Extended Weekend Getaways in the Northeast

Try Group Travel With Tours of Distinction Co.

Tours of Distinction has been providing fully inclusive, quality guided group tours for 50+ years. Offering over 150 group tours, this company is totally able to see you on your next adventure and show you how adventurous the world can be.

“For Tours of Distinction, our goal is to make sure your travel experience is as distinct as you, and the best it can be at an affordable price,” explains a a member of its professional travel team. “We are now one of the largest group bus tour companies in America.”

For example, the Tours of Distinction offers several choice adventures for the state of Connecticut. Every season offers a different experience. The perfect time to experience an on the water adventure to Norwalk’s Sheffield Island or take a cruise on the Connecticut River is summer and fall. Peak foliage runs from mid.-September to late October. Winter is the perfect season to celebrate the holidays with a Boat Parade in Mystic, join the fun at a holiday festival, or unwind fireside to a delicious meal.

Litchfield Hills

The pastoral countryside, cool mountain lakes, laurel covered slopes, and pine-scented forest glades have made the Litchfield Hills a resort area for more than a century. Historic attractions such as the Glebe House, the Institute for American Indian Studies, the Museum of Tort Law, and the Carousel Museum are delightful. Antique shops, art galleries, historic gardens, vineyards, orchards, and romantic country inns set the stage for your visit. The Litchfield Hills are internationally known for scenic roads and bucolic villages that are spectacular in the fall.

For more Connecticut destination itineraries, visit their website at https://www.toursofdistinction. net/destinations/tour-unitedstates/connecticut/ and plan your next extended weekend getaway with Tours of Distinction.

__________________________

October Activities in Delaware

OKTDOVERFEST

One of Kent County’s most beloved holiday events! This year in October, experience Downtown Dover the way it was intended – with craft beer, live music, and local craft merchants. This event is free to attend, supports the community, and you can bring your leashed furry friends along! Delaware’s Quaint Villages, VisitDelawareVillages.com,

WICKED WOODS

It’s that time of year again & the farm is in full swing preparing for their annual Fall Family Fun Fest & Wicked Woods! Opening weekends through October (Friday & Saturday only) this year’s hours will be 7 - 11 p.m. located at Wicked R Ranchin Wyoming. Admission tickets are $20 per victim, cash & cards will be accepted. Be sure to dress for the weather. For more informaion, visit https://www.facebook.com/wickedr western

CHILDREN’S HALLOWEEN FANTASY TRAIL

October 14- Designed for children ages 2 to 7. Come with no tricks, but to receive treats from some of your favorite cartoon and storybook characters at our Children’s Halloween Fantasy Trail. You will enter the enchanted forest to begin your trick-or-treating adventure.

Complimentary trick-or-treat bags filled with candy will be given at the end of the trail. Event Time: is 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.* Tickets will be sold on site for $5 per person regardless of age. (CASH ONLY)

Candy given to the children can contain peanuts and/or processed in plants that also process peanus. Please check for allergy concerns before allowing children to consume. NO REFUNDS! NO PETS ALLOWED ON THE TRAIL.

If you are interested in sponsoring a scene or volunteering for this event, please contact Joseph Paugh at 302-744-2486.

PUMPKIN PATCH

Picking from our patch, petting zoo, yard games, hayrides, food trucks, local vendors, cash bar + live entertainment on the farm at Loblolly Acres $8 per guest & includes all activities + $7 pumpkins from the patch, food and beverage sold separately Open Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit https://www.loblollyacres. com/pumpkin-patch-sundays

DARK DOVER LANTERN TOUR

Oct. 27, 28 - GREEN DOVER - Witness firsthand the true stories of murders and encounter characters whose legends have left their sinister imprint on The Green. Pre-registration is required and spaces are limited, so book today! Online registration ends 24 hours prior to the program; after that, please call 302-739-9194. Tours cancelled for inclement weather may not be rescheduled. $15 per person, https://delawarestateparks.reserveamerica.com/tourDetails.do

__________________

Hauntingly Good Time in Massachusetts

WHAT TO EXPERIENCE -

Boston’s haunted history is almost as old as this country. One of the best Halloween-themed activities is a walk into the grisly side of Boston’s iconic Freedom Trail by lantern light with a darkly cloaked guide on the Freedom Trail Lantern Tour. Uncover the grim, macabre history and mystery of the Freedom Trail, which includes stories of fatal sword duels, the grave of the ruthless pirate, scenes of scandalous murders and the hangings of convicted witches.

One of the places most famous for supernatural experiences is Emerson’s Cutler Majestic Theater. Built in 1903 and located at 219 Tremont Street in Boston Common, the Cutler Majestic Theater has a varied past and has changed venues several times throughout its existence.

When it was purchased and restored in the 1980’s, every theater major at the university was required to do some sort of work there. Many of those students reported ghostly experiences, including seeing the ghost of a former Boston Mayor still sitting in the seat he died in during a performance. Others, including theater patrons, told accounts of seeing the spirits of a couple and their young daughter floating about in the upper balcony.

Put on your Halloween costume and head over to Boston Common’s Frog Pond on Sunday, Oct. 16 for a Halloween Pumpkin Festival, refreshments, music, and lots of family activities. This free event takes place from 5-8pm.

WHERE TO STAY

On beautiful harbor waters, the Boston Harbor Hotel welcomes travelers seeking a spooky escape to complement their exploration of history and the supernatural. With close proximity to the infamous Salem, a town known for its witch trials and eerie ambiance, the hotel is the ultimate launch pad for a hauntingly fun getaway.

Experience a new standard in elegance, comfort, and design as these spacious 500 square foot superior rooms provide all the amenities of home. The lush fabrics and bold decor inspire the urban adventurer ready to explore and unwind.

WHERE TO DINE

Rowes Wharf Sea Grille is nationally recognized, located within the hotel. Let executive chef David Daniels paint you a picture with vivid, bold flavors plated like works of art. The freshest ingredients sourced daily from local markets provide an unparalleled dining experience while gorgeous harbor views set the tone. Tame the ocean, ignite your palate! To make reservations, visit https://www.bostonharborhotel.com

The Greatest Bar near TD Garden hosts their 12th annual Haunted Mansion Halloween fundraiser Oct. 27. Enjoy great music and wear your scariest costume for a $500 cash prize for best costume. DJs and party is on all four floors. Tickets required - www.eventbrite. com/e/12th-annual-hauntedmansion-the-greatest-bar-tickets-50405704820

___________________

Ghoulish Getaways in New York

Westchester County

Halloween enthusiasts know that Westchester is the place to be for spooky celebrations. From exploring the Village of Sleepy Hollow, where the Headless Horseman still roams, to walking through The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze with more than 7,000 illuminated jack o’ lanterns, visitors will be treated, not tricked, at every turn. Come Halloween, there will be haunted houses and historic homes, craft fairs and festivals, not to mention parades and lots of haunted storytelling and reenactments.

WHERE TO STAY – Sleepy Hollow Hotel, Tarrytown House Estate and the Castle Hotel & Spa are the top spots, especially as the latter two have their own haunted histories.

Canandaigua

A destination known for boasting picturesque fall foliage, Canandaigua is also a Halloween hot spot for travelers. This October, the Sonnenberg Gardens invites those who dare to a Haunted Stroll around the grounds for encounters with witches, goblins, and ghouls, as well as to Mansion Mysteries, a lively whodunnit drama performance. For spirited spirits, the New York Kitchen is hosting Spooky Sips & Science where attendees will learn about the science and history behind Halloween legends, like vampires, werewolves, and zombies, all while enjoying bloodred wines.

WHERE TO STAY – Situated on Canandaigua Lake, The Lake House on Canandaigua is a lakeside retreat for all, offering fall foliage cruises for leaf peeping, cozy cocktails by the fire, and up to 30% off luxurious lakefront accommodations, among other impressive amenities, as the Willowbrook Spa.

Lake Placid

The perfect destination for falls is also a great place to visit for Halloween. Lake Placid is one of the most picturesque towns in October, heightening in Halloween appeal thanks to events like the 6th Annual Trunk or Treat, Whiteface Mountain’s Oktober Fest and the Lake Placid Film Festival at the historic Palace Theater, known to be haunted by a jokester ghost named George.

WHERE TO STAY – Tucked into the Adirondacks’ High Peaks region in upstate New York, Whiteface Lodge is the #1 hotel in Lake Placid according to U.S. News & World Report and a renown rustic lodge ideal for families due to the incredible amount of amenities with no resort fee, including a 40-seat movie theater with nightly movies and snacks, two-lane bowling alley, heated indoor and outdoor swimming pools, and more. Adults, be sure to ask the bartender for their secret candy cocktail menu with drinks like Snickers and Andy’s Candies Martinis.