1,000 Places to See in the U.S.A. & Canada Before You Die (12 page)

Windjammers were the grandest cargo sailing ships of their time.

By day, the Maine windjammers are all about sailing: Passengers help with the sails, take a turn at the wheel, climb the mast, scan the horizon for seals and porpoises, or just relax on the wooden decks. Often, two or more ships will meet up and take each other on in an informal race. In early evening, the captains
steer into protected coves, sometimes running a skiff to shore to let passengers explore small fishing towns or uninhabited islands, sometimes mooring at a quiet, rocky beach for a traditional lobster bake. Often, the evening will end with music, sometimes from the captain, sometimes from passengers who’ve brought along their instruments. Everyone turns in early to their tiny cabins, which are usually furnished with little more than two simple wooden bunks piled with blankets. Some of the boats have running water; others have dry sinks with a barrel of water you can tap for washing. Restroom and shower facilities are shared. It’s a rustic experience, but that’s the point. Before or after setting sail, stay at Captain Lindsey House Inn, an elegantly restored sea captain’s home in the heart of Rockland’s waterfront district.

W
HERE:
Cruises set sail from Rock land, Camden, and Rockport. Rockland is 80 miles northeast of Portland. Tel 800-807-WIND;
www.sailmainecoast.com.
C
OST:
3-night cruise from $450 per person all-inclusive.
W
HEN:
mid-May–mid-Oct.
C
APTAIN
L
INDSEY
H
OUSE
I
NN:
Rockland. Tel 800-523-2145 or 207-596-7950;
www.srinns.com/captainlindsey.
Cost:
from $104 (off-peak), from $150 (peak).
B
EST TIMES:
late July–early Aug to tie in with Rockland’s Maine Lobster Festival (see p. 35).

The Best Lobster Rolls Down East

Wiscasset, Maine

For some people, the lobster roll is a vacation destination in itself, the scenery of coastal Maine merely a pleasant backdrop. If you’re one of those folks, you probably already know about Red’s Eats, a tiny red-and-white
shack sitting beneath a large Siberian elm at the corner of Route 1 and Water Street in Wiscasset, the self-proclaimed “Prettiest Village in Maine.” Open since 1938 (and in its current location since 1954), Red’s is almost universally recognized as serving the best lobster rolls on the Maine coast—therefore, by extension, the best anywhere. In season, a line of customers perpetually snakes out into the street. You order at the walk-up window and then chow down at one of the tables on the back deck, right next to the always snarled traffic on Route 1. As for the roll, imagine the flesh of a whole lobster (or more) crammed onto a toasted hot dog bun and served with melted butter and/or mayo on the side. There are also batter-fried clams, scallops and other seafood, burgers, and hot dogs with cheese, but save those for your 10th or 12th visit, when you can afford to experiment.

W
HERE:
45 miles northeast of Portland; 41 Water St. Tel 207-882-6128.
C
OST:
lobster rolls $14.
W
HEN:
mid-Apr–mid-Oct.
B
EST TIMES:
late Apr and early May for smaller crowds.

A lobster roll at Red’s Eats is among the highlights of a visit to Maine.

19th-Century Architecture in the Shadow of the State Capitol

Boston, Massachusetts

White-trimmed redbrick town houses, window boxes overflowing with flowers, gas lamps lighting uneven cobbled streets—that’s Boston as you imagined it. It’s certainly Beacon Hill. One of the city’s oldest
neighborhoods, “the Hill” is something of an architectural time capsule. Most of the graceful homes date to the first half of the 19th century, and their elegant Federal style makes this the archetypal New England residential area. It’s also the natural habitat of the “Boston Brahmin.” Oliver Wendell Holmes coined the term, borrowing the name of the highest Hindu caste to signify the well-educated, well-bred Protestant elite that dominated the city’s politics and society well into the 20th century.

Find your way around the neighborhood on foot, following the steep streets up to the golden dome of Charles Bulfinch’s 1797 Massachusetts State House. The south slope of the hill is Boston Common, and the “flat of the hill,” between Charles Street and the Charles River, adjoins the Public Garden (see p. 46). Browse along Charles Street, where quirky gift shops share space with tasteful antiques stores. Stop at exquisite Louisburg Square, a tiny private park surrounded by some of the city’s most exclusive and expensive real estate, including the stately home of John and Teresa Heinz Kerry.

Acorn Street, a narrow cobblestone lane, was built in the late 1820s.

Another way to see Beacon Hill is to follow the Black Heritage Trail, which links 14 historically significant sites, including a stop on the Underground Railroad. At the end of the trail the Abiel Smith School (1834) and the African Meeting House (1806) make up the Museum of Afro-American History, whose exhibits preserve the history of blacks in the city and state. The school was the first built in the nation as a public school for black children; the meetinghouse is the oldest standing black church in the country.

Around the corner from the State House is XV Beacon, a state-of-the-art boutique hotel with just 60 rooms, each with a gas fireplace. The restaurant, the Federalist, is famed for its wine cellar, which holds more than 20,000 bottles. Though not as extensive, another noteworthy wine list is a draw at nearby No. 9 Park, one of Boston’s most renowned special-occasion restaurants. Chef-owner Barbara Lynch has won a James Beard Award for her refined country cooking, French and Italian in style but the essence of New England in its ultrafresh flavors. The dining room, designed to evoke a 1940s supper club, looks out on the
Common, completing the only-in-Boston experience.

W
HERE:
bordered by Beacon, Bowdoin, and Cambridge streets and Storrow Drive.
Visitor info:
Tel 800-SEE-BOSTON or 617-536-4100;
www.bostonusa.com.
B
OSTON
A
FRICAN
A
MERICAN
N
ATIONAL
H
ISTORIC
S
ITE:
Tel 617-742-5415;
www.nps.gov/boaf.
When:
closed Sun in summer; off-season by appointment.
M
USEUM OF
A
FRO
-A
MERICAN
H
ISTORY:
Tel 617-725-0022;
www.afroammuseum.org.
When:
closed Sun.
XV
B
EACON:
Tel 877-
XV-BEACON
or 617-670-1500,
www.xvbeacon.com.
Cost:
from $295; dinner $70.
N
O
. 9 P
ARK:
Tel 617-742-9991;
www.no9park.com.
Cost:
dinner $65.
B
EST TIMES:
Feb for Black History Month; late May for Hidden Gardens of Beacon Hill tour (
www.beaconhillgardenclub.org
).

America’s Biggest Birthday Gala

Boston, Massachusetts

One of America’s premier birthday bashes takes place in Boston. The city enjoys the Fourth of July far too much to confine its celebration to one day or one place: Boston Harborfest lasts a full week, taking over all
downtown and the waterfront. The climax of the festivities is the Boston Pops concert on the night of the Fourth, complete with church bells, cannon fire (during the finale of the
1812 Overture
), and a breathtaking display of fireworks set to music. The concert, which features at least one big-name guest vocalist, doesn’t start until 8:30
P.M
., but the party runs all day—spectators arrive on the Boston side of the Charles River at dawn to stake out a spot on the Esplanade in front of the Hatch Shell amphitheater, where the orchestra performs.

Earlier in the week, Harborfest’s 200-plus events—concerts, cruises, tours, performances, and more—entertain locals as well as visitors from all over the world. Children’s Day features special activities for youngsters, and Chowderfest attracts crowds who vote on well-known (and not) local restaurants’ entries in the competition for the title of best clam chowder (New England style, of course).

On July 3, the Pops rehearse the next night’s program to a not-insignificant-size crowd. The orchestra has been an integral and much-loved part of the festivities since they began in 1974, under the direction of the legendary Arthur Fiedler; today the engaging Keith Lockhart wields the baton. The official hotel of the Pops is the elegant Fairmont Copley Plaza, not far from the Esplanade. The gracious atmosphere and service suit the historic 1912 hotel, designed by the same architect as New York’s opulent Plaza Hotel. Even if you’re not a guest, walk through the lobby, a masterpiece of Edwardian excess executed in mirrors, crystals, and gold accents. The Oak Bar, off the lobby, is a clubby enclave of wood
paneling, leather furniture, and excellently prepared martinis. For the full Fourth of July experience, book the Boston Pops Suite, appointed with memorabilia and outfitted with CDs, and let the party continue.

The Harborfest celebrates the colonial and maritime heritage of historic Boston.

The area around the Charles River is busy all year, but especially in the summer. The Hatch Shell shows family-friendly movies in a series called “Free Friday Flicks.” The amphitheater is on the Esplanade, the Beacon Hill/Back Bay section of the 17-mile biking and walking loop that parallels the Charles River. To get out onto the river, you can take a Boston Duck Tour. The “Ducks” are amphibious vehicles that lumber around the city on wheels and then finish off with a plunge into the water, where the tour continues; the narrated 80-minute excursion is one of the city’s best sightseeing experiences.

B
OSTON
H
ARBORFEST:
Tel 617-227-1528;
www.bostonharborfest.com.
Boston 4 Celebrations, tel 888-484-7677 or 617-267-2400;
www.july4th.org.
When:
1st week of July.
C
OPLEY
P
LAZA:
Tel 800-257-7544 or 617-267-5300;
www.fairmont.com/copleyplaza.
Cost:
from $249.
F
REE
F
RIDAY
F
LICKS:
Tel 617-787-7200;
www.wbz1030.com.
When:
July–early Sept.
B
OSTON
D
UCK
T
OURS:
Tel 800-226-7442 or 617-267-
DUCK
;
www.bostonducktours.com
.
When:
late Mar–late Nov.