Here's your chance for a Roman holiday right here in Massachusetts. This Sunday, Nov. 8, the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute offers a free family day celebrating the exhibition "Steps Off the Beaten Path: Nineteenth Century Photographs of Rome and its Environs." Learn to photograph architecture, try jousting, make an amulet, and discover Rome using the Clark's collection. Catch a free screening of the 1953 Oscar-winning film Roman Holiday at 3 p.m. and watch as a European princess (played by Audrey Hepburn) embarks on an official tour through Rome. All activities and admission are free, though the hand dipped gelato and Italian ices are available for purchase. For more information, call 413-458-2303 or visit online.

Photo courtesy of the Sterling and Francine Clark Institute

Return to the days of old when if you didn’t own a horse and buggy, on the southern coast of Maine you relied on the Atlantic Shore Line’s electric trolleys to get from here to there. Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport closed for the season at the end of October, but as a special treat, this year, for the first time, they'll reopen to participate in the town's Christmas Prelude weekends, Dec. 4-6 and 11-13.

Prelude visitors can ride in heated, restored electric trolleys on what was the Kennebunkport to Biddeford portion of the Atlantic Shore Line. The historic railway operated from 1904 to 1927, when it was essential transportation for tourists and commuters.

Rides will be offered on Friday from 1 to 3:30 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. during the two weekends. Refreshments will be available and the museum's gift shop will be open with a selection of rail-related gifts for all ages. Admission to the museum store and visitors center is free. Tickets are $4 per ride, per person (all ages).

Founded in 1939, the nonprofit Seashore Trolley Museum is the oldest and largest museum of its type in the world. It's located at 195 Log Cabin Road, Kennebunkport (3 miles north of Dock Square). Info at 207-967-2800 or online.


Posted by Janet Mendelsohn, Globe correspondent

Photo courtesy of Seashore Trolley Museum

Hear accounts of bloody betrayal, catastrophic shipwrecks, gruesome executions, and of course, terrifying encounters with ghosts and specters, as you sail the dark waters of Boston Harbor on Boston's Ghost Cruise. Sail to the actual sites and listen to tales told by a professional troupe --18th century privateers and sailors, fishwives and doxies who bring the legends and folklore of Boston to life. Cruise leaves and returns to Long Wharf. The five remaining cruises run on Oct. 30 and 31. Adults pay $32 and children 12 and younger pay $25 in advance. Call 781-784-7469.

Photo courtesy Boston Ghost Cruise

There's one more weekend to head north to Cranmore and face the terror that awaits atop their 2,000 foot summit -- the Ghoullog. The spirits of three evil brothers and their victims return to the grounds of Cranmore, where vile and heinous acts were carried out. The tour includes a nighttime stroll through a haunted walkway to the Quad, where after a seven-minute ride to the summit of Cranmore, visitors tour the Ghoullog, where haunted happenings are sure to frighten and surprise the hardiest souls. Visitors can finally begin to relax on the ride down the Quad chairlift with a breathtaking vantage of the Moat Mountains and Mount Washington at night.

Oct. 29 is locals night, while Oct. 30-31 are open to all. Ghoullog runs from 7-10 p.m., with doors opening at 6. The cost is $25.

In celebration of the grand opening of Boston Bowl in Hanover, Mass., the Hanover Youth Athletic Association (HYAA) and South Shore Hospital Friends of Growing Families (SSH) will join together for the First Annual Team for Dreams Charity Bowling Spree & Tournament on Saturday, Oct. 24, from 10 a.m. – 11 p.m. Proceeds will benefit the pediatric programs at South Shore Hospital and the Hanover Youth Athletic Association.

There will be plenty of bowling, with prizes, and live music and outdoor fun. A giant moonwalk and balloons will excite the little ones, while tattoos, prizes, and free food will make all ages happy. Boston Bowl is donating 100 percent of bowling fees and tournament pledges to SSH and HYAA.

Boston Bowl Hanover is a newly renovated 17,000 square foot ten pin and candlepin bowling facility featuring state-of-the-art technology, new video games, and snack area. To register a team, join a team, or make a pledge online, visit the South Shore Hospital site. For more information call 781-826-5263 or visit online.

The Keene Pumpkin Festival perhaps began New England's craze for who-can-gather-the-most-jack-o-lanterns in one place. A special Community Night will be held Friday, Oct. 16, with hay rides along Main Street by Stonewall Farm, live music, pumpkin drop-offs, food, and a sneak peek of Saturday's grand finale with one tower lighted. This year marks the 19th Annual Keene Pumpkin Festival, on Oct. 17, where it might be possible to see more than 25,000 jack-o-lanterns lighted at one time. While you're waiting to see what that many pumpkins looks like, the entire family will be entertained with special activities including a costume parade, seed spitting and pie eating contests, live music on three stages, craft booths, lots of food provided by area nonprofits, and much more. The evening ends with a spectacular fireworks display. For more information visit online.

Hold onto your gourds this weekend because it's the 20th anniversary of the Milford Pumpkin Festival and it's going to be bigger and better than ever! Opening ceremony on the Oval is Friday, Oct. 9, at 6 p.m., when the mysterious Pumpkin Runner brings the Pumpkin Torch to the Great Pumpkin Lighting. Once the torch is lighted, spooky thrills abound throughout the weekend, so put on your best costume and ghastly spirit and join the fun!

There will be a talent show competing for cash prizes, movie showings to include Emmy Award winner "War of the Worlds," an extended and frightful Haunted Trail, pumpkin painting, scarecrow making, story-telling, train rides, pie booth, food vendors, beer tasting, chili cook-off, craft fair, over 25 bands on 2 stages for continuous live music, stunt cycles, ballroom dancing, martial arts, giant pumpkins, and my favorite, pumpkin catapulting across Railroad Pond!

Pumpkin Fest spills beyond the Milford Oval into nearby streets and venues from Oct. 9-11, rain or shine. Downtown will be mostly closed off to traffic. Parking is provided with continuous shuttle buses from the Milford High School. Look online for complete schedules and other information.

Image courtesy Pumpkin Festival

No boat needed for this water race. Just one hollowed out pumpkin! The second annual Giant Pumpkin Regatta and Festival features local business leaders, students, and others racing in giant hollowed-out gourds on Lake Champlain in a competition of size and speed. Yes, the vessels are hollowed out gourds. The event includes food vendors, pie eating contests, pet costume contests, and entertainment for all ages on the picturesque Burlington, Vt., waterfront. Regatta is Sunday, Oct. 11. For details, visit online.

Photo courtesy State of Vermont

Talk about your autumnal beauty! The 6th Annual Cranberry Harvest Celebration is this weekend, Saturday, Oct. 10 and Sunday, Oct. 11 in Wareham, Mass. at the A.D. Makepeace Company campus. It's a great way to see and learn about the picturesque cranberry harvest, while enjoying some old-fashioned family fun. Beyond the obvious cranberry bog tours, there will be helicopter rides, pony rides, children's games, cooking demonstrations, owl and reptile shows, over 40 juried crafters and artisans, live music, and a 'Visit from the Past' Exhibit.

The celebration is held rain or shine. Admission is $2, age 6 and under get in free, and parking is also free. Additional fees for some activities do apply. Call 508-322-4000 for information.

Castleberry Fairs organizes the 11th Annual Autumn Craft Festival On The Lake at Mill Falls Marketplace, on Meredith Bay, this weekend, Oct. 3-4. Gorgeous landscapes, great specialty foods, live music, scores of artisans, and lots and lots of shopping opportunities. Come Sunday and also enjoy the area’s scrumptious 
20th Annual Lakes Region Chowderfest! Your Vote Counts! This annual tradition at Hesky Park features local restaurants duking it out for the exclusive bragging rights of saying they have the best chowder on the lake. Hesky Park is located across the street from the Inns. Friends in the area tell me that while foliage is not yet peak, it is dazzling anyhow. 
Show hours each day are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This is a free event, and outdoors rain or shine. See you there! Visit online for more information.

Photo courtesy Ellis Merrill

Put on your explorer’s hat and head to New England’s “Last Green Valley” for the 19th annual “Walktober ’09,” a series of 106 events, walks, and excursions. The daily programs throughout October provide enticing ways to learn about history and nature in the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor stretching from northeastern Connecticut into south-central Massachusetts. Under the auspices of The Last Green Valley, Inc., there’s something for all ages and abilities, among them birding walks, forest hikes, river sightseeing, children’s programs, and talks at historic sites in and around 35 towns. Visit TLGV.org for full brochure or call 866-363-7226.

This is the perfect weekend for early foliage viewing, especially up at the top of the Toll Road above Equinox Mountain outside Manchester, Vt. This is the highest peak in southern Vermont and the view is unlimited, stretching from New York to Quebec, from Massachusetts to New Hampshire. By Columbus Day Weekend the brilliant foliage here is often gone. All this talk about foliage is just to get you to the 17th Annual Hildene Fall Arts Festival, in Manchester, this weekend. The festival features 200 booths showcasing art, crafts and specialty foods at scenic Hildene’s Meadow. Visitors can enjoy fresh food, live entertainment, and a unique Vermont beer, cheese and sausage tent. For more information, visit online.

Photo courtesy Lee Krohn

The Deerfield Fair, in Deerfield, N.H., is celebrating its impressive 133d year this coming weekend, Oct. 1-4. I'd say progress is starting with a dozen oxen and some old school agriculture, and growing it into the oldest and one of the largest New England family fairs. I've written before in this blog that I am a proud, veteran Deerfield Fair-goer. I have been going to the fair for more than 30 years now, and can offer these tips for a successful trip:
1. Leave at the crack of dawn. Gates open at 8 a.m., so be there between 7-8 a.m. to ensure no admission line, no wait to park, and no parking miles away. By getting there early you will also miss the MILES and MILES of backed-up traffic to get into the fair.
2. If you have kids, and they plan to take the midway rides, do that first. The crowds around the rides get crazy, and who wants to spend their day this way? If there is time later, go back. But get that angst over with.
2a. Friday and Sunday are wrist bands days which means for $20 your kid can ride as much as they want all day. This is the way to go if you've got thrill-seekers on board.
3. Look at the map online, figure out what is most important to you, and get there early. I like the pigs and sheep. So if I don't want to fight to see them, we head there first. If I like the ox pull, I get there early, and so on.
4. The ATM is not convenient. Bring cash.
5. Donuts the size of your head are available when you arrive early. Hand-made heaven. One donut fills your yearly quota of this treat. Lines go 50 deep easy, so again, mark your map and be efficient!

As for everything else, it's the regular fair stuff going on, but in mass quantities. The Deerfield Fair has it all. Take a peek online and see for yourself. Heed my warning about the traffic. I have known people to think it won't be "that bad," they leave at 10 a.m. and don't see the inside of the gates for hours on end. This fair stuff .... is serious stuff, ya know.

Photo courtesy Kimberly Sherman

Day one at Gen Con: thousands of gamers (decked out in their requisite T-shirts), piles of games (books, rule books, dice, online game demos, etc) and in the various hotels around the Indiana Convention Center, hundreds of gaming sessions going on. If you love to game -- you can try out virtually any board or role-playing or war or computer game that's ever been made.
Just remember to get some sleep. And don't hit the bars too hard.

Blink… Blink… Blink…day and night, in rain, sunshine, snow and especially fog…mariners depend on lighthouses and tourists flock to their scenic locations, cameras at the ready. Except when the light station is remote or off-limits. But on Saturday, Sept. 12, you can explore 52 of the 68 iconic landmarks in the State of Maine during the nation’s largest -- and Maine’s first - - Open Lighthouse Day.

From 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., the light stations will be open to the public, including several normally seen only by boat or from a distance, including Matinicus Rock, Franklin Island, Egg Rock and Boon Island in York. Or visit easier to reach lighthouses that dot the coast from Portland Head Light to Dice Head in Castine and West Quoddy Head Light in Lubec, near Canada.

The event is coordinated by the US Coast Guard, Maine Office of Tourism, and the American Lighthouse Foundation. Surrounding communities will celebrate their maritime heritage with stories of life on isolated rocky islands, shipwrecks and ghosts. (Folks swear the lighthouses are haunted at Woods Island in Biddeford, Hendricks Head in West Southport and Owls Head near Rockland.) Museums and visitor centers at Pemaquid Point, Marshall Point (Port Clyde), Grindle Point and other popular destinations will be open so you can pore over historic memorabilia and learn about what it took to man a lighthouse and how keepers and their families lived in less than romantic conditions. Today all but one of of New England’s lighthouses are automated but that doesn’t make them any less attractive.

Beginning 52 days before Maine Open Lighthouse Day, one light per day is featured at www.lighthouseday.com alongside information on which lights will be open to the public and how to reach them.

Posted by Janet Mendelsohn, Globe Correspondent

File photo of Portland Head Light by Mark Wilson/Globe Staff

For years now pitchman Tom Bodett has been promising that Motel 6 would "leave the light on for you.'' And now if you go in you might actually be willing to look.

The chain, known more for low rates than high design, has embarked on a program to undertake a European-style redesign all 1,000 of its locations. Features of the renovation include faux-wood laminate flooring (some say it resembles bamboo), bright accent colors, ambient lighting, a pedestal bed, and 32-inch flat-screen TV

So far, the chain has remade hotels in 22 cities in 11 states and plans to start working on its New England in properties in 2010, according to Laura Rojo-Eddy, a company spokeswoman.

Admittedly, one look will tell you that the end result is more Ikea than Kensington House -- this is, after all, still Motel 6. But it's a pretty big improvement.

If you missed “Frogs – A Chorus of Colors” at Boston's Museum of Science, you can catch them at the Berkshire Museum through Nov. 1.
You'll learn about electric blue frogs, frogs that tip the scales at seven pounds, and others that are only a half inch long. Tree frogs, bullfrogs, horned frogs, giant toads, and dart poison frogs are all part of the exhibit. You'll hear recorded frog calls, see frog videos, even get a chance to perform a virtual frog dissection.
“It’s an ideal opportunity for children and families to explore the astounding world of frogs in galleries transformed into an oasis of peaceful waterfalls and a symphony of song. Everyone will be able to get to know some of the earth’s most fascinating creatures in an up-close and personal way,” executive director Stuart A. Chase said in an e-mail.
There is an additional fee for the exhibit. Admission for adults is $11, $6 children ages 3-18, and $1 for museum members.

An expedition to the North Pole, scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef, a zip-line tour of a rain forest — these are some of the 15 interactive adventures kids can explore at Wonder Rotunda, a virtual educational theme park.
With a mission ‘‘to get kids thinking about our world,’’ the Wonder Rotunda lets kids create a personal avatar to navigate the park. They can test their newly acquired knowledge on game shows, collect Wonder Dollars, and display souvenirs in their own TreePod.
The park, which is not a social network and is ad-free, is recommended for kids aged 7-12.
A one-year pass is $45. Take a free tour by clicking the Tour button on the home page here.

Amid the travel industry slump, Red Roof Inns is launching a planned nationwide 1-cent room promotion at its newly renovated Mansfield/Foxborough location.

The online sale on rooms for Aug. 16 begins Friday Aug. 7 at 10 a.m. and goes till all 140 rooms at the Massachusetts hotel are taken for the night.

What's the catch? Red Roof is trying to push enrollment in its free RediCard frequent-traveler program. By signing up for a RediCard, you will get a couple days notice when the company springs another of these 1-cent sales at other locations around the country -- Deb Duray, a company spokeswoman says Red Roof is planning another sale at its Boston-Woburn location in the next couple months.

Besides the heads-up on the sale, there are also other perks to signing up. The company will send you information on special deals and promotions and every time you stay at a property you build points toward free nights or Delta SkyMiles. There are also other amenities like express check-in and free USA Todays during your stay.

Times are tough, yes? Mansfield/Foxboro may not be your idea of a fabulous destination but if you're really in need of a getaway getting a room for 1 cent still could be pretty sweet. Or perhaps this is just the time to invite the mother-in-law for a visit. Either she or you could enjoy the accommodations in lovely southwestern Greater Boston.

The Burlington City Arts [BCA] program is one of many arts organizations in New England that opens the doors of creative thinking wide open. I love to look at what they have in store each year. This weekend, Aug. 7-9, is the Festival of Fools offering varied street theater celebrating circus arts, music and comedy with family audiences in mind. The streets of Burlington are interesting enough on their own, but the Festival makes them come alive.

Performers this year include Amanda Crockett on a high trapeze or twisting like a pretzel; Mr. Spin juggling eight balls and more; Modern Times Theater with puppet theater for the streets; A Loft Aerial Dance with Shayna Swanson - aerial artists who have chosen to express themselves though vertical space; Elec Simon from the hit show “STOMP” pounding on buckets and tapping in the streets of Burlington; Unicycle Lady - a one-woman wheelie, witty, wacky, silly suitcase circus; Gazzo with his world-renowned magic show; Masaji Terasawa practicing Amesaiku -"candymaker" – a Japanese art form believed to be over 2000 years old; and many more unique acts for the street.

Festivities kick off Friday, Aug. 7, on Lower Church Street and continue through the weekend in four locations all day long. Please call 802-865-7166 of visit online for more details.

Photo of Amanda Crockett; courtesy of Bruce Rohr

The ’09 boating season may be off to a slow start but sailors and power boaters hungering to get back on the water will find kindred spirits and perhaps their next vessel at the 7th Annual Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors Show, August 7-9, in Rockland, Maine. The state’s only in-water boat and home show will feature more than 70 boats afloat and 150 exhibitors on shore. Participating will be many of Maine’s finest artists, architects, boat builders, craftsmen, designers, furniture makers, marine gear vendors, and musicians. This year a new area is planned exploring alternative energy sources and building practices, energy audits, and sustainability. Returning faves include a model yacht pond, live music, a marine activities area for kids. Naturally there will be plenty of tasty Maine food.

The 7th Annual World Championship Boatyard Dog Trials on Sunday Aug. 9 at 10:30 a.m. gives contestants and their people a chance to show off skills to the amusement of one and all. The 2008 World Champ, a bloodhound named Truman, aka Special Agent K-9 entered by the Humane Society of Knox Count, was trained by local teens. Truman performed nearly the equal of 007 as he leaped from a tippy dinghy, kissed a femme fatale, disarmed special agents, responded to commands in multiple languages, knocked a villain off the dock and then slipped back under cover as a family dog. Soon after last year’s show, he adopted into a loving home. Registration is now closed but still this is a great event for families and dog lovers (and likers).
You’ll also want to catch the Great Pen Bay Zucchini Boat Regatta on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Tradition Shapes Innovation, the show’s theme, captures the true spirit of today’s Maine. Admission: $10 adults, under 12 free. Gates open at 10 a.m. daily. Harbor and Buoy parks, Rockland, Maine, on Penobscot Bay. No pets allowed. Info and directions: 800-565-4951 or www.maineboats.com.

Posted by Janet Mendelsohn, Globe Correspondent

If your favorite tweets come from feathered creatures, the Maine Birding Trail is for you.

Along with this spring’s official launch of the online trail, there’s a just-published companion guidebook, Maine Birding Trail (Down East Books, 2009) by Bob Duchesne, a Maine state representative, avid birder, and Maine Audubon guide who founded and has worked on the trail website since 2003. Duchesne says the project will continually change as birding sites are upgraded or protected according to the need for habitat protection. It’s his labor of love, developed in collaboration with Maine state government, Maine Audubon, and local birders.

The book identifies more than 260 accessible sites, dozens of other locations that are not part of the official trail and additional bird-watching venues in nearby Campobello and Grand Manan islands in Canada.

The book is not a guide to birds. In fact, there are no photos, no flight pattern charts or any of the other usual birding tools. It’s a travel guide to places throughout Maine from the southern beaches to Aroostook County, identifying which species you’re likely to see where. Chapters correspond to Maine’s official tourism regions rather than habitat zones.

In addition to driving directions and local maps, Duchesne gives visitors a heads-up on terrain. In Washington County, a Down East locale of undeveloped lakes where he says the tiny village of Grand Lake Stream has been the center of a robust hunting and fishing tradition since the 19th century, traditional sporting camps and lodges are marvelous places. Nearby, “the Little Mayberry Cove Trail begins at the outlet dam and follows the shoreline for 2 ½ miles through mature hemlock forest. Black-throated Blue Warblers, Scarlet Tanagers, and Eastern Wood-Peewees are common among the many songbirds found along the trail.” The Pocumcus Lake Trail is good for Ruffed Grouse and “judging by the abundance of moose droppings, it’s also a pretty good corridor for wildlife in the thick woods.”

Posted by Janet Mendelsohn, Globe correspondent

Though the 5 day festival honoring the patron saint of the fishermen, St. Peter, began on the 24th, there are still 4 days left to join in the celebration. The festival is put on by the spirited Italian-American community of Gloucester, Mass. The St. Peter's Fiesta has been featured on The Discovery Channel, PBS's United Tastes of America and New England's own, Yankee Magazine. The 2009 festival started June 24 and ends this Sunday, June 28.

In 1927 an Italian-American fishing captain, Savatore Favazza, ordered a life-sized statue of St. Peter to be enshrined in the heart of the Italian district. The fishermen and their families began to pray to their patron saint and it wasn't too long after, that the wives and mothers of the fishermen made plans for an annual religious procession on June 29 in honor of St. Peter. Slowly through the years, this annual procession grew to a day-long demonstration of faith to the protector of all fishermen, which then of course turned into the 5-day celebration Gloucester still holds today.

Beyond the procession, the prayers and the mass, lies a full schedule of music, sports, activities, feasts and drink. Perhaps the most anticipated events are the Seine Boat Races and the Greasy Pole. The schedule is here, so you can plan you trip.

Photo courtesy of St. Peter's Festival Committee

What's a parent to do?
With recent reports of children, including a 10-year-old from Boston, flying alone and ending up in the wrong place, families planning to have a child fly solo would be justifiably concerned.
That's why Cheapflights.com has put together its Parents Guide to Kids Flying Solo. Besides a list of airline policies and fees for unaccompanied minors, the guide offers tips for before and after flight.
“A number of airlines have changed the rules associated with transporting unaccompanied minors, so even if a parent or guardian has been through it before, it’s best to brush up on the regulations associated with your preferred carrier,” Mike Bennett, general manager for Cheapflights.com., said in a press release.
Some of the tips are obvious: Bring a cellphone and pack snacks. Others are more helpful: You can register your child's travel plans with the US State Department in case of an emergency. And, give your child a photo of the person who will be meeting him at the destination, with the person's contact information written on the back.
Summer's coming. Kids will be traveling alone. A tip or two from Cheapflights.com just might ease the way.

While I have a crush on most berries, there is none more flexible and satisfying than a ripe strawberry. Perhaps I am a bit biased having grown up among countless strawberry picking fields, with a mom and grandmother making the sweetest jams, and the makings for shortcake were always at an arm's reach. June in New England is strawberry picking month, and festivals celebrating the fruit can be found all over. This Saturday, June 20, is Canterbury Shaker Village's 1st Annual Strawberry Jamboree.

Celebrating the onset of summer and the village’s longtime love for strawberries, the jamboree is an open mic musical jam session featuring TJ Wheeler and Patrick “Hatrack” Gallagher, where visitors can sign up to play or simply enjoy the music. A Strawberry Bake-Off with Professional and Home Chef divisions will fill the air with some more sweet music. Visitors can also shop for fun and unique products, take home strawberries and strawberry plants, and enjoy the many children’s activities.

Tickets are $17 for adults, $8 for children ages 6-17, and children 5 and under visit free. In keeping with the times, there is also a $42 family rate. Check online to register for bake-off and other details, or call 603-783-9511.