ITTN’s Shane Cullen interviews Kerrie Tripp, Director of Product & Sales, Discover New England about her mission to inspire travel to the beautiful states of New England which are Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.
250th Anniversary of the American Revolution
April 19th of next year marks a significant historical anniversary, it will be 250 years since the Battles of Lexington and Concord with the initial shots signalling the start of the American Revolution. Both are located outside Boston in the State of Massachusetts.
Kerrie explains events commence on Saturday, 18th April (with 19th April being Easter Sunday). “It will roll into a bunch of events in that region. The events continue to unfold through Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and then Rhode Island and Connecticut. It all plays such an integral role in the 250th anniversary and the history is quite interesting”
Shane: One of the things you in the United States do so well and it’s reenactments, even the museum culture in the States is fantastic.
Kerrie: “It’s almost like a living history day, when you take part in this… you’ll find encampments and actors that will reenact the events. And some of these folks are actually related to the original people in the stories and they are reenacting their own family members’ actions so it really makes it different and unique. You can see the camps as they would have been in 1775 and 1776, see how people lived.”
These reenactors when they do it, it’s not just a ‘one and done’. They do it for the whole weekend or a whole week so they are living the life of someone in 1775.”
Authentic Adventure Activities with a Twist
Shane: “Beyond the 250th Anniversary celebrations, what other areas are you promoting to the Irish?”
Kerrie: “So we are really talking about a lot of the adventure activities, it seems to be something a lot of people are interested in. For example, Maine has lobster boats that you can actually book a lobster boat excursion. You can buy a lobster while you’re on that lobster boat. You can pull the trap to pull up the lobsters on that lobster boat. You learn about that fishing community. You learn about the culture, how they are being sustainable and responsible with fishing. And then, when you get back from that excursion, the company will actually do a lobster bake right there for you. You can have your lobster right then and there with potatoes and corn. It’s really a lot of fun. It is something that’s engaging, that you are taking part in and not just watching, right? It gives adventure a little twist. It’s opportunities like that and so many of the states have some wonderful activities like that going on.”
Adaptable Adventures – Sensory & Mobility Offering
Kerrie shared “I will say, one of the things that I think is really cool in New England right now, with outdoor adventure is a lot of the states, especially Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont have worked on the adaptability for people. If you have some things that you need to be careful of all the way up to needing a wheelchair, there are hiking trails, walking trails, biking and the adaptive equipment that you need is available to you. So you can go out on these trails. You can experience nature. I think as a community of New England, we are doing such an amazing job.”
At the recent Discover New England trade lunch, the representatives shared that there are opportunities to go hiking, biking and skiing. Whether people have sensory or mobility requirements, the equipment that individuals need is readily available and the majority of cases it is readily available for free.
Kerrie explained, “We really feel, no matter what your ability, you should have access to The Great Outdoors. That is New England. We are very welcoming and we really take pride in who we are.”
The Gilded Age – Newport Mansion
With neighbours like Taylor Swift, Newport has considerable star power. In addition, the filming of HBO’s historical drama ‘The Gilded Age’ continues in Newport. Scenes for the Emmy Award-winning Season 1 and Season 2 were filmed at numerous locations around Newport including at The Breakers, Marble House, The Elms, Rosecliff, Chateau-sur-Mer, Hunter House and Kingscote. In fact, next year’s Discover New England Summit will host its Closing Gala in the Rosecliff Mansion.
Kerrie shared, “You can tour these mansions that they are actually using in the show. You just really want to dress in period dress when you get there, right?”
Shane “They’re gorgeous. They are unbelievable”. Check out a few from the Discover New England summit last year below:
From Stars of the Silver Screen to Stars of the Night Sky
Kerrie explained “Maine and New Hampshire both have two new “Dark Sky” designations they’re Federal kind of designations you go through. And so when you are visiting the areas that are designated, you have this opportunity to have a complete view if there are planets that can be seen, of the stars, the Aurora Borealis. There is no light, pollution around those areas. So it’s amazing viewing.”
With plenty of inspirational itineraries across the states that make up New England, this is an ideal time to plan a Stateside adventure taking in everything from lobsters to lighthouses, the mansions of Newport to the halls of Yale.
For More on Discover New England
For more from Discover New England and ITTN, read the recent update from Discover New England lunch with the Connecticut Tourism Office, Visit New Hampshire, Discover Newport, Yale University, Go Providence, See Plymouth and Visit Western Connecticut here and for 14 separate 14-day itineraries and more, follow the link here.
Want a flavour of what’s on offer, watch our video series filmed at the New England Summit last year.
