If you have been following my blog or social media you know I love Vermont. We had not taken a day trip to Vermont in a while so on a recent vacation we spent one day exploring the southern region of the Green Mountain State. Below is how we spent our day.
I was recently invited to take a Ghost Tour through US Ghost Adventures. I have never taken a ghost tour , but I am up for any adventure. I was given the choice of several locations around New England. I chose Portsmouth, New Hampshire because I love exploring this city.
My husband, teenage daughter, her friend and I all participated in the tour. We parked in the parking garage on Hanover Street near Market Square and walked to the meeting point at the Langdon House at 143 Pleasant Street in Portsmouth. There was a parking lot across the street from Langdon House. We met our tour guide Bob. He was very friendly asking everyone’s name and where they were visiting from. There were about 15 people on the tour. Bob did a nice job explaining what to expect which was a mix of history, spirits and ghost stories.
We spent about an hour walking to different homes and landmarks around the city, where Bob would give historical education along with stories of spirits and how locals had experiences with these ghosts. Walking around the older section of Portsmouth after dark brought out the feeling that spirits and ghosts could be around you.
We had an extended tour add on where we visited three additional sites ending in Strawberry Bank and in a cemetery. The extended tour added about 30 minutes onto the tour.
This tour sparked a lot of conversation with the teenagers about ghosts and the after life. The teenagers said they really enjoyed the tour and would absolutely do another one again.
I talked to another woman on the tour who was training to be a guide, she had done several ghost tours stating they are all a little different. Some tours have a little jump/scare factor to it, others are more historical and some have a mix of both. I would say ours had a mixture of both.
After doing this ghost tour I would absolutely do another one. This was a great way to see a different perspective of Portsmouth that you would not see on your own. My husband and I agreed that we loved walking around the older homes after dark and experiencing the eerie factor.
Some take aways:
This tour allowed dogs, there were a couple dogs on our tour and they were very well behaved.
There was a younger child on the tour as well as a few teenagers. You know your kids the best, but children are welcome.
Make sure you bring comfortable shoes. There is about 1-2 miles of walking.
If there is an option for extended tour ,do it, it is worth it.
Bring a small flashlight as there are times when illumination will be handy.
Tips are appreciated for the tour guides, make sure you bring cash with you.
Tours are rain or shine and year round.
If you are looking for a unique perspective of exploring a city, I highly recommend booking a Ghost. Tour.
You can book the Portsmouth Ghost Tour through their website.
We are lucky in New Hampshire to have an abundance of places to go swimming. From ocean beaches, to beautiful lakes to cold mountain streams. Since we have so many great places to swim it was hard to narrow down, but below are my top five places to swim in New Hampshire. Remember to always use caution when swimming as currents can be strong and dangerous.
Rhode Island is a favorite place for my family and I to visit. We have done a few different day trips to Rhode Island, but always find more places to explore. The Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend we left Southern New Hampshire heading for another day trip to Rhode Island.
A few weeks ago my husband and I looked at each other and said we needed to get away to somewhere warm with sunshine. This long cold, icy, snowy New Hampshire winter was getting to us. With some guidance from a travel agent friend we decided on Clearwater Beach, Florida. Below is how we spent our time away.
Each year I set a movement goal to keep myself motivated. Some past challenges I have done are 52 Hikes, 365 Miles in a Year and 500 Miles in a Year. In 2024 I was hit hard with symptoms of perimenopause. While exploring ways to help manage these symptoms a friend suggested I try running, as she found it helpful. My husband had taken up trail running and was constantly trying to get me out with him. I have never been a runner and always hated running. In trying to manage my hormones I was willing to try anything, so I slowly started running in September of 2024.
The Lakes Region of New Hampshire is made up of towns surrounding Lake Winnipesaukee, Lake Winnisquam and Squam Lake. This is a popular tourist destination due to the outdoor activities on and around these lakes in all seasons. A friend of mine recently got a property on Lake Winnisquam and allowed us to spend two nights. When she lists it as a rental I will provide more information on her property and the resort it is located in as we enjoyed our stay there.
We arrived at the property late on a Wednesday night. It was after dark when we arrived so we were not able to do much except get settled in.
The next morning I got up and took a walk around the resort and enjoyed views of Lake Winnisquam.
Our family and I started the morning out by kayaking around the lake. We have our own kayaks that we brought with us. With it being a Thursday morning there was not much boat traffic on the lake. I know on the weekends the lake can be very busy so kayakers have to use caution. We spent a couple hours paddling around. I was happy to have my waterproof phone case for these kayak adventures.
There is a beach at the resort we were staying at so we spent the rest of the morning relaxing on the beach and swimming.
In the afternoon we wanted to do a little exploring. We first stopped at Tilly’s Market Cafe in Belmont for some lunch. This cute little cafe had sandwiches, salads, and açaí bowls, along with coffees and teas. I had a Southwestern Salad, my daughter a Nutella açaí bowl and my husband had a California Turkey wrap. We all throughly enjoyed our food. It was fresh and well prepared. My daughter said it was one of the best açaí bowls she had had. The staff were friendly and prompt.
Our next stop was at Gunstock Mountain to ride their mountain coaster and the chairlift. We have been to Gunstock in the winter and past summers. We got the unlimited pass for the mountain coaster and chairlift. Luckily the mountain coaster was not too busy so we were able to get in several rides.
One of my favorite things about Gunstock Mountain is the view from the top. We took a chairlift ride to the top of the mountain to enjoy the views. It was a little hazy out, but we still enjoyed the ride and the views.
After spending a few hours at Gunstock Mountain we took a drive to Alton Bay so I could check out a new bookstore. Winni Reads Bookshop is an independent book store carrying many of the latest books along with a used section. The store is very cute inside and well organized.
We headed back to the resort for a swim and dinner. We spent the evening relaxing, enjoying a campfire and s’mores. Thanks to an employee at Market Basket I found the best candy to put in s’mores, these Reese’s Peanut Butter Bars.
The next day we packed up to leave and went back to Tilly’s Market Cafe for breakfast sandwiches and açaí bowls. We could not leave the lakes region without making a stop at the Tanger Outlets for some discount shopping. Overall, we had a relaxing couple days in the Lakes Region and are excited for our next adventure.
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We always try to get away for a couple days after school gets out before the craziness of summer starts. We only had time for two nights away and chose to visit Cape Cod. We have visited before, but still had activities on our to do list.
We have not explored much of the Northampton area of Massachusetts even though it is only a little over an hour away from us. After seeing places to explore on social media we decided on a daytrip to the area.
About a year ago I was hit hard with Perimenopause symptoms, which you can read about in my blog post, Perimenopause Hit Me Like a Brick Wall. This past year as taught me a few things about trying to manage these crazy symptoms and how to be my own best advocate.
We have not spent much time exploring the South Shore of Boston. On the first nice day of the spring season we decided to do a little exploring. I did not have an itinerary, just winged it. Our first stop was Hull Massachusetts, which is a small costal town with views of Boston. It was such a cute area.
We have come to love Rhode Island and done a few overnights and day trips to this beautiful state. For February vacation we wanted to get away for a couple nights, but were not feeling the winter activities. With the weather projected in the 50’s and sunny we decided to head to Newport, Rhode Island.
Wow, I moved a total of 1,000 miles in 2024. In past years I have challenged myself to get outside and move more. I have done various challenges such as 52 Hike Challenge, 365 Mile Challenge and the 500 Miles in a Year Challenge. When 2024 started I had a goal of doing 500 miles again as there are a group of women in my community who do this together virtually.
