What’s new in New England travel

Boston could soon become known not only for its baked beans, but for ice cream if enough fans of Ron’s Ice Cream and 20th Century Bowling can be rallied together to vote.  The Hyde Park ice cream shop has been nominated by Good Morning America as one of the four best ice cream shops in the nation, according to the City of Boston’s Mayor’s Office.

The show will be taking votes next week, starting May 18, to pick a winner.  To vote for Ron’s, go to www.cityofboston.gov starting on Sunday.  So the question is now, what’s your favorite flavor?
 

Planning a trip to the Cape or the Islands this summer and wondering where to stay?

At an average price of $108 a night, TripAdvisor lists SeaCoast Inn in Hyannis top among its ranking of budget hotels in the world. Its location in downtown Hyannis, with easy access to ferries to both Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard earn it rave reviews. As does the service from its family-run staff.

Some top choices for bargains from Frommer’s include Simmons Homestead Inn in Hyannisport, The Inn at Duck Creeke in Wellfleet, and White Horse Inn in Provincetown.

If you’re looking for upscale, the Victorian Winnetu Oceanside Resort, about 250 yards from the beach, was featured in a Forbes’ 2006 article, as was the elegant Charlotte Inn in Edgartown, described as an “Edwardian-style Relais & Chateaux property.”

You can find more Cape Cod and the Islands lodging listings, organized by location and with star ratings, and check for availability on masstraveljournal.com.  

Did you like “Mystic River” or “Gone Baby Gone?”  Martin Scorsese is said to be filming another story based on the book “Shutter Island” by local author Dennis Lehane in the area.  According to Boston Movie Tours, the film name has been changed to “Ashecliffe,” and it’s set to star Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo and Ben Kingsley.  Boston Movie Tours mentions Whittenton Mills in Taunton and Medfield State Hospital as locations, while a recent article in the Boston Globe lists Turner Hill Golf Course in Ipswich.

In the book, a U.S. marshal heads off to an insane asylum on an isolated island to track down an escaped and dangerous murderess as a fierce storm approaches.  Expect suspense and plot twists. 

But now for the important question … has anyone had any Leonardo DiCaprio sightings in the area?

There’s a new bus coming to town.  The Boston Herald reports that BoltBus, formed through a partnership between Greyhound and Peter Pan, will be offering rides from Boston to NYC, with fars running from $1 to “market value.”  There’s already a discount bus service that runs from Chinatown to NYC, but it’s periodically in the news with stories about safety issues. The ride from Boston to NYC is only about four hours, so visiting the city makes a great day trip.

Update - 3/19/2008 - Looks like BoltBus has competition.  Megabus is planning trips between Boston and New York starting in late May, according to the Boston Globe.  Prices begin at $1.    

Found this Back Road Bears site on the ‘Net, with two teddy bear shows listed for New England.  There’s the New England Spring Teddy Bear Show, March 29 in Bedford, NH, and the Maine Teddy Bear & Soft-Sculpture Show, July 26 in Wells Beach, Maine.  I’m not a teddy bear collector, but I might have to check one of these out, just out of curiousity.

Lucinda Williams, Arlo Guthrie and Brandi Carlile are among acts just announced who will be coming to Lowell this summer to perform in Lowell Summer Music Series.  Concerts are held most Friday and Saturday evenings throughout the summer in Boarding House Park.  It’s a relaxing evening if you can get one or two.

Restaurant Week Boston is coming soon - March 9-14 and March 16-21 - so you should start thinking about making reservations now if you haven’t already.  Restaurant week is sponsored by the Greater Boston Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and includes more than 150 restaurants in the Great Boston area.  It’s a good chance to sample some new cuisine at reasonable prices.  A three-course, fixed-menu lunch goes for $20.08, and dinners go for $33.08.

 Check here for a promotion in which you can enter to win a $100 dining gift certificate.  Online reservations can be booked through OpenTable.com.

Where can you find the best clams in Massachusetts?  Also, will the Red Sox win the Championship in 2008?  These are a couple of posts in a new forum I just set up.  Please visit and post away!!

After starting the year touring overseas, “Sweet Baby James” will be performing this summer for a couple of shows in his Berkshires backyard - at Tanglewood.  James Taylor, the original JT (before Justin Timberlake), was born in Belmont, Mass., grew up in North Carolina, and then settled down in the Berkshires later in life.   He joins the Boston Symphony Orchestra in their summer season at the outdoors venue in Lenox, performing July 3 and 4.  Tickets for the 2008 Tanglewood Season go on sales this Sunday, Feb. 17, 8 am on the Web and 10 am by phone.

The Nantucket inn The Century House, which was written up by Forbes.com, is holding a promotion in which you enter to win a three-night stay for certain dates this spring and fall.  The deadline to enter is Valentine’s Day.