Lonely Planet Road Trip: New England, by Kim Grant
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
