I kicked my travels back into high gear in October after a relatively quiet August and September. I also was able to move back into my condo in Boston, which I had rented out for the past six months. It was very comforting being able to come “home” between my back-to-back trips, which took me to:
Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.
Sleepy Hollow is a real place – not just the home of the Headless Horseman – and it is quite charming. Luckily for me, one of my college roommates lives there, so I spent the first weekend of October visiting her with one of our other roommates. Besides catching up with my friends, the highlight of the visit was touring Kyuit, the phenomenal spring and fall retreat of John D. Rockefeller. It offers spectacular views of the Hudson River and features an impressive collection of 20th century art.
Charleston, S.C.
My first stop during my trip to the southern U.S. was Charleston, where my friend Todd lives. Todd and I met in Medellin, Colombia, and later traveled together in Peru. I’ve only been to Charleston once before – about 15 years ago – so I was excited to check it out with fresh eyes. Even though I was only there for about 48 hours, I got to try out two microbreweries, have a fantastic dinner downtown and tour Charleston Tea Plantation, the only tea plantation in North America.
Jekyll Island, G.A.
In Charleston I hopped in a rental car and then headed about 90 minutes south to Jekyll Island, picking up my friend Erin along the way at the Savannah airport. We made the trek to this idyllic place after receiving an invitation by Holiday Inn Resort at Jekyll Island. Once a winter playground for America’s rich and famous industrialists, today the seven-mile island is a national park with a preserved historic district. We had a lovely time touring the cottages, eating seafood, biking through the marshes, and just relaxing with cocktails. It’s one of the most beautiful and peaceful places I’ve ever been to in the U.S.
Savannah, G.A.
I wish I could’ve spent a lot more time on Jekyll Island, but I needed to head back north. After dropping Erin off at the airport, I met up with my friend’s bachelorette party in downtown Savannah. After enjoying an elegant southern meal at The Olde Pink House Restaurant, we went a little wild, first having a few drinks at Savannah Smiles, a dueling piano bar, and then dancing with young hipsters at El-Rocko Lounge.
Lincoln, N.H.
After being gone most of the month, I needed a little taste of fall in New England. So my friend and I took a drive about two hours north to New Hampshire on a bright and sunny Saturday, had a great lunch and tasted some wine at Seven Birches Winery, a small winery located within RiverWalk Resort at Loon Mountain. The fall foliage was a little past peak, but the leaves were still quite colorful.
What’s Next?
I have another busy month of travel ahead of me, starting with a trip to Guatemala with GoodTrip Tours. Then I’ll be swinging by the Travel+SocialGood Global Summit in New York City, taking a road trip to western Massachusetts with another blogger and then going to a wedding in Narragansett, R.I.