Around New England

Join us this week as we head back up to the Bethel, Maine area to hike the Mount Will Trail.   This is just one of the many trails maintained by the Inland Woods & Trails .  This non-profit organization maintains over 100 miles of trails in the area.  We first meet them at the Snowbound Expo and again at the Boston Run and Outdoor Expo .  We brought our dog, and there are many other dog-friend...

Join us this week as we hike one of the most popular hikes in NH, possibly even the US, Mount Monadnock in Jaffrey, NH.  Although Mount Monadnock is attainable for almost any ability, it is still a challenging hike.  Be prepared to have fun, but also make sure you are prepared for a real hike!  It was over 4 miles total, and about 1,650 feet of elevation gain.   Besides this park having a strict n...

Join us this week as we hike a local favorite of ours, Mount Major .  This mountain is a great introductory hike for pets, kids, or anyone looking to take a nice step towards the more difficult mountains.   We have been to a few places to eat in the area.  In the summer, we have been to Pop's Clam Shell , right on Lake Winnipesauke in Alton Bay.  They serve seafood and a variety of other fried foo...

Join us this week as we travel to beautiful Manchester, VT to hike Lye Brook Falls Trail .  The destination of this 4.8 mile hike is one of Vermont's tallest waterfall.  The hike is fairly easy, kid and dog friendly, and the views are worth the mileage!  We saw a wide variety of hikers here.   After the hike we checked out nearby Depot Street Burgers for a delicious post-hike burger & beer.  W...

Join us this week as we go to Sleeping Giant State Park in Hamden, CT.  This family and dog-friendly hike has a cool tower (or castle) at the summit that has nice views of Long Island Sound and the New Haven area.  We did a 4.5 mile loop that included going past the summit and returning a less common trail.  It was not difficult and a lot of fun. After the hike we headed to the world famous Wooste...

Join us this week as we travel abroad to Ireland!  We hiked and ate at some fantastic spots that we simply had to share with you guys!  If you are ever fortunate enough to get to Ireland, be sure to take a day to have a hiking adventure.  We booked our trip through Ireland Walk Hike Bike .  We first learned about this Ireland based company on our first trip to Ireland.  We hiked a guided 16 km hik...

This week we talk about two short NH hikes that are perfect for families that enjoy getting out on the trails!  First we checked out Blue Job Mountain in Strafford, NH.  There are two peaks, with great views accessable by the Blue Job Mountain Loop trail.  Little Blue Job has an exposed peak and nice views of the White Mountains.  Blue Job has a fire tower that is available to partially climb up. ...

Today we’re going to break down outdoor activities to do in each season here in New England regardless of when you get to travel. We get this question a lot, "What do you think is the best season to visit New England?" While G loves the Fall, Mike prefers the warmer weather in the summer months.  Both of us agree that each season has its advantages.  Here are just some of the activities we discuss...

Join us this week as we take the puppy on her first RI hike at Lincoln Woods State Park .  This is a great park with many activities available year round.  The price is the best part!  It's free to get in!   Located in Lincoln, but also near Providence, Woonsocket, and Pawtucket, this spot is just a RIPTA bus ride away!  We went in the winter and hiked but this place is a gem in the summer!  You c...

This week we take the puppy to Pawtuckaway State Park to see how she does on her first winter hike!  Spoiler alert...She's going to be a great hiking partner!!  Pawtuckaway is great year round.  They have boating, fishing, hiking, biking, snowmobiling, and you can even ride your horse there!   Afterwards we had some amazing treats and coffee at Blooms and Brews .  If you are in the Deerfield area,...

Join us this week as we explore a few of our favorite New Hampshire Seacoast hikes, Odiorne Point State Park and Urban Forestry Center.  Located on the Atlantic Ocean, overlooking the entrance of the Piscataqua River and New Castle, NH is Odiorne Point.  This spot has picnic tables, a playground, great tide-pooling areas, nice hiking trails, and of course the Seacoast Science Center .  Don't miss...

This week we talk about the Thomas Dambo trolls located in Rhode Island.  We already recorded an episode on the trolls, but some have been added since our original troll podcast .  There are 2 located in Ninigret Park in Charlestown, 1 located in Arcadia Management Area, 1 located in Ryan Park in North Kingstown, and 1 located at Kettle Point Peir in East Providence.  All are unique and fun to che...

Welcome to this year's Vermont Winter Weekend!  We stayed in Williston again as we really enjoyed the location right off 89.  It's easy to get to Burlington or Bolton Valley .  We starte off at Bolton Valley to downhill ski.  G had a lesson as part of the Learn To Turn program by Indy Pass .  Mike had fun skiing some more challenging trails and skiing in the woods while G had her 2 hour lesson.  ...

Join us as we discuss all of our favorite hiking gear and where we shop as well as where you guys have recommended.  We discuss all clothing choices from shoes, socks, pants, tops, and outerwear.  This isn't the same as our blog about the 10 essentials , but a list of our own essentials that we try not to hike without. We talk a lot about our favorite items of clothing and where we got them from. ...

This week we head towards Boston for our new Puppy's first hike at the Middlesex Fells Reservation in Medford, MA.  Known as "The Fells", this park is surprisingly large at over 2,000 acres! There is access from other surrounding towns, but we went to the Medford parking lot.   There are so many trails, it truly is a choose-your-own-adventure type of hike.  We did the skyline trail which had white...

Join us this week as we head to Gillette Castle in East Haddam, CT.  This beautiful castle was built in the early 1900's for William Gillette , best known for being the first person to be Sherlock Holmes in theater.  His home is amazing and is free to walk around.  Tours are available from daily during the summer, and weekends throughout the fall.  There is even a cool holiday showing.  We went wh...

This week we head to Bridgton, Maine to check out Pate Mountain Reserve .  Be sure to listen to hear how to pronounce it!  ;) This area is maintained by Loon Echo Land Trust (LELT) and they do an incredible job!  It's a great hike to get a variety of trail experiences.  Bald Pate reminded us a lot of Mount Agamenticus in York, Maine.  Listen to our podcast about it here.    The Bridgton Maine area...

Join us as we hike out 8th New Hampshire 4,000 footer, Mount Hale.  Located off 302 near Bretton Woods, Zealand Road is a seasonal road that accesses several great hiking trails including this hike.  The road is closed in the winter, so check conditions prior to arriving.  The road closure would practically double the mileage on this one!  When we did this one, it was November.  The road was still...

Thanks for joining us in our Season 2 opening episode where we talk all about our 2026 hiking goals and of course, Mike wants to talk skiing.  This year Mike is taking G skiing on the Indy Pass .  This is the first in many seasons that G has tried skiing again.  Listen to her adventures while taking her first of her three lessons, including if she made it out unscathed or not. We both have the Ind...

For our Season 1 finally, We hiked a hike that has been on our bucket list for a long time.  We hiked the Lincoln - Lafayette Loop in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.  This hike was outstanding!    We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Lincoln with hopes to hike on one of the 2 morning we were there.  We paid close attention to the Higher Summits Forecast from the Mount Washington Observato...

This week we venture off to some cool family friendly spots in the Portland, Maine area.  We head to Mackworth Island State Park for some quiet views of Casco Bay.   Next we headed to Fort Williams Park to see the famous Portland Head Light lighthouse and walk the cliff walk . We finally had to check out Crescent Beach State Park where you can rent paddle boards!  another spot we recommend is Fore...

Join us as we explore Block Island which is a small but beautiful island just 13 miles off the coast of Rhode Island.  It is accessible by The Block Island Ferry .  Book your trip early, as this place gets very busy in the summer!   When you arrive, you will see some of the bluffs that are visible from the mainland.  As you enter the Old Harbor to dock, Ballard's Resort which is a really cool plac...

*They recently changed the path to a one way for the busy holiday weekend. Please feel free to follow Cannon Mt Instagram where they post updates.  We hiked the famous Flume Gorge and Artist Bluffs on an incredible fall day.  The foliage was popping, and the people were out at some of New England's most popular spots.  Some of these people could benefit from reading our blog on trail etiquette ! ...

Join us as we embark on an adventurous hike up Mount Tom in Holyoke, Massachusetts. In this episode, we explore the challenges and rewards of this steep trail, share insights on the best gear for the journey (spoiler alert, we love LL Bean !) , and delve into the rich history of the Metacomet Ridge. Whether you're a seasoned hiker or just starting out, this episode offers a blend of practical tips...

Join us on our first adventure in Connecticut as Around New England!  We went to Ragged Mountain Memorial Preserve in Berlin.  This hike had a little more grade than we thought we signed up for, but it is still a family and dog friendly hike and is only about a 30 minute drive from Hartford.  We even saw cool wildlife on the trail! This hike is also part of the New England Trail , which is a hikin...