So near, so different … and so worth exploring!
If you’ve been at least once or twice to America’s great gateway cities – New York, Boston, and Los Angeles among them – you may want to expand your next visit to include something quite different. Perhaps a nearby, lesser-known city, a charming small town, a beach resort or a drive through the countryside. Mary Moore Mason, Paul Wade and Lynn Houghton describe some of their favourite combos.
BOSTON -> PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE
Moonset Over Portsmouth Harbor
One of New England’s renaissance port cities, Portsmouth is a handy one hour north of Boston. Spend time at Strawbery Banke, where costumed interpreters and historic buildings bring 300 years of waterfront heritage to life. Take a cruise round the harbour, where settlers arrived in 1623 and the US Navy still has a busy shipyard. Then meet the locals, as you explore Portsmouth’s lively craft beer and foodie scene. More information: http://www.goportsmouthnh.com.
Staying on: The stylish, 200-year-old Sailmaker’s House.
NEW YORK CITY -> LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK
Located just 30 minutes from midtown Manhattan and fringed by mile-uponmile of beautiful white sand beaches, Long Island is an alluring holiday destination. As it stretches 118 miles eastward between the Atlantic Ocean and Long Island Sound, it encompasses everything from the Hamptons haunts of the rich and famous and the ‘Gold Coast’ chateaux that inspired F Scott Fitzgerald’s Great Gatsby to numerous vineyards and laid-back, carless Fire Island. Visit the Whaling & Historical Museum in the old whaling port of Sag Harbor, the red-andwhite- striped Montauk lighthouse and the home of President Teddy Roosevelt; golf on one of the premier courses; watch horse racing at the famous Belmont track; or kayak around tiny Shelter Island. You don’t even have to arrive via Manhattan – JFK International Airport is right on the doorstep. More information: www.discoverlongisland.com.
Staying On: Revel in ocean-front resort luxury at Gurney’s Montauk, with the only saltwater-fed pool in North America .
NEW YORK CITY -> NEWARK, NEW JERSEY
Although it may be best-known as the second major international airport for New York City, Newark Liberty International is also the gateway to Newark, New Jersey, only 20 minutes from Manhattan. Sullied for decades by, first, the 1967 race riots and then urban blight, it’s now well worth visiting for its outstanding Newark Museum, imposing Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, New Jersey Performing Arts Center and new GRAMMY Museum Experience Prudential Center, showcasing exhibitions about music superstars. Hungry? Head for one of the 170 Portuguese, Spanish or Brazilian restaurants in the picturesque Ironbound District.
Staying on: The Hotel Indigo Newark Downtown, located in a converted 1912 bank building designed by renowned architect Cass Gilbert.
LOS ANGELES -> SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA
A Ferris wheel is one of the attractions of Santa Monica Pier,
the western terminus of iconic Route 66
Sometimes perceived as part of Los Angeles, coastal Santa Monica is actually a separate city graced by a majestic landmark pier. Opened in 1909 as the first concrete one on America’s West Coast, it is lined with such attractions as a solarpowered Ferris wheel, roller-coaster, and the carousel featured in The Sting. Don’t miss funky nearby Venice Beach, where you can encounter anything from Muscle Beach body builders to vendors of sunglasses for dogs.
Staying on: Chic Shutters on the Beach is pricey but, then, it is, literally, right on the beach.
LOS ANGELES -> HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIFORNIA
‘Surf City’s’ laid back
downtown
Just down the coast, and also enhanced by a pier, ‘Surf City USA’ is obviously the place to try out surfing. Some visitors who frequented the laid-back beach town in the 1960s and ’70s may lament the demise of its ocean-side camping, but others welcome its more genteel ambience with a better selection of cafés and shops, numerous beach fire pits, and Van’s US Surfing Competition in early August.
Staying on: Stylish and quirky, the Kimpton Shorebreak Hotel is also right on the beach.
LOS ANGELES -> PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA
Palm Springs is renowned for
its beautiful golf courses
Located 110 miles south-east of Los Angeles, this perennially-popular desert resort, once an oasis for the Agua Caliente Indians, was the second home for such Hollywood superstars as The Rat Pack and Marilyn Monroe. Key among them was Frank Sinatra, whose former home in Twin Palms can be rented for $2,600 per night. For celebrity tour information, visit www.pshistoricalsociety.org; for spectacular views, take the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway to the 8,516ft top of Mt San Jacinto. Then check out the splendid area golf courses and spas.
Staying on: For Hollywood-style elegance – the Parker Palm Springs; for reasonably-priced charm (and a fantastic breakfast) – the Palm Springs Rendevouz Hotel.
WASHINGTON, DC -> ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA
Located just across the Potomac River from the US Capital, charming, colonialera Alexandria now has a high-speed water taxi service from its marina to DC’s The Wharf. From this autumn its waterfront will be linked with the city’s historic retail district by the new King Street Park at the Waterfront, and by summer 2019 the marina will be home to the tall ship Providence, which appeared in the films Master and Commander and Pirates of the Caribbean. Drop by Gadsby’s Tavern, frequented by George Washington and now a museum, and then drive or take the boat to Mount Vernon, the first US President’s riverside estate.
Staying on: The new waterfront Hotel Indigo Old Town Alexandria.
PHILADEPHIA -> THE BRANDYWINE VALLEY, PENNSYLVANIA
Among the attractions of Longwood Gardens are its spectacular fountains
The evocatively-named Brandywine Valley, nestled along the Delaware border, is an ideal day-out or overnight trip south-west of Philadelphia. Flower fanciers will love Kennett Square’s beautiful 1,077-acre Longwood Gardens, with its 1919 conservatory, spectacular fountains and impressive seasonal events, and art lovers should head for Chadds Ford’s Brandywine River Museum of Art, sited in a restored 19th-century gristmill beside the beautiful Brandywine River. It, and nearby sites, are home to the artworks of three generations of the acclaimed Wythe family, including famous Andrew. Also appealing are wine tours and tasting at the Chaddsford Winery.
Staying on: The Inn at White Wing Farm, a 1700s farmhouse set in beautiful surroundings, is adjacent to Longwood Gardens.
TAMPA -> GULFPORT, FLORIDA
A colourful Gulfport street scene
Gulfport is Old Florida. Think cheerfullypainted pink, yellow and blue cottages and brick-paved streets; palm trees rustling in the breeze; a sandy beach and a fishing pier with stunning sunset views. Paddle out to spot egrets, ospreys and herons with Kayak Nature Adventures, or join the twice-a-month Art Walk and explore eclectic boutiques, art studios and funky cafés. There are no chain stores and no parking meters – yet it’s only halfan- hour from bustling Tampa.
Staying on: The 12-room Historic Peninsula Inn, a 113-year-old charmer, features a restaurant serving delicious, Southern-style meals.
SAN DIEGO -> JULIAN, CALIFORNIA
If you’ve never been to Julian you’re in for a treat! Only an hour from San Diego, this cute hill village of 1,500 people, surrounded by apple orchards, vineyards and horse farms, is full of boutiques in buildings that date back to the 1870 Gold Rush. Tour two of the original gold mines, High Peak and Eagle, and enjoy apple pie at one of several Main Street bakeries as well as locally-made ciders, beers, wines and chocolates at Julian Station, where musicians jam on Sunday afternoons.
Staying on: The 1897 Julian Gold Rush Hotel is Southern California’s oldest inn.
PITTSBURGH -> THE LAUREL HIGHLANDS, PENNSYLVANIA
Fans of Frank Lloyd Wright, America’s most-famous architect, can pick up a rental car at Pittsburgh’s now-UK-linked international gateway airport and head 1.5 hours south-east into the beautiful Laurel Highlands. There they will find Wright’s Fallingwater, perched over a waterfall, Kentuck Knob and Duncan House, where you can overnight. Other area attractions include Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania’s largest state park, and Ligonier’s Idlewild and Soak Zone, the state’s oldest amusement park.
Staying on: Located on 2,000 acres near Union, the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort has golf courses, a spa and much more.
CHICAGO -> PONTIAC, ILLINOIS
A popular stop on
legendary Route 66
Pontiac, only two hours from Chicago along iconic Route 66, is home to the Route 66 Association of Illinois Hall of Fame and Museum, which is full of memories, from a VW hippie van and old petrol pumps to retro advertising signs and a 2009 street artists’ mural. If you’re a vintage car enthusiast, you’ll also want to visit the Pontiac-Oakland Automobile Museum.
Staying on: The Best Western Pontiac Inn offers well-priced, practical rooms on the edge of town.
