Woodstock, Vermont: Countryman Press, 2003.
First of all, let’s define the author’s use of “passions.” If you picture that as indulging in purely sensual and possibly decadent pursuits, that’s not what this author is going to help you with. But if you enjoy the creature comforts of small hotels, inns, and bed-and-breakfast joints set in interesting places, this book could jump start a trip somewhere new. If you start reading now, you’ll have plenty of lead-time for planning a perfect getaway when the weather warms. Not that these 22 destinations should be avoided in the winter – they could be quite charming, quieter, and lower priced. But they are all chosen with an eye to getting out and about in a special place and experiencing its ambiance. Wittemann had the hard task of limiting her suggestions to 22; she spread them out across the region with three in Vermont, four in New Hampshire, five in Massachusetts, two in Connecticut, three in Rhode Island and five in Maine. They are grouped with themes such as “Antiquing” (Brimfield-Sturbridge MA and Litchfield County CT), “Ritzy Retreats” (Woodstock VT and Newport RI), “History” (Bristol RI, Cape Cod MA, Portsmouth NH), “College Town” (Middlebury VT) and “Art Colony” (Rockport and Gloucester MA). In Maine, we are introduced to Portland, Monhegan, Mount Desert, Camden-Rockland and Boothbay Harbor (and Sabbathday Lake as one of the “Shaker Sites.”) “Whew,” we may exclaim if we’re relieved our personal favorite didn’t get shared in this book. But you may also have strong feelings that other outstanding places got short shrift. I think of some great college towns ignored here, such as Amherst-Northampton MA, Hanover NH, and Brunswick ME. Or art centers like Williamstown-North Adams MA or Bennington VT. The point is that Wittemann’s suggestions are worthy of consideration. In the genre of travel writing, everything is subjective. The most expert advice is highly personal: here is what one author saw and surmised, liked and didn’t like.
Wittemann sizes up the various destinations by describing what to see and do and the accommodations, shopping, and places to eat. There is a recommended listing for each category with helpful details such as location, price, service and style. A little time spent on the Internet checking websites will be a useful counterpart – there are some illustrations but not for each accommodation, and prices were accurate back when the book went to press in 2002. In the Camden-Rockland chapter, windjammer cruises are described with specifics given for each boat. But I noted the author doesn’t capture to the same degree all the shopping, lodging and dining possibilities available in the area. If you know one of the locations Wittemann describes, your familiarity will probably top hers. Travel writers are often fellow tourists, outsiders rather than insiders as they size up a place. While the book’s strength may not be its breadth and depth, it serves as a useful compendium of regional attractions and an enthusiastic introduction offering logistical specifics that make it easier to get in gear. The book is also a good reminder that anytime you consider the disparate parts of New England, you realize there’s a lot of world to see right in our own backyard.