Seniors Visit the Best Small Town in Connecticut

Sherman has been named “Best Small Town in Connecticut” three times by Connecticut Magazine. The Appalachian Trail goes through the northern end of Sherman and part of Squantz Pond State Park is in the town.

Sherman is the northernmost and least populous town of Fairfield County. The population runs right at 3,600. The town was formed in 1802 and is named for Roger Sherman, the only person who signed all 4 founding documents of the United States of America.

He had a cobblers shop in the north end of town which has been reconstructed behind the Northrup House in the center of town.

Seniors Enjoy a Winery and a Playhouse

Senior visitors can enjoy a visit to White Silo Farm and Winery, an award winning farm and winery located in the attractive foothills surrounding Sherman. White Silo Farm is a family operated boutique winery where you can also harvest a variety of berries, fruits and vegetables.

I’d want to follow up with an evening at the Sherman Playhouse with my wife. For over 89 years the Sherman Players has provided Sherman and the surrounding communities a full range of high quality theatre.

History is packed into every corner in Sherman however it was only after the flooding of Candlewood Lake that Sherman began to increase in size. Candlewood Lake attracts many visitors and would be a great spot for a picnic. This artificial lake is the largest in Connecticut.

Seniors Walk The Historic District

The Sherman Historic District is a favorite for senior visitors who enjoy a walk around and through older structures. A old historic federal house was named for the Northrop family, prominent Sherman residents for several generations.

The Old Store and Museum, the first store at this site is listed in the Sherman land records as a mercantile belonging to David Northrop, Jr. in 1829.  It was acquired by the Society in 1999, preserved with the intent of “reviving” the Old Store.

Featuring displays from its past, the Old Store has a wide range of gifts for the family and for friends. The Old Mercantile sold for every need, so does the Museum Shop of today.  A store museum c. 1867 gives visitors a chance to reminisce and a second floor gallery shows rotating historical and art exhibitions.

Tobacco was a large cash crop grown during the early 1900′s. Considered to be of superior quality, it was dried in barns and shipped out as the wrapper leaf for cigars.

Facebook has a take on Sherman including the evaluation and opinions of folks who have been there. Seniors, swing by Sherman for a memorable visit. -jeb

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Seniors Find A Real Treasure

I rarely focus in on a county or country per se, but this exception pays off for senior visitors in Rhode Island. South County’s vacation appeal reaches to charming villages, rolling countryside, historic sites and hundreds of acres of woodlands.

Senior travelers will enjoy unlimited opportunities for hiking, canoeing, cycling, shopping and touring. History and culture are evident throughout South County as well.

Historic inns and bed & breakfast establishments offer senior visitors the opportunity to personally experience Colonial- and Victorian-era South County.

Regional history thrives at local museums like South County Museum, Gilbert Stuart Birthplace and Smith Castle, while summer stock theatre productions delight audiences at charming Theatre by the Sea.

Seniors Enjoy Cultural Hotspot

South County is long recognized as a cultural hotspot with its thriving arts scene. The numerous art galleries alone are a major draw for many tourists. Parks and recreation areas dot the landscape.

The Matunuk Oyster Bar would be high on my choices for a dining experience, learning about all the work the owner goes through to put oysters on the table in his Bar.

South County’s reputation for coastal beauty precedes itself.  With 100 miles of breathtaking coastline, the wide variety of beaches are the jewels in Southern Rhode Island’s crown. From tame, foot high, family friendly waves to pristine stretches of sand, South County is an ideal spot for seniors seeking rejuvenation.

Seniors Enjoy South County’s Villages

Historic downtown Westerly is another major draw along the coast. I would put the South County History Center on my bucket list as it is located at the Old Washington County Jail ( 1858-1861) in historic Kingston Village.

TripAdvisor offers 184 things for senior visitors to see and do. TripAdvisor further notes that South County is one of New England’s favorite vacation spots.

Whether you’re a thrill-seeker looking for adventure or you want a peaceful setting where you can simply relax and unwind, South County is the perfect vacation destination.

For you oenophiles, South County features some awesome vineyards. Scarborough, Misquamicut, Narragansett, Charlestown, and Matunuck beaches, offer open sand, some surfing, equipment rentals, and pavilions with plenty of summer food.

Senior travelers, you are welcome in South County, a place you can’t help but enjoy -jeb

Seniors Head for Fairfax County, Virginia…

…and here’s why: seniors, it’s for a visit to Vienna, a town ranked third by CNN/Money and Money magazine on its list of the 100 best places to live in the United States.

Vienna…brings back memories of my daughter’s and my trip to Vienna, Austria a few years ago. What a neat trip that was!

In addition to highly ranked public schools, this town of 16,000 includes a downtown with many small businesses, a Washington Metro station,  and a portion of the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park, with a hiker/biker trail cutting through the center of town.

Seniors Learn Interesting History

In 1754, prominent soldier and landowner Colonel Charles Broadwater settled within the town boundaries. Broadwater’s son-in-law, John Hunter built the first recorded house there in 1767, naming it Ayr Hill, recalling his birthplace, Ayr, Scotland.

That name was subsequently applied to the tiny, developing community. The name of the town was changed in the 1850s, when a doctor named William Hendrick settled there on the condition that the town would rename itself after his hometown, Phelps, New York, then known as Vienna.

Senior travelers will find Vienna just south of the Potomac River and west of Washington D.C. Fabulous high-end shopping and dining can be found at Fairfax Square, a shopper’s heaven that includes Tiffany & Co., Louis Vuitton and Morton’s Steakhouse. The steakhouse looks good to me.

Seniors Find A ‘Safest City’

Senior visitors can find a performance of their choosing at Wolf Trap National Par k for the Performing Arts . And then there’s Meadowlark Botanical Garden that folks say is “utterly enchanting”. This Master Gardener would first head for the Garden.

FYI… Vienna was recently named one of the 15 safest places in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Seniors, set your GPS for Vienna and explore all  that this city has to offer. -jeb

Seniors Seek Sun And Fun In Trinidad and Tobago

Seniors, get your coffee, we’re headed for the nation of Trinidad and Tobago , off Venezuela’s coast in the southern Caribbean.

With a Creole culture incorporating African, European, East Indian and Chinese traditions, it’s known for its distinct cuisine, calypso and soca music, and boisterous Carnival celebration.

Home to diverse flora and fauna, including some 400 bird species, the red Chaconia is the national flower of Trinidad and Tobago and thus the red color of their flag. Trinidad & Tobago’s population is around 1,225,225.

Seniors are invited to experience “the True Caribbea n” in Trinidad and Tobago.

Seniors Find Wealthy Country

Trinidad and Tobago is the third richest country by GDP per capita in the Americas after the United States and Canada. Furthermore, it is recognized as a high income economy by the World Bank.

Unlike most of the English-speaking Caribbean, the country’s economy is primarily industrial with an emphasis on petroleum and petrochemicals. The country’s wealth is attributed to its large reserves and exploitation of oil and natural gas. Trinidad and Tobago is the leading Caribbean producer of oil and gas.

Trinidad and Tobago have distinct personalities. Trinidad is the larger of the two, the country’s industrial center and is the location of most of the country’s cities and activity. Tobago is known for tourism, its main industry, and is a popular tourist destination.

Seniors Find A Place Of Beauty

Both islands have their  share of natural beauty. TripAdvisor suggests that senior travelers not miss the Nylon Pool, an in-sea shallow white ground coral pool, accessible by boat. Its name is derived from its resemblance to a swimming pool. Next is Pigeon Point Beach, often considered Tobago’s most beautiful beach.

Arawak and Carib Indians prospered on the island the Amerindians called Ieri, land of the Humming Bird, until Columbus spotted the island he named for the Holy Trinity.

LonelyPlanet says, “Trinidad and Tobago are an exercise in beautiful contradiction. In Trinidad, pristine mangrove swamps and rain forested hills sit side by side with smoke-belching oil refineries and ugly industrial estates.

Tobago has everything you’d expect from a Caribbean island, with palm trees and white sand aplenty, yet relatively unchanged by the tourist industry. This twin-island republic offers unparalleled bird-watching, first-class diving, drumming and dancing, luxuriant rain forests prime for hiking, waterfall swimming and cycling, and electric nightlife, with the fabulous Carnival easily the biggest and best of the region’s annual blowouts.”

Seniors, set your sail for Trinidad and Tobago and enjoy your visit.  -jeb

Seniors Get Their Feet Wet In Peggy’s Cove

Peggy’s Cove is a small rural community that senior travelers find  is famous for the Peggy’s Point Lighthouse. Peggy’s Cove is 43 kilometers (26 miles) southwest of Downtown Halifax and comprises one of the numerous small fishing communities located around the perimeter of the Chebucto Peninsula.

The community is named after the cove of the same name, a name also shared with Peggy’s Point, immediately to the east of the cove. The village marks the eastern point of the St. Margaret’s Bay.

“ Peggy’s Cove is famed for its picturesque and typically East-Coast profile, with houses perched along a narrow inlet and on wave-washed boulders facing the Atlantic.”

Seniors Enjoy Fishing Village

Although this unique environment has been designated a preservation area, it is still an active fishing community. Nova Scotia is home to over 160 historic lighthouses, but no beacon is as photographed as the one in the vibrant fishing village of Peggy’s Cove.

The first recorded name of the cove was Eastern Point Harbour or Peggs Harbour in 1766. The village is likely named after Saint Margaret’s Bay, Peggy being the nickname for Margaret, which Samuel de Champlain named after his mother Marguerite.

There has been much folklore created to explain that name. One story suggests the village may have been named after the wife of an early settler. The popular legend claims that the name came from the sole survivor of a shipwreck at Halibut Rock near the cove.

From its inception, the community’s economy revolved around fishing. However, tourism began to overtake fishing in economic importance following the Second World War. Today, Peggy’s Cove is a major tourist attraction, although its inhabitants still fish for lobster, and the community maintains a rustic undeveloped appearance.

Seniors Go For The Fresh Seafood

The regional municipality and the provincial government have strict land-use regulations in the vicinity of Peggy’s Cove, with most property development being prohibited. Similarly there are restrictions on who can live in the community to prevent inflation of property values for year-round residents.

The restaurants and cafes in the area offer senior visitors the freshest Nova Scotia seafood. Lobster is a specialty, but don’t miss a feed of mussels or a meal featuring the wonderful fresh St Margaret’s Bay haddock.

Scenic beauty abounds in all directions and salt air fills your lungs . Senior travelers can enjoy the great outdoors, history, shopping or simply “taking time to smell the roses” along the Nova Scotia coast. A warm maritime welcome and down home hospitality await your visit. Seniors, enjoy Peggy’s Cove. -jeb

Seniors Head North To Ketchikan

Ketchikan , population 8,214, is an Alaskan city that senior travelers will find facing the Inside Passage, a popular cruise route along the state’s southeastern coast. It’s known for its many Native American totem poles, on display throughout the town.

Ketchikan is known as Alaska’s “first city” due to its location at the southern tip of the Inside Passage. This city, 689 miles northwest of Seattle, is the first city you reach as you cruise north, and for many visitors, their first introduction to the beauty and majesty of Alaska.

Nearby Misty Fiords National Monument is a glacier-carved wilderness that features snow capped mountains, waterfalls and salmon spawning streams. It’s also home to rich wildlife including black bears, wolves and bald eagles.

Seniors Like The Totem Poles

Its history goes back to 1885 when a fellow named Mike Martin purchased 160 acres of land from Chief Kyan, and this area later became the township of Ketchikan.

The Cape Fox Tlingits and Tongass used Ketchikan Creek as a fish camp. They called the area ‘kitschk-hin.’ The large resources of timber and fish attracted the non-natives to Ketchikan. In 1892, the Ketchikan Post Office was established. Seven canneries were in operation by 1936. Later on, several lumber mills opened in the city.

The living, artistic traditions of the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian peoples gave rise to the original totem poles that are on display in The Totem Heritage Center. Senior visitors can enjoy the Ketchikan Public Library, the oldest continually-operating library in the State of Alaska, founded in 1901.

Seniors Enjoy Alaska’s First City

There are a good number of lakes like Fawn Lake and Scout Lake, where your chances of landing one are good, so toss in your best rod and reel. I’d want to visit the Tongass Historical Museum where seniors will learn the history of Alaska’s feisty “First City.” The Museum tells the authentic tale of Ketchikan as a Native fish camp, gold and copper mining center, fishing port, timber town, cannery site, transportation hub, and lively community.

Then there’s Dolly’s House – the only “den of iniquity” that still stands today at Number 24 Creek Street. Its green dollhouse appearance looks much like it did during its heyday. Inside you’ll find photos of Dolly, the cabbage rose wallpaper she favored, and you might even spot the “secret closet” in Dolly’s bedroom, where she stashed contraband liquor during the Prohibition years.

The 40 acre Alaska Rainforest Sanctuary, 8 miles from Ketchikan, has tall stands of spruce, hemlock and cedar trees with a forest floor saturated with mosses, wild flowers and a variety of berries.

Ketchikan , the fifth most populous city in the state, is truly the beginning of the last frontier. Set at the southernmost entrance to Alaska’s famed Inside Passage—a network of waterways that snake through some of the most jaw-droppingly beautiful wilderness in the world—Ketchikan is best known for three things: feisty salmon, idyllic scenery, and an incredibly rich Alaska Native culture.

Seniors, enjoy Ketchikan. -jeb

Seniors Find ‘The Oasis of Texas’

Del Rio, “The Oasis of Texas ” ,  with a population of 40,500, senior travelers will find by driving west of San Antonio for 150 miles. Del Rio is connected with Ciudad Acuña which is located in the Mexican state of Coahuila south of the Rio Grande River. This metropolitan area is also known as “Tierra de la Amistad”.

Del Rio is home to Laughlin Air Force Base, the busiest United States Air Force pilot training complex in the world. Del Rio’s growth got a huge boost when the Amistad Dam and Reservoir was built on the Rio Grande River in 1969. Built for flood control, irrigation, power, and recreation, today, it is a major recreational area.

Del Rio thrives with a ranching economy of primarily Angora goats and sheep, supplemented by tourism, trade with Mexico, and the Air Force military base with a population of 1,650.

Senior Visitors Seek Out The Amsted National Recreational Area

Del Rio was originally known as San Felipe Del Rio however the name was shortened to Del Rio by the USPD in 1883. The city of Del Rio can trace its history back to the 17th century, when Spanish colonists unsuccessfully attempted to settle the north and south side of the Rio Grande.

San Felipe Creek provided ample water for farms, orchards, and vineyards thanks to its many springs. Today, these springs feed millions of gallons of water into the creek, creating Del Rio’s pristine swimming holes, including Blue Lake and Horseshoe Park.

The Amistad National Recreational Area is a major draw for senior visitors. The beautiful blue water Lake Amistad was formed when the Rio Grande was dammed in 1969 and encompasses around 70,000 surface acres, which are shared between both Mexico and the United States.

History and Art abound in Del Rio. Justice of the Peace Judge Roy Bean is buried in Del Rio. See if you can find his tombstone.

Seniors Enjoy Bass Fishing, Cave Art and Bull-Riding

Senior visitors can enjoy The Whitehead Memorial Museum, a western museum complex in downtown Del Rio. Don’t miss the huge Star of Texas made totally out of diamondback rattlesnake tails. Val Verde Winery is the oldest continuously running winery in Texas established in 1883 by Italian immigrant Frank Qualia.

Lake Amistad has some of the best bass fishing in Texas and the area is rich in archeology and rock art, and contains a wide variety of flora and fauna. Del Rio is home to the George Paul Memorial Bull-Riding, the oldest stand-alone bull riding event in the world.

Senior explorers can examine some of the oldest Native American cave paintings in North America and savor a glass of cabernet sauvignon or Sangiovese at the oldest winery in Texas.

Del Rio, Texas is an all-year vacation destination ideally suited for those seniors who love to explore the great outdoors. Enjoy Del Rio. -jeb

Seniors Visit Bloomfield

My wife bought a small jar of mustard that was made in Bloomfield , New Jersey. I just had to follow the path to this town so see what all is there that might attract senior visitors, besides Colman’s Mustard.

Bloomfield’s population is around 48,000. Senior visitors will find the township 2 miles north of East Orange, 5 miles north of Newark and only 20 minutes from New York City.

Bloomfield College, a liberal arts college founded in 1868, is located in downtown Bloomfield near the town green. The college has approximately 2,000 students.

Seniors Visit A Confectionery, A Cemetery and An Estate

Three of the major attractions seniors can enjoy include Glendale Cemetery, Holsten’s Brookdale Confectionery (filming location of the final scene in the final episode of The Sopranos) and the Oakes Estate, constructed in 1895, and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.

A host of notable people were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Bloomfield. One that I remember well is the singer Connie Francis. Let’s let Facebook help fill in your itinerary.

The local Historical Society of Bloomfield is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and will be scheduling a number of events. Bloomfield is loaded with landmarks, and has an interesting downtown.

Seniors, if you travel with your dog, stop at Brookdale Dog Park, an off-leash facility that is part of Brookdale Park, which in turn is part of the Essex County Parks system.

Seniors Stroll Through Brookdale Park

TripAdvisor suggests that visitors start off with a visit to Brookdale Park and then on to Yellow Plum with a great menu. Going through the Park is a circular, one way road, with three roads leading out of the park. There are many entrances for pedestrians.

Before Brookdale was a park, the area was used by the First Nations Lenape Native Americans, later known as the Delaware, as a planting/gathering ground. It is an opportunity for a stroll that will be memorable.

Senior “birders,” Brookdale Park offers over 200 acres of varied wildlife habitat and hosts a great number of bird species. Sightings range from the small and common house sparrow to the occasional Wild Turkey. Visit ebird for Brookdale’s Hotspot list of bird sightings recorded by the local birders.

So set your GPS for Bloomfield, a dynamic town that offers many attractions and fun things to do: parks, theater, sports, history, golf courses. Enjoy your visit. -jeb

Seniors Discover Devon, England

Devon , a county also referred to as Devonshire, in south west England, encompasses sandy beaches, fossil cliffs, medieval towns and moorland national parks. Senior travelers find themselves on the English Riviera, a series of picturesque, south-coast harbor towns including Torquay, Paignton and Brixham.

In case you were wondering, like me, the name Devon derives from the name of the Britons who inhabited the southwestern peninsula of Britain at the time of the Roman conquest. I also discovered that Devon may mean “defender” in reference to the Celtic inhabitants who fought off Anglo Saxon invaders during the dark ages.

Senior visitors will discover  the entire Devon area to be highly scenic with colorful fields, azure coasts, tall cliffs and historic buildings. Plymouth is the largest city in Devon with a population of 255,000.

This Senior Enjoys Clotted Cream

Devon’s area is 2,590 square miles and its population is just over one million. Despite its small Jewish population, Devon is known to contain two of Britain’s oldest synagogues.

The county has given its name to a number of culinary specialities. The Devonshire cream tea, involving scones, jam and clotted cream, is thought to have originated in Devon. My wife fell in love with clotted cream in Bath last year.

I write a lot of these travel blogs using TripAdviso r as a reference. This time I think they set a record, 1,171 things to see and do in Devon County. That’ll keep you busy for a long, long time.

The Jurassic Coast is famous for its many ammonite fossils. Senior fossil-lovers, clotted cream enthusiasts, scenic view proponents…set your sails for Devon.

Seniors Seek Out Rural Experience

“Devon is best known for cream teas and surf beaches, but a raft of openings are elevating the county’s image with rarefied takes on the rural experience. The elegant Lympstone Manor has been reimagined by eminent chef Michael Caines, who will reopen it in 2017 as a 21-room hotel and restaurant.

Design lovers can soon overnight at the Secular Retreat, a strikingly minimal property inspired by ecclesiastical architecture and designed by Peter Zumthor. And on the coast, the Art Deco Burgh Island Hotel has another groundbreaking design in the works: a suite that bridges the vertiginous gap between two rocky outcrops.” —Emily Mathieson

Senior travelers, enjoy all  that the county of Devon has to offer. Hope to see you there. -jeb

Seniors Choose A Stop In Heber Springs

Heber Springs , seniors learn, was initially called Sugar Loaf. This the seat of Cleburne County, Arkansas, has a population of around 7,250. Founded by Max Frauenthal, in 1881, who bought land and founded the Sugar Loaf Springs Company, he plotted a town site which was incorporated as “Sugar Loaf” on October 4, 1882.

Frauenthal chose the name Cleborne County to honor Confederate General Patrick Cleburne, who was killed in the Battle of Franklin in 1864. In 1910, Sugar Loaf’s name was changed to Heber Springs in order to avoid confusion with another Sugar Loaf whose post office was named after Sugar Loaf Mountain .

Let’s explore Heber Springs a bit, starting off with TripAdvisor’s suggestion of a sport called Cliff Jumping. Not me! Could you jump off a cliff and hit the water 50 feet below? Sounds like Navy Seal training to me.

Senior Fishermen, Take Note

The list of attractions in Heber Springs is long and impressive. One of their major events is Springfest. It is one of the largest fireworks shows in Arkansas on Greers Ferry Lake. The World Championship Cardboard Boat Race packs the house.

Toss in your best fishing rod and try your luck in matching two world-record catches on Greers Ferry Lake and one world record on the Little Red River. With fish this large, it’s understandable why senior anglers are attracted to the region.

Al Nelson of Higden started the action in 1982 with a 22-pound, 11-ounce walleye. Jerald C. Shaum of Shirley added a 27-pound, five-ounce hybrid striped bass in 1997. Those are what I call Big Ones. Bridal Veil Falls is a beautiful scenic spot not to be missed.

Seniors Like Historic Downtown

The historic downtown district includes a stately county courthouse with the traditional square. Senior visitors can also enjoy a museum, antique shops, restored theater and Spring Park, with its mineral springs that attracted the original settlers.

Greers Ferry Lake is known for great fishing and water recreation. Camping, cabins and world-class resorts overlook one of the state’s most popular lakes.

The Little Red River is internationally known as the home of the world-record (40-pound, four-ounce) brown trout, another whopper. Trout resorts and outfitters are available. The lake and river have served as national models for environmental cleanliness.

Spring Park attracted settlers to Heber Springs in the 1830′s and is named after it’s natural springs which are covered by pavilions and accessible throughout the park. It is a popular spot for senior travelers. The Park is found right in the heart of town and next door to some great shopping, dining and lodging.

Spring Park is home to many festivals throughout the year including Spring Fest and Old Settler’s Days. Settle into Heber Springs and enjoy the  amenities the town offers. -jeb