Earlier this year, Discover New England’s local representative, Tony Lane, led the Irish trade and media delegation to the region’s annual international tourism conference. Now a firm fixture on the travel trade calendar, the Discover New England Summit aims to connect local tourism representatives from right across the six states of New England with international buyers and media. This year, the Irish group included representatives from American Holidays, Platinum Travel and ITTN.
In addition to the conference itself, the group also participated in two amazing FAM trips that took in three of New England’s states and showcased some of the very best this wonderful region has to offer. Continue reading Tony Lane’s account of the trip below.
In late March, I had the pleasure and privilege of leading the Irish delegation to the annual Discover New England Summit 2023. With pre and post summit FAM trips to Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island, this was a great opportunity for us to give the Irish trade a flavour of our beautiful region and some of the incredible things you can experience there, including awesome outdoor activities, amazing food, sophisticated culture and rich history.
Before the summit kicked off, we headed to the area north of Boston, with the first stop, the town of Salem, Massachusetts. While now a quaint and quirky city, Salem earned notoriety for the witch trials that took place there in the 1690s. Visitors can explore this tragic but compelling history at Salem’s Witch Museum and tour the town’s historic sites. There’s also an incredible Real Pirates museum that houses gold, guns and swords brought up from the shipwrecked pirate ship, Whydah. We also visited the impressive Peabody Essex Museum, which has an extensive collection of Asian artefacts that were acquired by the town’s wealthy sea merchants on their far eastern voyages.
It was then on to the beautiful coastal town of Gloucester, Massachusetts. Still a working and busy fishing port, this picturesque town is also a magnet for artists, who love the relaxed pace of life and stunning seaside vistas.
Just outside the town, we visited Hammond Castle. Built in the late 1920’s by famous inventor John Hays Hammond, Jr., this gothic castle is a wonderfully anachronistic and uniquely American homage to the medieval era.
Historic Lexington and Concord were next on the agenda. The first battles of the American War of Independence took place in these neighbouring towns and visitors can learn about the period from passionate local guides. Our accommodation that night was particularly special and we stayed in Concord’s Old Colonial Inn, reportedly one of America’s most haunted hotels!
From intriguing history, it was then on to the future with a tour of what’s arguably the most innovative neighbourhood in the world, Kendall Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Home to MIT and countless cutting-edge biotech, technology and AI companies, Kendall Square is a must-see for anyone with an interest in science and innovation.
What’s incredible is that all of these awesome towns are within a 45-minute drive of Boston and perfect for day trips.
Getting down to business, the Summit itself took place over two days in the bustling city of Boston. Meet Boston took us on a culinary tour of this multicultural city with a fabulous evening event at the trendy High Street Place food market.
Right after the Summit, we headed west to Connecticut, taking in the coastal towns of Mystic and New Haven. At the vast Mashantucket Pequot Museum, we explored Native American history, before and after their contact with Europeans. It was then on to the US Submarine Force Museum and a tour of the world’s first nuclear-powered submarine, the USS Nautilus.
The city of New Haven was up next and we strolled the beautiful open campus of the iconic Yale University. One of the highlights was the futuristic Beinecke Library, which houses a Gutenberg Bible, one of the first books ever printed
For dinner, we sampled two of Connecticut’s culinary delights: classic coal-fired New Haven pizza and a hamburger from the iconic Louis’ Lunch diner, where the quintessential American staple was first created.
It was then onward to the Ocean State, Rhode Island. While it may be America’s smallest state, Rhode Island has a big personality, with a breathtaking coastline, sophisticated culture and unparalleled hospitality.
Breakfast was at the sumptuous triple 5-star Ocean House Hotel, a byword for New England luxury on the upmarket Watch Hill.
To the boats next for a short trip over the shallow and tranquil waters to the Matunuck Oyster Farm. Here we learned about how oysters are cultivated, before sampling a few at the farm’s laid-back, shingle-clad restaurant. Seafood doesn’t get any fresher!
After lunch, we headed to the city of Newport, Rhode Island and the opulent Newport Mansions. Once ‘holiday homes’ for the wealthy industrialists of the Gilded Age, ten of the Newport Mansions are now open to the public. We visited the sumptuous Breakers Mansion, the largest of them all and formerly owned by the Vanderbilt family. Executed in the style of an Italian Renaissance palace, this stunning and massive mansion overlooks the rolling expanse of the Atlantic Ocean.
Newport is also famous for its sailing heritage and was once the home of the America’s Cup fleet. The recently opened Newport Sailing Museum features fun, interactive exhibits that teach the fundamentals of sailing and about the town’s proud maritime heritage.
The last stop was the Newport Car Museum. Featuring over 90 classic automobiles, this is a mecca for petrolheads with Ford Shelby cars, fin car Cadillacs, American muscle cars and European marques.
Tony Lane represents Discover New England for trade and media engagement in Ireland. If you need more information on New England or would like to set up a staff training session, please get in touch with Tony by email at [email protected] or phone at 085 786 0005. Visit discovernewengland.org/ for more information.
