“Here in New England, the character is strong and unshakable. ”
Crisp sea breeze, windy roads, busy cities, mountains and lighthouses. Being from the Florida flat land, my trip to New England was something I had never experienced before. The year was 2008 and I had just travelled to Seattle for a yearbook conference. In fact, this was my first time flying by myself because I had to go from Seattle straight to Boston to meet up with my family. I had been to Boston before when I was younger, but didn't remember much. This time though, my family was sure to make this a memorable trip.
We started in Boston, right in the heart of the city. A stroll through Boston Common proved to be a great start to my mom and I's touristy day. Boston Common is like the Central Park of Boston. It spans a whopping 50 acres and includes luscious green grass and a small swan lake. The famous Freedom Trail follows around the park, as do various food and retail vendors. While making your way through Boston Common, be sure to stop by Cheers on the Northeastern side. My mom and I were anxious to see the famous bar where everyone knows your name.
The Freedom Trail is a great way to hit all the historical sites and get a workout in all at the same time. The City has placed red brick lines on the sidewalks that span a 2.5 mile distance and covers famous places such as Paul Revere's House and grave, Bunker Hill and Faneuil Hall. There's something truly awe-inspiring by passing through so much history. The graves of Benjamin Franklin and Paul Revere are not just graves, but where this country began.
Moving east from Boston Common is Newbury Street for all the shoppers and fashionistas out there. Newbury St. houses stores like Cole Haan, Longchamp, and Ralph Lauren... think Rodeo Drive of Boston. If you're looking to blow some cash on things you can buy anywhere, then look no further.
My favorite thing to do in any big city is ride the subway. So we rode the Boston trains over to Fenway Park. I'm not much of a baseball fan, but my brother more than makes up for my lack of passion. He is a huge Red Sox fan and has been to multiple games at Fenway Park and even camped outside for Opening Day.
Boston was great and one of the few major cities I can see myself living in someday. But our adventure in this historic town was over in just a few short days and we were on our way up the coast. My family rented a car to drive up New England from Boston to the top of Maine. So we set out in the four door rental Kia and looked for A1A.
My parents were most excited to go whale watching in Glouster, MA. To be honest, I didn't have a feeling for or against it. But as soon as we saw the first whale of the morning, I felt all sorts of feelings. It was truly majestic to see such large, friendly animals in the wild, no trainer or enclosed pool to keep them tame. These were humpback whales in their most natural and beautiful form. At one point, a whale came directly under the boat. Another spewed its spout water all over us. To this day, whale watching is one of those experiences I will take to the grave with me and hope I can do again.
Moving from Massachusetts we set up to pass through New Hampshire and Vermont. During this journey we got stuck in stand-still traffic right on the beaches in New Hampshire. We even got in an accident in the rental car, so that made for an interesting experience.
However, I still remember the beaches and the people walking up and down A1A. The crisp, salty air still made my hair curl and the bright sun made my skin tan. People had coolers and umbrellas and little kids sported their floaties. I felt like I was at the beaches back home like Daytona or New Smyrna. But I wasn't. I was hundreds of miles away with many states and beaches between.
After hours of traffic in New Hampshire, we finally moved a little farther up the coast, where we got away from the actual beaches and discovered the true New England coast, filled with rocks and lighthouses.
We made it to Maine after driving for hours and stopping every chance we got for photo ops. Maine is filled with amazing things, most notably Lobster. We drove to Bar Harbor, the most famous city in Maine known for cultivating and cooking the best crustaceans. To this day I regret being such a picky eater when I was a kid because I would've loved to try some of that fresh Maine lobster. Instead, I ate meals I could've gotten anywhere in the world.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, life is too short not to try new things.
Lobsters aren't the only thing that make Maine special. The endless lighthouses give the state its character. While in Maine, we saw countless lighthouses and I climbed to the top of a few of them. It's amazing that these structures are so essential to fishermen and maritime activities, yet also serve as great tourist spots. The best touristy lighthouse we visited was none other than the lighthouse that Forrest Gump ran to during his cross country run. Look familiar?
The magnificence of New England is something that can't be put into words. Just look at the expansive, crystal blue water and the green, lush mountains. The air is so crisp and clean, you can see it through the lens of a camera. The sky's always blue with a forgiving sun that doesn't beat down on you like it does in the South. The rocks and cliffs make it seem like you're in a whole different country.
As you can see, the coast of Maine (and all of New England) is something you must see to believe. It's beauty exceeds anything from a picture book. Don't just take my word (or pictures) for it. Get out there and travel up the East Coast and see something spectacular. Make an adventure by climbing the rocks off shore or see the grandor of humpback whales in their natural habitat. Eat the best lobster in the world, caught just feet away from where you're sitting. Take a stroll through history and see how America got its freedom. Smell the salty Atlantic breeze.
