After our stay in Boston, the ocean was calling. We picked up a rental car and headed towards the famous holiday getaway of Cape Cod. We swapped skyrises for sea, and after settling into our first cottage of the trip, we headed straight to the beach. We saw giant horseshoe crabs – so many horseshoe crabs! – and countless birds like northern harrier and willet. After all these years and landscapes, I’m still happiest by the ocean.
From our cottage in Chatham we explored Cape Cod over the next couple of days. We visited the artist haven of Providencetown, the John F. Kennedy Museum in Hyannis, and the beaches of the peninsula. The atmosphere across the Cape is relaxed and at a much slower pace than the city, providing perfect respite for some reading and relaxing.
But best of all, we were able to explore the marine life of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, where I soon made friends with John, our friendly guide who taught me how to identify jaegers and petrels, and told me about his research on fin whales. Soon I spotted a breaching humpback whale in the distance, and this was only the first of several whales we’d see during the trip. We saw them breaching and bubble-netting, both behaviours I’d never seen in the wild before and it’ll be a long time before I forget this absolute privilege of an experience.
Soon after it was time for us to leave the riches of Cape Cod and start heading inland. We said goodbye to the coast (for now!) and drove toward Wales, MA. On the way we stopped by the New Bedford Whaling Museum. Once dependent on the whaling industry, New Bedford’s economy now largely relies on tourism and fishing, so the museum’s exhibitions focus on the biology and ecology of whales, as well as the town’s whaling past. It was definitely worth a stop, and we marvelled at the giant replicas of wooden whaling ships inside. Most enjoyable, however, were the incredibly biologically accurate paintings dotted around…
Soon after we arrived at our first “cabin in the woods”. The traditional American experience, it had a kayak hiding under the porch and the nearest neighbours felt miles away. Whilst exploring the area, we came across an abandoned drive-in cinema near Sutton. A bit eerie, I spooked when a door shut in the wind and quickly legged it. The nearby Tree House Brewery provided respite for my shot nerves; incredibly hipster, with ridiculous queues and overpriced beers, it provided the perfect spot for my brother and I to geek out. We ordered a selection and headed back to the cabin, where I the views.
Our journey continued to Jamaica. Vermont, alas, not the island. Nestled right on the edge of the Green Mountains, we used it as a base for exploring the region. As we drove across Massachusetts towards Vermont, we stoppped by the gorgeous Bridge of Flowers and one of my new favourite museums: Mass MoCA. The giant complex hosts a multitude of artists and styles, from interactive light displays to painting to upside-down trees.
From here we arrived at our next cabin in the woods, where we really started to see the autumn colours coming out. We went for a walk around the local woods, where mum slipped and fell – needless to say, I heroically helped her back onto her feet whilst my brother wet himself laughing (or at least that’s how I choose to remember it). We enjoyed the fireplace in the cabin, and when exploring a local lake, I spotted my first bald eagle of the trip. I mean, have you really been to The States if you didn’t see one?! We spent the next couple of days exploring more lakes and walks, and the many covered bridges of the state. By covering the bridges to protect the wood, the bridges were estimated to last up to five times longer than uncovered bridges.
Before we knew it, our time in the mountains was running out. We drove the absolutely mind-blowingly stunning Kancamagus Highway towards Mt. Washington. The Highway is considered one of the best places to see the spectacle of the fall foliage, and we were not disappointed. The reds, oranges and yellows made it feel like the forests were on fire. If you are ever in the area during this time of year, this is the one thing you cannot miss.
From the Highway, we continued our journey to Mt. Washington. One of the highest peaks in the United States, it is known for its unpredictable weather and somewhat precarious drive up. With no road guards or anything stopping you tumbling down the extremely steep cliffs, it is not a drive for the faint-hearted. The views, however, are spectacular.
After our adrenaline kicks at Mt. Washington, it was time to head back towards the coast. Winding our way through the Maine countryside, we eventually arrived in Rockland. A small coastal city, it’s a great place to explore some of the attractions that Maine has to offer. We visited the tiny but lovely Center for Maine Contemporary Art, tucked into lobster, and visited the Audubon Center for Project Puffin. In the afternoon, I headed to Owl’s Head State Park where I saw more bald eagles and enjoyed beaches entirely for myself. Despite the gloomy weather, it was one of my favourite places of the trip. In the evening, we headed to the breakwater to see the sunset.
On the advice of an ornithologist at the Audubon offices the day before, we set off to Hog Island, a camp run by Audubon. It’s a gorgeous site with woodland, coastal habitat, meadow and small, rocky islands perfect for breeding seabirds. We enjoyed a long walk through the forest when all of a sudden we heard the loudest sound – a huge spruce had given way to the wind and crashed between us. Covered in splinters and bits of wood, we called out to each other and – thankfully – we were all OK. Turns out that if a tree falls in a forest and there is someone to hear it, it makes a proper racket.
That evening we drove to Portland, Maine, where we’d booked an AirBnB. We have been using AirBnBs for our trips for years now, and it is very rare that we are let down by false advertising. This particular place, however, sent chills down our spines. When we arrived, the front door was unlocked and we let ourselves in to what looked like a neglected drug den from the 80s. I always check all the doors when we arrive in an AirBnB, to make sure I know where the exits are, and when I opened one door leading to an attic, I asked Tim to have a look. When he opened it, all that was in the room was a chair with some rope lying around the feet, and wrenches and plastic sheeting. Maybe I watch too many crime series, but that was my cue to get the hell out of there.
We quickly grabbed our bags and continued driving south, heading for the next place where we could get a hotel. Soon we checked into a perfectly normal, creepy-attic-free hotel in the town of Kennebunkport. A few drinks later our nerves were more settled, and the next morning we explored the rest of the town. Then it was time to head off to our final stop of the trip: Bedford. Just outside of Boston, this is where we’d spend the last couple of nights before flying home.
It was also time for an event we’d been planned before starting our trip: meeting the Frasers. In The Netherlands, we look after the graves of two fallen soldiers from WWII, buried at Margraten Military Cemetary. One of them, Raymond Fraser, hailed from Nashua, NH. As we were passing by Nashua, we figured we’d see if we could find any living relatives of Raymond’s. A Facebook post and few hours later, my phone lit up with dozens of messages, and before long we had found a second cousin who was still in Nashua. She kindly set up a family reunion of sorts, and before we knew it we were driving to Nashua to meet Ray’s extended family. Meeting his relatives, from cousins to nephews and nieces, was a true honour and really brought home the sacrifice he made so many decades ago. We had a great time getting to know everyone and I’m sure we’ll all stay in touch.
After a great morning we headed for a bit more history at Minute Man National Historic Park. Here, we explored the historic site where the opening battle of the American Revolution took place.
And then it really was time to pack our bags. On our final day we dropped into Salem, famous for the part it played during the witch-hunts in the 1600s, especially the Salem Witch Trials between 1692 and ’93. Although undoubtedly a fascinating place, it was overrun with tourists and really garish “spooky” tours and guides, so we quickly left again and headed to the airport. One final stop at a local beach, and that was it.
Three weeks flew by, filled with colours and food, music and history. New England is a gorgeous part of the States, and visiting it during the autumn meant it was quieter and more relaxing than it might be during summer. There is so much we didn’t see; Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, the northern shores of Maine, and more, that we may well have to return one day.
Faye Vogely 