Three years ago I began my exploration of that compact area of the United States known as New England. Little did I know I would discover a place of inspiration and tranquility at its shores. Nor did I imagine that one or two visits wouldn't be enough to sample all that comparatively tiny stretch of American land has to offer. Thus, if the Universe agrees, more visits are in my future.
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Our second New England adventure became a more focused lighthouse tour, but again, we merely scratched the surface. After our first visit, we vowed to spend more time in Cape Cod when we returned, and so that was our starting point this time. Our arrival dinner was at Tugboats, just around the corner from our hotel in Hyannis. It's the quintessential Cape eatery— friendly, casual but not sloppy, great drinks, and a solid menu.
I toasted my first proper vacation post-pandemic with a Marina Pain Killer, a sweet mixture of Coco Lopez, Myers rum, Bacardi, pineapple juice, and nutmeg. John ordered a Cape Cod Blonde, the only blonde he's allowed because it's beer. A day of travel produces more tiredness than hunger, so I thought a cup of New England Clam Chowder (of course) and Crispy Fried Calamari from their appetizer menu would more than suffice. Did it ever. The cup of soup was more like a bucket, and the calamari were plentiful and came with arugula, tomatoes, and a subtle lemon aioli. John had the Fish and Chips, and you know it's good in these parts because it's always fresh Atlantic cod rather than some mystery filler fish.
We wasted no time the next morning and planned a cape crossing to Martha's Vineyard. But first, John's relentless pursuit of extraordinary coffee took us to a little place just down the street from our hotel, Old King's Coffeehouse, offering rich coffee drinks and a wide variety of breakfast goodies, including a decadent Boston Cream donut that had to be sampled. It became our happy way to start each day.
Before we left the harbor, a little hidden treasure revealed itself to me in all its splendor after an evening of trying to find a good place to photograph her. Hyannis Harbor Light is a petite faux lighthouse, a replica of another lighthouse in Nantucket. It's privately owned and adorns the shore with mad cuteness.
The fifty-minute journey over Cape waters gifted me with one of those rare moments of total zen-like peace and joy. At such moments, nothing disturbs my complete alignment with spirit and nature.
Once we docked at Oak Bluffs in the Vineyard, it seemed everyone walked with a purpose, a predetermined plan for exploring the island. We, on the other hand, had no clue where to go. A bus tour made me a little nervous considering I was still vigilant about COVID risks despite being fully vaccinated. We saw a car rental outfit with the most charming convertibles, and out of sheer curiosity made our inquiries. Turned out to be serendipity at work. A surprisingly reasonable rate for the day bought us an adorable set of wheels, privacy, a list and map to help us travel the length of the island and visit the key spots, and the freedom to do it at our own pace.
First stop was the quaint, busy town of Edgartown, full of shops and restaurants and spectacular views of sleepy sailboats bedazzling the electric blue waters. The fragrant hint of salt and fish in the air reminded us that lunchtime was at hand. We chose Seafood Shanty, with its rows of contrasting navy umbrellas and bright flower boxes welcoming us. I went big with my drink and ordered a Mudslide, frosty and sweet, and John sampled the Downeast craft cider.
Bellies full and eager to explore, we headed to the town of Aquinnah, the westernmost point of the Vineyard, to visit the majestic Gay Head Light, a stately red brick structure overlooking Gay Head Cliffs, classified a national landmark. In 1799, the lighthouse's original "spider" lamp, a system of wicks on a pan of sperm whale oil, was lit for the first time.
Small as it is, the Vineyard still holds unwrapped gifts for me. Oak Bluffs itself, bustling with incoming and outgoing visitors, also has the Gingerbread Cottage Village which some call "the quaintest place in the world". And then there's Menemsha, the quintessential New England fishing village. I'm sorry I missed these spots, but I'm happy that I got to fully experience what I did see.
Back in Hyannis, we ended the evening with ice cream at Kilwin's and a walk around Main Street, known as Cape Cod's downtown, chock full of locally-owned shops, over 40 restaurants, and the popular John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum.
Our next day was dedicated to lighthouses. I'm in a constant state of amazement at how many lighthouses exist in New England. Every hole, glen, and hideaway of this idyllic area houses a light, all beautiful regardless of size, color, or whether they are active or not. With this knowledge, I decided I wouldn't try to cram a lot of them into a few days, but rather concentrate on a few and spend quality time with each of my choices.
In quiet Mattapoisset, "a place for resting" in the Wampanoag language, sits Ned's Point Light, originally built in 1838. She's a little grungy, but her lovely A-line figure presides over a delightful park with stunning ocean views.
The keepers of Warwick Lighthouse were treated to a sublime view of Narragansett Bay. The light was originally built in 1826, and it's currently owned by the Coast Guard, which meant limited access.
Then, we headed to Nayatt Point Lighthouse in Barrington. Built in 1828, it guided commercial vessels into the Providence River, a busy trade area in the 1800s. It is now privately owned, so the best views would be from the water, but as I searched for whatever angles I could manage to photograph the light from land, what seemed like a sparkplug floating on the water caught my eye. I'd discovered Conimicut Lighthouse. Established in 1866, Conimicut Lighthouse became the replacement beacon for Nayatt Point Lighthouse, and in fact, Nayatt provided living quarters for Conimicut's keeper.
All the lighthouse hopping gave us a seafarer-size appetite. We stopped at Top of the Bay in Warwick, and we're so glad we did. It's simply a happy place with water views, crisp white linens and blue chairs. I started with the New England Clam Chowder for my moment of bliss. We both ordered the Fish and Chips, and as expected, we received huge slabs of Atlantic cod, perfectly breaded, fries just as we like them, crispy on the outside, meaty on the inside. I also ordered the clam cakes, a new one for me, and I got these heavenly Hush Puppies infused with bits of clam. I had a smile on my face all through the meal.
Cape Elizabeth Light, a Gothic Revival beauty, is on the eastern side of the park and the only one still active since 1924 when the West tower went dark. A cylindrical top was installed on the latter, and it became an observation tower during WWII. It was auctioned off to the highest bidder in 1959, but in 1971, Bette Davis's ex-husband , Gary Merrill, bought it for $28,000, and subsequently sold it in 1983.
While in Portland, our only sit-down meal was at Saltwater Grille. I ordered a lobster roll and John had the shrimp and chips. It's regrettable that I have to consider this our worst meal of the trip. The lobster roll was categorically bland. With every bite, I tried to figure out why such a no-brainer for these parts could be ruined. It was all in their lemon aioli, or lack of it. Simple mayo would've been more acceptable. John's shrimp was better, but not by much. And funny note, they were asking for votes to nominate their lobster roll for best in Portland. Not happening.
Not to worry, though, because the memory of that experience quickly faded when we found Captain Sam's Ice Cream in downtown Portland. The selection of flavors include the popular standards plus options such as Kentucky Derby, a mix of Bourbon, molasses, chocolate flakes, and pecans; Mud Season, chocolate ice cream, Reese's pieces, Oreos, and chocolate flakes, and my favorite that day, Sea Biscuit, vanilla ice cream with Biscoff cookies.