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Fall Festivals / Fall Travel / Halloween / New Hampshire Travel / → All Tags

This Year's New Hampshire Pumpkin Party May Be the Finale

Fall in New England means plenty of vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows throughout the rolling hills, but this season one town in New Hampshire has way more orange than any other color. That’s because citizens of Keene are all about pumpkins this month, and their Pumpkin Festival next weekend is ready to set all kinds of jack-o-lanterns records.

This fall festival has special stuff for the kiddos, tasty food options, and plenty of live entertainment. However, the stars of the show are the pumpkins. Whether you carve your pumpkin at home or at the festival, be sure to remember to bring a votive candle with your orange gourd. There’s no charge to visit on October 16, but remember to bring $10 for parking.

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Valentine's Day Travel / Singles Travel / Ski Travel / → All Tags

Find Love Up Above with Chairlift Speed Dating This Weekend

Do you feel like you've looked everywhere for your soul mate but haven't found them yet? Maybe you're just not looking in the right place. Forget bars, parties or the grocery store, why not try a ski lift? Black Mountain in Jackson, NH is hosting the 4th Annual Chairlift Speed Dating event this weekend.

Registration for the event begins at 12:30 pm on Saturday, Feb. 13 in the Lostbo Pub. Speed dating runs from 2 pm to 4 pm and is followed by music, drinks and contests. While you're looking for the mate of your dreams, you can also enjoy 'Love Potions' from the bar and a special aphrodisiac menu to get you in the mood. And for the ladies, the deal is even sweeter since you'll get to ski for free (not to mention the fact that men find women more attractive in scary situations thanks to the adrenaline rush).

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Literary Travel / New Hampshire Travel / Events / → All Tags

Visit Curious George's Year-Round Home

Curious about where the Man in the Yellow Hat hails from? Visit his home this summer and sate your curiosity safely in New Hampshire at the new Margret and H.A. Rey Center.

Home of the Curious George Cottage, a publisher-endorsed arts and science center for local kids, at Waterville Valley was the Reys' summer home for many years. They traveled here from Cambridge, Massachusetts, where there is still a Curious George bookstore in their honor. During the Curious George Cottage Family Festival (Aug. 7-9), parents and kids can share banana pancakes, take a nature discovery walk around the new center, or enjoy an old-fashioned story hour. Make sure not to leave without getting your picture taken with the guests of honor, as shown above!

The Reys were pretty big travelers themselves: European émigrés who met in Brazil, they made a daring escape from occupied Paris during World War II. Having seen the world undoubtedly helped them to infuse their beloved character with his zest for the unknown.

Related Stories:
· 2009 Curious George Cottage Family Festival [ReyCenter.org]
· The Four Seasons Chicago Will Read Your Kids Bedtime Stories [HC]
· Literary Travel coverage [Jaunted]

Possible Presidents Travel / Possible-Presidents-Map / Barack Obama / Joe Biden / John McCain / Sarah Palin / → All Tags

You're Always A Day Away

Today is the great nailbiter for people on both sides of the aisle. By tomorrow we'll know who will be our next president... Or will we? Anyone who still remembers falling asleep in front of the TV in 2000 is wary of any pat resolution.

Of course, for the tiny town of Dixville Notch, New Hampshire, there's nothing else to do but wait: The traditional first place in the nation to vote went for Barack Obama in the first rush of ballots. Polls opened at 6 am in most East Coast states

Want to celebrate or cry with your candidate of choice tonight? Obama supporters are amassing in Chicago's Grant Park tonight to count returns. It's ticketed to the tune of about 78,000, but the Sun-Times estimates 250,000 could rush the waterfront, so if you don't like crowds, stay home.

For John McCain, head to the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix, in the shade of the gorgeous Camelback Mountains. There seems to be a little confusion over whether McCain will be outside on the lawn or in the grand ballroom, so make sure to arrive plenty early. The Biltmore has hosted every president since Herbert Hoover, and the hotel told the Arizona Republic they've got plenty of bubbly in reserve.

Related Stories:
· What to Expect for Obama's Grant Park Bash [Chicago Sun-Times]
· Obama Wins in Earliest Vote in Tiny Dixville, NH [AP, via Google]
· McCain to Shake Up Election Night Party at the Biltmore [HC]
· Resort Hosts McCain Camp, Prepares for Global Publicity [Arizona Republic]
· Scary, Scary Close [Jaunted]

[Photo: walknboston]

Halloween / Middle America / Fall Travel / Fall Festivals / → All Tags

Fall Festivals Travel: Plenty of Pumpkins

Even though they're a little early, the residents of New Hampshire are ready to celebrate Halloween this weekend at the Keene Pumpkin Festival.

Things start at 10 am on Saturday with a craft fair and all kinds of food, but the real fun starts at noon with the pumpkin seed spitting contest. More entertainment kicks off in the afternoon with musicians spread out across three stages. If you're up for more eating, or were impressed by Joey Chestnut's recent feat, then get a good spot for the pumpkin pie eating contest.

The day's events culminate when the official count of lighted jack-o-lanterns takes place. That's right, the whole festival is centered on trying to break the world record for the most candle-filled pumpkins in one place: Last year the festival got close with 25,644, but nearby Boston still holds the record with more than 30,000!

Related Stories:
· The Keene Pumpkin Festival [Official Site]
· Fall Festivals coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: jmwests]

Skybus / LCCs / Low Cost Carriers / PSM / Airports / → All Tags

Good Luck with That Travel: Airport Hitching Its Future to Skybus

For all the haters out there, Skybus has also inspired some true believers. And whether the airline is profitable or not, officials at Portsmouth International are dumping $5 million into airport improvements, hoping to lure Skybus into making it a focus city.

The carrier now runs six flights a day out of PSM, up from two last summer. With the increase in passenger traffic, security lanes, the baggage claim and even the bathrooms have been overwhelmed. Putting in new facilities would ease that stress and set the airport up for future expansion. (All improvements aside, it'll still be 63 miles from Boston.)

Still, some board members are worried about making improvements that will essentially benefit one airline. But one airport bigwig who should know says it's a good carrier to invest in:

There's been an extremely high level of conversation within Skybus about international flights.

$10 flights to the Bahamas, anyone?

Related Stories:
· Pease Plans $5 Million Terminal Expansion [Seacoast Online]
· Skybus Going International [Jaunted]
· Skybus coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: msmail]

2008 Candidates Travel / Candidates-Travel-Map / John McCain / Barack Obama / Hillary Clinton / Ron Paul / Rudy Giuliani / Mike Huckabee / Mitt Romney / → All Tags

2008 Candidates Travel: Live Free Or Die, Hillary!

Check out our Candidates Travel Map to chase down those last undecided primary votes.

Today's the first primary in the nation in warmer-than-usual New Hampshire. The seventeen voters who showed up to the polls in Dixville Notch, the city which began voting after midnight, picked Barack Obama and John McCain. McCain is the big surprise of that pairing after a less than stellar showing in Iowa.

Much has been made of the fact that Hillary Clinton received none of those 17 votes, but maybe a town of 74 isn't a super sample.

Since 1952, the winner of the New Hampshire primary for his party has gone on to be president 85 percent of the time. (McCain is one of those exceptions, having taken the state in the 2000 primary.) Mitt Romney may have had that stat in mind when he stood outside a Manchester polling place trying to catch some of the 45 percent of registered independents, who are free to vote in either primary.

Current polls indicate that Romney's running second, ahead of Iowa champion Mike Huckabee, Ron Paul and Rudy Giuliani. Next week, it's off to Michigan, where the candidates of both parties will genuflect to Big Auto on Michael Moore territory. You can bet we'll be following them west.

Related Stories:
· Obama, McCain get early win in Dixville Notch [Reuters]
· 2008 Candidates Travel coverage [Jaunted]
· Candidates Travel Map [Jaunted]

[Photo: yorkd]

MHT / Airports / Airport Transportation / → All Tags

Manchester Airport Also Obsessed With Being From Boston

A Jaunted reader points out that Skybus isn't the only airline with Boston lust. Turns out Manchester New Hampshire airport, MHT, which is a good 54 miles from Boston, now calls itself "Manchester Boston Regional Airport." Please.

We know with the Red Sox winning the World Series, the Patriots working on an undefeated season and the Celtics ready to return to glory, everybody wants to claim they live in Boston these days, but New Hampshire is not Boston. MHT might as well call itself "Manchester, NH--Manchester England Regional Airport".

That said, Manchester does offer a new high frequency bus service operates every two hours, 24-hours a day, seven days a week between MHT, the Anderson Regional Transportation Center in Woburn, MA and the Sullivan Square MBTA Subway Station. This service is free to all passengers. Very cool. So tell us this MHT: Why not just call yourself what you are, a small airport about an hour from Boston with excellent transportation options to and from the city, instead of going all Skybus on us and trying to convince noobs that Manchester is a suburb of Boston?

Related Stories:
· Skybus So Wants Portsmouth to be Boston [Jaunted]
· Skybus coverage [Jaunted]

Skybus / Airlines / → All Tags

Skybus So Wants Portsmouth To Be Boston

Plenty of people want to be in Boston these days -- BoSox World Series, undefeated Patriots, and the Celtics imminent return to prominence. However, Skybus has been taking it one step further, repeatedly claiming a town that is a bridge away from being in Maine is actually the Hub.

Portsmouth is not Boston. As a matter of fact it is over 60 miles away. Yet Skybus is constantly advertising Portsmouth as Boston. Their newest newsletter went one step further and highlights their new daily non stops from "Portsmouth MA" to Columbus and Florida.

We are big fans of trying to snag $10 airfare, we just like the sport of it, but could Skybus please knock off the saying they fly out of Boston, or Massachusetts for that matter. For the record Portsmouth is in New Hampshire and both Providence, Rhode Island (PVD) and Manchester, New Hampshire (MHT) are closer to Boston than Portsmouth, but don't market themselves as Boston.

Related Stories:
· Skybus coverage [Jaunted]

Lake Winnipesaukee / Celeb Travel / → All Tags

Vacation Altercation: French President Jumps Aboard Photogs Boat

French President Nicolas Sarkozy lost his temper with two American news photographers covering his Lake Winnipesaukee vacation yesterday, jumping onto their boat and scolding them loudly in French.

The confrontation came as Sarkozy and companions were headed for open water in a boat on Lake Winnipesaukee when he spotted Associated Press photographer Jim Cole aboard Cole's boat, which was outside a buoy barrier monitored by the New Hampshire Marine Patrol.

Before Sarkozy spotted him, Cole had driven his boat up to the patrol boat, identified himself and received permission to be there.

Hours earlier, Sarkozy had spoken to reporters and said in French, "I am naturally ready to answer all your questions, and maybe afterward you will resume covering the news and other topics, and leave me tranquilly with my family."

After Cole and DeWitt promised to stop shooting photos for the day, Sarkozy calmed down, reboarded his boat and continued out onto the lake with his party, followed by a boat carrying U.S. Secret Service agents.

Now we have been known to spend some time on Lake Winnie, and we can tell you first hand it is hard to lose your temper in such a tranquil environment. However, following the red buoy black buoy boating rules can take some concentration, so maybe, just maybe, the French president was upset at the photogs disregard for New Hampshire buoy law? Just a guess.

Related Stories:
·   Lake Winnipesaukee Hotels [HotelChatter]
·   Lake Winnipesaukee WiFi [Jaunted]
·   Sarkozy In Rage [unionleader]

Hillary Clinton / 2008 Candidates Travel / → All Tags

2008 Candidates Travel: Hillary On The Move

First of all, Hillary Clinton must be hipper than we thought, since she, Bill, and a New Hampshire state senator seem to know "biddies" is slang for ladies (ok, maybe that's not a direct translation).

In usual fashion, the former First Lady is in hot pursuit of moving back into her old digs at the White House, and traveling far and wide to get there. While Barack Obama has been hanging out back home in Illinois as of late (he is a first-term governor, after all), The Bill And Hillary Show debuted in New Hampshire last weekend. The perma-smile couple stopped in Keene, Nashua, and Manchester, before jetting off to to attend the funeral of Lady Bird Johnson in Texas.

Spotted a 2008 candidate from either party on the travel trail? Let us know.

Related Stories:
· The Clintons in New Hampshire [NY Times]
· New Hampshire Hotel Stories [New Hampshire]

[Photo Credit: NY Times]

WTF-Map / Rural Travel / B&Bs / → All Tags

WTF is Shelburne, New Hampshire?

Welcome to Where To Find, our growing guide to those little-known places that never seem to show up on the travel radar--until now. We're not saying they're undiscovered, but you may need to look 'em up on our WTF Map.

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