New England

As a mother and travel writer, few phrases I think spawn vacation fantasies more than “family-friendly Relais & Châteaux.”The Inn at Hastings Park celebrates the richness of Lexington history and a drive-worthy restaurant for the greater Boston area. Outfitted by Vineyard Vines.Since 2015, the Boston area now has its own gourmet outpost at the ...

The best family ski resorts in Colorado? Vermont? California? Utah? What are the best ski resorts for beginners? We know, and we’ll tell you. It’s time to start planning a ski vacation! Where should you go? Let me help you. I’m the mom of a skiing family. My husband is an avid skier, and he has shared his love of skiing ...

 For a fantasy family weekend with nothing but walks on the beach, board games, spa time, and lobster at every meal.  When I think back of all of the places we have explored in New England, I have a very deep soft spot for the Inn by the Sea, just south of Portland, Maine in an area called Cape ...

Although there are many bucolic areas in New England, only the Berkshires can boast spectacular hikes, revered art collections, internationally acclaimed performances, foodie restaurants, and historic architecture to enjoy all in one day. Where are the Berkshires and why visit them? The Berkshires is the collective term for the Western-most area of Massachusetts and is equidistant to New York and ...

Every resort has a giant chess board—yawn. What about hungry human hippos? Or life-size foosball?  Smugglers Notch Resort is a true four season vacation like no other in New England. It’s not easy offering a truly year-round destination for families in New England. We have something called mud season. But Smugglers Notch has it in the bag. Meriden, the Luxe Recess ...

What do you do for the ultimate Red Sox fan in your family? Gather your 24 closest friends or family and book the Jim Beam Dugout Suite that just opened at Fenway Park and book the Fenway Suite at Hotel Commonwealth.  The intimate view from your own dugout at Fenway Park. The Jim Beam Dugout Suite: VIP Fenway Park How would ...

Thinking of the Newport mansions? Newport is, in fact, as fantastic for families as it is for singles, couples, and grandmothers if you know where to go. Are The Newport Rhode Island Mansions for Kids? Did you cry when Downtown Abbey concluded, too? One of my passions has always been Gilded Age architecture (hence my obsession with the Berkshires). These summer cottages ...

Cape Cod's only Five-Star Resort. My web diet gives me a daily dose of luxury hotel websites and their social media. There is a pretty predictable language and look to how high-end properties attempt to lure well-heeled guests. The Wequassett in Cape Cod has a slogan, “You’ve arrived.”I admit I harrumphed just little when I read it. All of my ...

There's a reason why MASS MoCA should be on your family's bucket list. MASS MoCA is not your typical museum.The Berkshires offers a scenic New England weekend like no other; the concentration of cultural experiences amidst breathtaking scenery is the reason why I have been a regular to this area for over thirty years.The "Brooklynization" of the Berkshires has ...

The Cranwell Resort in Lenox, Massachusetts is an ideal family base for adventures in an area mostly visited by parents with kids away at summer camp, empty nesters and retirees. There are about two dozen historic Berkshire cottages remaining from the Gilded Age—many of those have been converted for lodging purposes. Cranwell is the most historic and upscale of these properties that also welcomes ...

The Harborview Nantucket is a fantastic hybrid of renting one of the most beautifully designed Nantucket cottages you can while enjoying a boutique hotel. Offering multiple on-site concierge services to its few pampered guests, it's Scout Hotel's premiere Nantucket property.Nantucket is a unique market for accommodations for families. There are several bed-and-breakfasts and smaller inns not welcoming families, and is, ironically one ...

Luxury Family Travel to Boston    Ritz Kids at the Ritz Carlton Boston Common The Ritz-Carlton Boston Common serves business travelers every comfort, but it also offers an excellent location and the Ritz-Carlton commitment to welcoming guests of all sizes. After arriving at the hotel for a family weekend, my kids received an elaborate Ritz Kids check-in experience that is more aptly ...

It was after a first-rate dinner with newly made friends that I found myself on an expansive lawn next to a turtle pond drinking Veuve Cliquot and watching our preschoolers run through sprinklers wielding croquet mallets. They were getting soaked, and we didn’t care, as long as they weren’t swinging at someone’s head. We were parents on vacation enjoying ...

The Mandarin Oriental Boston opened in 2010 with the vision of being one of most elite and convenient addresses for residents and tourists alike. There's something about the hushed and quiet feeling of any Mandarin Oriental lobby I have visited that make even crying babies settle down. With a part spa and part library vibe, serenity is serious ...

The Chatham Bars Inn Spa (check your dates for rates) is really a mini-resort within a resort, one created to provide the ultimate in relaxation, privacy, and luxury on Cape Cod. In fact, it is the best resort spa on the Cape, as well as one of the few Leading Spas in North America.The Chatham Bars Inn is a beautifully restored ...

If you live in New England, particularly the Boston area, one of the perks some people enjoy is a second home on Cape Cod, or at least friends who have great homes on Cape Cod. Yet what if your Rolodex fails you, and you still long for your own house next to one of the best beaches on ...

Nantucket with kids I sat in the back of a vintage fire truck from the 1930’s watching my son and other children beaming with mouths open like golden retriever puppies. We drove down the main cobblestone streets and by the beaches and exclusive Cliff Road area of Nantucket Island. The kids were determined to pull a rope that rang the truck's rusted ...

A world without whales, lighthouses, anchors, and lobsters on clothing is not New England. New Englanders are enamored with their rustic beach culture that often pervades onto their wardrobes. Old school ways have a tight rein on Cape Cod. Sometimes the simplest private beach clubs consisting of little wooden storage huts and a burger stand are the most ...

Since I am not a skier, I had never ventured to Stowe, Vermont, the skiing capital of New England, until our visit to Stowe Mountain Lodge. Vermont, however, offers an exceptional experience in many things: mountain scenery, winter sports, and ice cream. Surely at least one of those appeals to you—I’m partial to the first and last in that ...

One Spring evening in 1865, a stagecoach passing through Whitefield, NH flipped over in a treacherous storm. The two passengers walked to a farm owned by Mary and William Dodge and were welcomed to spend the night. When the passengers awoke in the morning to spectacular mountain views and a delicious pancake breakfast, they pleaded with the Dodges ...

The Omni Mount Washington Resort is one of the most quintessential New England resorts to experience a historic grand hotel. The Omni Mount Washington is part of the Bretton Woods ski complex that also includes a lodge and a more intimate inn.The Omni Mount Washington ResortThe resort's white building and red roof contrast from its mountain setting, making a lasting impression when you first see ...

If you haven't spent anytime in downtown Boston in recent years, you have yet to experience one of America's greatest waterfront cities. The Boston Harbor Hotel has dominated this location in five-star glory since 1987 and can serve as your home base for a fantastic family vacation. I had called ahead and asked, "Do you have child-sized robes? "Yes, ma'am; we ...