Carve a pumpkin, win a vacation

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Head up to Cape Elizabeth, Maine to cut up a pumpkin, and you may wind up with a return trip. Inn by the Sea is taking the New England institution of pumpkin carving to a new level. Spend two nights or more at this resort in October, and you’ll be given a complementary pumpkin … along with the accoutrements for turning it into a frightening or masterful Jack O’Lantern. And, be sure to make some time to sip a cup of hot cider by the fireplace afterward.

At the end of the month, Inn by the Sea will choose the winner. The judges work from a blind photo array, awarding points for creativity, artistry and the all-important fun factor. In November, check the inn’s website for the winner. If it’s you, Inn by the Sea will credit all the expense from your trip back to you – regardless of what you spent or how long you stayed.

The Pumpkin Art package includes two nights at the inn, breakfast for two each day at the Sea Glass restaurant and the pumpkin carving essentials. The rest, of course, is up to you!

Unlimited golf at Samoset Resort in Maine

by Tom Johansmeyer on

At the Samoset Resort in Maine, you can play as much golf as you want. The new program offered by the resort offers unlimited use of its 18-hole golf course. If you get tired of watching hooks and slices, keep in mind that seven of the holes are ocean-side, and 14 offer great views of the shore. At $299 a night, you’ll pick up a savings of more than $100 a night. In addition to the unlimited golf, the package includes breakfast for two, use of a golf cart for two people as they hit the links as much or as little as they choose and a golf-related gift from the pro shop.

The Samoset Resort is located between Rockland and Camden, offering easy access to the restaurants and sights of the former and the rural bliss of the latter. To take advantage of this deal, you’ll need to grab your bags and hit the road by October 31, 2009 (and use the code GCGOLF).

Four New England leaf-peeping deals you won’t want to miss

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Fall is right around the corner, and in New England, this means the leaves are getting ready to change. If you’re planning to be part of the influx of leaf-peepers to the northeast corner of the United States, New England Inns & Resorts has put together some great deals to help you make the most of your experience – without draining your pockets.

Whether this is your first trip to New England for this annual ritual or you’re already there and just want to get away for the weekend, there are some absolute bargains on the market right now. In addition to fantastic room rates, you can take advantage of discounts at plenty of local attractions.

After the jump, check out four great packages that will give you some good reasons to go to New England this fall.

1. Wander the corn maze
At Nordic Village Resort in Jackson, New Hampshire, you can get two weekend nights and two adult passes to the Maze at Sherman’s Farm (I went a few years ago and got horribly lost) for $220 a night. You’ll also get a coupon for $10 off at Yesterday’s restaurant.

2. Attend a scarecrow wedding
At the Nonantum Resort in Kennebunkport, Maine, you can spend two nights in a water view room at the Carriage House Inn and pick up a $25 dining credit (per person) at 95 Ocean, the resort’s restaurant. For $359 a night mid-week ($519 a night on weekends), you’ll also receive bike rentals, one-day tickets for the InTown Trolley and breakfast every day. The most interesting perk, however, is the build your own scarecrow kit. All scarecrows constructed will be present at the “scarecrow wedding” at Nonantum Resort on October 11, 2009, the kickoff for Kennebunkport’s Gathering of the Scarecrows Festival.

3. Soak in waterfalls, lakes and covered bridges
At Centennial Inn in Farmington, Connecticut, the “Get Up and GO for Fall” package includes a night in a Studio Suite and a map of the most interesting local attractions. Use the complementary $10 gas card to fuel the travels guided by that map, and be sure to check out the cider mill, gourmet cheese shop and vineyard. The first night starts at $165, and you can get another for only $99.

4. Do you need a reason to go to Newport?
Well, if you do, the “Tranquil Autumn Getaway” package offered by Castle Hill Inn & Resort has one. In addition to two tickets to tour one of Newport’s Historic Preservation Society’s mansions, you’ll receive a romantic three-course dinner, afternoon tea every day and breakfast each morning. The package starts at $1,520 in September and $1,112 in October – a bit pricey … but c’mon, it’s Newport.

Economic consequences: travel with your family

by Tom Johansmeyer on

I guess there are some families that genuinely enjoy traveling together. Dozens of people buy out plenty of space in a motel – or line up a few cottages – and arrive in force for some good ol’ fashioned family bonding time. I wouldn’t do it (coordinating travel inside the immediate family is hard enough), but there’s an element that will.

Take out the element that looks forward to a large family trip every year, and you’ll find a few more families at campsites, motels and vacation rentals … though not entirely by choice. Difficult economic conditions are driving some to pool their resources, sacrificing a measure of enjoyment to make their travel dollars as productive as possible. From Hawaii to Maine, prospective travelers are looking for deals for large groups.
TripAdvisor puts the number of families with children vacationing with another family at a third, up substantially from 2008.

Of course, some are trying to put a positive twist on the trend, claiming that the point of these trips isn’t to save money but to spend time together as a family. And, a handful of them mean it. For the rest, let’s see what happens when the economy recovers.

Hot New England deal will help you cool off this summer

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Once Manhattan turns into a pressure cooker, usually in mid-July, I’m looking for the exits … and I fully realize that we don’t have “real” heat up here. So, if you have it worse than I do, check out the latest deal from Samoset Resort. Tucked away on the edge of Penobscot Bay, this property’s new zero-entry pool is a great place to hide from the heat this summer, even if only for a weekend.

Spend two nights at the Samoset, relax in a private cabana, and take a break from the pool in a luxurious, oversized hot tub. Relax your body, a bit … and help this process along with a $50 resort credit at the Splash Pool Bar. You’ll get all this (and breakfast every day) for $259 a night, as long as you visit between Sunday and Thursday. Once August ends, the deal does, too.

To take advantage of the special, remember to use the promo code HOT.