Cathedral Ledge from Echo Lake State Park (White Mountains, New Hampshire)

I've been visiting the White Mountains for years. From visiting as a 20 something with friends and quiet backpacking trips, to weekends in the camper with family and kids in tow. Every time I come, I fall in love with this portion of the Granite State a little more. I've been in the winter to ski or hike with a group of girls, in the spring to hike and brewery hop, in the summer to splash in the waterfalls, and the fall to enjoy the foliage. It absolutely never get's old and there is so much to do in every corner of the White Mountain National Forest. 

This trip to the Whites was centered around North Conway where we stayed in an AirBnb with another family. Four adults and four kids, four months to 3.5 years old and time spent at Story Land or the Scenic Railway. Four days is a sweet spot for our family and it was a picture perfect weekend (as picture perfect as it can be with a gaggle of toddlers). Adam and I took turns getting away, him to golf and me to trail run on a new-to-me trail. 

Hopeville Pond State Park - Griswold, Connecticut

Hopeville Pond State Park is quiet little camping haven in Griswold, Connecticut. The Park sits on Hopeville Pond, a dammed section of the Pachaug River. While there aren't really hiking trails (a few wooded trails around the campground), there are paved park roads to walk, a campground, a beach/fishing area, and sports fields. 

If you are new to Katie Wanders, I take my kids on an "Adventure Day" every Friday and one of our goals has been to visit all the Connecticut State Parks. I was solo on this adventure, off to adventure with two kids and a newly adopted dog, so this was the perfect place to bring the stroller and a scooter, to enjoy a walk through the park and time playing at the beach. The sports fields are also a perfect place for dogs to play fetch and burn off some energy before walking around the park. 

Collis P Huntington State Park, Connecticut

Collis P Huntington State Park is a gorgeous state park with a mouthful of a name. It is a state park steeped in history with a truly beautiful story about a famous sculptor. The property is a true western Connecticut dreamscape that I had never even  heard of until I set out on this State Park quest and for that, I am grateful. The park covers 1,017-acres and includes the towns of Bethel, Newtown, and Redding in Western, Connecticut. There are some amazing trail systems through the park, from single track paths to beautiful wide double track trails that traverse the park's lakes and ponds. 

Collis P Huntington State Park Trails

Collis P Huntington State Park

I was in the area for work and decided to set out with Otto to explore the park on a trail run. I saw horseback riders and trail runners, hikers and walkers traversing the park as I made my way through some of the trails. There is a beautiful parking area with a decent amount of parking, a picnic area, pit toilets, and the start of the trail system. There are also beautiful statues adorning the parking lot and you can tell this property was someone's private estate and meant a lot to someone (and now, to a lot of someones). Some of the prettiest parts of the trail passes by Lake Hopewell and there are other ponds and lagoons within the park. 

A Nantucket Day Trip - Fall 2024

A trip to Nantucket has been high (really high) on my New England bucket list. I'm a New England Native in love with the area. I'm a Weekend Wanderer out to explore as much of the northeast as my schedule as a mom/wife/business owner allows.  I've been to Martha's Vineyard, and spent a lot of time on Block Island, but Nantucket was the last one left on my "New England Island Trifecta". Most ACK visitors spend at least the weekend to take advantage of the island and the time it takes to get there. The island is small relative to its Vineyard neighbor, which means lodging is limited and you can expect to book far in advance, and spend a lot to do it. 

Nantucket charm

I toyed around with the idea of visiting Nantucket on a day trip and when a work opportunity came my way, I decided to make it happen. It's a lot of travel for the day, but the small size of the island makes it doable in a day trip and not having to worry about lodging is a second win. 

The work portion of the trip would take about 30 minutes while the travel to get to Nantucket would be four hours between the drive and the ferry, each way. Nantucket is the farthest east of the islands and is the southeasternmost town in both Massachusetts and the New England. This meant that if I was going to Nantucket, I was going to make the day of it and do the highlight reel on a sunny September day. I was also going in the shoulder season, after Labor Day when the crowds die down but warm enough to enjoy the sunshine and time outside on the island and it felt like the perfect way to experience Massachusetts island. 

Before I get into the details let me say a few things. I thought Nantucket was going to be overrated, that the island was more trendy and a socialite destination more than anything else and wouldn't be worth the expense and time required to travel there, especially for the day. Let me tell you no one was more pleasantly surprised than me. It took a little bit but I got the hype of the island, the vibe of Nantucket, and I can understand how special of a place it is, and why people head to this beautiful New England island in every single season. 

Weekender's Guide to Charleston, South Carolina

Adam and I planned to spend our anniversary weekend up in the White Mountain of New Hampshire. I was excited to get away just the two of us in our camper, to go hike some of the bigger mountains without having to drag to kids along (literally). As our anniversary approached, the weather started to look like a complete washout for the weekend and we made the last minute decision to pivot. I quickly set out to Google Flights to see if I find an inexpensive deal out of our local airport (one terminal New Haven airport an easy 30 minutes from our house). We ended up paying $289 for both of us to fly round trip to Charleston, South Carolina and back. And the best part? We pulled into the airport at 5 and we were having dinner under the palm trees by 8pm. Parking and security is about a 2 minute process and flying from one small airport to another with very little driving on either end was a weekend warrior's dream.

***Charleston is typically serviced by a lot of these budget smaller airlines making it an EASY and AFFORDABLE destination

Croton Point Park and Campground, Croton-on-Hudson, New York

Work takes me throughout the Northeast and in early summer, it took me to the Hudson area of New York to evaluate an undeveloped lot (back story: I am an Environmental Scientist who does due diligence work prior to the sale of commercial real estate). Because it was an undeveloped lot, I could get there whenever made sense for my schedule so I decided to make the weekend of it. I dragged the family with me and after a quick google search for campsites in the Hudson area, I stumbled upon a place called "Croton Point Park" and campground. What a funny name I thought, but to this point, I had been thoroughly impressed with New York State Parks and decided to give it a go. It looked like a peninsula on the water and at the price of $60 a night including access to the park, we packed up the camper and headed to the Hudson Valley.

Winnebago Hike 172BH - our camper/trailer one year review

Last year, Adam's online shopping (browsing) hobby turned into the purchase of a new-to-us RV. We always talked about one day getting a camper or RV, disagreeing on the size and the price. I was happy with something very small and basic (pop up style) but Adam was not. I wasn't looking with two kids and house renovations, it wasn't a top priority. Adam loves to look at real estate for sale online and added campers into the mix. Look and you shall find and when Adam brought me to see a barely used 2021 Winnebago Hike in a neighboring town, we left as camper owners. I truly loved it from the moment I saw it, an adventure lovers mobile home that was as big as I was willing to go and as small as Adam was willing to accept. It had everything we needed and a perfect setup for two kids camping in the back country or at a campground. I'll get into all the details about what the camper is like, why we love it, and why it may be a good choice for you. 

We've had the camper for a year and I didn't want to write anything about it until we owned it for a bit. We bought it in the early fall of last year and almost a year and five camping trips later (Portsmouth, Rhode Island; Croton Point, New York; Lake George, New York; Lincoln, New Hampshire; and Catskills, New York) I have some thoughts. 

Diana's Baths - Bartlett, New Hampshire

The White Mountains of New Hampshire are pure magic. By foot, skis, car, or train, there are so many amazing ways to play in the mountains. Even after visiting several times a year in all of the seasons year after year, there is always so much to do and new sites to explore. 

We were in the Attitash/Jackson area of New Hampshire (the central/eastern area of the Whites) for a wedding and decided to make a trip out of our journey north. We spent a day at Story Land, a day around Jackson and at the wedding, and spent some time exploring a new-to-me gem, Diana's Baths. 

Diana’s Baths is a serene series of pools and cascades on Lucy Brook. The water is refreshingly cold and sources from Big Attitash Mountain. The baths can be reached about a three quarter mile walk on the Moat Mountain Trail (northern terminus).

Hiking trail to Diana's Baths

Why Visit

The relatively short (just over a mile round trip) and flat gravel/dirt trail (ADA approved surface!) makes this a really great family hike (dogs included). It is lovely to visit on a hot summer day to cool off in the water, or in any other season to enjoy the beautiful falls. While it does get busy quick, it's for good reason. This place felt magical to us and I had just as much fun as the kids. There are pools of various depths and water falls. You can really spread out as the area is bigger than you think. If you want to beat the crowds and guarantee parking, head there early. I also read about complaints of trash and liter and I am happy to report we saw neither. Be respectful, please pack out what you pack in and remember there are trash cans at the parking area. 

Visiting Story Land - a New Hampshire Amusement Park

I have fuzzy, 30+ year old memories of visiting Story Land as a kid. Summer days at Mother Goose's House and rides on the yellow flying dutch shoes. These nostalgic childhood memories are what makes it all even sweeter, taking my kids to the same park I visited as a kid and seeing the same charming rides mixed in with updates to the park.  

If you have young kids in the northeast, Story Land is a must. I know Disney World gets a lot of attention and many families save up vacation time and cash to take their kids to the "Most Magical Place on Earth". As someone who has visited Disney as a child and again as an adult, let me tell you, Disney lost a whole lot of magic over the years. The crowds, the level of planning needed to get around long lines, and the expense is wild. The Point Guys broke down their Disney World trip (3 nights lodging, 2 days at the park) on a "nice but budget conscious" trip - over $3,662 for three nights and two days at the park, not including flights. 

(Half) Day trips to Cremona, Bergamo and Sirmione (with a toddler)

If you've read this blog for a while, you know I am constantly towing the line between lesser-known places and those that are popular for a reason. I tend to lean to the first, avoiding really touristy areas to find the more hidden gems. This tale of three cities (towns really) are examples on opposite sides of the spectrum, the quiet violin town of Cremona, the more known city of Bergamo, and the very well-known lake town of Sirmione.

E-Biking the Ponale Road, Riva del Garda Italy

Riva del Garda is a little town and resort haven on the north end of Lake Garda in northern Italy. I dare you to visit and not fall madly in love with this European lake town that is a haven to bike culture. For starters, I had never even heard of Lake Garda (Lago di Garda), Italy's largest lake. It's relatively long and "sliver shaped" and boasts 25 famous picturesque villages like Riva del Garda and Limone to the north and Sirmione to the south.

The town itself is worth the visit, walking around the shops and restaurants with the sweeping views of Lake Garda, but it feels criminal to not take part in the bike culture. The entire drive in to the town is a relay race with speedy cyclists and the atmosphere downtown is no exception. The restaurants all have bike racks and cyclists are often enjoying a beer or gelato out in the sunshine. 

Hiking to the Sanctuary on the Summit of Monte Isola

On our last full day in Italy, we decided to end it with a hike to the sanctuary on the highest point of Monte Isola. If you missed the post all about Monte Isola (Europe's largest lake island), you can read it here. While a relatively easy afternoon hike for Adam and I, the elevation and distance was going to prove to be a hurdle for our three year old. Our original plan was to take the bus most of the way, to the last stop on the island for the shuttle in the town of Cure. From there, it would be about a 20 minute walk along the trail to the sanctuary. 

Our plan started to get a bit muddled when we started to plan out the details. Information on the shuttle schedule is very confusing (remember, not a touristy place) and the sign on the ferry made it seem like the shuttle to Cure was a continuous thing. Turns out, we missed the first shuttle and then found out it would be over an hour for the next one. The real kicker? The next shuttle was also after the sanctuary gates closed at 6pm, defeating the whole point of the hike. The good news was that I had packed my Omnibaby kid carrier and we also had or Cybex Libelle travel stroller and just decided to hike a bit, enjoy the view, and turn around when we felt like it.

Lake Iseo and Monte Isola - Italy's quiet lake and Europe's largest lake island

You probably know the saying, popular places are popular for a reason. Sometimes I embrace this as I head out to do something "touristy" - packed with extra patience and high expectations but often, I try to find the quieter options, stay in the smaller towns. and choose the lesser known attractions. 

When we headed to northern Italy, I got the normal questions "are you visiting Milan? Lake Como? Venice?" and the answers surprised everyone. While I'm sure these places are lovely, I want to travel and not see American tourists, I want to find the local spots and more hidden places. So on my first trip to Italy, we drove right past Milan, decided to skip Como, and saved Venice for another time. 

Riding the Bernina Railway (Italy to Switzerland) - Everything You Need To Know

We went to northern Italy for nine days and let me tell you   i t   w a s   m a g i c a l . 

We avoided (most) of the touristy places and spaces and truly had an amazing week+ exploring the mountains and lakes of northern Italy. The trip included it all - planes, trains, and automobiles and I fell in love with Italy. 

To be a bit more specific, I fell in love with parts of the country many Americans haven't spent much time in. While busy places tend to be busy for a good reason, I know I prefer natural places and quiet spaces. We skipped Lake Como, passed right on through Milan, and said "Maybe Next Time" to Venice. Instead, we set up home base on one of Italy's lesser known lakes, Lake Iseo, explored beautiful little towns and mountain lakes like Lake Garda, and took an other worldly "commuter train" into Switzerland.

Today's post is all about the latter, our wild train ride into Italy's northern neighbor and how to do it in the least touristy way possible (quiet spaces, natural places). This post is going to be a long one because I have so much to share. The first half is all about the railway, the train cars, and everything you need to know **including why you should skip the panoramic trains and ride the commuter train**. The second part is a recap of our trip. 

Let's talk about Bernina.

Losing a Good, Bad Dog

Grief is consuming. It consumes our thoughts with their name and memories, the only thing in our brain from sunup to sun down. It consumes us whole, that "elephant on your chest" feeling and the shaky nerves, lack of appetite and numbing brain fog.

You can't understand the feeling unless you've been in it and it feels different every time. When I was in my early 20s, I put down my beloved horse I had since I was 12 after he had a sudden stomach problem. I spent days in bed crying and googled "can you be dehydrated from crying". In my early 30s just when our son was born, I put down my cat and felt a different kind of grief from my sweet simple companion who had traveled across the country and back with me, a kitten I bottle fed at a few weeks old and had until her late teens.

And then there was Marshall. 

Bolton Notch State Park - Bolton, CT

Bolton Notch State Park is a pretty little state park with one of the scariest entrances I have ever seen. You are traveling at speed down a turnpike and need to make a sharp turn into the parking lot. I'm not even sure how its legal but regardless, it's still worth a visit. At the park you can hike the loop trail, follow the trail by the pond, or to connect over to the Hop River State Park Rail Trail. 

I stopped by the park while working in the area, just Olive and I on a sunny day with an hour to spare between jobs. The parking lot was small and served as a starting point for the state park or to jump on the connecting Hop River State Park Rail Trail. I jumped on Alltrails to see a 2 mile loop around the park and headed out. 

The hike itself was pretty, a loop which took you to a vista and ended by the pond. Nothing to really brag about but a quiet park with some pretty scenery to stretch your legs and the option to log miles at neighboring parks. The section of the park that included the Hop River State Park Rail Trail was probably the prettiest, with these high walls on either side of the wide flat trail. 

Winter Hike up Mount Willard, New Hampshire - 52 With A View

It was day two of our Girl's Hiking Trip and our first full day in the Whites. The day before, Kristen and I had gotten up to the lodge before 3:00 pm and donned our snow gear to head into the woods for a short hike up to the waterfalls. We did a bit more post holing than we anticipated the following morning and decided to talk to the staff for future trail selection. After some deliberation headed up to hike Mount Pierce a beautiful hike with absolutely zero views as a summit was sucked in my gray clouds Doom and Gloom.

7 Reasons to Stay at the AMC Highland Center in the White Mountains of New Hampshire

It's a Sunday morning and I'm watching the snow fall and the sunrise outside of the two story windows in the sitting area of the Appalachian Mountain Club Highland Center in Crawford Notch, nestled in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. I'm on a girls trip, joined by six other female hikers all staying at the lodge, organized by a friend and fellow hiker. It's my first time here and to be quite frank, for someone who has spent so much time in the woods and a fair amount of time up here in the Whites, it's a place I've never even heard of.

I knew the AMC had their famous inter-mountain hut system, these beautiful lodges tucked into mountain peaks with lodging and meals available. What I didn't realize was there there were these larger beautiful drive up lodges at the base of the mountain where for a very reasonable price, you could spend the night; bedding, towels, and meals included. For just over $100 a night in the winter with a group, we had a quad bunk room in the lodge and a home base where we could really enjoy the peace the quiet and the access to some of New England's most iconic trails. If I didn't know about it, there's a fair chance you dear reader were left in the dark as well so let's go through six reasons why you should pack your bags and head north for a stay at this beautiful lodge in the whites. 

Winter Hike - Mount Pierce (via Crawford Path) White Mountains, New Hampshire

Unpopular opinion...Winter is an amazing time to head to northern New Hampshire and hike.

I know, I know, we love the sunshine and shorts weather, sitting on top of a summit with a snack and a view while the cool breeze goosebumps your sweaty skin, but here's the thing. We tend to glamorize the glory and we forget about all the less-than-ideal conditions. We forget about the early bird start times to guarantee parking, the swarms of mosquitos and flies, the scorching humidity, and the crowded trails. Winter hikers are a different breed from summer hikers. While I truly think the outdoors are for all, the bluebird sky and mild temperatures bring about a different crowd of hikers that don't always have the same respect for nature. It was a different scene to see clean trails, sans toilet paper and food wrappers as winter conditions truly calls a more seasoned hiker into the woods.

Putnam Memorial State Park - Redding, Connecticut

Katie Wanders is something I am so happy to have and proud to share, but it is truly a hobby and a passion project. I work as an Environmental Consultant for a firm I started, where I work on "due diligence environmental site assessments". To put it simply, I write environmental reports covering the history of a commercial property and the current use to decide if there are any environmental concerns before the bank agrees to hand over a loan. Part of my job is physically examining the properties which takes me all over the state of Connecticut, and a lot of the northeast really. I try to break up the drive with a run or a hike somewhere new. A recent work trip to the western portion of the state brought me to a beautiful Connecticut State Park loaded with history that I had never heard of - Putnam Memorial State Park

Putnam Memorial State Park is much more than your traditional state park with a variety of hiking trails and picnic pavilion. For starters, it is Connecticuts FIRST state park, designated to honor the location of Continental Army's 1779 winter encampment in Redding, Connecticut during the American Revolutionary War. The park offers a museum and visitor's center as well as hiking trails, group camping, fishing, picnicking, and educational signage around the property. There are also yearly events including reenactments, ghost walks, and winter hikes. If you want the full experience and a chance to see the museum and visitor's center, plan to visit between Memorial Day and Veterans Day. If you just want to use the trails and take in the history, the park is open daily dawn to dusk. 

I visited in the late fall when the facilities were all closed. I had Olive with me and walked the one mile loop/auto road, stopping to read various signs and take in the history along the way. The property is absolutely beautiful and during the week late in the season, I only saw a few other dog walkers.

Wharton Brook State Park and Quinnipiac River State Park - CT

Happy 2024!

Wharton Brook State Park walking path

A lot of people are setting different types of fun outdoor challenges. Some are doing a certain amount of hours outside, some are doing the 52 hike challenge, and I'm sure there are many other variations. I am continuing with my state park challenge and I hope these posts motivate you to explore the shared spaces and public places in your own state. 

Today we are wandering over to the central shoreline area to two Connecticut State Parks. I don't usually share two parks in one post but I am today for a few good reasons. First off, these parks are about 10 minutes from each other and because of their smaller size, you can easily visit both in an afternoon. Second, in juxtaposition to each other, they highlight how drastically different two areas with the same "State Park" designation can be. Wharton Brook State Park has large parking areas, facilities, picnic benches, and is overall well maintained. It was a beautiful little park that would be nice for a picnic or a swim in the summer if you don't mind pond swimming. Quinnipiac River State Park is essentially an extra piece of land next to the highway no one wanted because it's in a flood plain that is well, constantly flooded. The former neighborhood moved out and the state was able to hold onto this piece of land for which does serve as an important ecological corridor for the ecosystem by the river. The park is wildly overgrown with no parking area, no facilities, and is only passable in dry parts of the year which ranks it pretty low on the list of state parks I suggest you check out in the Nutmeg state. Nonetheless, we are doing our best to visit all the Connecticut State Parks and I'm sharing them with you so you can decide which parks are worth visiting.