Winter is a time to take advantage of all things ice and snow. Fortunately, New England provides a glorious and breathtaking backdrop for a slew of winter-based activities, from skiing Mount Wachusett to snowtubing down Shrewsbury’s Ward Hill and ice skating on local ponds.
But, not all winter daytime adventures must be fraught with icy overtures. All about an hour’s drive from Worcester, these winter day trips will warm your spirit—and some your taste buds. All are welcome respite from Old Man Winter’s inevitable bite.
Christmas at the Newport Mansions
Sparkling silver, glistening gold and thousands of poinsettia plants, beautiful evergreens, trees and wreaths decorated with 19th century-style ornaments. That’s the yule you can expect when you visit The Breakers, The Elms and Marble House this holiday season. Enjoy a self-guided audio tour of these three magnificent mansions and soak in the opulent setting where coal tycoon Edward Julius Berwind and his wife, as well as the illustrious Vanderbilt clan, entertained the Gilded-Era elite.
The homes will be decorated and open daily for tours through Jan. 2, and you can enjoy continuous live holiday music and sample holiday sweets, eggnog and cider along the way. Purchase a Winter Passport for daytime admission to all three houses—$28 for adults; $9 children ages 6-17. (The Breakers opens daily at 9 am; The Elms and Marble House open at 10 am. The last tour admission at all three houses is at 4 pm, and the houses & grounds close at 5 pm. On Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, the last tour admission at all three houses will be at 3 pm; all are closed Christmas Day.)
Boston Wine Expo 2012
This year, the Boston Wine Expo, touted by Food & Wine as a great wine-tasting deal for consumers, has been transformed into a whole week of festivities celebrating wine, food and culture from the greatest wine-producing regions of the world. “No other event in New England, or the whole country for that matter, offers as wide a variety of wines to tantalize your palette,” say the event’s organizers. This exposition will feature more than 300 wineries from around the world, all ready to collectively pour more than 1,800 wines for you to sample!
Attendees may opt to enhance their experience by signing up for nightly vintner dinners, seminars, the NECN TV Diner Platinum Plate Gala and other add-ons. For instance, on Jan. 21, noted wine expert and educator Kevin Zraly will lead a one-hour action-packed wine seminar and tasting tour of Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon wines ($30 per person for the seminar). Two-day tasting tickets run $135 if tickets are purchased in December; $145 if they are purchased in January. Other pricing packages are also available. For the full listing of events and pricing information, visit
www.wine-expos.com.
Get Your Chocolate Fix!
We can’t think of a better way to take the chill out of a cold winter’s day than to indulge in tasty, sweet and soul-enriching chocolate inside of a warm and bustling confectioner’s shop in one of Boston’s trendy and historic neighborhoods. Sign up for a two-and-a-half-hour Boston Chocolate Tour and that’s exactly what you’ll do!
An expert guide will walk you through the world of exotic imports and lead you on a quest for delicious treats by artisan chocolatiers and celebrated restaurants across the Back Bay, the North End/Faneuil Hall, Beacon Hill or Harvard Square—all neighborhoods rich in culture and architecture.
Still don’t know what to get that special someone for the holidays this year? Why not purchase a gift certificate for a special tour so they can learn how to pair chocolate with wine?!
Tour details vary by season, but we can tell you that December and January tours are booking up right now. According to Boston Chocolate Tours, you’ll get plenty of samples as you go, plus tips on tasting, buying and storing fine chocolate. (Tours start at $48 per person; for additional information, visit www.bostonchocolatetours.com.)
Deerfield for the Day
When the temperature outside plummets, it’s cozy and warm inside the Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory & Gardens in Deerfield, Massachusetts—it has to be to ensure that the nearly 4,000 exotic and domestic butterflies housed within the 8,000 square-foot tropical conservatory thrive. Magic Wings, which focuses on butterfly-related education, recreation, entertainment and gardening needs, is open seven days a week from 9 am to 5 pm. (Last admission is at 4:30 pm; $12 for adults; $10 for seniors age 62 and over or $8.50 on Wednesdays; $8 for kids ages 3-17; children under age 3 admitted for free).
While in town be sure to take a ride down to Historic Deerfield, where homes of the Colonial era pepper the landscape. Also, stop by Yankee Candle to tour the Bavarian Christmas Village, the Nutcracker Castle, and the retailer’s flagship store, which serves up fabulous candles, home decor and holiday shopping ideas. Savor freshly-made fudge and other sweet treats in the fudge shop, or dip your own candles and watch history brought to life in Yankee Candle’s candlemaking museum.
After you’ve shopped til you’ve dropped, grab a bite at Chandlers, located on the Yankee Candle grounds. This award-winning restaurant features traditional New England lunch fare, as well as candlelight dinners.
In December, Chandlers holds holiday performances reminiscent of Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire’s performances in Irving Berlin’s 1942 classic “Holiday Inn.” The dinner show features a sampling of traditional and modern holiday songs performed by Ja’Duke and a scrumptious menu of baked haddock in white wine and lemon, roasted chicken with rosemary gravy, vegetable lasagna, and Chandler’s signature pumpkin crumb torte and warm apple crisp. (Dinner and the show is $32 per person, plus 7 percent sales tax and 18 percent gratuity. Call 413.665.1277 to make reservations for this sell-out holiday event.)
By Laura Starczewski
