Enjoy Chic Hospitality at The Parsonage Inn on Cape Cod

Cape Cod Escape
The Parsonage Inn - Orleans Cape Cod

Orleans, Massachusetts is just under an hour from the Bourne Bridge in Cape Cod and a perfect lower Cape escape.

It is home to beaches on both the Cape Cod Bay and the Atlantic Ocean and is a treasure trove of excellent dining, art galleries, and unique shops. You‘ll also find hiking spots and kettle ponds carved into the earth by ancient glaciers. (See the Orleans Bonus Section at the end of this post for a list of things to see and do!)

Orleans is part of what’s considered the “Lower Cape,” which also includes Brewster, Chatham, and Harwich. It’s a great base for further exploration of the Cape.

That was exactly our pleasure during an off-season getaway, where my friend and I experienced Orleans in a way many “summer people” don’t.

Regardless of which season you visit Cape Cod–whether it’s the slower pace of the off-season or the warm beachy summer months, we know you will enjoy the chic hospitality of The Parsonage Inn.

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Comfort & Foodie Heaven at The Inn at Sweet Water Farm

Comfort and Foodie Heaven at The Inn at Sweet Water Farm

A Quick Winter Trip to The Berkshires

I set out one weekend to visit the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Stockbridge is part of the Berkshires, clear across the state from my south-of-Boston home. In fact, it’s next to the last town in Western Massachusetts before you’re in upstate New York. But, with Rockwell’s original works on display and a chance to see his final studio, U knew it would be a worthwhile trip. Plus, I was itching for a winter change of scenery. Rather than make the round trip in a day, I extended my travels to an overnight and discovered comfort and foodie heaven at The Inn at Sweet Water Farm.

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Best Quick Gourmet at The Brown Jug in Sandwich

The Brown Jug in Sandwich

The Brown Jug in Sandwich is a gourmet grocer in the historic district of Sandwich Village, Massachusetts. You’ll find it nestled among a handful of unique boutiques and antique shops, charming restaurants, and historic inns of this “Upper Cape” Cod town founded by the pilgrims.

Find out why it’s worth a visit, below.

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5 Festive Holiday Events at the Newport Mansions

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Get into the Christmas Spirit

Each year, the Newport Mansions put on a festive celebration to usher in the holiday season. Christmas trees and lavish decorations festoon the mansions, once homes to prominent families of Newport, Rhode Island. You’ll find Nutcracker performances, dinner parties, and music events that lead right up to New Year’s Eve.

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Luxury Lifestyle: The Newport Mansions Decorated for Christmas

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The Newport Mansions at Christmas

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Scenes from the Gilded Age

A visit to Newport, Rhode Island is incomplete without seeing the Newport Mansions at Christmas.  There are ten incredible estates that The Preservation Society of Newport County maintains year-round. Guests may explore independently or follow guided tours by a headset.

Of course, the mansions are a “must-see” at any time of year, and especially nice as part of a romantic getaway to Rhode Island.

Through the holiday season, though, four mansions are open daily to visitors: The Breakers, Rosecliff, The Elms, and Marble House. Each was once a private residence for the well-to-do, including famous families like the Vanderbilts, who retreated to the mansions’ grandeur along the cool shores of Rhode Island for summer months.

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Winter Scenes from the Mountain Village of Bethel Maine

A Visit to Bethel Maine

Bethel, Maine is a charming New England town I visit each year to meet friends who ski in the area. The quaint mountain village lies between some of the highest mountains in Maine. Winter in Bethel Maine offers ample opportunity for outdoor sports, including alpine skiing and snowboarding, Nordic and cross-country skiing, snowmobile trails, snowshoeing, and more.

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My Weekend Stay at the Chatham Tides Inn (Hotel Review)

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A Casual Resort on the Water in Chatham (Cape Cod), Massachusetts

In a tranquil Cape Cod neighborhood steps from the Atlantic Ocean, you’ll find a casual beach resort with comforts of home. Here, a footpath perfumed by beach roses and gentle seagrass invites you to a private beach. Adirondack and lounge chairs wait beside the fixings for a campfire on the beach. You’ll take in panoramic views of Nantucket Sound and Monomoy National Wildlife Preserve. Sound good? Welcome to Chatham Tides where I spent a restorative waterfront weekend in Chatham, Massachusetts.

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Manchester Vermont Lodging: Great New England Vacation Spot

Mount Equinox Manchester Vermont

One weekend, the kids and I piled into the car and road-tripped north for a weekend getaway to Manchester Vermont. Our destination? The Wilburton Inn, a hilltop Tudor-style mansion with several private villas, was a great Manchester Vermont lodging option for us.

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An Off-Season Waterfront Weekend in Sandwich, Cape Cod

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89 North Shore Boulevard

I couldn’t have been happier with the accommodations at this adorable two-bedroom cottage located on East Sandwich beach just steps from the ocean. Owners Tom and Ellen went out of their way to make sure I had everything I needed for an off-season weekend stay at their property, which has breathtaking views of the ocean. This space offers comfort, peace, and privacy, and is ideal as a beachy getaway for 1 to 6 people on- or off-season.

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Martha’s Vineyard, Isle of Dreams [Book Review]

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If you’ve ever been to Martha’s Vineyard, Cape Cod, you know it’s a very special place. Being from Massachusetts myself and only about an hour’s drive from the ferry, I’ve dreamed about making a permanent move. Well, that’s just what author Susan Branch considered in her book, Martha’s Vineyard, Isle of Dreams.

This unique book offers so much to absorb!

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