While man-made bridges, castles and gardens can be beautiful, there’s nothing quite like marveling at nature. From lush forests and flowing waterfalls to hike-worthy mountains and glimmering lakes, you will find breathtaking natural wonders in our corner of the country. Here are our picks for 10 of the most beautiful places in the Northeast.
Note: Due to the ever-changing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, please see official websites before visiting to check for restrictions or closures.
Enders State Forest in Granby, Conn. covers 1,500 acres of woodlands and is home to Enders Falls. Fed by Enders Brook, the falls feature cascades, horsetails, plunges and slides — the tallest of which features a 30-foot drop. Visiting Enders State Forest anytime between April and November will result in gorgeous views.
Located in Wellfleet, Mass., this 1.2-mile trail takes visitors through a striking oak and pine forest that looks like it could be straight out of a movie. A boardwalk leads through wetter areas of the Atlantic White Cedar Swamp, where you’ll find a lush wonderland.
“Bartholomew’s Cobble, MA” by angela n. is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Explore five miles of trails while viewing the fields, forests and rocky knolls of Bartholomew’s Cobble in Sheffield, Mass. With woodland flowers blooming in the spring and colorful foliage in the fall, this spot is truly one of the most beautiful places in the Northeast. It also has the greatest diversity of fern species in North America and one of the biggest Cottonwood trees in the state.
New Hampshire
“Lake Winnipesaukee from Mount Major, New Hampshire” by rjshade is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Located toward the center of the state, the Lakes Region is home to the Squam Lakes and the largest lake in New Hampshire, Lake Winnipesaukee. Make the surrounding White Mountains a picturesque backdrop or explore the hiking trails around the Lakes Region area for some breathtaking views of the water from up above.
“Atop Mt Monadnock” by Dipanjan Nath is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Located in southern New Hampshire, this 3,165-foot tall mount is surrounded by Monadnock State Park’s thousands of acres of lush forest. The area is great for camping, hiking and photographing foliage, rock structures and – once you reach a high enough spot – amazing panoramic views.
Fed by the Passaic River, the Great Falls are a 77-foot high waterway located in Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park. Surrounded by protected land, the falls are a sight to behold, being one of the largest waterfalls in the entire U.S.
“Ramapo Reservation” by Billtacular is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Wander the trails of the Ramapo Valley County Reservation, located in Mahwah, N.J., to discover a pond, reservoir, waterfall and other scenic views. This 4,000-acre park also allows access to the Ramapo River for canoe, kayak and raft owners.
New York
“Lake Placid New York ~ Sunset over Saranac River” by Onasill ~ Bill is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
If you are planning a trip to upstate New York, you can’t miss the Adirondack Mountains and Adirondack Park. The area covers roughly 5,000 square miles, including some incredibly scenic spots, like Mount Arab, Mount Haystack, Kane Mountain, Hanging Spear Falls, Lake Placid and so much more. The Adirondacks are perfect for hiking, bird watching, nature photography and paddling across the area’s 3,000 lakes and ponds.
“Kaaterskill Falls” by Garrett Ziegler is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
You’ll find many of the most beautiful places in the Northeast in the Catskills, including the Catskills Scenic Trail, Kaaterskill Falls and Panther Mountain Trail. The latter features eight scenic lookout spots and five ledges, including the Giant Ledge, which boasts amazing views.
Located off the coast of Rhode Island, Block Island features gorgeous beaches and the Mohegan Bluffs. The pale, sandy beach and 200-foot tall bluffs are sights to behold. Make the climb to the top of these clay cliffs for some amazing views of the Atlantic Ocean.
What do you think are the most beautiful places in the Northeast? Tell us in the comments.
What do you think about when you think about your legacy? Do you want to leave something behind for your children and grandchildren? How do you want people to remember you? How can you make a change in the world after you are gone?
Many people, when reflecting upon these questions, decide to leave a portion of their estate to charity. But how do you leave your estate to charity? Here’s our guide on how to leave a charitable bequest.
Choosing a Charity
If you decide to leave your estate to charity, you might have an idea in mind about what charity you should choose. Most people decide to leave money to charities for things that have touched their lives, or the lives of their loved ones. A cancer survivor might donate money toward cancer research, or a first-generation college student might donate money toward a scholarship fund.
Ask yourself what causes you care about, then do some research into the charities that support those causes. Consider the charity’s goals, mission statement and level of financial transparency before you make a choice.
A great resource for researching charities is the website CharityWatch, a watchdog group that determines a charity’s financial efficiency, accountability and fundraising tactics. You don’t want to leave all your money to a charity that might squander it. CharityWatch or other organizations like it can help you find an ethical and well-run charity. You can also consult your state consumer protection office or the Better Business Bureau.
Once you choose your charity, you can also name a back-up charity your bequest should go to if the original charity is no longer operating.
What to Leave Behind
If you plan to leave your entire estate to charity, that’s a very special and generous choice. However, most people will want to split their estate up between a charity and some loved ones. If you are only leaving some of your estate to charity, do not specify a specific dollar amount. It’s generally agreed upon that you should instead specify a percentage of your estate. This way, no matter how large or small your estate winds up being, your beneficiaries will still get the percentage that you planned for them.
Another option is to name a charity as the beneficiary of your life insurance plan, IRA or 401(k). A financial planner can help you update your plan’s beneficiary designation accordingly.
Remember that making a charitable bequest will also reduce the size of your estate – this leaves less money subject to estate taxes.
What assets would you like to leave to the charity? You can of course donate money, but you can also donate property (like real estate or some rare antiques) to the charity of your choice. Depending on the type of charity it is, the donation of property could be even more helpful than a monetary donation.
If you plan on donating property, make sure to contact the charity ahead of time and ask if there are any special arrangements that should be made.
Putting It in Writing
When you have decided on what you want to leave behind and to whom, the most important thing you can do is enlist the help of an estate planning attorney. They can make sure you do everything correctly, and don’t leave any unintentional loopholes behind. Your estate planning attorney will update (or create) your will or trust to include your bequest.
Make sure you get the correct name and address of the charity you plan on donating to. Many charities for similar causes have very similar names, and you don’t want a mix-up.
When making a charitable bequest, you can specify how you would like the money to be used. Donating to an aquarium? Maybe you want the money to go specifically to the jellyfish exhibit. Donating to a hospital? Maybe you want the money to find its way to the children’s wing. If you want to attach such strings to your donation, make sure you put that in writing in your will.
When Your Plans Are Made
After you have made all your plans and put them in writing, you don’t have to keep them to yourself. Contact the charity you plan on donating to and let them know! Many charities have legacy societies for people just like you, who plan to leave a charitable donation in their will.
This can also provide the opportunity to speak directly with the charity about how you want your money to be used, and even why you have chosen to donate in the first place. It’s a great way to get a glimpse at how your gift will impact the charity of your choice.
Feng shui basics can be applied to nearly every room of the home, from living and dining to working spaces.
The ancient Chinese philosophy of feng shui (literally translated to “wind” and “water” – elements associated with health and good fortune) aims to balance the energy, or “chi,” of a space to benefit the lives of those inhabiting it.
Although thousands of years old, feng shui’s core principle of creating harmony through the thoughtful arrangement of items is still valued and used by modern architects and interior designers.
Whether or not you follow the various intricacies of feng shui rules, using your living space in a more efficient way can undoubtedly make you feel more comfortable and productive. Those who organize according to the practice often find it helps create a happier and healthier home.
To feel the benefits of feng shui, there’s no need to completely remodel so that certain things align (or don’t). Rather than breaking out a compass, trying to balance the elements or starting demolition, here are a few feng shui basics you can try in your home.
Doors and Entryways
Start at the place where people and energy enter your home: the front door. Doorways represent opportunities, so they should be well-maintained. Keep your front door clean, with no chipping paint or scuffs. Fixing squeaky hinges and making sure hardware such as the doorknobs, lock and doorbell are working properly improves feng shui and functionality.
Feng shui rules also emphasize the importance of the entryway; it’s the first thing you see when you come home, after all. Your entryway should be well lit and uncluttered. You don’t want to be tripping over things as you’re walking through the door. Too much clutter can make it difficult to think clearly.
Feng shui says that energy could be moving through your home too quickly if the front and back entrances are aligned. A simple fix would be placing a patterned rug at the doorway to help slow the energy. A nice warm rug also helps an entryway feel more inviting.
Let in the Sunshine
The ability to brighten your home with natural light is a sought-after trait — just listen to any one of the many home buying/selling shows on TV. Natural light is free, warm and uplifting. What’s more, not getting enough sunlight can sometimes affect your mood. To let in the most natural light, improve feng shui and your overall mood and health, make sure your windows are clean. Your home’s windows should also be dressed, preferably with soft and clean curtains or drapes.
Bedrooms
Feng shui rules for the bedroom can get a bit lengthy. Here are a few easy changes you can make to bring balance to your sleeping space.
Your bedroom should feel comforting, like your personal oasis. When styling a bedroom, feng shui suggests cool/calm colors. Earth tones and other shades that occur in nature are all great options.
To further encourage positive feelings, hang a piece of art you like across from your bed so that it’s one of the first things you see in the morning.
Try to let natural light in during the day and make sure it’s dark at night. Darkness helps your body produce melatonin, a natural hormone that aids sleep, while sunlight will help you wake up.
Finally – and this might be difficult for some – there should be no TV in the bedroom. A television disrupts the flow of energy in a bedroom and makes resting more difficult. “Its hard surface echoes light and noise,” says Open Spaces Feng Shui. “Its sharp corners reduce the soft feeling in the room.” Additionally, television can be distracting and too much artificial light right before bed can make it harder to fall asleep.
Kitchen
The kitchen is often called the heart of the home, and therefore, an important room for creating good feng shui.
Just like in the bedroom, go with natural colors in the kitchen. Yellow is said to be especially beneficial because it’s associated with good digestion.
Having live plants is another plus. Bringing greenery into the kitchen can be easily achieved in the form of fresh, home-grown herbs (which will help improve your cooking, too!)
Just like for the rest of your home, good lighting and a lack of clutter in the kitchen are some feng shui basics you should stick to. Layering the lighting with a mix of ceiling-mounted and hanging fixtures will help to balance the room’s light.
When it comes to cleaning and minimizing, kitchens can be tough because they often see a lot of traffic. Try not to overcrowd your countertops with kitchen gadgets and appliances. Using smart organization techniques can make it easier.
Trying to follow all the feng shui rules can be difficult; choose what works best for you to make your home an even more enjoyable place to be.
Have you tried feng shui in your home? Tell us about it in the comments.
Buying an electric vehicle may strike you as years away. The truth is there are some appealing EV models out there right now – like the Hyundai Kona Electric.
The battery-powered version of this subcompact crossover SUV offers lively acceleration with 201 horsepower on tap, a lot for a vehicle this size.
More importantly, the EPA estimates the range at 258 miles on a full charge. While the gas-powered model may take you a little further on a fill-up, our experience showed this electric powertrain should get you through a couple of days before topping it off with electrons.
On the road, a low center of gravity and well-tuned suspension make the Kona Electric enjoyable to drive even on a curvy stretch of asphalt. Adjustable regenerative braking helps recharge the battery pack while driving and brings the vehicle to a stop simply by lifting your foot off the accelerator.
With all those details, the Hyundai Kona Electric could easily introduce EVs to a wider audience today.
Starting Price: $33,550
MPGe (city/highway): 134 city / 106 highway
Safety: N/A
If the term SUV conjures images of rugged, four-wheel-drive models on backcountry trails, the restyled Kia Telluride will surprise you.
The mechanical bits of this sophisticated midsize crossover include a 291-horsepower, 3.8-liter V-6 that delivers strong acceleration. Front-wheel drive is standard, while all-wheel drive is available as an option.
Towing capacity of 5,500 pounds and a nicely tuned suspension make for an excellent road-trip companion.
Inside, the spacious eight-passenger cabin is done up in high-quality materials. Top trim levels, like the SX model we drove, could hold their own against luxury crossovers costing thousands more.
Seats offer adult-size comfort, even in the third row. Folding those rear seats down gets you a healthy 87 cubic feet of cargo room.
Add an impressive list of high-tech features and options and the Kia Telluride will change your mind about what an SUV can be.
Starting Price: $35,690
MPG (AWD): 18 city / 24 highway
Safety: N/A
Looking for a new ride? Check out more car reviews at AAA.com/TestDrive.
The future of self-driving cars is a hot topic in the automotive industry, and rightfully so. In theory, unmanned vehicles have the ability to revolutionize transportation.
A widespread use of autonomous vehicles could have dramatic societal effects including the reduction of traffic fatalities (94% of which are caused by human error, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), a dramatic improvement in traffic flow and providing mobility to the elderly and disabled.
Although the public has yet to fully embrace the idea of riding in a car without a human driver, technology companies and car manufacturers have been focused on getting these vehicles on the road. But where are we today and what does the future of autonomous vehicles hold?
Courtesy of Waymo
Levels of Autonomy
To understand where self-driving car technology stands now and where it may get to in the future, we first need to establish what exactly makes a car autonomous. As defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers and adopted by the U.S. Department of Transportation, there are six levels of driving automation ranging from 0 (fully manual) to 5 (fully autonomous).
Level 0 (No Driving Automation)
These cars are manually controlled without any automation.
Level 1 (Driver Assistance)
The lowest level of automation is defined as a vehicle that features at least one driver-assistance system. An example of this is cruise control, which keeps a safe distance between you and the car ahead of you by using radars and/or cameras. A feature like this falls under the driver assistance umbrella and not automation because it still requires a human to control other aspects of driving, such as steering.
Level 2 (Partial Driving Automation)
Level 2 consists of a vehicle that has combined automated functions, such as steering and acceleration. A common example is autopilot, which controls the speed of the car and can also detect lane markings to keep the car in the proper lane. This level still requires a driver that monitors the environment at all times.
Level 3 (Conditional Driving Automation)
The jump to level 3 is when we start to get to vehicles that are truly automated – meaning they can essentially make their own decisions. Level 3 cars have what are known as environmental detection capabilities. They take in information through a system of cameras and radars and can then perform most driving tasks. Human drivers are still required and must be ready to take control of the car.
Level 4 (High Driving Automation)
Level 4 vehicles are able to perform all driving functions but only in certain conditions. These cars are usually unable to operate autonomously in un-mapped areas or in severe weather conditions.
Level 5 (Full Driving Automation)
These vehicles will be able to perform all driving tasks under all conditions.
The Current State of Self-Driving Cars
The technology behind autonomous vehicles has come a long way in short amount of time. Level 2 and 3 autonomy are becoming widely available in cars today. Tesla’s Autopilot and Cadillac’s Super Cruise are considered two leaders of such technology.
More and more states are allowing self-driving cars on public roads. This has led to leading an increasing number of companies entering the space, including May Mobility, Optimus Ride and Argo AI. Other industries currently employing AVs include senior citizen facilities and food and package delivery companies.
The most notable players in self-driving cars, however, may be ride sharing services. Lyft has partnered with Google parent company Alphabet’s self-driving car unit Waymo to offer self-driving rides in some parts of the country. Uber has done the same.
The Future of Self-Driving Cars
Although many major manufacturers have invested heavily in autonomous vehicles, don’t expect to find self-driving cars at the dealership any time soon. According to the University of Michigan’s Center for Sustainable Systems, the majority of industry experts predict level 4 AVs to be available around 2030.
There are a host of technological, safety and legislative hurdles that still need to be cleared. Currently, there are no national standards or guidelines for self-driving cars. Additionally, new concerns have been raised recently over cyber security. It has been found that autonomous vehicles can be susceptible to malicious software. So, while self-driving technology has progressed significantly of late, it’s a very real possibility that we will never see level 5, fully automated cars.
How do you feel about self-driving cars on the road? Concerned? Excited? Let us know in the comments below.
Have you ever felt the urge to see something brand new? Some people were just meant to explore. For Women’s History Month, we’re celebrating these famous female explorers and adventurers, who saw the world and broke barriers while doing it.
Jeanne Baret (1740 – 1807)
When Jeanne Baret’s lover, botanist Philibert Commerson, was invited on an expedition by Louis Antoine de Bougainville to circumnavigate the globe, the couple decided that Baret would disguise herself as a man to work as Commerson’s valet. At the time of the expedition, women were prohibited from sailing on French navy ships. Commerson and Baret shared a cabin on the ship, which allowed Baret to keep her secret safe. Baret and Commerson did their botany work together, collecting and cataloguing samples from the different places the expedition visited.
Baret’s secret wasn’t discovered until months into the trip, though there are several different accounts of how exactly the discovery occurred. Baret and Commerson left the ship for good when it landed on Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean. Some years later, after Commerson passed away and Baret married a French Army officer, she returned to France and completed her circumnavigation.
Statue of Sacagawea by sculptor Alice Cooper, unveiled in 1905.
Sacagawea (1788 – 1812)
One of the most famous female explorers, Sacagawea was a Lemhi Shoshone woman who famously aided Lewis and Clark on their expedition when she was only 16. She was invaluable to the expedition as a guide, naturalist and translator as they explored the Louisiana Territory. She even rescued vital journals and documents when they fell into a river (later named the Sacagawea River). Unfortunately, Sacagawea’s story is a bit more complicated than what most people learn in school.
She was the child bride of Quebecois trapper Toussaint Charbonneau, who purchased her from her previous captors when she was just 13. Charbonneau was the one who brought Sacagawea on the expedition. She had given birth just a few short months before, and carried her infant son with her on her back. While Charbonneau was paid handsomely for his part in the expedition, Sacagawea was never compensated. Years after the expedition, William Clark adopted Sacagawea’s son, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, and after her death, adopted her infant daughter, Lisette Charbonneau.
In the early 20th century, Sacagawea became an icon for American suffragettes, who were searching for historic female figures to attach to their cause and saw her as a symbol of female strength, perseverance and independence.
Isabella Bird (1831 – 1904)
Isabella Bird was a British writer, traveler, photographer and naturalist who was first encouraged to travel by a doctor, who thought it would cure her insomnia and depression. She wrote fondly of Hawaii – where she climbed Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa – and Colorado, where she explored over 800 miles of the Rocky Mountains. Later, she traveled through Asia, seeing countries like Japan, Singapore, Korea and Vietnam.
When her husband, John Bishop, passed away, Bird inherited a large sum of money and traveled to India, where she built the John Bishop Memorial Hospital. She continued to write and travel all her life, and even became the first woman to be elected Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
Nellie Bly (1864 – 1922)
Born Elizabeth Jane Cochran, Nellie Bly was always on the lookout for a good story. In 1885, when The Pittsburgh Dispatch published a misogynistic column titled “What Girls Are Good For,” Bly responded with an infuriated (and extremely well-written) letter to the editor. The Dispatch not only published her response – they offered her a job.
Bly became a pioneer in the field of investigative journalism, reporting on the lives of factory workers and briefly becoming a foreign correspondent in Mexico. After she moved to New York City and began working for the New York World, Bly went undercover as a psychiatric patient to report on the Women’s Lunatic Asylum on Roosevelt Island. Her resulting report and book, “Ten Days in a Mad-House,” rocketed her to fame and caused the asylum to implement more humane practices.
In 1888, Bly decided to take a trip around the world inspired by the novel “Around the world in Eighty Days.” The world was hooked as Bly sent short dispatches and longer updates on her adventures throughout her journey. She completed the trip in just over 72 days – a world record at the time, solidifying her place in history as a famous female explorer.
Annie Londonderry (1870 – 1947)
Born Annie Cohen Kopchovsky, Annie Londonderry was the first woman to circumnavigate the globe by bicycle. Londonderry’s trip, which lasted from 1894 to 1895, happened during a time when bicycles were all the rage and women’s clothes were finally versatile enough for women to ride them easily.
Londonderry was a Jewish Latvian immigrant to the U.S., and she hadn’t even ridden a bicycle until she decided to take the trip. She also had a husband and three children at home, but that didn’t stop her. She was ready to bike across the world.
Londonderry took sponsorships from bike companies, perfume manufacturers, and Londonderry Lithia Spring Water Company – which paid her $100 to adopt their name for her trip. At the completion of the journey, she was awarded a prize of $10,000. Afterward, she wrote stories and gave lectures on her various adventures.
Bessie Coleman (1892 – 1926)
As a Black and Native American woman at the turn of the century, life in America wasn’t easy for Bessie Coleman. She applied to flight schools across the country and was rejected from each one due to her race and gender.
When she learned that French women were allowed to fly planes, she learned French to fill out applications to flight schools, and moved to France. She became the first Black woman and first Native American to earn a pilot’s license and an international aviation license.
Upon returning to the U.S., Coleman started performing in airshows as a stunt flyer. “Queen Bess” became an instant sensation in America and Europe alike. She suffered an accident in 1923 that left her with a broken leg and cracked ribs, but she healed and returned to air stunts in 1925. Coleman was known for standing up for her beliefs, refusing to dress in demeaning costumes or perform for segregated audiences.
In 1926, Coleman was killed when she fell from a plane piloted by her mechanic and publicity agent, William D. Willis. Willis also perished when the plane crashed soon afterward. Bessie Coleman’s memory has continued to inspire the female, Black, Native American and even French pilots who followed in her flight path.
Amelia Earhart (1897 – disappeared 1937)
Ever since she first rode in a plane in December 1920, Amelia Earhart was dedicated to a life in aviation. She first achieved fame when she flew across the Atlantic in 1928 with pilot Wilmer Stultz. Though Stultz did most of the flying, Earhart was the first woman who had ever undertaken such a voyage.
Afterward, she decided to set some of her own records. In August 1928, she became the first woman to fly solo across North America. She also started competing in long-distance air races with other pilots. She became active in the Nintety-Nines, an organization supporting women in aviation, eventually becoming their first president.
In 1932, Earhart became the first woman to complete a nonstop solo transatlantic flight. After racking up several distance, speed and solo flight records, she began planning for her world flight in 1937.
Earhart planned to become the first female aviator to circumnavigate the globe. Accompanied by navigator Fred Noonan, Earhart took off from Oakland, California on June 1, 1937. They stopped in New Guinea from June 29 to July 2 before taking off once more. They were never seen again. Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan disappeared somewhere on their way to their next refueling stop on Howland Island.
Earhart was a trailblazer all her life – not only for women, but for aviation as a whole. She helped popularize the concept of commercial flights and inspired female pilots for generations to come.
Aloha Wanderwell (1906 – 1996)
Born Idris Galcia Welsh, this famous female explorer was a Canadian-American writer and filmmaker who became the first woman to circumnavigate the globe by car when she was just a teenager. She traveled with Walter Wanderwell (who she later married) in a Ford Model T, and soon became known as the “World’s Most Travelled Girl.”
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It’s March in New Hampshire. The grey sky threatens snow that will inevitably fall in a few hours. Despite this wintery omen, the buzz of spring is in the air and it takes the form of maple syrup. It’s Maple Madness, New Hampshire maple syrup season.
The entire state embraces the madness of maple sugaring season – typically from mid-February to mid-April, and with a choose-your-own-adventure New Hampshire maple syrup tour, you’ll immerse yourself completely. Winding roads overlooking scenic mountain views will lead you to cities and one-street towns alike, met by friendly locals and a lot of sugar in its various maple forms to power you through.
A quick drive from Manchester to North Woodstock is the perfect place to start your New Hampshire maple syrup voyage.
The Best of New Hampshire Maple Syrup
On the main drag of North Woodstock is a yellow, nondescript building, easy to overlook, but despite its simple appearance, it’s a must stop on your New Hampshire maple syrup tour. Inside of Fadden’s General Store & Maple Sugarhouse lie the secrets of sugaring passed on through the Fadden family for no less than five generations.
Fadden’s maple syrup is an award-winning sugarhouse, having won six Carlisle Awards from the New Hampshire Maple Producers Association and a Governor’s Cup for the best maple syrup in all of North America.
James Fadden, the current sugar master, believes that his sugarhouse excels over others due much in part to his attention to cleanliness. He cleans his equipment every single day. Further, he processes his sap daily, not leaving it to sit for any length of time in tanks. Fresh and clean wins it all.
Maple sugaring in action at The Rocks estate. (Photo: Chrissy Barua)
Down on the New Hampshire Maple Syrup Farms
Tucked even further into the majestic White Mountains is The Rocks, a sprawling estate in Bethlehem that boasts hiking trails and a Christmas tree farm, making it a year-round destination. However, since this trip is for all things maple, early spring is when you’ll want to visit to get the full New Hampshire maple syrup experience – learn the history of sugaring, help tap a tree and, of course, taste a sample or two. You may even get the VIP treatment with a horse-drawn carriage ride.
If all of that New Hampshire maple syrup talk is giving you the hankering for something a little more savory, mosey across the street to Adair Country Inn & Restaurant where you’ll be greeted by roaring fires, friendly faces, delicious food and drinks that pay homage to the ongoing maple festivities and a warm bed should you need a place to rest your head for the evening.
Adair Country Inn in Bethlehem, NH, hiding under a fresh blanket of snow. (Photo: Chrissy Barua)
Drink in the Sweetness
If live music is your thing, visit Contoocook Cider Company. They’ll lure you in with their seasonal Fireside Maple Cider and whatever local band is taking the stage when you stop by.
A taste of the season’s syrup. (Photo: Chrissy Barua)
Masters of the Sap
Whoever the sugar master, wherever the trees, making maple syrup follows the same process that it has for hundreds of years. Historically, sugar makers collected sap by hanging metal buckets from maple trees and emptying the buckets daily. Today, rubber tubing carries sap to a central repository where it’s boiled. The water evaporates, the sugar concentrates to 66.9% and it’s officially deemed maple syrup. As you drive from town to town, you’ll see tubing draped throughout the countryside, along roads and in backyards.
New Hampshire doesn’t party alone; Vermont and Canada boast similar festivities. Vermont celebrates the first crop of the season with Maple Open House Weekend March 25th-26th and April 1st-2nd, 2023. If you can’t make it out that early in the spring, St. Albans holds its Vermont Maple Festival at the end of the season from April 28th-30th.
Cross the border into Canada, where from Nova Scotia to British Columbia, getting your fix is always a short drive away. Whether you’re partial to New Hampshire maple syrup, or that from Canada, Vermont or elsewhere, there is no fundamental difference between syrup from one locale over another since the sugar content is standardized. What everyone can agree on is that maple syrup is delicious!
What’s your favorite way to use maple syrup? Pancakes? Over oatmeal? Tell us in the comments.
Each year, millions of spectators head to speedways across the country to see NASCAR events. Millions more tune in to watch the action on television. It’s a far stretch from when dozens of viewers lined the beaches of Florida to catch a glimpse of early NASCAR races and shows just how far the sport of stock car racing has come.
As the racing circuit celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2023, let’s take a look back at the history of NASCAR.
The history of NASCAR begins with a man named Bill France, Sr. A mechanic by trade, France owned an auto repair shop in Washington, D.C., until moving to Daytona Beach, Fla. in the 1930s. The area had a well-known racing scene that France joined as both a competitor and promoter. There was just one problem – these early races had no rules or regulations. France believed there needed to be a governing body. He organized a meeting at the Streamline Hotel in December 1947, and this was where the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) was born. France would go on to become NASCAR’s first president and was instrumental in the sport’s early growth.
NASCAR was officially incorporated the following year and held its first race on the Daytona Beach Road Course in February 1948. Drivers in these early races used the same cars you’d find on the street. Future Hall-of-Famer Red Byron took the inaugural checkered flag. He also won the first NASCAR season championship the following year.
NASCAR held its first Strictly Stock competition (known today as the NASCAR Cup Series) at the Charlotte Fairgrounds Speedway in June 1949. The most notable entrant was female driver Sara Christian, who became the first woman to race in NASCAR’s premier division.
The Daytona 500
As the sport continued to gain popularity, France quickly came to realize that the sandy beaches of Florida were not suitable venues for racing. They could not handle the growing crowds nor the increasingly powerful cars.
In 1954, France signed a contract with the City of Daytona Beach to build a proper racing track. The Daytona International opened five years later. The 2.5-mile track featured 31-degree highbanks, allowing the cars to reach higher speeds and giving fans a better view of the race. Speaking of fans, 41,000 of them packed themselves into the new venue to watch the inaugural Daytona 500. In a race that featured both hardtops and convertibles, Lee Petty was declared the winner 61 hours later, when officials watched a news clip of him eking out a 2-foot victory over his nearest competition.
NASCAR Goes National
In 1972, France handed over the NASCAR reins to his son, Bill France, Jr., who became the organization’s second president. Over the proceeding years, the younger France oversaw the next chapter in the history of NASCAR, one that saw the racing circuit evolve from a regional attraction in the Southeast to a popular sport across the country.
A major milestone in that process occurred when CBS aired the 1979 Daytona 500. It marked the first live, flag-to-flag broadcast of a 500-mile NASCAR event. Also helping the sport’s popularity was the emergence of star drivers. To this day, few, if any, drivers have come close to matching the greatness of Richard Petty. The son of Lee Petty, Richard first entered a NASCAR race in 1958. Over the next 34 years, he would collect a staggering number of records that still stand today, including most wins (200), most wins in a season (27), most Daytona 500 wins (7) and a tie for most championships (7).
Petty’s last race was the 1992 season finale at Atlanta Motor Speedway, which coincidentally was the first NASCAR race for future Hall-of-Famer Jeff Gordon. Equally talented and charismatic, Gordon took the sport by storm in the 1990s and helped bring NASCAR further into the mainstream in the 2000s. He became the first NASCAR driver to host “Saturday Night Live,” and by the time he retired in 2016, had racked up 93 career wins, which remains the third-most in the history of NASCAR.
Recent Milestones in NASCAR History
2010: The inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame class is inducted. It features Bill France Sr., Bill France Jr., Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt and Junior Johnson.
2013: Danica Patrick becomes the first woman to win the pole in NASCAR premier series, accomplishing the feat at the Daytona 500.
2016: Jimmie Johnson captures his seventh NASCAR premier series title, tying him with Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for the most championships in the history of NASCAR racing.
2021: Bubba Wallace wins his NASCAR Cup Series event at Talladega Superspeedway, becoming the first Black driver to win a race since Wendell Scott in 1963.
Back in my college days, I had a 45-minute (each way) commute to school. Being in my 20s, I spent my car-bound jaunts mostly listening to ’90s alternative radio and (shudder) cassette tapes from my favorite bands. How I wish iPhones and podcasts had been around back then. I would have tapped into the best news podcasts and learned so much about art, news, history, politics, etc., instead of amassing a near-encyclopedic knowledge of bands like Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots and the Counting Crows.
For you lucky souls who now get to make long commutes with smartphones at the ready, here are some of the smartest and best news podcasts that will make your journeys worthwhile and keep you caught up on what’s happening in the world, from breaking news to new-to-you.
Host Marco Werman fleshes out news and human interest stories from around the globe – with cool tunes thrown in – in this weekday podcast. Recent shows touched on fast fashion entering the secondhand market, a radioactive capsule that went missing in Australia, the resilient Odesa Opera and more.
No more waiting for the top or half of every hour; now you can get your news whenever you want it from NPR, in handy five-minute chunks. It’s updated hourly, every day and every night. Yes – if you’re dying to find out what’s new at 3 a.m. on a Tuesday, NPR will sate your newsy appetite.
Just need to know the major news to start your day? The hosts of “Up First” are awake in the wee hours of the morning to collect the three biggest news stories that you need to know about – in an an episode that’s just around 10 to 15 minutes!
Los Angeles-based KCRW hosts this weekly roundtable discussion, which features – you guessed it – a guest from the liberal side of the political spectrum, a centrist and a guest with a more conservative bent. It’s one of the best news podcasts for gaining a well-rounded knowledge of current events, without the self-imposed digital news and politics bubble so many of us find ourselves immersed in these days. During the lively debates you’ll learn how all sides feel about hot current events.
True to its name, “The Daily” is a daily podcast from The New York Times. Every weekday, you can load up an episode and find out what’s going on in the world. Listeners can also enjoy the Sunday Read, a special type of episode that airs every Sunday and features a recent New York Times article in full. It’s a daily conversation with some of the best journalists in the business.
Looking for a more global perspective? “Global News Podcast” is a daily podcast that features the top stories from BBC News, about the biggest things that are happening all around the world.
If you want to know how the news is affecting the business world, this is the podcast for you. “The Journal.” from The Wall Street Journal covers all the latest news through the prism of what it means for business and the economy. In their words, it’s a podcast about “money, business and power.”
This weekly podcast makes learning fun again. On any given day, you might hear cohosts Tracy V. Wilson and Holly Frey talking about ghost ships, the latest in technology, the history of baking in America or the ancient stone city of Great Zimbabwe.
This podcast from the Smithsonian brings stories about technology, art and history to life. The anecdotes are pulled from the hallowed institution’s 154 million treasures, including comedian Phyllis Diller’s joke file – a cabinet that held 50,000 typewritten jokes that she’d perform during her standup routines – to the days when it was legal to send a baby through the mail. Check out the “Artist in Dissidence” episode, which chronicles the career of provocative Chinese artist Ai Weiwei.
From John Singleton Copley to avant-garde multimedia artist Pipilotti Rist (whose 1997 work is strikingly similar to Beyonce’s car window-thrashing “Hold Up” video), host Tyler Green (a historian and award-winning critic) explores all manner of art in his weekly one-hour show. Recent episodes have explored the works of Italian artist Medardo Rosso and the portraits of Gustav Klimt.
Hosts Stephen Dubner and Steve Levitt – the duo behind the best-selling “Freakonomics” books – spin yarns about politics, talent, technology and fascinating phenomena in this podcast. For example, some episodes have delved into the psychology behind bad decisions, why we still use cash in a debit card-laden society and 10 ideas to make politics “less rotten.” Ha!
Food, food, glorious food. Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley discuss everything from flexitarian diets to the growing problems facing cacao cultivation to how and when the first restaurant was invented. They even look into the popularity of seltzer. (Seriously – everyone is drinking it! Is there something I’m missing?) Episodes air every two weeks, and even if you’re not a gourmand you’ll find yourself fascinated with the topics.
What do you think is the best news podcast? Let us know in the comments.
The Your AAA team recently got the keys to a shiny black- and blue-accented 2019 BMW i3s for a test drive.
Excited to experience BMW power and luxury, we took to the road, each of us spending a few days with the car on our daily commutes and errands. It even went on a road trip from our office in Garden City, N.Y., to AAA Northeast headquarters in Providence, R.I.
We drove the 184-horsepower BMW i3s with the optional gasoline range extender, which adds almost 50 more miles of drive time. It was the first time any of us had driven an electric vehicle and the inclusion of a gas extender helped to calm any ‘range anxiety.’
This is the perspective of our editorial team – Andrew Rosen, Jerry Ascierto, Marisa Perjatel, Sarah Hopkins, Andrew Sheldon and Matt Robertson – based on our individual experiences behind the wheel of an electric BMW for the first time. We are not car experts, just typical consumers with varying lifestyles and driving demands. Below is a transcribed version of our discussion. Click the audio player below to listen.
First Impressions
Marisa: My first impression of the BMW i3s was that it was very cute and compact. It was a smaller vehicle but I kind of liked that. It’s been a while since I’ve driven a car that size and I just feel like it’s a little more fun when a car is smaller and sportier. I was also very impressed with the inside. There’s all-natural materials and it looks very cool. The infotainment system is also really impressive and there’s a lot of options; it took me a little time to get used to toggling through and using the dial control, but after that, it was easy.
Sarah: I agree. The car looks almost smaller on the outside than it is on the inside. You have a lot of room to maneuver and I love the materials on the inside, especially on the dashboard. I plugged my phone into the entertainment system almost right away. I have a similar but much lower-tech entertainment system in my car, so it was easy to adapt to this one. I really liked it.
Andrew R.: I would echo that sentiment. The car does appear very small from the outside, but once you get inside, the amount of room that you have is surprising. I drive a Volkswagen Atlas, which is like a yacht. So it is very refreshing to drive something small, yet the inside does feel sizable, which is nice. I also love when you close the door, it has that very solid feel and that solid sound that makes you feel safe. I also noticed the amount of glass right away; from both the front and the back, the visibility is great. And with the sunroof on top, getting some sunlight into the car is a really nice touch.
Andrew S.: It’s definitely a compact car, but as someone who’s driven larger cars almost exclusively, I kind of enjoyed that. It was a fun ride. Inside, it’s very upscale and luxurious with the wood finishing. The controls were very easy to use. I liked having the dial in the center console so that you didn’t have to reach out to change anything. I also know that it has vehicle memory, so that depending on who is driving, the car automatically reverts back to their custom settings. That makes it so much easier to get the audio, temperature, mirrors and such just the way you like them instead of having to adjust them every time you get in the car.
Jerry: I’d never driven such a small car and I’ve never driven an electric car, so there was a learning curve. But I was happily surprised to find that not only did it have great pickup – I mean, it had some real giddy-up for such a small vehicle – it just handled beautifully. I’m not saying it had a zero-turn radius, but it felt as though it did at times. The breadth and depth of the infotainment system was off the charts as well. But as someone who’s never driven a car that had such a system, I found the screen a bit distracting and in fact, turned it off. So, there was a learning curve.
Matt: I am 6 feet, 6 inches tall. So my first impression was fear that I would not fit inside. I was happily surprised that with the seat all the way back, I was able to fit very well. It was almost like you could roll a soccer ball in between the two front seats; the appearance made it seem larger inside. When I drove it, I thought it had pretty decent pickup but the braking was the most challenging thing to get used to. At first, it felt like a golf cart when you would accelerate, but it slows down quickly when you let off the brake. But once it I got used to that, I really enjoyed it. I think it had all the typical luxuries from a BMW that you would expect with the moon roof and the Apple CarPlay. It also had a nice sound system, which I thoroughly tested out, and it was premium.
BMW i3s Driving Experience
Marisa: As someone who’s never driven an electric vehicle before, it definitely took some getting used to. The car brakes for you, to conserve energy. Just getting used to that was a little bit of a learning curve, but once you’re into it, I found the driving experience to be a lot of fun. It’s definitely a solid car. It has good pickup. It rides like a BMW. It’s a BMW electric car, but it’s still a BMW.
Sarah: Yeah, I’d have to agree that it’s sort of like a hair-trigger brake once you take your foot off the gas. Gas, I guess, being a metaphorical term. It was actually really interesting how different it is than driving a gas car. It’s a really quiet car because it’s not really burning anything, which was super weird. I definitely liked it. When I got back into my actual car after I was done with it, I was like, this thing is so loud. Going back to the infotainment system, the backup camera was incredible. It was like in HD. It had a panoramic shot of my neighborhood as I was pulling out of the driveway. My own car has a backup camera, but it’s piddly and little in comparison. Just as a safety feature, I think the panoramic shot is a really important addition to any car.
Andrew R.: The driving experience for me was really enjoyable. I think again we’re all kind of hitting on the learning curve and that’s definitely there, but I think it’s very brief. I’m used to a touchscreen infotainment system, so getting used to that toggle in the middle was weird for me. One thing I did find is that the acceleration was so much more than I would have expected. I also found that I had a neighbor or two stop me and ask how I got the car … they thought it was a prototype for a car, which is fascinating because this car has been out for almost five years now, but it still looks very modern and high tech and seems to spark some conversation.
Sarah: We’re all talking about how small it is, but in the past, electric cars have been like two seats in a steel bubble, basically. For an electric car, it does look really futuristic.
Andrew R.: And I would just tack on that the maneuverability was great. I previously owned a Mini Cooper and I would say the driving was sort of akin to that. Definitely has good pickup and good braking. You feel in control and very confident that the car is very competent, which is nice.
Andrew S.: I drove the car on Friday during lunch and then drove it home that afternoon. By the time I got home I felt totally comfortable driving it. So that learning curve is pretty short. And once you do get comfortable, it’s a really fun driving experience. Like we all said, I was afraid of taking it out on the highway just cause it’s very small and I wasn’t sure how fast it would go, but it is very solidly built car and the acceleration was probably the one thing that impressed me the most about it.
Jerry: I’d echo the sentiments about the acceleration particularly. But while the acceleration was pronounced, so was the deceleration and that was a big thing to get over. Fuel injection is something that I think we’ve all grown up on, so its absence is pronounced. And I agree it was very solid. What I really liked were the different driving modes – Sport, Comfort, Eco and Eco Pro + (where it would stop you at 56 mph to conserve more energy). The different settings were very valuable; you become very aware of every decision you make and how it affects your range. It puts energy conservation at the forefront of your mind. Not only does this actually conserve energy as a product, but it forces you to think about energy conservation as well, which is very valuable.
Matt: I thought it was really cool how you could change the setting on the screen to see where the energy flow was going, whether it was gaining charge or losing it. The gas extender was great. The other thing I thought was very cool was that it had a wireless phone charger in the center console and that Apple CarPlay was Bluetooth capable. So you didn’t have to actually physically put your phone in.
Powering Up
Marisa: I charged the car with the three-prong outlet directly into my house, which is the best option if you just want to top off your car. I had a decent amount of mileage on the car already so I charged it overnight and it was perfect because it gave me just the right amount of juice to get me to work.
Sarah: I also used my house to charge the car. I thought it was really funny how the charger looked like a gas pump from a gas station. I thought that was adorable. I left it plugged in for a long time. I don’t think I plugged it in overnight, but when I got back in the car the next day I was like, yeah, this looks good. I didn’t really have a huge problem with running out of energy even though I was driving it when it was really hot and I had the air going super high. But also I didn’t drive it that far, honestly. I drove it to and from work and I drove it like around my neighborhood. I do think it’s really interesting how it actually takes time to charge the car so it forces you to think about the energy that you are using, which I think is almost like an interesting thought exercise if we’re going to get deep into this.
Andrew R.: There was a point in my life when (and I’ll out myself here) I’d roll down the windows and put on the air conditioner no matter what the temperature. So, I agree. It’s definitely an eye-opening experience and reframes the way you think about energy conservation, which is really cool. I charged at home with a waterproof extension cord. I don’t know if that’s BMW-recommended or not, but I can tell you the car did charge overnight in torrential rain without any problems. And I’m still here to tell this story. As far as looking for charging stations, it’s definitely still a work in progress. They’re out there and there’s a lot of them but I didn’t have that many super-convenient to where I live. That being said, there are plenty of apps that I downloaded that showed me where they’re available, local hotels, college campuses, etc.
Andrew S.: I went out into the wild to try to get this charged. I went to Nassau Community College, which may not have been the best place just because it’s a vast campus. And it took me a while to find them. When I did, I realized that they were in a restricted parking lot that I couldn’t get into. I did check and there were a few BMW dealerships close to me that had some; I didn’t test them but they’re there. You just have to do your homework and know where they are and just keep tabs on everything.
Jerry: Charging was interesting. I think one of the greatest features of the infotainment system was that it would let you know when you were running low on charge and it would offer to search for charging stations in the area. That was a really useful feature. I was surprised by how many chargers there were in certain areas. But a lot more education is needed for the public to understand how long it takes to charge an electric car. I underestimated the difference between a standard charge and the supercharge and the amount of time needed to get to full battery, so as I was looking for chargers, I was running out of electricity rapidly. On my trip from New York to Providence and back, I thought the gas range extender came in handy to relieve a portion of my range anxiety. Even if I didn’t find a charger or didn’t have time, there was the reassurance that I could fill it up with gas.
Overall Thoughts
Marisa: It was a lot of fun. I think that it’s more of an around-town type of car than a highway car, which is what I would use it for. It’s the type of car that I would get. It was a solid car.
Sarah: It really did feel like a luxury experience inside. I’ve never had a car so nice. I just wanted to touch the dashboard all the time and the window is huge. It was like driving in a bubble. It’s not a road trip car by any means, just because of the amount of time it takes to charge. But like Marisa said, for going around town, it’s a nice ride.
Andrew R.: Yeah, I agree. The BMW i3 is not for everybody but I think it does have quite a few use cases. Going to the supermarket and kicking down the back seats? No problem. Throwing my 7-year-old son in the back? No problem. Taking it to the park with a lot of equipment? No problem. It really comes down to your commute and your willingness to put in the time to change, to get used to something that’s different. I mean, let’s face it, we’ve all been driving the same way for a very long time. But I think if you’re able and you’re willing, it’s definitely a vehicle that can check a lot of boxes for a lot of people.
Jerry: It’s a unique car that takes some getting used to. But once you do, I thought it was great driving experience. Great trim, great safety features. I think it’s a perfect car for anyone, particularly perhaps older drivers looking for a safety features, first and foremost. Sure, there’s a learning curve in going from a gas-powered vehicle to this. But again, it forces you to become more eco-conscious. Every choice you make affects the range of the car and it almost trains you to appreciate just how much energy you’re spending and that’s incredibly valuable, all in its own right.
Matt: I think there is market for this car and as a person with a long commute each day and a person who also travels hundreds of miles throughout New England for work on a frequent basis, it was not the vehicle for me at this point in my life. Not to say that it will never be, but I thought it was a great experience to drive and to get more used to being part of the electric vehicle community. There were a lot of things that I learned from this experience that gave me insight and made me less nervous about buying an electric vehicle in general.
Does the BMW i3 sound like your type of car? Share your thoughts in the comments.
For details on specifications and a pro’s point of view, you can find the BMW i3 review and dozens more at AAA.com/TestDrive.
What you want from your life insurance policy will likely change as you get older. Here’s a look at how your life insurance needs might evolve through every decade.
Life Insurance During Your 20s
As you might imagine, life insurance rates are lowest when you’re young. After all, you’re far less likely to be burdened with medical problems and don’t have a pressing need for coverage just yet. That all changes when you begin to accumulate assets and dependents.
Young adults in their 20s often have lots of affordable options that they will probably never have access to again. It’s highly encouraged to start looking into life insurance at this age, even if you don’t invest very much in it upfront. The fact that you have an established policy at these lower rates will go a long way toward laying the groundwork for your financial future.
During Your 30s
The need to have a financial safety net in place increases as you reach your 30s. By this point, more people have begun to start families and purchase homes, leaving more on the line if tragedy were to occur. Now is the time to begin or expand your policy according to your specific finances, taking into account lost income, expenses, debts and all future financial burdens.
While rates won’t be as low as in previous years, this is still a perfectly respectable time to start a policy. If you already have one, you might choose to add a second plan now or convert your term policy to whole. One popular philosophy dictates that you should buy at least 10 times the coverage of your annual income. Consider sticking as closely to this guideline as possible to fortify your family’s protection.
During Your 40s
This is the period in your life when having a life insurance policy starts to become a true necessity. In your 40s, most people have already begun to amass significant assets, and you’re still not too old to perhaps qualify for some decent rates. If you already have a plan, here’s when you definitely want to step it up according to your finances.
Therefore, how much you invest depends largely on your personal financial situation. Calculate the minimum amount of life insurance you should have by identifying the difference between your current resources and your expected financial needs.
In other words, your policy should equal whatever the amount of remaining funds you need to cover your income, expenses and debts (both current and anticipated). Just be sure to include a sizable margin of error.
During Your 50s and Beyond
Once you reach your 50s and beyond, your needs dramatically shift. As you enter the realm of senior citizenship, rates tend to skyrocket. Having a life insurance policy, of course, still provides the peace of mind you’ll especially crave as you get older, and in the short term, your policy could help provide coverage in the face of any lingering debts. Yet, because your life insurance policy is bound to be more costly now, you may need to adjust your plan accordingly.
If this is the case, you could opt for a term plan to find an affordable balance that can keep your policy active without harshly cutting into your resources. While they tend to be more expensive as you age, your life insurance plan could even be used to fund a trust or plan your estate’s future.
Looking to the Future
No matter how old you are, a life insurance policy is a worthwhile investment. Knowing your family’s finances will remain secure in your absence will more than justify the time, energy and money you put into it.
The value in getting started as early as possible can’t be stressed enough. Yet, even if you’re already in your later years, the benefits of having a robust life insurance plan are clear.
AAA insurance agents are happy to help with your life insurance needs. Reach out today.
When did you decide it was time to get a life insurance policy? Tell us in the comments.
All along the Eastern Seaboard, historic hotels bring new life to old buildings. Along with great amenities they also have fascinating stories to tell about their past lives. Check in and check them out!
The Beekman Hotel
New York City
The Beekman is housed in lower Manhattan’s historic landmark Temple Court skyscraper, originally constructed in 1883. Edgar Allan Poe penned some of his work here during the 19th century, when it was the site of the Mercantile Library Association and a theater. This AAA Four Diamond-Designated historic hotel features exquisite architectural details, including a stunning nine-story Victorian atrium, as well as restaurants by celebrity chefs Tom Colicchio and Daniel Boulud. The Beekman is also close to downtown attractions like the One World Trade Center Observatory.
The Liberty Hotel
Boston
Housed in Boston’s former Charles Street Jail, built in 1851, the Liberty Hotel is a light-filled AAA Four Diamond-Designated hotel with a 90-foot-high atrium and soaring red brick walls. Check out the historic hotel’s details, like metal walkways and the courtyard that was the jail’s exercise yard. You won’t want to break out of the Liberty; its lux amenities include a lounge for hotel guests only, perched atop one of the catwalks. The hotel also hosts live jazz and blues music, art exhibitions, fashion shows and top DJs.
The Langham
Boston
The grand 1920s building that was formerly Boston’s Federal Reserve Bank is now the AAA Four Diamond-Designated Langham Hotel. Close to popular Boston attractions like Faneuil Hall and the Freedom Trail, the hotel boasts the Bond restaurant and lounge, with impressive 25-foot-high ceilings and crystal chandeliers, as well as an indoor pool and a spa.
Ocean House
Westerly, R.I.
This AAA Five Diamond-Designated historic hotel (and home to Rhode Island’s only Five Diamond restaurant) has hosted celebrities and bigwigs since it opened in 1868 as an oceanfront summer retreat. There’s plenty for guests to enjoy including a spa, food and wine classes, croquet, shuffleboard, a putting green and a private white-sand beach.
The Hotel Providence (Photo: AAA.com/Hotels)
Hotel Providence
Providence, R.I.
Another AAA Four Diamond luxury boutique hotel, Hotel Providence comprises two historic 19th-century buildings in Rhode Island’s lively theater district. One part of the hotel, the Lederer Building, was built in 1897 and housed the offices of musicians, clothing designer and artists, while the hotel’s Westminster Building once served as a dormitory for Johnson & Wales University students.
Lokal Hotel
Philadelphia
A boutique hotel in Philadelphia’s Old City, Lokal Hotel is situated in an historic building where soldiers’ hats were made during the Civil War. The hotel has six units and is designed for people who like privacy and exploring on their own, with no front desk. It’s smack dab in the middle of all the coolness that is the Old City, with boutiques, cafes and restaurants galore nearby.
The Sagamore Pendry
Baltimore
This historic hotel opened in Baltimore’s Fells Point neighborhood in 2017 in the renovated Recreation Pier building, built in 1914. Once one of the busiest points of entry for immigrants in the U.S., the building also served as the set for movies and TV shows. The hotel is decked out with cool modern art by local artists, and boasts an outdoor waterfront pool, an Italian restaurant and a whiskey bar.
The Line
Washington, D.C.
Looking for historic hotels with awesome architecture in the nation’s capital? In D.C.’s Adams Morgan Neighborhood, The Line occupies a 110-year-old neoclassical building, formerly the First Church of Christ, Scientist. The hotel showcases live music five nights a week, a live radio show broadcasting from the lobby and 3,000 works of art by women. Three restaurants serving a local and multicultural range of dishes, a coffee shop and two bars round out the offerings in this gorgeous historic building, which features vaulted ceilings and stained-glass windows.
The Kimpton Cardinal
Winston-Salem, N.C.
One of the coolest historic hotels in the Southeast, the Kimpton Cardinal occupies an art deco skyscraper that was once the headquarters of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. and the architectural inspiration for New York City’s Empire State Building. While visiting this AAA Four Diamond-Designated hotel, check out the historic details, like the gilded tobacco leaf motif on the ceiling in the lobby and the art deco designs on the elevator doors. On the lower level you’ll find a modern recreation area with basketball courts, a bowling alley, shuffleboard, pingpong and pool tables and a tube slide.
Graylyn International Conference Center
Winston-Salem, N.C.
Built in the 1930s as the estate of Bowman Gray, former president of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Graylyn International Conference Center feels like your own private castle on lush, sprawling grounds. Be sure to search out the hotel’s elaborate Persian card room, and the library’s hand-carved 300-year-old oak paneling that once covered the walls in King Edward VII’s Paris office. Look for the bullet hole in the paneling that a spurned girlfriend is said to have created when she shot at the king and missed him. There’s also a fantastic indoor art deco pool, and an ice cream room on every floor where guests can indulge in free frozen treats any time of the day or night.
Have you ever stayed at a historic hotel? Tell us about it in the comments.
Fun activities to keep your little ones busy over winter break.
February 20, 2023
Even though it feels like the Christmas/New Year’s vacation just ended, most schools have another week-long recess in February around President’s Day. If you’re not heading out of town for the week, you might be struggling to think of fun things to do with kids over winter break, but don’t sweat it – we’ve got you covered.
Depending on the weather, the stir-craziness of your kids and the jealousy of watching your friends jet off to Disney or Universal, school breaks can be long and arduous.
You need all the ideas you can get. So, check out our list of ways to keep the kids busy this winter break. You got this!
Fun Things to Do With Kids Out of the House
Go stargazing (during the day and indoors!)
There’s nothing better on a long vacation home with the kids than to go to a planetarium and be reminded of the infinite cosmos and your tiny place in it. It can bring some much-needed perspective if the kids are getting a little restless. And you can even pat yourself on the back for finding a real educational experience on a non-school day.
Even if you head just one town over, the books, toys and programs could be vastly different. Especially if it’s late in the winter and you’ve already played with every toy in your neighborhood library. Be nice to the librarians and be honest that you are an out-of-towner. Friendliness can go a long way.
Check out a children’s workshop at a hardware store
If you want the kids to get their hands dirty and learn the fine art of making stuff, check out your local big-box hardware store on the Saturday of your winter break. Home Depot, in particular, has free workshops on Saturday mornings for kids. For that matter, ask if they offer anything during the week. You might get lucky.
Climb in an appropriate setting
Those with boys probably know this feeling better than most. When your kids are almost literally climbing the walls, why not bring them to a place where it’s actually appropriate to do so? Check out indoor rock climbing locations in Rhode Island, Boston, Manhattan and Long Island.
Things to Do With Kids at Home
Build up arts & crafts skills
Get creative. The beauty of art projects with toddlers is that skills aren’t required. Who cares if you can even draw a stick figure or not? The point is just to have fun and let your young ones explore their artistic abilities.
Don’t throw out those cardboard boxes
No one can find more uses for an empty cardboard box like a 4-year-old bored with his or her toys. It can be a spaceship, a log cabin, a boat, a transmogrifier (for those Calvin & Hobbes devotees) or anything else you and your kids can dream up. Plus, you can use some of your newfound art skills to gussy up the box.
Rotate your toys
On the topic of kids bored by an abundance of colorful plastic, have you ever noticed that the youngsters can get awfully overwhelmed by too many toy choices? Heck, your kids probably can’t even remember what they got for Christmas.
Take the opportunity to pack up a few storage bins of older toys and games and stick them in the basement or a closet. Wait a few months, break them out again, and your kids will be amazed with their forgotten playthings.
Drop things through a paper towel holder
Seriously, this simple activity could bring you a few precious hours of peace with little ones. Take an old cardboard paper towel holder, tape it to a doorjamb and put a plastic container underneath. Gather up all sorts of little Legos, doodads and game pieces and have the kids drop them through your makeshift slide. Obviously, the younger the kids, the longer this will fascinate them. If that’s too lame for you, check out this Pinterest page on paper towel roll ideas and go nuts.
Can’t stand the thought of being stuck at home again for the next school break? Book a trip with AAA Travel.
Weddings can be stressful, but honeymoons shouldn’t have to be! These top honeymoon destinations in the U.S. may not be as popular as others, but they are no-brainers. Whether you are looking for an adventure with your spouse or if you just want to kick back and relax, this list has a secret escape to please any couple.
San Juan Islands, Wash.
You can’t go wrong honeymooning on an island. Being surrounded by sand and water instantly gives you that mellow feeling, like you’re the only one in some far-off place.
Just a short seaplane or ferry ride from Seattle will land you in the San Juan Islands, where there is something new to discover around every bend – from an alpaca ranch to a lavender farm and a winery with a historic tasting room.
Friday Harbor House – a romantic AAA Three Diamond-Designated boutique hotel – is perched on the bluff above San Juan Island’s iconic marina with stunning views of the harbor, ferry landing and San Juan Channel. Sit back and relax with your sweetie. Hopefully you’ll get a glimpse of a whale!
Start your fairytale adventure in the coastal town of Kennebunkport. The off-the-beaten-path area is a top honeymoon destination in the U.S. for beach-loving couples.
Whether you want to stare at the ocean from the miles of coastline or book a scenic stand-up paddleboard or kayak tour, Kennebunkport is the place for you.
Hidden Pond is home to a collection of eye-catching eclectic cottages and bungalows with “rustic-luxe” decor inspired by the surrounding woods and nearby beach. It also has an 800-square-foot organic farm, two pools and the farm-to-fork restaurant, Earth. Did we mention the Tree Spa? It’s not to be missed!
Indian Wells, Calif.
In the heart of Southern California’s desert, Indian Wells is a romantic oasis and the perfect place to relax and renew after the big day. Idyllic Indian Wells is home of the Miramonte Indian Wells Resort & Spa, a AAA Four Diamond-Designated hotel located in the heart of town.
Surrounded by the spectacular Santa Rosa Mountains and located less than an hour from the entrance to Joshua Tree National Park, Miramonte is a serene escape for a nature-loving duo. The wild at heart can spend mornings hiking the weaving trails and rugged rock formations of the Mojave Desert before cooling off poolside in a private cabana. Do-not-disturb placards included!
With sweeping views of the majestic mountains and the warmth and charm of a historic ski town, Sun Valley is an idyllic place to begin your happily ever after. This top honeymoon destination in the U.S. is a four-season resort with luxury accommodations and breathtaking scenery.
Take advantage of the hot springs in the area, couples’ spa treatments and dreamy horseback rides through the mountains. You’ll have time to bond with your new love through exciting activities and quiet moments that will make memories that will last for the rest of your lives.
Kiawah Island, S.C.
Twenty-five miles from the ever-popular town of Charleston is an off-the-radar isle called Kiawah Island. This top honeymoon destination in the U.S. offers shelling excursions by boat to an uninhabited island, 30 miles of biking and hiking trails and 10 miles of pristine beach.
Many couples tie the knot at the Kiawah Island Golf Resort and stay for a relaxing honeymoon at the AAA Five Diamond Sanctuary Hotel. For the ultimate in luxury, book the 3,000-square-foot Presidential Suite with sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean. Active couples can take advantage of kayaking in the tidal creeks to spot river dolphins or take a turn at a tennis or golf lesson, and then wind down in an adults-only pool overlooking the ocean.
Comprised of 11 lakes bookended by Rochester and Syracuse, the Finger Lakes region offers an array of urban cultural hotspots juxtaposed with nature-filled experiences and awe-inducing vistas.
For a relaxing honeymoon, indulge in wine tasting at some of the region’s 120 wineries or beer flights along the Finger Lakes Beer Trail, luxurious spa treatments, museum tours at the Corning Museum of Glass and private cooking classes at New York Kitchen.
Active honeymooners can try boating the lakes, hot air ballooning (you must try this!), swimming under waterfalls or hiking the famous gorges in Ithaca, Watkins Glen State Park or Letchworth State Park.
Charlotte, N.C.
Watch out Asheville – Charlotte is quickly becoming another popular destination for honeymooners in North Carolina. From the thriving food scene to moving artistic performances and magnetic nightlife, the Queen City offers plenty of exciting opportunities for couples celebrating new nuptials.
The city’s neighborhoods are comprised of lush parks and greenways, cozy restaurants, world-class museums, lively breweries and quirky boutiques. Discover the beautiful boroughs for yourself and stay at a charming bed-and-breakfast or a pampering resort.
Diamond Designation: Five Diamond (World-class luxury, amenities and indulgence for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Learn more about AAA Diamonds.)
Location: 1 Bluff Ave, Westerly, R.I.
You can play sous chef beside the culinary team at the Center for Wine & Culinary Arts at the AAA Five Diamond Ocean House (also home to Coast, Rhode Island’s only Five Diamond restaurant). The historic seaside hotel offers regular cooking classes, events and activities inspired by New England culture and the local landscape.
Heat oven to 400 degrees. In oven-safe bowl, combine butter, oil and water. Bake in bowl until butter starts to brown. Combine and sift all dry ingredients. Remove bowl from oven and fold in dry ingredients and apple cider vinegar. Chill for at least 2 hours.
Toss apples with brown sugar, granulated sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, salt, allspice and cardamom in a large bowl. (Reserve some slices for decoration.) Let sit for 1-3 hours.
Use parchment paper to roll out dough.
Place apple cider in saucepan and scrape in vanilla bean seeds; add pod. Bring to boil and whisk occasionally until reduced by two-thirds. Add in juice from bowl of apples. Return to boil until reduced to ½ cup; remove vanilla pod. Stir cornstarch into 3 tablespoons of water in a separate bowl, then whisk into apple cider mixture. Cook, whisking constantly, until cider mixture is thick and bubbling. Cool slightly, then pour over apples; toss to coat.
Transfer dough to a pie 9-inch dish. Scrape in apple filling. Fan remaining apples on top, alternating colors. Sprinkle with Demerara sugar.
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake until crust is deep golden brown and juices are thick and bubbling, 1½ hours, or until apples are tender.
It’s time for a family vacation! But before the fun, there’s the planning. Of course, planning can be fun too if you take it step-by-step.
And you don’t have to go it alone. A travel advisor can help you book, score the best deals and answer all your questions along the way.
To ensure you don’t spin your wheels, here are our best tips simplify your family vacation planning.
1. Figure Out the When and Where
It’s a big, wide world out there, and there’s only 52 weeks in a year. Working around school and work schedules, lessons, practices and special events helps to narrow down your options, but remember, dates impact pricing.
The amount of time you can spend on vacation can also help to inform how far you’re willing to travel. For example, a family in New York is less likely to spend a narrow four-night window on a six-hour flight to Los Cabos with a two-hour transfer to their resort in Tulum. On the other hand, if they have seven nights at their disposal, Hawaii can (and ought to be!) in the cards.
2. Find Family-Friendly Resort Brands
Once you have a destination and time frame in mind, you’ll want to thinking about hotel brands. Do your research. You don’t want to fall in love with a property only to find out it’s adults-only. Some resort chains are more family-friendly than others with amenities tailored toward specific age groups. If you have teens and tweens, you’ll probably want to look for age-restricted lounges and plenty of activities. If your kids are younger, you may want included daycare options and amenities like stepstools, mini robes, children’s menus and a splash pool.
3. Check for Special Promotions
Having a set list of hotel brands you’re interested in can help you refine your search for deals. Family-friendly resorts often launch promotions where children up to a certain age can stay – and sometimes even eat and play – for free, except for possibly taxes and fees. Some resorts may also have limited-time offers for adjoining or connecting rooms or sales on family suites. Look for these deals to get the most space for your rate!
4. Define Your Budget and Prioritize Vacation Value
Determine a budget range that works for your family’s wants and needs. A range will account for any fluctuations that you can expect to encounter for factors such as airfare, destination and time of year.
It’s also important to remember the value of your family vacation is determined by the memories you make, not the price you pay. Think about the items you want to save on, as well as where you’re willing to splurge. Small enhancements like room upgrades and dining experiences can make a trip.
5. Work With a Travel Advisor
We saved the best for last. By enlisting the help of a professional licensed travel advisor, you can keep the travel-planning legwork to a minimum. They’ll do all the research for you, plus fill in any gaps for questions you might not even think to ask. A travel advisor will:
Recommend the best time to travel to certain destinations.
Let you know about upcoming promotions, instant credits, airfare patterns, hotel policies and added values.
Book affordable and reputable airport transfers, so you don’t have to worry about finding a taxi to your hotel.
Choose from pre-vetted companies to make sure your tours and excursions are safe in every way.
Keep you up-to-date on the latest health protocols, guidelines and policies.
So what are you waiting for? Get in touch with a AAA travel advisorand starting planning your family vacation today.
Although they still represent a small percentage of the cars on U.S. roadways, electric vehicles are becoming more popular with each passing month. There were about 330,000 plug-in electric vehicles sold in the U.S. in 2019. So even if you don’t have an electric car now, it’s likely that you’ll be sharing a ride in one sometime soon. Either way, it’s a good idea to get familiar with electric car charging stations.
Charging Levels
There are three standard electric car charging levels. All electric cars are capable of being charged on Level 1 and 2 stations. Some vehicles, however, cannot charge at a Level 3. In addition to these, Tesla uses a proprietary charger, the Tesla Supercharger, that is only for Tesla vehicles.
Level 1 chargers are typically for home use for two reasons. First, they can be plugged into a standard outlet without any installation. Additionally, they deliver a weaker charge, which requires a significantly longer charging time. Level 1 chargers typically deliver about 2 to 5 miles of range per hour of charging. Most electric car drivers will use a Level 1 at home to charge their cars overnight.
Level 2 chargers are most commonly found at commercial charging stations. (They can be used in a residential setting but need to be installed by a professional electrician since they can’t be plugged into a traditional outlet.) Level 2 chargers deliver 10 to 60 miles of range per hour of charging. They can fully charge an electric car battery in as little as two hours.
Level 3 chargers, also known as DC fast chargers, can provide 60 to 100 miles of driving to your car battery in as little as 20 minutes. However, not all electric cars are compatible with Level 3 chargers, including most plug-in hybrids and even some all-electric vehicles.
How to Find Charging Stations
As more electric vehicles take to the roads, more charging stations are popping up, but they’re still not nearly as ubiquitous as traditional gas stations. Therefore, it’s always important to know where you can get a charge, especially if you’re traveling through a new area.
The easiest way to locate electric vehicle charging stations is by using another piece of popular technology: your smartphone. There are several apps that provide electric car charging station maps. The AAA Mobile app, available for both iPhone and Android platforms, lists all charging stations in your area (as does AAA’s online TripTik Travel Planner).
Google Maps also has a feature that lets users discover charging stations on their route. Simply searching terms such as “EV charging” or “EV charging stations” will pinpoint all the nearest locations. It will also show drivers the types of ports available, the number of ports at the site and their charging speeds.
Another useful tool is the ChargePoint app. With more than 60,000 locations, ChargePoint is the largest network of electric vehicle charging stations in the US. The company’s app goes one step further by informing users in real-time how many ports are available for use.
How Much Does It Cost?
Individual charging stations set their own pricing structure. Many locations are free to use, while others may be free for a few hours before starting to charge. Some car manufacturers will even have their own unique payment system. For instance, certain Tesla models include an annual charging credit. Once you surpass the allotted amount, a small fee applies.
If you know what station you’re planning to use beforehand, make sure to check what fees are associated with a particular spot before you hit the road.
Know Your Car’s Range
Just as you would check how much gas is in the tank before pulling out of the driveway, you should know how far your electric battery is capable of taking you before embarking on your trip. But in certain cases, your car’s battery life doesn’t tell the whole story.
AAA research has found that extreme temperatures can have a drastic effect on the driving ranges of electric cars. In 20-degree temperatures, driving range was reduced by 12 percent. With the car’s heat running, driving ranges decreased by 41 percent. When temperatures rose to 95 degrees, there was a 4-percent decrease in electric vehicle range.
Motorists can find electric car charging stations with the free AAA Mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android. The app can also be used to map a route, find discounts, book a hotel and access AAA Roadside Assistance. Learn more at AAA.com/Mobile.
If you’re a Massachusetts resident that wants to buy a new gas-powered car, the clock is ticking. The state has announced its plans to ban the sale of gas-powered vehicles by 2035.
It is the first state to follow California, which announced the same policy in September. Several Europeans countries have already instituted a similar initiative.
The policy is part of the state’s plan to achieve Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Light-duty vehicles (passenger cars) are responsible for roughly 27% of statewide emissions.
The state believes it needs to intervene for electric vehicles (EVs) to become more widely adapted. It claims that without market intervention, there will be fewer than 500,000 EVs in the state by 2030. But reducing emissions 45% below 1990 levels would require twice as many EVs. (The state’s Net Zero plan specifies an even more ambitious plan of reducing at least 85% of gross emissions, or 90% below 1990 levels by 2050 statewide.)
The state notes that as of today, EVs are not as accessible as traditional cars because of their price point. This problem should be mitigated in the coming years. As technology improves, they will become more readily available and prices drop. In fact, a recent report claimed that with battery pack prices continuing to fall, automakers should be able to sell mass market EVs at the same price as comparable gas-powered vehicles as soon as 2023.
Massachusetts also rightly acknowledges that it needs to invest in EV charging infrastructure. Most EV owners charge their cars at home, but those living in apartments or multi-family homes likely won’t have access to a charging source at home and will need to rely on public charging stations.
Given an average vehicle lifetime of less than 15 years, implementing this regulation would likely result in a near complete transition of passengers cars from gas-powered to electric by 2050. Of course, the rule only applies to new cars. Used gas-powered vehicles will still be available for purchase.
California and Massachusetts may not be alone for long. In an October report by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Governor Phil Murphy’s administration recommended that by 2035, all new cars sold be zero emissions. Furthermore, President-elect Joe Biden has signaled his push for cleaner transportation. His list of Day One Executive Actions includes, “developing rigorous new fuel economy standards aimed at ensuring 100% of new sales for light- and medium-duty vehicles will be electrified.” And in year one, his administration will support the deployment of 500,000 new public charging stations and restore the full electric vehicle tax credit.
Regardless of what you think of these particular policies, the benefits of a complete shift to EVs is undeniable. Massachusetts estimates that if fully implemented, by 2050 the policy will prevent 27 deaths and 1,700 missed days of work (due to cardiovascular and respiratory illness), save $295 million in health costs and create nearly 4,000 jobs to support vehicle electrification and charging infrastructure.
What do you think of this policy? Are you excited about the future of electric vehicles? Let us know in the comments.
It’s practically a given: We live in a world where green cars tend to be small, quirky-looking or both. Which makes the Toyota Avalon Hybrid stand out, precisely because it is neither.
While the Avalon Hybrid can be a downright classy ride in its luxury-oriented Limited guise, the XSE model I tested featured sportier styling details, including larger 18-inch, dark-painted wheels and unique blacked-out mesh grille.
My tester featured generous room for four adults, though tall passengers might wish for a little more rear-seat headroom. Pop the lid on the huge trunk and you’ll find the same 16.1 cubic feet of cargo space as the non-hybrid Avalon, with no bulky hybrid battery pack that often eats into the space.
Toyota’s long list of advanced safety features, including automatic emergency braking and rear cross-traffic alert, also adds welcome peace-of-mind.
All this and 40-plus mpg? That’s a given we can get behind.
Over the years, gasoline-electric hybrids have developed an admittedly well-deserved reputation for exotic shapes that make them seem derived from crash-landed alien spacecraft. Well, the handsome new Hyundai Sonata Hybrid smashes that extraterrestrial stereotype with earthly panache.
For starters, this hybrid version of the Korean automaker’s midsize sedan boasts a remarkably sleek organic shape. Up top, note the cool optional rooftop solar panel that helps recharge the batteries.
Behind the wheel of the top Limited model I drove there was a definite upscale feeling, enhanced by surprisingly good ride and handling qualities and downright eager acceleration, something not all hybrids can claim. The fact that it can do it while returning outstanding Environmental Protection Agency fuel economy estimates makes it all the more remarkable.
Put it all together and you have a hybrid sedan that’s firmly rooted on planet Earth.
Looking for a new ride? Check out more car reviews at AAA.com/TestDrive.
