresh episode every Tuesday.
Safe Travels & Happy Reading,
Jen
Coastal Maine
My interest in visiting coastal Maine peaked while reading Nora Roberts’ Lost Brides trilogy (Inheritance, The Mirror, The Seven Rings). Roberts’ writes moving to the New England tundra in January seem glamorous, so surely visiting in summer would be good? It was, in fact, amazing.
Planning for the visit quickly, joyously, morphed into that of a Girls’ Trip with my two high school best friends. We settled on Belfast, ME and the Seascape Motel & Cottages as our home base due to its proximity to Acadia National Park and additional small coastal towns we wished to explore. Our two bedroom cabin was cozy perfection, with the added bonus of a clean, well maintained pool, and community fire pits where we enjoyed s’mores and wine.
Our four nights, three days, passed too quickly. We were fortunate enough to be in Belfast for their annual Arts in the Park local artisan market, where we robustly contributed to the local economy. A full day was spent exploring Acadia National Park and the town of Bar Harbor. The park offers stunning vistas around every turn. Lunch at the Tipsy Whale and (more) shopping in town provided a nice balance to the day. While it’s difficult to choose which of the experiences was my favorite literary moment come to life, it was during our third day, spent (doing even more) shopping and dining in Camden, that I determined it could easily stand in for Roberts’ fictional Poole’s Bay with its local shops and friendly residents.
Newport, Rhode Island
My father’s 90th birthday celebration brought my husband and I to mainland Rhode Island, but there was no way I was going to be in the state without spending extra time in one of my favorite US locations – Newport. Celebrated for its regal American sailing history and opulent Gilded Age summer “cottages,” Newport leans into it’s unique identity.
It was a rare, rainy day when we arrived on Aquidneck Island. Fortunately, we had a guided island tour scheduled with Coastal Cruisers, which kept us dry. Even though we had been to Newport multiple times, I wanted to experience this new tour company first hand before potentially recommending it to clients. The Newport Signature tour was wonderful. Our local, born-and-raised guide provided insight on town history we did not already have. This would be a perfect orientation for someone visiting for the first time, or the first time in a long time.
After dodging the rain, we checked into the Almondy Inn Bed & Breakfast. 5 Stars all around. Well appointed rooms √, world class breakfast √, walking distance to most dining and attractions √, innkeeper with a heart of hospitality √√√.
We spent three days, sailing Narragansett Bay, touring the Gilded Age mansions and “casino,” shopping (do you sense a theme here?), and eating our weight in seafood. Don’t judge. Seafood is a scarce commodity in Central Texas… A large amount of time was spent researching the real-life locations, often mentioned in novels, that transport a reader into the unique atmosphere of Newport.
I have returned rejuvenated, invigorated, and inspired. My Coastal New England summer travels have left me with two conclusions:
1) I could definitely embrace a Lady-Who-Lunches-By-The-Sea Era
2) “Taking the sea air” should be revived as a remedy to cure all that ails you post haste
I delved into literary Coastal Maine and Newport in the second and third episodes of my new Storied Travel & Adventures podcast. Tune in via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube for a fresh episode every Tuesday.
Safe Travels & Happy Reading,
Jen
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