Mainers may say otherwise, but it is indeed possible to find a good lobster roll outside of Vacationland.

At least, that was the mission at The Daily Meal, which ranked the 20-best lobster rolls outside of Maine, with eight New England locales making the list, four of them from Massachusetts.

Here’s how the locals fared:

19) Belle Aisle Seafood, Boston
14) Brick Alley Pub & Restaurant, Newport, RI
12) The Bayside Restaurant, Westport
10) Offshore Ale, Oak Bluffs
9) Jim’s Dock, Jerusalem, RI
7) Neptune Oyster, Boston
5) B&G Oysters, Boston
3) Champlin’s, Narragansett, RI

New York’s Pearl Oyster Bar took the top spot on the list, and for the record, The Daily Meal does think that Red’s Eats, in Wiscasset, boasts the best lobster roll in Maine. That, unlike the Oyster Bar, is sure to be a popular opinion in New England.

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

A $15-million renovation of Topnotch Resort in Stowe, Vermont, is done, with the inn now open and offering a deal to mark the occasion. Book the introductory special, starting at $275 a night, dubbed the “Ta-Da Topnotch” offer, before July 31, for stays before Aug. 31, and get a $100 resort credit which can be spent on the spa, restaurant, tennis facilities and additional resort services. Also included in the introductory offer is the chance to come back a second time this year at a one-time savings of 30 percent. Rates after July 31 start at $350 for midweek nights, and $395 on weekends.

 Improvements made to the resort, which was built in 1959, are many, said resort general manager Aaron Black, including orienting the lobby to show more of Mt. Mansfield; renovating guestrooms with hand-made furniture, native textiles and hand-painted artwork; new treatment experiences called “Pathways to Wellness” at the spa; new outdoor spaces for weddings and retreats; and a new design for the ballroom and meeting spaces. Also new is a restaurant and bar, The Roost, with a second restaurant, Flannel, replacing the former Norma’s. The hotel, a pet-friendly one, is part of the MetWest Terra Hospitality collection of boutique hotels. For information and booking, visit www.topnotchresort.com, or call 800-451-8686.

By Hilary Nangle, Globe correspondent

Visit and climb the towers of seven Mid-coast lighthouses during the Midcoast Maine Lighthouse Challenge (207-594-4174, www.lighthousefoundation.org), June 29-30. Register for the challenge at any of the lighthouses. There’s no cost to participate, but some lighthouses have admission or parking fees. Participating lights are Dyce Head, Castine; Fort Point, Stockton Springs; Grindle Point, Islesboro; Rockland Breakwater, Rockland; Owls Head, Owls Head; Marshall Point, Port Clyde; and Pemaquid Point, Bristol. Two special activities complement the challenge. A 4.5-hour Lighthouse Sunset Cruiseaboard The P/V Elizabeth Ann departs Port Clyde on Friday, June 28, at 4:30 p.m., ($40). A Saturday evening program blending stories and songis slated at the Owls Head Community Center, Sat. June 29 at 7 p.m.(suggested donation, $5).

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

I’m a coffee freak. Not a coffee aficionado, mind you, knowing various blends and tastes and acidities. Just gimme caffeine, I’ll take it from there.

So it was a great delight recently to find the Coffee Hound Coffee Bar up in Bar Harbor, a town I hadn’t visited since the 1970s, much of which is new. Among the newest is the Coffee Hound, opened in early June by barista Chris Keegan. I grabbed a cup of Acadia Roast, expecting, well, coffee. But it was easily one of the best, smoothest blends ever, a whopping step up from the usual swill I make at home.

I love those little pleasant travel surprises, and Keegan’s shop fit the bill, a long, narrow space with the affable Keegan eager to discuss everything coffee with anyone interested in knowing. He gets his coffee from Carrabassett Coffee Company in Maine, going into details of various blends and what each has to offer.

It apparently runs in the family: Daughter Cassidy was expected to work this summer at her dad’s shop, herself a barista, her proud father says, not bad for a 15 year old.

The coffee’s great here, as is the owner’s social conscience: He donates $1 for every bag sold to ReMAINE Healthy, a research collaborative with the goal of preventing kidney disease, where his girlfriend works.

Keegan claims, as does anyone in town serving it, that he has the best lobster rolls, bar none in Bar Harbor. I didn’t try it, but judging from looking around town, his was priced on the lower side, $13 for a roll with a quarter pound of lobster meat, $25 for a half pounder.

He also serves hot dogs, including the Maine-centric red foot-long version, as well as Hebrew National brand and a quarter-pound all-beef version. Also here is a range of pastries, made by Epi’s, a local restaurant, which also makes “traveling blueberry pies” solely for Coffee Hound, Keegan says. Whatever you get, a great place to enjoy is at Agamont Park across the street, a gorgeous hilly chunk of green space affording a terrific place to eat and look out over Frenchman’s Harbor.

Coffee Hound is open through October, when much of the town shuts down and you’ll have to find another place for your java. So if you go before, stock up, help a good cause and avoid drinking swill. I know I will, as long as my Acadia Roast bag lasts anyway.

Photo of Chris Keegan by Paul E. Kandarian

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

Ocean House in Watch Hill, a village of Westerly, R.I., the state’s only AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Five Star resort, and known for fine dining, is increasing its culinary presence in southern Rhode Island by adding offerings from the 10-acre Avondale Farm, to a list of 49 local farms and farmer’s markets it uses. The resort is also adding new classes from on-staff food forager Janice McEachen, a partnership with a local oyster farm and new honey beehives. Expansion of the culinary program at the resort “is the next step in making the property a true food destination for discerning travelers,” said Daniel Hostettler, president and managing director of Ocean House Management.

Avondale will serve as a resource for the resort’s five dining outlets, a learning tool for guests and a sustainable way to give back to the Watch Hill community on the state’s southwestern corner. A small orchard of apple trees took root recently and should be ready for fall picking, with honey from four new hives ready this summer. A coop has also been built to house several chickens and this fall, Ocean House teams with Salt Water Farm in North Kingstown to introduce deep-water signature Ocean House oysters.

The resort has also launched a new “In the Kitchen” culinary education series, where guests join McEachen teaches with members of the Ocean House chef team and guest chefs, with lessons in cooking foundations, stock making, sauces and seasoning. The classes run one Saturday per month, for $95 per person. For more information, visit www.oceanhouseri.com

Nothing against Hampton Beach, N.H., a fine beach by many standards and one that the Granite State has spent millions on in refurbishments. But the best beach in New England?

That may be a stretch, even for a state that boasts only 18 miles of coastline, but that's how 1.5 million Weather Channel Facebook users voted in selecting the top beach for the region. The top vote-getter for the Northeast region was Ocean City, Md.

This is the first time in the four years of producing this content that a New Hampshire beach made the list of favorite beaches. New Hampshire has a small, but lively, beach scene. Hampton Beach is the most popular beach destination in the state.

Sure, but up against heavy-hitters like Horseneck, Crane, and Newport beaches, is it really the best in New England? What do you think?

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

Laconia Harley-Davidson and New Hampshire Motor Speedway are going for two goals on June 15: Raise more than $76,036 for the Boys & Girls Clubs of New Hampshire, and set a new Guinness world record. They’re inviting the public to play a key role in both.

Laconia Motorcycle Week attendees can help by buying tickets for a community appreciation parade at the speedway June 15. Participants will have the unique opportunity to ride around the track on their bikes, continue on a police-escorted, scenic 32-mile ride around the Lakes Region and set a new Guinness record for “most money raised for a charity in 24 hours by a motorcycle parade,” the current record for which is $76,036.

There is no better way to commemorate the 90^th Anniversary of Laconia Motorcycle Week than attempting a philanthropic act of historic proportion,” said Anne Deli, owner of Laconia Harley-Davidson. “Motorcycle riders from across the globe and those here in New Hampshire can take part in a once-in-a-lifetime riding opportunity, but more importantly, make a difference by supporting this remarkable organization.” Riders can pre-register online at www.newhampshire.speedwaycharities.org, in-person at the Laconia Harley-Davidson dealership at 239 Daniel Webster Highway in Meredith, or sign up the day of the event on June 15^th at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. 

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

Honoring the 50^th anniversary assassination of President John F. Kennedy this November, the JFK Museum Foundation in Hyannis has opened a special exhibit, "Cape Cod: The Summer of 1963 to Nov. 22, 1963," which looks back on the president’s final months on the Cape.

"From the joyful 1963 summer memories of the President and his family, to the palpable fog of grief that settled over Cape Cod after his death, this exhibit will remind us how truly special those Camelot days were," said Rebecca Pierce-Merrick, museum curator, "and how one day in history changed it forever." The exhibit uses photos, videos, wall displays and news clips to tell the story of JFK’s last months on the Cape, where the Kennedy family spent much of that summer, including time spent mourning the death of their third child, Patrick Bouvier Kennedy, who died when he was two days old. Special new videos produced by documentary film producer and Kennedy family videographer Andrew Fone are part of the exhibit.

For more information, visit www.jfkhyannismuseum.org

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

The Daily Meal has released its list of 25 Best Ice Cream Parlors in the World and we were a bit shocked to find not a one from New England. Rubbing salt in our legendary Big Apple vs Hub wound were two from New York City, Big Gay Ice Cream and The Original Chinatown Ice Cream Factory. The rest were from the world over, including a few in Italy (no surprise, gelato rules), Canada, Brazil, France, Ireland, as well as New Mexico, California and Minnesota. For the full list, check out www.thedailymeal.com

Now if they do a survey on best lobster ice cream, we expect things to be much, much different.

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

Blount Small Ship Adventures, based in Warren, R.I., is offering $1,000 savings per couple on sailings of its “Islands of New England” trips this summer, including three new enrichment cruises focusing on arts and crafts adventures, food and wine discoveries, and Native America history. The six-night cruises on the Grand Caribe hits six ports including the Massachusetts islands of Cuttyhunk and Nantucket, and Block Island in Rhode Island. The sailing also features onboard entertainers, a lobster bake, three meals a day (with beer and wine at lunch and dinner) and snacks around the clock. Unlike many cruise operations, here you can bring your own bottles, and they’ll provide mixers and cocktail setup. 

The Grande Caribe, which has 48cabins and a capacity of 88 passengers, was built by Blount Boats in Warren in 1997 and renovated in 2009 with new furnishings, décor, cabins and dining rooms. With discount applied, rates start at $1,599 per person, based on double occupancy, and doesn’t include a port charge of $185 per person. Booking must be made by May 31. 

For info, visit www.blountsmallshipadventures.com/ine.

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

AAA Southern New England can design trips for members just about anywhere, but in the interest of saving money and patronizing businesses in its own area, is also keen on creating trips closer to home, officials there say. One of them is “The City Get-Away Boston,” where you can spend the night at the Revere Hotel in the Hub’s theater district, eat at Four Diamond-ranked Asana at the chef’s table, go to Fenway Park for a ball game and get 10-percent off at the team store. You can also hit Huntington Theatre for a $5 discount per ticket or get $10 off at Blue Man Group.

Further south is the “Family Friendly Resort Cape Cod” offering, with a stay at Four Diamond-ranked Wequasset Resort & Golf Club, dinner at the resort’s twenty-eight Atlantic, and a whale-watching trip with Dolphin Fleet Whale Watch, where AAA members get discounts. There is also the “Ultimate Luxury Beach Vacation Rhode Island,” with a stay at Five Diamond Ocean House (a giant hotel on the bluffs that was rebuilt in place of the original one that stood for many years, and using more than 5,000 artifacts and furnishing elements from the original), dinner at the hotel’s Four Diamond Seasons restaurant, and theater at the nearby Theatre By the Sea, a classic barn theater that in its glory years saw the likes of Marlon Brando and Mae West tread the boards there, and where AAA members get 10-percent off select performances this summer.

For all info, check out www.southernnewengland.aaa.com

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

You don’t have to wait for the summer heat anymore to find things to do in Nantucket. Though things ramp up mostly after Memorial Day, and certainly by July 4, the island has a variety of early-season offerings, and hotels and inns with deals to take advantage of them.

One popular event is the Nantucket Wine Festival, marking its 17^th year May 15-19, with a schedule of special events such as celebrity chef cooking demos, tastings, seminars, symposia, auctions and a charity gala. For full event schedule and pricing, visit www.nantucketwinefestival.com

The White Elephant is hosting many of the festival events, including the Grand Tastings and Harbor Gala, the former featuring more than 150 wineries from around the world. The gala is the festival’s signature event with 40 stations of dishes prepared by the country’s best chefs, which, naturally, are paired with appropriate wines. The White Elephant and sister properties, White Elephant Village and The Wauwinet, are offering weekend packages including stays, event tickets, dinners at Brant Point Grill and Topper’s, as well as brunches. Rates start at $500 a night. For info, check out www.nantucketislandresorts.com

At Harborview Place, offered by Beautiful Places villa rentals, stay three or more nights in a one- to three-bedroom residence and get a wine festival package with access to a variety of events, including the tasting, VIP party, auction, Friday night supper club and breakfast on the harbor. Visit www.beautiful-places.com/location/massachusetts for information.

Orla and Michael LaScola, owners of American Seasons, are partnering again with West Coast wineries such as Donelan Family Wines and Flowers Winery to host seminars and dinners highlighting domestic wines paired with LaScola’s take on American dishes. For information on the events at the restaurant, visit www.americanseasons.com

If you have flexible travel plans, the antique inn Century House celebrates its 180^th anniversary this year by offering a weeknight stay in a queen room for $180 plus tax and service during select dates in May and June, based on last-minute availability. There is no online booking for this deal: Call 508-228-0530 on the preceding Saturday or Sunday to secure a stay the following Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday night. You can also combine the special with multiple week-night stays at standard rates. And you can help celebrate innkeepers JeanEllen Heron and Gerry Connick’s 30^th anniversary running the inn. Connick’s famous and massive berry breakfast alone is worth the stay.

The next month, the spring version of Nantucket Restaurant Week runs June 2-9 (another runs in the fall), with a variety of restaurants participating, including American Seasons, where they offer three-course dinners from $25-$45. For a full listing, visit www.nantucketrestaurantweek.com Writers have long been drawn to the island, including historic scribes like James Fenimore Cooper and Edgar Allen Poe, and modern authors such as Nathaniel Philbrick. The 2nd Annual Nantucket Book Festival runs June 21-23, with panel discussions, interactive readings for adults and kids, and “Authors in Bars” events giving festival goers a chance to personally toast their favorite writers. A roster of more than 20 notable American writers are expected, among them Philbrick, Paul Hendrickson and Lois Lowry. The Brant Point Grill at the White Elephant, the event’s host hotel, will host the weekend’s closing brunch June 23 with Alice Hoffman, author of more than 20 novels including “Here on Earth,” an Oprah’s Book Club choice. Other events include breakfast receptions with authors Ann Leary and Amy Brill, and a pig roast at Cisco Brewery. Check it all out at www.nantucketbookfestival.org

And lest we not forget the island’s nautical roots, the Egan Maritime Institute will hold “Red, Right, Returning: Present Day United States Coast Guard Lifesaving Procedures and Boat Safety” at the Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum, May 23-Oct. 14. The outdoor exhibit features present day Coast Guard lifesaving procedures, guide to boat safety and a recreational four-person life raft for anyone to try out on dry land. Back by popular demand is last year’s exhibit, “Guiding Lights: Nantucket’s Lighthouses, Keepers and Their Families,” that includes hands-on activities.  Visit www.eganmaritime.org for more information.

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

Home cooks take note: The 5th Annual Inn to Inn Spring Herb Tour runs June 8-9, when 11 White Mountain inns in New Hampshire present an in-depth look at a popular culinary herb. Tour-takers will take home herb trivia, historical facts and ideas for growing your own, getting seedlings from each inn. In the past, people have grazed from inn to inn sampling tomato basil soup, carrot chervil dip, sage biscuits, tarragon egg salad and rosemary chocolate cookies. This year’s offerings feature a new menu of herb-inspired tastings, organizers said.

Six northern inns (Jackson to North Conway) take part June 8 and five southern ones (Conway to Chocura) on June 9. Northern inns, and the herbs they’ll highlight are: Inn at Ellis River, mint; Glen Oaks Inn, lemongrass; 1785 Inn, parsley; Eastman Inn, thyme; Old Red Inn & Cottages, anise; and Admiral Peary House, sage. Southern inns are: Darby Field Inn, basil; Snowvillage, lavender; Inn at Crystal Lake, rosemary; Riverbend Inn, chives; and Brass Heart Inn, oregano. The spring herb tour is held primarily for those booking a two-night package at one of the inns, but those not staying can get tickets from May 11-25 for $25 per person by calling 603-356-9025. Lodging packages start at $178 per couple, which includes two nights, herb-themed breakfasts each morning and two tour tickets. Prices vary from inn to inn and depend on room choice; some packages include special five-course, herb-themed dinners. One-night packages start at $99 per couple for the room, breakfast for two and a pair of tour tickets.

For information on all, visit www.CountryInnsintheWhiteMountains.com or call 603-356-9025.

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

Windham Hill Inn, a Relais & Chateaux property in West Townshend, Vermont is marking spring with its first Gardener’s Luncheon and Market May 18, bringing together local Vermont vendors to showcase the area’s seasonal offerings. The inn’s gardener Claduia Dekany will also be on hand to give garden tours and tips. Spring-inspired paintings, prints and notecards will be available in the hotel’s Sun Lounge and gift shop.

Activities include seasonal lunch, cooking demos with the inn’s chef, with an eye on how to prepare early-spring veggies, and herbs and perennials available for purchase from local gardeners at Griffin Gardens. For information, visit www.windhamhill.com

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

Ocean Edge Resort & Beach Club in Brewster on Cape Cod, has relaunched its mansion side of the property, part of a $40-million ongoing renovation of the resort that is now complete. The Mansion at Ocean Edge now has 31 two- and three-bedroom Presidential Bay Collection villas (formerly the Bay Pines Villas) on or close to the beach, and 90 Mansion guest rooms that were done last spring.

The resort is offering an intro “Relaunching Luxury” rate for the Presidential Bay Collection. Book by April 30 and get 20 percent off regular rates. Guests booking five or more nights have a choice of a free added amenity, which include a round of golf at the resort’s Nicklaus Design course when accompanied by one paying round; two kids’ day passes to EdgeVenture; or use of two bikes for a day. 

Spring isn’t a bad time to save some money at Ocean Edge: Rates at the Mansion wing start at $139 a night in spring, with Presidential Bay Collection villas starting at $600, and jump in summer to $425 and $1,250 a night, respectively. 

For information and to book, visit www.oceanedge.com or call 800-343-6074.

Children 10 to 16 years old can gather eggs from a chicken coop, collect fresh ingredients from veggie and herb gardens, and then whip up mouth-watering dishes during The Essex Resort & Spa’s Camp Cook program. The resort hosts nine summer camp sessions beginning June 17. Book the Five Night Holiday Package for $199 per night, based on double occupancy, and then pay $400 per child for the five-day Camp Cook program. While your kids immerse themselves in culinary adventures, you can go hot air ballooning, fly-fishing, or biking, visit the resort’s spa, or explore nearby Burlington and Stowe. 800-727-4295, www.vtculinaryresort.com

By Kari Bodnarchuk, Globe Correspondent

Want to discover Nantucket’s best family beaches and bike routes, track down good kid-friendly restaurants or rainy-day activities, or find out how to rent baby equipment or hire a local babysitter? A new website, Nantucket-Bucket.com, offers up-to-date info on family-oriented events, activities, and resources island-wide. Look up activities and programs by topic or date. The site, started by Nantucket resident Logan Gomes, also has a blog with do-it-yourself craft projects and entries by guest bloggers from the Nantucket community. Register on the website and receive a weekly e-mail with information on activities, discounts, and special promotions. www.nantucket-bucket.com

By Kari Bodnarchuk, Globe Correspondent

Go on a wild mushroom hunt and then dine on fresh morels at Twin Farms resort in Barnard, Vt., during one of several special events this year that celebrate the property’s 20th anniversary. This all-inclusive five-star resort, once home to Nobel prize-winning author Sinclair Lewis, hosts a morel and wildcrafting weekend June 1-2, when wildcrafters Les Hook and Nova Kim show guests how to properly forage for mushrooms, and discuss mushroom lore and spring edibles. Then hike along wilderness trails on this 300-acre property, swim in Copper Pond, and fly fish in nearby rivers. Leave time for the Japanese-style soaking tub and the spa. Rates: $1,400-$3,100 per night, based on double occupancy.  800-894-6327, www.twinfarms.com

By Patricia Harris and David Lyon, Globe Correspondents

Readers of our In Transit column in the Globe Travel section know that we're partial to the Downeaster train. Now Amtrak would like to win over the skeptical. For National Train Day on May 11, Amtrak is celebrating at the Brunswick, Maine, station from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with train tours and cafe samples during the 1-4 p.m. time slot. They also promise activities for kids, educational exhibits, and ticket giveaways.

Even better, for three weekends in a row, Amtrak is offering $5 tickets on the northern half of the Downeaster line. They're good from Haverhill to Brunswick, Maine (or points in between) on May 4-5 and May 11-12, and between Exeter, N.H. and Brunswick, Maine April 27-28. That's definitely something to toot about.

By Necee Regis, Globe Correspondent

Plan a getaway at 10 Distinctive Inns of New England on April 9 or May 9 and your room rate will be $9. In return for this special rate, guests make a $100 donation that goes directly to the food bank or hunger relief program in the inn’s community. Each inn has a designated number of rooms for the DINE at 9 campaign that are reserved on a space-available basis by calling the inn directly. The participating properties: Inn at Harbor Hill Marina, Niantic, Conn.; Camden Maine Stay, Camden, Maine; Captain’s House Inn, Chatham (below); Gateways Inn, Lenox; Deerfield Inn, Deerfield; Chesterfield Inn, West Chesterfield, N.H.; Manor on Golden Pond, Holderness, N.H.; Inn at Thorn Hill, Jackson, N.H.; Rabbit Hill Inn, Lower Waterford, Vt.; and Grafton Inn, Grafton, Vt. www.distinctiveinns.com/new-england-inns.html

Gray seals littered the beach on Cape Cod's Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge on Thursday, one of the most popular spots in New England for the mammals to enjoy the spring sun. The most recent count showed more than 15,000 seals off the coast of the region.

Can you guess how many seals are in the above photo? You can also check out more of Globe photographer David Ryan's photos from the refuge here.

Answer: 153

Using tilt-shift photography, German photographer Joerg Daiber has created the latest in intriguing destination clips to hit the web with his “Mini Maine,” which depicts various scenes in Portland that appear miniaturized.

"I kind of like to put things in the right perspective,” Daiber told the Portland Press-Herald. “Sometimes I think people take things too seriously.

"It turned into an obsession.”

The clip already has more than 25,00 views since being posted on YouTube on Tuesday.

Check out some more popular tilt-shift videos below.

By Kari Bodnarchuk, Globe Correspondent

Take a long weekend and explore the Johnny Appleseed Trail in Central Massachusetts and the upper Connecticut River Valley on the Mass BikePike Tour, Aug. 1-4. Choose from a shorter (25- to 45-mile) or longer (45- to 70-mile) route and receive full support along the way. Go on an optional adventure to Swanzey, N.H., to celebrate the Cheshire Fair’s 75th anniversary, and hang out around the campfire each night to refuel with s’mores. Camp out (bring your tent or pay for a luxury camp setup) or arrange your own accommodations. Registration of $416.49 includes breakfasts, dinners, support, and more. Round-trip transportation from Boston to Fitchburg, the start and end point, runs $50. 617-710-1832, www.massbikepike.org

By Paul E. Kandarian, Globe Correspondent

Newport is not a bad place to be in April when the weather warms up, hopefully, and prices are cheaper. Free is the best price of all, and newportFILM has just that in a free Earth Day screening of the documentary “Elemental” April 22, hosted by The Aquidneck Land Trust as part of its Conservation Speaker Series, and in partnership with The Newport Tree Society’s Newport Arboretum Week. The film tells the story of three people on three different continents united by a deep connection with nature, driven to confront pressing ecological challenges. To check out the trailer, and reserve seats, visit  www.newportfilm.com/films/elemental The film airs at 6 p.m. at the Jane Pickens Theater.

Another film, one that costs $20 a ticket but includes cocktails and light refreshments, is “Venus and Serena,” about the Willams tennis siblings, said to be a “warts and all” look at the powerhouse sisters. It is being shown in partnership with the International Tennis Hall of Fame, and airs April 25 at the Casino Theater on Freebody Street. The film’s director, Michelle Major, is scheduled to hold a post-screening Q&A session with the audience. For information and tickets, visit www.newportfilm.com
 

By Necee Regis, Globe correspondent

Take advantage of preseason rates and start dreaming about the beach. Nantucket’s retro-chic hotels, The Veranda House and Chapman House, are offering Countdown to Summer 3-2-1 packages (May 19-June 27). Includes two complimentary round-trip passes on the Steamship Authority’s Fast Ferry service from Hyannis (valued at $138) for a three-night stay, and one complimentary pass for a two-night stay. Rates start at $199 midweek and $249 on the weekends at The Veranda House, and $169 midweek and $209 weekends at Chapman House. Both offer a complimentary morning meal, free Wi-Fi, and afternoon chocolate chip cookies.  877-228-0695, www.theverandahouse.com