I lived in Maine for the first nineteen years of my life, and it’s the place that I still call “home”. The deserts of Arizona are lovely, to be sure, but Maine is where my heart is. During my annual or bi-annual trips back east, I never fail to stop at my favorite place on the entire planet, the Portland Head Light.

As you can see, the place is so darned picturesque that even rank amateur photographers (read: me) can take postcard-perfect pictures.

The Head Light is located in the town of Cape Elizabeth, a mere bridge-crossing from Portland’s Old Port Waterfront District. Entrance to the complex, which includes Fort Williams Park, is free, and admission to the park’s museum (open from Memorial Day to Labor Day) is $2.00 for adults and $1.00 for children. The complex and park itself are open year-round.

Bring a picnic lunch (I suggest a local favorite, an Italian sandwich from one of the nearby Amato’s), and spend a lovely afternoon exploring Fort Williams, the green park grounds, the rocky shoreline, and the tidal pools.

I long for home, but for now I’m just going to have to content myself with pictures. Oh, and word to the wise, watch out for these guys – they’re bold and they’ll steal your lunch right out of your hands!

We’re no Mother of Presidents like Ohio, but it’s not too bad a showing.  I’m talking about the number of presidents that have called New England home. In fact, it only takes four of New England’s six states to match the eight presidents (that’s nearly twenty percent of them, isn’t it?) that the Buckeye State has given us. Here’s a rundown of who they are and what they’ve left behind for travelers to see.

Birthplace of John Adams

John Adams (2nd President)

The Adams Family (no, not that Addams Family) was the first political dynasty of America. Our second president was born in 1735 in Braintree, Massachusetts (which later became the town of Quincy in 1792). Adams National Historic Park in Quincy is a nearly 14 acre compound that includes the birthplace of John Adams and his later home with Abigail which they called Peacefield. Both homes and the surrounding gardens are open for tours.

Not only was John Adams the only one of our first presidents to have a son, but one of his sons also became president.

Birthplace of John Quincy Adams

John Quincy Adams (6th President)

How about having to live up to John and Abigail Adams as parents? John Quincy Adams was born in 1767 in Braintree, and was groomed for politics from a young age. His birthplace also stands in Adams National Historic Park.

Adams wasn’t known as a great president, but interestingly he held more federal offices than most presidents—President, United States Senator and Representative, Secretary of State, and Ambassador. He was, in fact, one of only two former presidents to return to Washington after his presidency to serve in Congress, and was elected to eight terms in the House of Representatives where did have an excellent reputation. Both John and John Quincy Adams along with their wives are buried in Quincy in United First Parish Church.

The Pierce Manse

Franklin Pierce (14th President)

The 1804 birthplace of fourteenth president Franklin Pierce in Hillsborough, New Hampshire is now under water. But at least they call it Franklin Pierce Lake and it serves his hometown as reservoir. The year Pierce was born however, the family moved to a new home which does still stand in Hillsborough as the Pierce Homestead. A later home of Pierce, the Pierce Manse, can also be visited in Concord, New Hampshire.

Pierce too wasn’t known as a great president, but there are some interesting facts about him. Like you might expect from a mid-nineteenth century Romantic, he associated with writers—one of his best friends was Nathaniel Hawthorne and another friend was Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. At least he had good drinking buddies. That’s probably why he died of cirrhosis.

Replica of Chester Arthur Birthplace

Chester Arthur (21st President)

Vermont calls Chester Arthur the other president born in the Green Mountain State. To me this assumes that people know at least one other Vermont-born president. I know all of us UpTake readers are smart, but Americans in general…not so much. (The tag also brings to mind “the other white meat” which is not, I think, what they were going for.)

Arthur was born in Fairfield, Vermont in 1829. There was some speculation at times though that he may have actually been born in Ireland or Canada—which would have made him ineligible to be president. His original birthplace in Vermont did not survive, but was reconstructed in 1950 and is a state historic site.

Childhood Home of Calvin Coolidge

Calvin Coolidge (30th President) 

That’s right, Coolidge is the president from Vermont. He’s also the only president to be born on the Fourth of July—in 1872. His childhood home in Plymouth Notch still stands and is actually the site where the thirtieth president was sworn in by his father, a Justice of the Peace. Vice-President Coolidge had been visiting his family when he received the news by messenger that President Warren Harding died on a speaking tour in California.

Coolidge was also one of the first presidents to have an official library. The Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library and Museum is found in Northampton, Massachusetts where Coolidge was once mayor and where he returned to reside after his presidency.

JFK Presidential Library and Museum

John Kennedy (35th President) 

Kennedy might be remembered as the most popular president from New England—and he had the accent to prove it. Just visiting Kennedy sites alone could make up a vacation.

Kennedy’s 1917 birthplace is in Brookline, Massachusetts near Boston and is preserved as a national historic site. The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum is nearby in the Dorchester section of Boston.

Beyond Boston, the Kennedy Compound in Hyannis Port on Cape Cod served as the summer White House during Kennedy’s presidency. The six acre area includes several Kennedy family homes, but they are closed to the public. The John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum however is open to the public. In Newport, Rhode Island, visitors can also enter St. Mary’s Church where John Kennedy married Jacqueline Bouvier in 1953.

Marker of the Birthplace of George Bush

George H.W. Bush (41st President) 

The first Bush in the office of president was born in 1924 in Milton, Massachusetts. The home is private, but a stone marks the site. Shortly after George’s birth, the family moved to Greenwich, Connecticut where George was raised. The family also spent much time at the summer home of Bush’s grandfather, Connecticut Senator Prescott Bush, in Kennebunkport, Maine.

Following service in the Army during World War II and college at Yale University in New Haven, Bush and his family moved to Texas where he still resides. Bush also still owns and visits the family home in Kennebunkport several times a year.

Childhood Home of George W. Bush

George W. Bush (43rd President)

Like his father, “W” is better known as a Texan. But he was born in Connecticut in 1946 at Grace-New Haven Community Hospital (later Yale-New Haven Hospital). Bush moved to Texas with his family in 1948, and resides there again following the recent end of his two terms as president.

There you have it—the Presidents of the United States with roots in New England. And even though they were born in four of the six New England states, Kennedy’s wedding and Bush’s summer home get in the other two.

Despite being six states, New England is a pretty compact area. It might be kind of interesting—especially to a presidential history buff (or maybe only to a presidential history buff)—to visit each of these sites. That could probably be done in just a few days time or it could take a couple of weeks if you take in other attractions.  But if you come, do it in the late spring, summer or fall. It’s still pretty cold and wet here for Presidents Day in February.

Parts of New England are getting up to three feet of snow this week. Can you say white Christmas?

Because of Christmas and the New Year, there’s also a week off from school for most kids at the end of this month. Can you say Christmas vacation?

For a lot of folks, a winter vacation means skiing. And, although some of the best skiing in the country is admittedly in the West, some of the best family destinations for skiing are in New England. These six states offer nearly ninety ski resorts with a wide range of trails for all levels, great scenery, local attractions, and activities for downhill skiers, cross country skiers, snow boarders, snow mobilers, ice skaters, and even non-skiers looking for great amenities like spas, indoor pools, game rooms, and great restaurants and entertainment.

Everyone has their own “top ten” or “best” list, and there are some notable exclusions here.  Stowe, for one, is usually in any list of top Vermont ski resorts.  The five here, however, come up again and again as the top New England destinations for family skiing.

Smuggler’s Notch

Skiing at Smuggler's Notch in Vermont

Located in Vermont, Smuggler’s Notch is a year-round resort that has been catering to families for over thirty years.  My own family and I have even visited in the fall.  With indoor pools and hot tubs, game rooms and play rooms, child care, great restaurants, indoor and outdoor activities, entertainment, on-site lodging (rooms with one through five bedrooms are available) and more, the resort is a great hub any time of year for visiting Vermont attractions. For skiers, three peaks—each appealing to different skiing and snowboarding levels—all lead to the base village.

Okemo

Also in Vermont, Okemo offers over 100 trails with most for intermediate skiers. Not to leave anyone out, there are also novice programs and a few runs for advance skiers. Other family attractions include a wide variety of kids’ programs, a snow park, snow tubing hills, and an ice skating arena.

Bretton Woods

The Mount Washington Hotel in New Hampshire

Located in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, this is the state’s largest ski resort with over 430 acres of skiable terrain—including both downhill and cross-country skiing. Bretton Woods specializes in creating beginner and intermediate runs for family skiers. Again though, the advanced skiers won’t be left out. Bode’s Run—an expert’s only run—was designed by Director of Skiing, Olympian and World Cup Champion Bode Miller. In addition to great family programs and activities, Bretton Woods also offers a variety of accommodations that include The Mount Washington Hotel—one of New England’s finest.

Killington

Another Vermont resort, Killington is the largest in the East.  Like other great family destinations, Killington also offers something for beginners, intermediate and advanced skiers.  Because of its size, the resorts attracts more than just families.  But also because of its size, there’s a whole lot to do here both on and off the mountain in the local area.

Sugarloaf

Skiing above the tree line at Sugarloaf in Maine

Sugarloaf is the second-highest peak in Maine and offers the only skiing above the tree line in the East—and the longest continuous vertical drop in New England.  Sugarloaf is a great family ski destination, but—being deep into Maine (about four hours north of Boston)—there’s not much surrounding it.  Because of that, vacationers to Sugarloaf are likely to stay on the resort and take advantage of its restaurants, shops, entertainment, and activities for the whole family.

Whatever your plans are for the holidays, have fun, be safe, and enjoy any vacation time you get.