Lonely
Planet Road Trip: New England, by Kim Grant
This guidebook to the six states
that make up New England is the fourth (Napa
& Sonoma Wine Country, California
Highway 1, Route 66)
that we have reviewed in the Road Trip series published by Lonely
Planet. New England by Kim Grant is another example of
great things coming in small packages. The high-quality binding
and sturdy, tear-resistant paper provides the perfect vessel
for sharing the tips and suggestions that Grant uncovers in
her research of this area.
Like in the other books in
this series, this one provides a range of possible itineraries
from one to two days ("playing hooky") to a full
week ("the great escape"). Because of the relatively
small trip distances characteristic of this region, the book
is organized to encourage a more detailed exploration of the
area. This focused attention to detail yields such fascinating
tidbits as the location of the "most perfectly sited
farm in the world" (near Canterbury in Connecticut) and
a high-tide visit to the Thunder Hole in Acadia National Park
in Maine. Other notable finds include the Bermudan fish chowder
served at the Spotted Cow in Waitsfield, Vermont, and the
ultra hip Zinc eatery in Lenox in the Berkshires of Massachusetts.
New England is synonymous with
brilliant displays of fall foliage, and the author identifies
a number of byways ideal for viewing this annual change of
color. She also includes plenty of tips and suggestions for
visiting New England in the off-season and provides a good
range in lodging and food choices for each section of this
six-state region. The book includes nine fold-out maps that
show the location of all the eateries and attractions described
in the text. This innovative guide book easily fits in the
smallest of glove boxes but still packs in a remarkable amount
of useful information. The best part? The author's sense of
humor bubbles to the top of nearly every description and route
discussion. Read it to see what I mean, and let it enhance
your next New England road trip.
Mark
10/3/04
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