Arthur may be out looking for the next best roller coaster, and this blog has been discontinued. Thanks for visiting and happy travels!

Forget the Vermont Maid. Sure, our neighbor to the north produces lots of maple sugar. But there's plenty of tree tapping going on in Massachusetts as well. In fact, when the sap is flowing, it's a welcome sign of spring here in the Bay State. If you want to join the seasonal ritual and learn more about the homegrown sweet stuff, the Department of Conservation and Recreation has some maple sugaring programs around the state. March is prime time for tapping, so you'll want to make your plans now. You may want to bring your own pancakes and French toast, however. Here's where to get in on the maple sugar fun:

• Brookwood Farm in the Blue Hills Reservation, Milton Maple Sugar Days March 10 & 11 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 617-698-1802
• Breakheart Reservation, Saugus
  Maple Sugarin’ at Breakheart
  March 17 & 18 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m
  781-233-0834
• Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) State Forest, Goshen
  Interpretive maple sugaring tours
  Weekdays, starting February 26 through the month of March from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
  413-268-7098
• Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park, Uxbridge
  Maple sugaring program
  March 2 & 3, 10 & 11, and 17 & 18 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
  508-278-7604

Photo: ©Arthur Levine 2006. Licensed to boston.com.