About VisitingNewEngland: A Lifelong New Englander Helps You Discover the Real New England

Nobska Beach and Lighthouse, Falmouth, Mass. (Cape Cod)

This is not your typical “About Us” page or web site that tries to be different but ends up looking like any other blog.

Good day, my name is Eric Hurwitz – editor and publisher of VisitingNewEngland. I am a lifelong New Englander and, basically, a working-class guy that has always prioritized hard work, creativity and a love for what I do in my career.

Humbly, a little bit about me professionally…

In addition to owning VisitingNewEngland, I am also the author of "Massachusetts Town Greens," a book detailing the history of 70-plus essential town greens in Massachusetts. I attended the Boston University School of Public Communication and hold a bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communications from Suffolk University in Boston, Mass. I spent 20-plus years as a reporter, assistant editor, editor and public affairs specialist/officer in the public and private sectors before starting my work of love, VisitingNewEngland.com. I am also a U.S. Army Superior Civilian Award recipient.

For starters and to be brutally honest, I have a lousy sense of web design which works to both advantages and disadvantages. Advantages: VisitingNewEngland possesses a one-of-a-kind look and a total focus on the writing, photography and straight-from-the-heart perspectives from someone eternally in love with the six-state region. No other web site looks like this one! Its disadvantages: No automation makes for a web site that looks homemade and stuck in the early 90s. I like to look at VisitingNewEngland as a reflection of New England travel, however – that is, the winding, meandering back roads leading to amazing discoveries, as opposed to vacationing on a contrived, charmless, concrete man-made grid.


Watch Hill, R.I.

I can tell you, however, where to enjoy wicked awesome lobster rolls, mouthwatering burgers and homemade ice cream in New England. I can share with you not only some of the most beloved attractions in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont but also truly underrated places that don’t get much press. Everything I feel a connection to, I write down and share with you in the form of articles as well as pictures that tell a thousand words.


Boston Public Garden, Boston, Mass.

All of this has seemed to work as VisitingNewEngland has seen as many as a half-million visitors in a year. Covid did suck the life out of my business, however, but I am never one to give up. My mom and dad stressed to me the importance of determination at a young age. I listened to them well and followed through to the best of my ability.

This Travel Site Is for You: No AI or Trendy Social Media Influencer Stuff

My focus is solely on New England from the perspective of a working-class guy who, just like you, struggles with the abysmal economy, high cost of living and other societal rock blocks that impede a guy and his family just trying to make an honest dollar. So, my work is not about traveling at any time we feel like it. Rather, we budget-plan to make it happen -- does it ever feel good when we’ve earned that privilege.


Harbor, Rockport, Mass.

Ultimately, this web site is for you – not for the algorithms, search engine optimization, a quest to become a trendy social media influencer (gag) or some corporate entity trying to sell or promote travel for profit. Or, one of those crappy web sites that lifts pictures from other sites and writes about places they have never been. Or, one of those “influencers” that try to charge you thousands on how to become a successful travel blogger.

Additionally, you will never see me using artificial intelligence (AI) at VisitingNewEngland. AI will never fully sense the marvelous taste of Ipswich fried clams or authentic Vermont cheddar cheese that you or I know so well. Or, feel the way you and I do when in the presence of a Maine or Cape Cod beach, or the White Mountains of New Hampshire, as examples. AI is artificial, after all. We are real people.


Echo Lake in the White Mountains of New  Hampshire.

I am not about industry norms and never will be. This is a real web site created by what I hope is a real person (me!).

Ultimately, what you see is what you get at VisitingNewEngland. It’s sort of like an informal gathering around the living room fireplace and conversing about great places to travel.

A Few Random Thoughts from Our First ‘About Us’ Page

So, welcome to New England! Our region consists of six states, all equally impressive but ultimately with their own charming personalities: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode island and Vermont.



What is most striking about New England is its endless beauty in so many diverse expressions. Consider the icicle blue waters and rocky coasts that beautifully frame Nubble Light at York, Maine. Nubble Light is indeed one of America's most photographed lighthouses, and once you see it you'll know why. Imagine yourself hiking Mt. Katadhin in Northern, Maine, and being able to see hundreds of miles away to Quebec or the great historical city of Boston. See yourself in the "real" part of Cape Cod where the pace is leisurely, the breeze sugar sweet and the salt air gently embracing. The anchor of this memorable New England vacation destination is the Cape Cod National Seashore with its 43,604 acres of shoreline, including sand dunes, lighthouses, historic structures, beaches, nature trails and picnic areas. Additionally, don't forget to visit Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, two islands that take you away from all the stresses of every day life and into idyllic locations of ocean beaches, charming village-like settings, and undeveloped coastal splendor.


Harbor at Nantucket, Mass.

Rhode Island and Connecticut are also no slouches when it comes to unwinding. Find yourself on a deserted beach in South County Rhode Island, walking miles and miles by the warm and healthy sea. Tour the "FarmCoast" towns of Tiverton and Little Compton where the mix of farms and coast create a truly spectacular, memorable setting. Bike the pristine environs of the "Quiet Corner" of Northeastern Connecticut where stunning village greens surround stately old houses and a slower pace of life forces one to relax. A great example is Woodstock, a million miles from nowhere, with no stores, no gas stations and no traffic lights -- just one beautiful home after another. It's truly a classic New England town.


Roseland Cottage, Woodstock, Ct.

Revel in the rolling green hills of Vermont, complete with many cows and fewer people. Here, you will find picture-perfect postcard villages, where life is relaxed and the Green Mountains scenery often spectacular. Of particular interest are the lovely small towns of Stowe, Newfane, Weston, Woodstock and Waitsfield.

Stowe, Vt.

And what about New Hampshire? We could write a book on the wonders of this beautiful state! It's hard to pick just one area to visit, but if we had to choose one area, it would be the White Mountains region. This timeless vacation destination feature dramatically scenic rugged mountains with the apex being Mt. Washington with an elevation of 6,288 ft. In the White Mountains, the skiing is fabulous in the winter at myriad ski resorts, spring refreshing after a long, cold winter, summer just ideal with hiking, swimming and other recreational activities, and the fall flat-out stunning with its colorful fall foliage. Many famous, family-friendly resorts and attractions reside here -- the latter including Santa's Village, Storyland, The Flume, Clark's Trading Post and the Mt. Washington Auto Road.
 
Church Street Marketplace in Burlington, Vt.

New England cities must not be missed from the Old Port Exchange shops and restaurants and classic tree-lined brownstone building streets of Portland, Maine, to the world-class historical, educational and scenic environs of Boston, Mass. Providence, R.I., is a big city alternative to Boston, with its high-rises, academia and concentration of colonial homes, especially on Benefit Street. Let's not forget the charming Portsmouth, N.H., a small city with big seaside historical charm. There's nothing quite like strolling through Portsmouth on a hot, summer day with its eclectic mix of people and stores. It's a lively city, typical of the New England lifestyle, and one loaded with great restaurants. Burlington, Vt., is also quite a small city with its located on beautiful Lake Champlain, the presence of the University of Vermont and a fabulous downtown pedestrian-friendly Church St. marketplace with its incredibly appealing mix of shops, restaurants (many outdoor cafes), entertainment, street vendors and interesting architecture amongst the myriad buildings. Newport, R.I., is world-famous and quite appealing -- a tour of the mansions, a scenic drive along Ocean, a day at Easton's Beach, a walk along the Cliff Walk overlooking the ocean, and a highly-developed downtown that seems to joyfully go on forever with a fantastic mix of shops, galleries, boutiques, museums and restaurants. We could go on and on about New England, but you'll just have to read more on our web site!


The Cliff Walk in Newport, R.I.

VisitingNewEngland.com stresses the "who, where, what, when, why and how," foundation of journalism with an emphasis on the "why" and "how" -- the detailed catalysts to help you plan your New England travel. This approach, combined with a "living room conversation" type of storytelling gives the reader a translation of the great feeling of being in New England. Our experiences as lifelong New Englanders have created an understanding of life beyond the most heavily-marketed New England vacation spots. The hidden New England gems, and the nuances and the subtleties behind every mountain, body of water, village green and skyscraper in New England are what makes a visit to New England so special. Ultimately, this is not your basic cookie-cutter, assembly-line, vanilla New England travel and vacation planning information guide. Like New England, VisitingNewEngland.com offers great diversity, from a staff that knows you want the most out of your New England vacation.


Jordan Pond, Acadia National Park, Maine.

We have something for everyone interested in learning more about New England. If you haven't noticed lately, some New England communities and publications have gone upscale with very little respect to the "plain folk." We will never head in this direction of thinking that we are above others, or that a vacation is meant as a portfolio, of sorts, to impress others. Vacation and travel, to us, is about enjoying life, as equals, with friends and family. While you will see some great upscale ideas on our site that we highly recommend, you will find a fair and balanced travel guide here that keeps all classes of people in mind. We appreciate the hard-working people who earn their money everyday and deserve to go on vacation, so you will never be excluded from the mission of this site. We are one of those families. Consider us your neighbor, the "local" who knows all the best places to visit in New England.

Knowledge is the most potent communicator. We have probably all benefited, for example, from the suggestions of a "local." Their responses might have brought you to the right diner, the quiet beach, or a hiking trail unknown to the marketing teams writing about New England from, as mentioned before, outside the region. VisitingNewEngland.com is like your online version of the "local" recommending the best places to visit.

We are honored you are here, and, therefore, want to honor you with the best New England travel and vacation planning information possible.

Interested in your local business becoming part of our New England community? VisitingNewEngland business partnerships differ than feature articles previously posted on VisitingNewEngland. Businesses pay a small, one-time fee to have pages like this appear, and first must be accepted by VisitingNewEngland.com editor and publisher, Eric Hurwitz, as a business he approves as part of "real New England travel" to keep the integrity of the site. Businesses that sign up for business partnerships receive priority by receiving more social media exposure and link placement on VisitingNewEngland.com. Contact Eric if interested in forming a business partnership.

Explore Massachusetts travel! Read the Massachusetts Town Greens book -- Discover New England's first travel attractions: town commons.

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