Literary Traveler Debuts Concord, Massachusetts Trip October 21-24, 2021

Walden Pond, Literary TravelerThanks to Henry David Thoreau, Louisa May Alcott, and Ralph Waldo Emerson, the historic hamlet of Concord, Massachusetts, 20 miles west of Boston, has achieved legendary stature as a literary outpost. After all, it was here that Thoreau ventured to the woods with ax in tow in March 1845 to build his hut on Walden Pond. The town where Alcott grew up with her sisters in the Orchard House, which remarkably still stands today and was the backdrop for the latest version of Little Women in 2019. Also still standing on the banks of the Concord River is the circa-1770 Old Manse, where Emerson wrote his integral work, Nature, in the upstairs study, and the young Nathaniel Hawthorne brought his bride Sophia to live for 3 years. It happens to reside next door to Minute Man National Historic Park, where the Revolutionary War started as a result of the “shot heard round the world.”

With such a rich literary history, it’s no surprise that the founder of Literary Traveler, Francis McGovern, has chosen Concord for his inaugural trip, October 21-24, 2021. It also doesn’t hurt that Francis lives in Concord and knows the area intimately! Over the course of three days, you’ll visit all the important sights with Francis and other experts who specialize on the works of these renowned 19th-century scribes. Cost is $2495 per person double occupancy and includes three nights lodging at Concord’s Colonial Inn and dining at such esteemed local restaurants as Woods Hill Table, which Yankee Magazine recognized as the top farm-to-table restaurant in New England. ActiveTravels is happy to join forces with Literary Traveler to make all the bookings and provide any assistance to and from the region. We’re excited that Literary Traveler has started to design trips around the globe and this is the perfect start!

A Visit to the Revitalized Stevens-Coolidge House and Gardens

Tulips in Bloom at the Stevens-Coolidge House and GardensWhat a treat it was to escape the office yesterday and head to North Andover’s Stevens-Coolidge House and Gardens during the peak of their spring tulip bloom. The circa-1729 farm and early 20th century Colonial Revival home were bequeathed to the Trustees in 1962. Thanks to a two-year renovation to the 91-acre grounds by the Trustees, this sylvan oasis 30 minutes north of Boston has never looked better. They’ve built a new entrance and parking lot, replete with the opening of the Garden Gateway building crafted from a former maintenance shed and now containing classroom space, gift shop, and snack counter. They also doubled the size of the garden and planted thousands of bulbs and hundreds of perennials, trees, and shrubs. The tulips in all shapes, sizes, and colors were glorious to witness in the bright morning sunshine yesterday after two days of rain. Lilacs are just starting to bloom and then comes an explosion of peonies. So don’t get discouraged if you can’t get the timed tickets you want at first. There will always be something in bloom this spring and summer. Go anytime for a therapeutic walk through these gardens and meadows. Better yet, bring a picnic!

Quick Escape, Miraval Berkshires Resort & Spa

Miraval BerkshiresLisa and I spent two nights in the Berkshires last week checking out the new Miraval property in Lenox that made its debut in late July. The Miraval brand is already well known in the travel world for its two wellness properties in Tucson and Austin, so we were excited to see what they had in store for New England. They took over the former Cranwell property and expanded across Route 20, where they now house a horse farm, chicken coop, gardens, and space for archery, hatchet throwing, and pottery classes. Arriving in the rain, we were happy to see that all rooms are connected indoors via a long corridor with classes, restaurants, and lounge area. This will come in handy during the winter months when you don’t have to venture outdoors unless you choose to snowshoe or hike.

Wanting to take advantage of the two nights/three days we spent on property, we signed up for a busy regimen weeks before arrival that included classes in fitness, yoga, mindfulness/meditation, farming, and nutrition. We ended up taking three walks outdoors, along the shoreline of Stockbridge Bowl and beside a rolling brook in October Mountain State Forest, all glorious during the peak of fall foliage. We also took four meditation courses with Will, known as Chill Will, including an introduction to Qigong and Forest Bathing; a fantastic cardio drumming class with Tariq; a visit to the farm to feed the horses and chickens with Jen; a fun flow yoga class with Mark; and an informative lecture on keeping a healthy gut with Annie. We would quickly learn that all of the instructors are excellent and that most have devoted their lives to their particular passion. Will has taught meditation to people in drug rehabs the past two decades; Annie led the nutrition department at nearby Kripalu; Jen not only owns a farm, but was involved in education at Sturbridge Village. Miraval had to know the wealth of talent they would find in the Berkshires, a hub in the northeast for wellness and yoga thanks to Kripalu and Canyon Ranch.

With mild October temperatures, many of the classes were held outdoors. We pounded those drums on a grassy patch near the large pool. Some fitness classes like spin cycling are still on hold until after the pandemic, but the spa was open for massages and facials. When weather cooperated, dining was outdoors on a large patio. Otherwise, you’ll be having meals indoors in a large restaurant, Harvest Moon, with high ceilings. They do a good job of limiting and separating people in the restaurant, especially during dinner, when you have to reserve a time in advance. The food, like most classes, is included in the price. As you would expect, they try to make it healthy, with numerous vegetarian and fish options. Everything we tried was delicious, from the fresh greens to avocado toast to grilled salmon and tuna ceviche. Unlike Canyon Ranch, they do serve alcohol. There’s also have a café next door, Roost, to grab lattes and yummy cookies and casual fare, all-inclusive. Rooms were spacious with large balconies outdoors for taking in the view.

Feel free to ask us any questions! ActiveTravels is here to help book Miraval when you feel comfortable traveling. As part of Virtuoso, we can also offer $175 resort credit, per person, per night to spend on your choice of spa services, activities and private sessions with Miraval specialists.

Virtuoso Travel Week Highlights, The Debut of Miraval Berkshires

Miraval BerkshiresEvery other year, Lisa travels to Las Vegas in the heat of August to meet with hundreds of travel suppliers, hotel GMs, cruise companies, and many other faces in the travel industry for Virtuoso Travel Week. This year, we had those meetings for 4 very full days from the comfort of our office thanks to Google Meet. I have no idea how they can organize hundreds, if not thousands of meetings, at the same time without crashing. But, lo and behold, every 10 minutes we clicked on another link and had our private sessions with the people we most wanted to speak with. This week, I will present the highlights from those meetings:

The big news out of New England is the opening of the new Miraval property in Lenox. After $132 million investment, the Miraval Berkshires wellness resort and its close cousin, the Wyndhurst Manor & Club, opened in late July on the former Cranwell hilltop property overlooking October Mountain. Miraval offers 100 guest rooms and suites, while Wyndhurst has 11 rooms in the historic mansion and 35 additional rooms in nearby cottages. Now, with social distancing in place, the resort can accommodate 40 percent of total occupancy. Miraval’s “digital detox” wellness approach emphasizes outdoor programming, including guided hikes and equine activities, as well as smaller group settings to encourage social distancing for indoor programs such as yoga, fitness, culinary and meditation classes, though many of those classes will be moved outside this fall. Guests also have access to the resort’s private beach on nearby Laurel Lake, where programs include stand-up paddle, paddle yoga and kayaking, as well as meditation. Other activities include sustainable living classes, like beekeeping and raising chickens, and the much-needed spa for healing and nurturing.

If interested in a visit to Miraval this year or next, please let ActiveTravels know and we’ll check availability and pricing. As a member of Virtuoso, we can also get you a free upgrade upon arrival, complimentary breakfast, and $100 resort credit, per person.

8 Trustees of Reservations Sites Not To Be Overlooked, Including Naumkeag, Stockbridge, Massachusetts

Naumkeag in the BerkshiresFormerly owned by the Choate Family of New York before it was bequeathed to The Trustees of Reservations in 1958, Naumkeag is a 44-room Berkshires “Cottage” from the Gilded Age, filled with arts, antiques, and collections around from around the world. But it’s the outdoor gardens that truly inspire, a masterpiece of 30 years of collaborative work by former owner, Mabel Choate, and her dear friend, Fletcher Steele, one of America’s first modern landscape architects. Described by the Library of American Landscape History as a “playground for the imagination,” The Trustees have just completed a 3-year, $3 million garden and landscape restoration project designed to rejuvenate the gardens and bring them back to Choate and Steele’s original vision. The transformation includes the renovation of Fletcher Steele’s iconic Blue Steps, one of the most photographed features in 20th-century American landscape design.

This entry is excerpted from my latest book, New England in a Nutshell. The book/ebook is slated to published on July 2nd and you can pre-order now at Amazon or at the independent bookstore, Northshire, located in Manchester Center, Vermont and Saratoga, New York. The ebook includes all hyperlinks to listings. The paperback includes front and back cover illustrations from Manhattan-based artist, Sarah Schechter, and a small sampling of photos from Lisa, who accompanied me on many of my assignments, resulting in published work for the Boston Globe.