Kimberly may be getting ready for her next New Hampshire escape, and this blog has been discontinued. Thanks for visiting and happy travels!

Kim:

We will be staying at the Poland Spring Inn [Maine] from Aug. 20-25. Can you suggest any relatively short day trips (1-2hrs) in that area. [ie. Cog Railroad, etc. ]

Thank you for your time and consideration. I hope to hear from you are your earliest convenience.

Jim McCann
Rochester, NY

Jim Jim Jim....

The choices are endless, thanks for writing!

The obvious choice is Portsmouth, NH. I will always love Portsmouth, even though they have let in big name retail like The Gap and Starbucks. The private businesses along its Main street and side streets are worth the trip. The architecture, coastal charm and its restaruants are unique. Read my past blogs on some Portsmouth treats.

Then there's the second obvious choice of Conway, NH [You've probably heard of North Conway as the deluge of marketing leads an every day tourist to its 8 billion shopping Outlets]. So gather the patience to wade through the few miles of outlet strip malls, and you'll arrive at Conway Center, and you'll be so intrigued by this small town. The Cog Railway occupies the left of the community green, and a line of great businesses and restaurants line the right. Shop at Zeb's, eat at Horsefeathers and well...look at this past blog.

And if you feel like driving even further north from Conway, explore Jackson, NH where its beauty can entertain all day. Got kids? Treat them to Story Land - get there EARLY though and get on all the rides without lines!

And lastly, try out Ossippee for its Lake and the Pizza Barn!

If you let me know what interests you and how far you are willing to drive, write back and I can detail some specifics for you. Have a great vacation!

Kimberly