Seniors Follow Their Noses To Duxbury

Why their noses? Well really their tastebuds. I came across an article in a Sunday paper on some of our nation’s finest ice cream shops. Duxbury has one called Farfar’s Danish Ice Cream Shop. The locals say that…“It’s a big day when Farfar’s opens, and a sad day on the last day of summer, when they close.”  With fame like that this senior just had to check out the rest of the town that is so loaded with early history. 

Duxbury is a coastal town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. It is called a  suburb of Boston, located on the South Shore, approximately 35 miles south of the city.  The population runs just over 14,000. If you take Hwy 3 south of Boston on your way to the Cape, turn off onto 3A and it will take you to Duxbury on the coast.

The town is located on Duxbury Bay. Snug Harbor, also on Duxbury Bay, just north of Plymouth Bay, is one of the most attractive recreational boat basins on the Massachusetts coast. I discovered 30 tours and fishing excursions for senior visitors to consider that depart from Duxbury.

 Senior Historians Stop In Duxbury

Duxbury was founded in 1637.  Do you remember the names John and Priscilla Alden?  The Alden Family Sites is a National Historic Landmark in Duxbury.

The town was founded by migrants from the nearby town of Plymouth. Duxbury’s importance in Mayflower genealogy is irrefutable, and it is underscored by the simple fact that the town was named for Duxbury Hall, the seat of Miles Standish’s ancestral home in England.

The Bradford House and Nathaniel Winsor, Jr. House are also high on the list for senior visitors. Duxbury Beach is well known as one of the most beautiful and accessible beaches in the state, so bring your swimsuits along and maybe a nice umbrella stand and blanket.

Myles Standish Monument State Reservation is a state park located on Captain’s Hill in Duxbury. The focus of the park is a 116-foot granite shaft topped by a 14-foot statue of Captain Myles Standish who was a military leader of Plymouth Colony. So how’s your history?  Remember him too?

 Duxbury’s Big Three

The Big Three in Duxbury consist of the Alden House Museum built in 1653, Duxbury Beach Park, a six-mile long barrier beach, and King Caesar House that was built in 1808. It is a Federal-style home that belonged to Ezra Weston II, aka King Caesar, a powerful shipping magnate.

Duxbury is the 6th largest cranberry producer in the state. The county has 123 National Register of Historic Places and 5 National Historic Landmarks. I know that these historic places and landmarks are where my wife and I would begin our visit.

So stop by Duxbury and Plymouth County on your next visit to the east coast and Boston. Enjoy great seafood, clean Atlantic Ocean air and the hospitable population. Duxbury is just a fun place for a visit.  jeb

Seniors Enjoy Edgartown on the Vineyard

Edgartown is said to be the most elegant town on Martha’s Vineyard. The population runs just over 4,000.  Edgartown was the home of most of the 19th century wealthy whaling captains and senior visitors can still see  the stately, white clapboard Federal-style mansions these whaling captains lived in. 

To get out to Edgartown requires a ferry. Passenger ferries leave from four mainland Massachusetts ports Woods Hole, Falmouth, Hyannis and New Bedford. Martha’s Vineyard lies just seven miles off the coast of Massachusetts.

Though occupation of the island dates back to 2270 B.C., its modern history begins in 1602, with explorer Bartholomew Gosnold who named it for the wild grapes he found there and, as the story goes, for one of his daughters.

I’ll just bet that you can still find wild grapes out there if you go looking for them. A short trip up the coast to Oak Bluffs and senior visitors will find the Flying Horses Landmark Carousel that is still in operation. The Carousel is the nation’s oldest platform carousel (1876) and has been designated by the U.S. Department of the Interior as a national landmark.

I don’t know about you, but this senior really enjoys tours as a means to get acquainted with a town or area quickly. The Edgartown Tour Company offers daily activities for you to explore the town as well as the entire island.

Senior Foodies Like The Food Scene

Edgartown, steeped in seaside charm, is only 2 hours from Boston and it boasts an enviable small town food scene. Highly recommended is Alchemy, said to be one of the best restaurants in the area along with Chesca’s, Détente, and L’Etoile. I liked those French names….

Be sure to check out South Beach State Park and the Vincent House Museum. Then visit the The Corinthian Yacht Club that was founded on July 7, 1885, to promote sailing of small boats. At scenic Edgartown harbor, you can catch a ferry over to Chappaquiddick, a beautiful nearby island separated from the Vineyard by a thin stretch of water.

Edgartown was Martha’s Vineyard’s first colonial settlement and it has been the county seat since 1642. A museum-piece community, this seaport village is well preserved from the early 19th century. This is just one great town to spend an afternoon shopping, dining, walking and people, seabirds and sailing yacht watching.

Seniors, when you travel to Martha’s Vineyard, check out Edgartown.  The memories will remain with you for a long long time.  jeb

Seniors Explore Huntsville

The Huntsville area is rich in history and technology, senior visitors will learn. Alabama’s fourth-largest city, loaded with museums and cultural opportunities, has a lot of history under its belt. The city was founded in 1805 by a Virginia man named John Hunt and for the first 140 years of its history, the city was a sleepy cotton town.

In 1950, the US Army transferred Dr. Werner von Braun and his team of German rocket scientists to Redstone Arsenal. Within a decade, the city became a center for rocket design and construction. In 1960, NASA opened the Marshall Space Flight Center, which has played a significant role in the Redstone, Gemini, and Apollo manned space programs.

Of course the big draw in Huntsville, The Rocket City, is to head off to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center and take in the world’s largest space attraction. This is a must-see for senior visitors to Huntsville. There are not many cities that can put on such a display as the big Saturn V rocket standing outside the Space Museum.

For the more adventuresome tourist with a few days or a week to spare, a residency at Space Camp will always be a fond memory. Senior visitors will find over 100 interactive exhibits at Sci-Quest.

Seniors Enjoy The Rocket City

One of the delights of Huntsville is seeing the history of the Tennessee Valley. The Burritt Museum offers not only the best view in Huntsville, but several log cabins and animals demonstrating how people lived in the second half of the 1800’s.

 Then follow your noses and smell the beautiful roses at the Huntsville Botanical Garden. Huntsville with its population of 185,000+ is one of the Top 30 Fastest Growing Metros in the entire country. Mayor Tommy Battle invites you to visit his city and to check out all the reasons why Huntsville is “A City on the Rise.”.

Alabama A&M along with the U of Alabama Huntsville, both add a great deal of culture and excitement to the city. The high tech city which sprawls at the foot of a mountain in north Alabama is equally at home in the 19th century or the 21st.

Huntsville’s tourist attractions reflect the heritage of Alabama’s first English-speaking city, the strife of the American Civil War and the accomplishments of America’s rocket scientists.

Seniors, stop in Huntsville when you’re in Alabama where “The Sky Is Not The Limit.” jeb

Seniors Visit Half Moon Bay

Half Moon Bay is a coastal city in San Mateo County, California with a population of 12,000. Only a 45-minute drive from San Francisco and senior travelers will encounter this idyllic enclave. The Bay is semi-circular and thus the name Half Moon Bay.

Seniors can ride horseback along a scenic beach, play golf on a spectacular course overlooking the ocean or browse through the numerous shops and art galleries in the historic section of Half Moon Bay. You can also treat yourself to a fine dinner at any of the town’s choice restaurants and check into a romantic B&B, a charming inn or boutique hotel.

Historic Downtown is home to numerous shops, art galleries, restaurants, bed and breakfasts, and an array of businesses. Local beaches and parks can be easily accessed by pedestrians, bicyclists and equestrians. Golf can be enjoyed at two of California’s finest courses.

The city and coast are home to numerous nurseries and farms. The Pumpkin Festival held in October draws thousands of visitors to the coast to enjoy its panoramic vistas, fine cuisine, arts, crafts and genuine hospitality and many pumpkin dishes.

 Awesome Pacific Coastline Draws Senior Visitors

Historic Main Street offers colorful year-round attractions, a great location to stop for lunch or dinner and eclectic boutiques and quirky antique shops to grab your attention. Main Street offers an enchanting mix of old and new. Long established local farm families live elbow-to-elbow with well-heeled retirees in this secret by the sea.

The entire district abounds in stylish boutiques, art galleries, restaurants, shops, bookstores and colorful  parks.  One of California’s most gorgeous beaches, Half Moon State Park, is another favorite for senior tourists, surfers, and  photographers. The renown sunset alone is worth a stop.

Virtual Tourist kicks in with their attractions in Half Moon Bay. Stop by Pigeon Point Lighthouse Station, a state historic park. Pigeon Point Bluff offers senior tourists great views of the lighthouse and awesome Pacific coastline.

A major event in Half Moon Bay is Pumpkin Patches and the Great Pumpkin Festival. Fields of the orange and green, and black and multi colored gourds are everywhere, in brilliant contrast with the green of the hillsides and the blue of the Ocean.

Senior Historians And Oenophiles Smile

Four sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places: the Methodist Episcopal Church, the William Adam Simmons House, the Robert Mills Dairy Barn, and the James Johnston House.

Wine lovers can enjoy local selections at La Nebbia, or head to the tasting rooms at Half Moon Bay Wine & Cheese and Eno at The Ritz-Carlton for an extensive selection of rare wines. Four miles south is Purissima, said to be the only Ghost Town in San Mateo County.

Just off Pillar Point surfers are challenged with huge  waves over 50 feet tall. So stop in on your next trip to northern California and enjoy this costal village.  jeb

Seniors Visit Trendy Corona Del Mar

Corona del Mar, known locally as CdM (Spanish = Crown of the Sea), is a town in the affluent city of Newport Beach, California. The town is known for its fine beaches, tide pools, cliffside views and quaint village shops. Senior visitors will find CdM nestled on the foot of the San Joaquin Hills and fronting the Pacific Ocean.

Corona del Mar ranges along a bluff at the south end of Newport Beach and includes some of Orange County’s most prestigious residential areas. The main beach at CdM popular with swimmers, is a half-mile long sandy beach framed by cliffs and a rock jetty that forms the east entrance to Newport Harbor. Across the bay is The Wedge, a famous surfing spot with some awesome waves.

Seaside Village, Chirstmas Walk And Beautiful Gardens

So where is CdM and why go there? This seaside village is located just 50 miles south of Los Angeles International Airport, 4 miles west of John Wayne Airport and 70 miles north of San Diego. The local Chamber is proud to present the community’s most popular event of the year, a Christmas Walk.

This is a can’t miss special event that senior visitors will find filled with holiday festivities. Each year, “The Walk” brings thousands of fun-loving people into the Village of CdM for live entertainment, food, and games in true holiday spirit.

Restaurants and trendy shops are popular hangouts in CdM. On East Coast Highway, senior visitors will find dog walkers and moms with strollers, all getting their exercise while window shopping at the many studios, design shops, antique stores and galleries.

Senior visitors can swim, surf or dive at CdM State Beach, or snorkel at Crystal Cove State Park. Crystal Cove is a stretch of coastal cliffs and a beach front cove sandwiched between Pacific Coast Highway and the Pacific Ocean just north of Laguna Beach.

 Flowers, Flowers and More Flowers

Streets of CdM are named after flowers, and beautiful flower gardens on each street display the flower from which the street is named. Seniors will find the ultimate flower gardens in the Sherman Library & Gardens, open to the public.

Sherman on Pacific Coast Highway offers tours and is a nonprofit garden and library spanning one city block in CdM. The gardens contains over one thousand species and two hundred kinds of rare cacti, succulents and exotic vegetation. If you are “into plants” like me, don’t miss Sherman Gardens.

Famous art galleries and unique shops run all along Pacific Coast Highway in scenic CdM. When you are in the area, don’t miss Corona del Mar and all it offers.  jeb

Seniors Are On The Lookout For Fall Colors

This time of year senior citizens enjoy viewing the many fall colors of the trees. Oakland, Maryland is said to have some of the best in the country. Oakland is a town in the west-central part of Garrett County and is situated only miles from the source of the Potomac River.

The town has a population of 2,000 and is the county seat of Garrett County. Oakland was rated #1 in America’s Best Towns for Fall Colors by Travel & Leisure.  The Autumn Glory Festival which attracts a great number of tourists, takes place in Oakland every October.

Oakland is famed for being one of the Best Towns for Halloween. Guests on the Halloween Hayride at Broadford Park ride on flatbed trailers along the lakefront, passing 16 scenes of live zombies and ghosts—if you can call zombies and ghosts “live.” Local merchants decorate parking meters in all manner of Halloween getups.

Seniors Enjoy Historic Railway Station

Nearby, the former B&O Railroad Station, now the B&O Museum, is rumored to be haunted. The historic railway station is a large brick structure with a two-story central section and one-story wings extending from each end along the railroad tracks. Designed by Baldwin and Pennington, and built in 1884 by the B&O Railroad, this historic station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

Senior visitors will find plenty to see and do in and around Oakland. Main Street of Oakland consists mainly of historic two to four story buildings that house the main shopping in the area. Swallow Falls State Park attracts  visitors with its three waterfalls and many hiking trails.

Deep Creek lake is famed for water skiing, boating and swimming. Lodestone Golf Course is close by for senior golfers.

Historic Buildings, Scenic Trails And Outrageous Fall Beauty…

The Garrett County Historical Museum houses a treasure trove of exhibits related to the founding of Garrett County, the history of the land, and the way of life for Garrett County citizens from years past. Equine lovers will want to visit Deep Creek Lake Horseback Riding at Circle R Ranch.

The Mettiki Coal Mine site looked to this senior like another neat place to visit. Scenic trails, a Main Street complete with an old-time soda fountain, and an annual Autumn Glory Festival add to the appeal of Oakland, rated No. 1 overall for fall travel. The Garrett County Courthouse, a Classical Revival Structure, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was designed by J. Riely Gordon and completed in 1908.

Oakland is what I would call “out in the country” straight west of Baltimore and just off of Interstate 68.  The Mayor and Town Council of Oakland invite you to visit and enjoy those fall colors. jeb

Seniors Enjoy The Unusual

Goodmorning senior friends.  I have my coffee, do you have your’s?  I found some neat weird sites in the world that draw our attention as senior travelers and a few are right in our own backyard.  A recent copy of Oprah (July 2014) listed five that I want to share with our readers.

We start off with the  Paper House located in Rockport, Massachusetts. Newspapers across the country are losing money. New home construction has yet to recover from the bursting of the housing bubble. Here’s a solution to both problems: Make houses out of newspapers.

It may seem ludicrous, but the idea has a precedent: In 1922, engineer Ellis F. Stenman began to construct a summer home using newspapers as insulation.

Curiosity got the better of him, however, and he began to make the entire house out of paper, holding it together with glue and protecting it from the elements with heavy layers of varnish. Pretty good weather insulation, and cheap I would guess.

 Seniors Who Enjoy Whimsy…

Next, we go to Cottonwood, Idaho and Dog Bark Park. Monica from Yokohama, Japan writes…“I recommend this place not only to dog lovers but to anyone who appreciates whimsy, nature and excellent service.

Sweet Willy is the name of the beagle we stayed in. He was very accommodating and comfortable with a spacious bathroom and lots of doggie themed games and books. The level of craftsmanship was astounding.”

The Leaning Tower of Niles in Niles, Illinois is, naturally, a replica of Italy’s Leaning Tower of Pisa. It is roughly half-sized, 94 feet vs. the authentic’s 177 feet, and leans about 7’4″ off plum vs. Pisa’s 13 foot tilt.

But that hardly matters when you’re standing across the street taking a picture. America’s Leaning Tower was built in 1934, 600 years after the original, by businessman Bob Ilg, who anchored it in concrete so that its lean would stay consistent.

Peanuts And Foam…

The Jimmy Carter Peanut Statue in Plains, Georgia even looks a little like the ex-president, don’t you think? We’ve been to Plains.

Really isn’t much there to see except a warehouse, some historic storefronts and a locked front gate down  a long, long lane where the Carter’s live.

You can almost see their house from the road. We visited the schoolhouse where Jimmy attended school in his youth.

Lastly is Foamhenge. Yes, Foamhenge. Seniors can well imagine what this is all about. Foamhenge is a full-size replica of Stonehenge made entirely out of styrofoam in Natural Bridge, Virginia.

The structure was created by Mark Cline of Enchanted Castle Studio in 2004, with the pieces in astronomically correct positions. That’s pretty important you know.

Perhaps you have a few that you can add to the list like Cadillac Ranch near Lubbock Texas or the Upside Down House over in Germany. Well, that’s enough weird stuff for today.  Hope you enjoyed the blog and have a great day!  jeb

Seniors Enjoy Oak Bluffs

President Obama played a round or two of golf on a recent vacation to Oak Bluffs, “a place in the sun.”  This senior will almost bet he played at Farm Neck Golf Club. I figured that there must be something special about Martha’s Vineyard that attracted him there.

Located on the northeast shore of the island of Martha’s Vineyard, Oak Bluffs is a resort town with the population right at 4,000 happy Vinardians (that’s what I’m labeling the folks who live there).

Incorporated in 1880 as Cottage City, in 1907 the town’s name was changed to Oak Bluffs. Downtown offers senior visitors a wide selection of unique restaurants, shops and live entertainment. We are never too old to climb on board a carrousel and the country’s oldest operating platform carousel, known as the Flying Horses Carousel (Circa 1876) features wooden horses and real stirrups.

Oak Bluffs operates the largest marina on Martha’s Vineyard, which not only has the most slips, but is situated in the midst of the historic gingerbread campgrounds, and offers easy access to the rest of the Island. The town is home to several beautiful public beaches, a teaming shore of wildlife, fish and shellfish, fabulous public parks, a golf course for the prexy and even a microbrewery.

Seniors Discover An Unusual Place

Folks who have been there say that the town of Oak Bluffs is an unusual place.  Any place that needs words like gingerbread, ethereal, phantasmagorical and Carpenter Gothic to describe it is extremely unusual.

It’s at Oak Bluffs that senior visitors can step back in time to an era of excitement and oh yes…elegance. Pristine beaches, festivals, fireworks, super seafood, fishing, free concerts as well as fabulous park-spaces and  you can walk to everything.

Oak Bluffs was the only one of the six towns on the island to be consciously planned, and the only one developed specifically with tourism in mind. Oak Bluffs has a large well to do African American community, particularly in the summer season when many families vacation along the clean sandy shores of Nantucket Sound.

 The Best of Martha’s Vineyard

Oak Bluffs enjoys its title as…“The Best of Martha’s Vineyard.”  Now I know why President Obama chose Oak Bluffs. September is the perfect time to hop the Steamship Authority ferries in Woods Hole and visit the village on Martha’s Vineyard.

One of the most visited sites is Oaks Bluffs Cottage Campground Historic District dating back to the 1800′s. The Corbin-Norton house on Ocean Avenue is one not to be missed. Totally awesome. A fishing trip is also a great idea… that will depart from Oak Bluffs harbor.

Senior visitors can enjoy the sites, great food, great golf, great fishing, and great sea air.  I can’t wait for my wife and me to visit Oak Bluffs. jeb

Seniors Discover Pompano Beach

Pompano Beach, Florida, along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, lies just to the north of Fort Lauderdale. The City of Pompano Beach was settled back in 1880 and today welcomes senior visitors to some of the warmest and clearest waters, beautiful sand beaches, and calming breezes.

It’s the perfect place for a beach vacation, with great dining, exciting water sports from deep sea fishing to paddle boarding or just relaxing on the beach. Senior travelers, you can visit one of the many fabulous parks, take in a game of golf or tennis, and enjoy some fun shopping. Pompano Beach with its population of 100,000 is often called “the Heart of the Gold Coast.”

 Seniors Learn About QQuest

The city got its name from a fish called pomano that is found just off the Atlantic Coast. Pompano Beach is within minutes of Las Olas Riverfront, Palm Aire Golf Course, Isle Casino Racing at Pompano Park and Galleria Mall.

A major attraction is the Pompano Municipal Pier. Along with the Pier, visitors enjoy QQuest that is South Florida’s first ever thrilling live escape game. QQuest is a great place to have fun with friends, work on team building and to enjoy amazing live action puzzles in a rooms filled with puzzles, riddles, clues and brain teasers, for you to solve within 1 hour.

 Seafood Festival Attracts Senior Visitors

Senior tourists flock to the Annual Pomano Beach Seafood Festival, and I would too. For you foodies, the Fine Food and Wine Festival features over 30 restaurants offering delicious food, auctions, unique entertainment and adult libations, this year’s event is sure to amuse your palate.

Bring your clubs along because there are dozens of championship golf courses within a 30-minute drive and they  challenge every skill level.

If you find yourself in hiking boots, you have come to the right place. Your visit to the Fern Forest Nature Park, a 254-acre Urban Wilderness Site that features the Cypress Boardwalk, an arboretum and the Prairie Overlook Trail, will lead you to lots of wildlife.

And parks…Pompano Beach also maintains more than 50 local parks for sports enthusiasts or senior visitors who have a penchant for outdoor relaxation. If golf or hiking is not your bag, then try out your fish pole or take a fishing excursion.

The Pompano Beach Fishing Rodeo—the largest saltwater sport fishing tournament in South Florida—is a popular annual event that draws in thousands of tourists. So swing by Pompano Beach on your next trip to Florida and enjoy all that the city has to offer. jeb

Seniors Awed With the Beauty

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park (Navajo Name: Tse’Bii’Ndzisgaii) is where senior visitors will experience one of the most majestic and most photographed  sites on earth. The Navajo Nation is a semi-autonomous Native American-governed territory covering 16 million acres or 27,425 square miles, occupying portions of northeastern Arizona, southeastern Utah, and northwestern New Mexico.

Sandstone masterpieces towering  400 to 1,000 feet grace this great valley. The angle of the sun accents these graceful formations, providing scenery that is truly spellbinding. The landscape overwhelms by its beauty and also by its size. The Rock pinnacles are surrounded by miles of mesas and buttes, shrubs, trees and windblown sand, all comprising the magnificent red colors of the valley.

Seniors Meet The Navajo People

Anthropologists believe the Navajos probably arrived in the southwest between 800 and 1,000 years ago, crossing the Bering Strait land bridge and traveling south. The Navajo people call themselves Dine’, literally meaning “The People.”

It is believed that the Navajo learned the rudiments of agriculture after arriving in the Four Corners area. The Spanish brought with them domesticated livestock and from this contact, the Navajo took on shepherding and horsemanship.

Seniors know the story of WWII Navajo Code Talkers. Still today, strangers are intrigued and mystified when they hear the Navajo language.

 Seniors Enjoy Guided Tour

Monument Valley is a truly wondrous experience near Kayenta and Canyon de Chelly. From the Visitors Center in the Navajo Nation, visitors purchase guided tours from Navajo tour operators like my daughter and her family did.

A guide will take senior visitors down into the valley in a jeep for a narrated tour through these mythical formations. Places such as Ear of the Wind and other landmarks can only be accessed via one of these guided tours. You can not do it on your own.

During the summer months, the visitor center also features Haskenneini Restaurant, which specializes in both native Navajo and American cuisines, and a film/snack/souvenir shop.

Navajo land is large, larger than 10 of the 50 states in America. This vast land is unique because the people  have achieved something quite rare: the ability of an indigenous people to blend both traditional and modern ways of life. The Navajo Nation truly is a nation within a nation.

Senior travelers, you can see for yourself a nation that lives as it did a long time ago. Meet the people and their land. jeb