10 Things to Do in Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria was established as a town along the northernmost part of the Potomac River in 1749, named after the Alexander family whose land formed the majority of the area. It was considered the first major seaport of British America. Known for its 18th and 19th century architecture (we could have spent days just walking the…
10 Ways to Have Fun in the Berkshires in Massachusetts
The Berkshires, compromised of over 30 towns and villages, is located in the most western part of Massachusetts. It includes towns ranging from Sheffield and Great Barrington in the southern part of the state, bordering Connecticut, to the towns of Wiliamstown and North Adams in the northern part of the state, bordering Vermont. The region…
Naumkeag in the Berkshires
The summer home of attorney Joseph Choate, his wife Caroline, and their five children in the late 1800s, Naumkeag is the perfect representation of a country estate of the Gilded Age. The estate is named after the Algonquin word (meaning “good fishing spot”) used for Salem, Massachusetts where the Choat family originally lived.The original gardens…
10 Family Friendly Things to Do in Fredericksburg, VA
Located an hour south of Washington DC and an hour north of the state capitol Richmond, Fredericksburg began as a tobacco seaport until the Civil War, when, in December of 1862, the area became synonymous with a battle that took the lives of 12, 000 thousands soldiers. Today, visitors come for an education in Revolutionary…
Newport, Rhode Island
Growing up on the South Shore of Massachusetts, and having an avid sailor for a father, my family took many a day trip to visit Newport, Rhode Island. I can remember touring the mansions as a child, admiring the boats at the Newport Boat Show with my dad, and enjoying the beaches, restaurants, and various…
Celebrating the Holiday Season in Newport, RI
Founded in 1639 and known as the “City by the Sea”, Newport, Rhode Island has been welcoming beach lovers to its sandy shores every since that time. During the famous “Gilded Age” in America, business tycoons built summer “cottages” to retreat to during the summer months. Today, the mansions of Newport are still the most…