When I think of Christmas time in New England, I think of twinkling lights, snow-covered trees lining the streets, colonial homes with candles in the window, and the smell of fresh-baked cookies. I think of people gathering in the town square, sleigh rides, carolers, and sounds of children laughing. It is a magical time of year and one I would love to share with you. Here are eight amazing things to do in New England at Christmas time.
Nantucket Christmas Stroll
Photo courtesy of Christmas Stroll 
Photo courtesy of Christmas Stroll
What initially began as a way to keep the islanders from escaping to the mainland of Cape Cod to shop, local merchants kept their shops open late the first Friday night of December. Shopkeepers provided hot drinks, wine, and cookies as shoppers perused through the local shops. As the years went on, the event grew and has become an internationally-renowned holiday event.
Nantucket’s Christmas Stroll is held the first weekend in December. Hundreds of decorated trees line the downtown streets while carolers gather to sing Christmas carols. There is cookie decorating, an ugly sweater contest, live entertainment, Santa visits, and more. As mentioned, this is a well-attended event, so reservations for lodging should be made well in advance. For more information, go to Christmas Stroll.
Kennebunk Christmas Prelude
Photo courtesy of Kennebunkport news 
Photo courtesy of Kennebunkport news
Most know of Kennebunkport, Maine, as the summer home of the Bush Family, but did you know for 40 years, it has been home to the annual Christmas Prelude. The town transforms into a winter wonderland. It will remind you of Christmas pasts. This popular event was once featured on HGTV as the number 2 Christmas town in America. It draws people from all around the world.
This year the prelude is December 2nd-December 12th. It includes historic home tours, caroling, shopping, craft fairs, sleigh rides, concerts, food and drink, boat rides, wreath making, trolley rides, and more. This event is so popular; visitors are encouraged to book their lodging for the following year before leaving for home. You can find more information here.
Annual Holiday Inn to Inn Cookie and Candy Tour
We leave the great state of Maine and head to New Hampshire for the 24th annual Holiday Inn to Inn Cookie and Candy Tour. This self-guided tour is December 11th and 12th from 11-3 each day. From Jackson to Eaton, New Hampshire, nine inns are decked out in their holiday best, serving delicious holiday cookies and candies. Go from inn to inn sampling treats, both savory and sweet. Each visitor will receive a recipe card for the treats featured in a holiday cookbook to take home. Stay at one of the nine inns and collect an ornament for your tree. Go to their website for more information and to check availability for this year’s tour.
Zoo Lights
Photo courtesy of Zoo Lights 
Photo courtesy of Zoo Lights
Every year the Stone Zoo in Stoneham, MA, is transformed by thousands of twinkling lights. Explore the zoo, where you will see foxes, black bears, and even a reindeer or two. Each night, gather around the fire, make some s’mores, take a ride on the carousel, and visit with old St. Nick. On certain nights of the week, be entertained by local singer Renee Lamy or swing by and say hi to Mrs. Claus. Adults can visit Lord Hobo Holiday Beer Garden for drinks, games and get their picture taken with a real working sleigh on Thursday nights.
How does hot cocoa with a reindeer sound? Experience an up-close encounter with a reindeer and enjoy a hot chocolate bar with all the fixings and a photo opp with these magical creatures.
This event runs Nov. 19 – Jan. 9, 5:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Christmas by Candlelight-Old Sturbridge Village
Photo courtesy of Sturbridge Village 
Photo courtesy of Sturbridge Village
Old Sturbridge Village is an outdoor living history museum depicting life in rural New England in the 19th century. Starting the first weekend in December, go back time and experience New England holiday traditions with sleigh rides, live entertainment, storytelling, festive foods, a bonfire, and more. Stroll around the village and see firsthand how Christmas was celebrated in the 19th century. Make sure you don’t miss the nightly tree lighting or the fantastic gingerbread house contest. I highly recommend going to visit Mrs. Claus for one of her homemade cookies.
Additional information, including times and ticket prices, can be found here.
Fun Fact: Did you know that in 1659, Christmas was officially banned in Massachusetts? The ban was lifted in 1850, but New Englanders did not celebrate it until it became a federal holiday in 1870.
Christmas at the Newport Mansions
Courtesy of Newport News 
Courtesy of Newport News 
Courtesy of Newport News
What I love about living in New England is one minute you can be celebrating the holidays in 19th-century fashion and the next, touring these beautiful mansions living the life of Jackie Kennedy and the Vanderbilts. Experience the beauty of The Breakers, The Elms, and Marble House–three National Historic Landmarks. Here you will find Christmas at its finest. The garland is hung high above the mantles, floor-to-ceiling trees in many of the rooms, along with hundreds of poinsettias lining the staircases. Explore the beautiful dining rooms, where nothing but the best china is laid out for holiday dinners. To purchase tickets or to learn more, go to Christmas at the Newport Mansions.
Holiday Pops
The Boston Pops is part of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and is famously known for the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular on the 4th of July and its Holiday concerts. The holiday season kicks off on December 3rd, with numerous shows throughout the month. I have enjoyed attending a Holiday Pops performance, and it is not to be missed.
Edaville Railroad- Christmas Festival of Lights
Edaville Railroad was THE place to go at Christmas time when I was a kid. I remember heading down to Carver, MA, riding the Edaville railroad to see all the Christmas lights. Forty years later, Edaville is still there and better than ever. Experience magical light displays, stroll through Thomas Land (remember Thomas the Tank Engine?), take a ride to the land of Soder to see the beautiful Christmas lights. Of course, there is plenty of hot cocoa, rides and attractions, and the big man himself, Jolly Old St. Nick. Head over to Edaville’s website for more information.
As you can see, New England has a lot to offer this holiday season. So, if you happen to be in the area, make sure to attend one of these fantastic events. I know I plan to.
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Whether we like it or not, winter is upon us. Two weekends ago, it was 70 degrees in Massachusetts, but then the following weekend, we received a couple of inches of snow. Mother Nature reminded us that if we plan on taking our running or walking outdoors this winter, we need to be prepared.
Don’t think you can run or walk outside in the cold? Think again. With the proper attire and these eight tips, we can all safely run (or walk) in the cold.
Tip 1 – Track the Weather
I am a planner and need to make sure all my workouts, whether it be a run, walk, or a strength training session, be written in my planner. When running in the winter, I look at the forecast for the week and plan accordingly. If the forecast shows a warm-up at noontime, I will arrange my day so that I am running at noon. Does the weather call for a Nor’easter? I may switch up my days and do a workout in my home, safe from the driving wind and precipitation.
Tip 2 – Dress for Success
The rule of thumb, dress as it were 20 degrees warmer outside. Once you start going, your body will warm up pretty quickly. You want to protect yourself, but you don’t want to overheat either. Once I warm up, I often take off my gloves and hat. Also, consider lined running pants for those temps under 40 degrees. These running pants happen to be my favorite.
TIP 3- Proper Running Shoes
You’ll need shoes that offer more traction and support. Your cold-weather running shoes should have outsoles with grippy lugs. If your shoes do not have grippy lugs, you can order these running traction cleats to slip over your shoes as pictured above.
Tip 4- Warm-Up in the House
It is essential to do some static stretches before heading out. It would be best if you were warming up your muscles before any workout. It helps prevent injuries. If your muscles are warm and limber, the cold will not be such a shock, and your run or walk will feel more comfortable to start.
Tip-5 Shower Immediately
Do not, I repeat, do not stay in your cold, sweaty clothes. You will catch a chill. Washing the sweat off the body is vital for hygiene, and massaging your muscles with the water from the shower can help keep lactic acid from getting trapped in sore muscles.
Tip 6- Treat Yourself
Reward yourself for all your hard work. It is not easy to get out there in the cold. Perhaps treat yourself to a nice latte or hot chocolate after your run. Perhaps at the end of a long training cycle, get a massage or pedicure. Having something to look forward to is a great motivator.
Tip 7-Run with a friend
Make plans to run or walk with a friend. If we have someone counting on us, we are more apt to get out the door.
Tip 8- Have a goal
Another great motivator is to have a goal. Goals keep us driven and focused on the result. Think of how good we feel when we reach our goals. This is what keeps me motivated all winter long.
A couple of years ago, if you would have asked if a winter destination was on my bucket list, I would have thought you were crazy. I am not a fan of cold temperatures, nor do we ski, snowboard, or enjoy playing in the snow. However, a couple of friends went to Wyoming with Adventures by Disney during the winter, and it looked amazing. The scenery was breathtaking. There were other things to do besides skiing and snowboarding. With the right clothes, we could brave it! It is not like the snow is foreign to us. We are New Englanders! Now that we have decided to go, the question became when. I was hoping for the week between Christmas and the New Year. Well, then 2020 became a horror movie, and that got put on hold. We have quite a few things scheduled for 2021, so it looks like it maybe 2022 before we go. In the meantime, here is destination number 8 of the Travel Bucket List Series- Winter in Wyoming.
How to get there? – From Boston, we will fly into Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Jackson Hole is made up of Grand Teton National Park and the town of Jackson. The majority of our time will be spent in Jackson Hole, but the first stop, Yellowstone National Park.
Yellowstone National Park
An hour away, Yellowstone is part of the National Parks system and was the first National Park in the United States. Yellowstone is made up of 3,500 square miles and spreads into three states, Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana. It has enormous canyons, forests, alpine rivers and geysers, the most famous of all, Old Faithful. It is home to plenty of wildlife, such as bears, coyotes, wolves, bison, elk, antelope, and more. Here are a few fun facts about Yellowstone.
- It is the size of Rhode Island and Delaware combined.
- It has more than half the world’s geysers (Over 500).
- There are 67 species of mammals in Yellowstone.
- There are 290 waterfalls.
- It has roughly 1,000-3,000 earthquakes a year.
We will stay at the Mammoth Hot Springs and Cabins for the first few nights of our trip. The hotel underwent an extensive renovation in 2019. It consists of premium rooms, suites, and cabins. The hotel has a restaurant, a bar, and a deli.
As I mentioned above, we do not go skiing or snowboarding. So what exactly is there for us to do in Yellowstone in the winter? I found several activities.
Old Faithful Winter Day Tour- with Snowshoeing
From the hotel, board a snow coach and make your way toward the magnificent geyser. Old Faithful was the first geyser in the park to be named back in 1870. It is highly predictable and erupts every 44 mins to two hours since 2000. It is a must-see. Along the way, the coach stops for wildlife viewing and at such sights like the Fountain Paint Pots. Once at Old Faithful, you have a couple of hours to explore and take in the magnificent wonder. There are several ways to explore the basin. You may walk or grab a pair of cross country skis or snowshoes and have some fun. I am excited to snowshoe.
Norris Geyser Basin
Norris Geyser Basin is the hottest, oldest, and most dynamic of Yellowstone’s thermal areas. Very few visit this area in the winter, and it is touted as one of Yellowstone’s best-kept secrets. The only way to see this area in the winter is by snowmobiles or snow coach. The trees are covered in snow, the snow is deep, and from everything I read, it is all so very magical. There are several things to see here, such as
- Steamboat Geyser: The world’s tallest active geyser, In the Back Basin, you’ll find the world’s tallest active geyser. Eruptions are rare and unpredictable, so I hope we time it just right.
- Porcelain Basin: This is home to Ledge Geyser, which erupts at an angle, and the ever steaming Black Growler Vent.
- Back Basin: a forested version of the Porcelain Basin and home to the Steamboat Geyser.
Winter Wildlife Tour
As a family of animal lovers, how could we not put this tour on our list? This tour explores the Northern Range, where there are wide open grassy valleys that, in the winter, are covered with less snow than other locations in the park, making it a bit easier to get to that food source. It is home to bison, elk, coyote, wolves, eagles, bighorn, and many more.
Another must go for me while in Yellowstone is a photography tour. Using a handpicked itinerary, it takes you through Yellowstone and shows you how to capture the best photographs.
Jackson Hole
After a few action-packed days, it will be time to head back to Jackson Hole. We plan to stay at The Wort Hotel. The Wort Hotel is Jackson Hole’s finest boutique hotel. It has 55 rooms, including five sophisticated western-themed suites.
Located in the center of town, the hotel is on the list of National Registry of Historic Places. It is within walking distance of numerous shops and bars.
Things to do in Jackson Hole
Oh, what to do first? With the Grand Teton National Park and the Snake River right there, the outdoor activities are endless.
Sunset Sleigh Ride– Take a sleigh ride along the Snake River as the sun sets over the Teton Mountains. The ride includes a stop at a Tipi Camp where a roaring fire and appetizers and drinks are served.
Sleigh Ride through the National Elk Refuge– thousands of elk migrate to the refuge each year, and the sleigh ride gives plenty of opportunities to see these animals up close and personal.
Snow King Mountain– Known as the in-town playground for adults and kids alike, this mountain resort offers skiing, tubing, snowboarding, and its winter cowboy coaster. There is something to do for everyone.
Jackson Hole Playhouse – The dinner shows here are not to be missed. I hear the food and entertainment are excellent.
Iditarod-Style Dog Sled Excursion– When we were in the Yukon, we experienced summer dog sledding. Since then, I have wanted to try it in the winter. This is a must-do for my family and me.
Granite Hot Springs– Relax in the steaming, rejuvenating waters of the Granite Hot Springs. Take in the beautiful Gros Ventre Mountains and the towering pines that surround you as you float, swim, and soak in these natural hot springs.
Snowshoeing at Grand Teton National Park– The park offers a two-hour guided snowshoe hike that meets at Taggart Lake Trailhead. Listen as a range talks about winter ecology and snow science.
After seeing all that Wyoming has to offer in the winter, I know we will be inspired to come back in the summer. I guess that means the travel bucket list continues to grow. Not a bad thing, right?
Are you interested in my other bucket list trips? Check them out and leave a comment as to which one you would like to experience first.
