Spur-Of-The-Moment Touristing

[ladysprite]

I had enough fun wandering around Hawaii playing tourist that I decided that I need to tourist around my regular stomping grounds more often. I live in an area with a lot of history, and a wide variety of activities to partake of, and I almost never wind up exploring them except on the rare occasions that out-of-state friends come to visit - and that's a bad thing.

So, after a mildly frustrating day on Friday, and a long and mentally exhausting week, this morning my sweetie and I decided on a whim to take a day-trip to somewhere local and touristy. A quick glance through google's list for 'new england day trips' reminded me that Old Sturbridge Village was 1) local, 2) not too expensive, and 3) somewhere I hadn't been since I was ten. It was also full of history, quaint and adorable shops, and a program on period dance. Without further ado, we hopped into our car for what should have been an hour-long drive.

This, unfortunately, was when we learned that spur-of-the-moment trips are prone to lack-of-planning complications. For instance, we did not have an appropriate backup plan when, halfway there, the Mass Pike randomly slowed to approximately 10 miles per hour. For 26 miles. We eventually bailed at a random exit and found our way to our destination by sheer stubbornness, but it took an extra hour and a half. We arrived two hours before closing, I missed the dance presentation, and we nearly gave up and just drove home.

I am so glad that we didn't give up, though. Old Sturbridge Village is much more fun than I had remembered. It's essentially the same as Plimoth Plantation, except set in the early 1800's. There are period houses set up, and games you can play, and people demonstrating all sorts of crafts and trades. They also have an amazing bookstore that I spent far too much money in, and the loveliest vegetable and herb gardens that I have seen in a long time.

I need to go back, on a day when I can actually get there before 3pm, and spend the entire day wandering around and exploring. And I need to spend a lot more time and money in the bookstore, and the seedling store. Right now, though, I'm going to curl up with my shiny new copy of 'The American Frugal Housewife' (copyright 1833, and far more fascinating than it has any right to be), and put planning my next visit on the back burner until the rest of the people I'd want to drag along are back from Pennsic....

Comments

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I only go to "tourist spots" when friends are in town, too... rather like a friend of mine who grew up in NYC and had never been to the Statue of Liberty.

[deguspice.livejournal.com]

For instance, we did not have an appropriate backup plan when, halfway there, the Mass Pike randomly slowed to approximately 10 miles per hour. For 26 miles

Exit 9 frequently backs up on weekends. I usually get off at the exit before and follow Rt. 20 to I-84 (Sturbridge).

[jducoeur]

Hmm -- sounds like fun! I've driven by the signs a hundred times; one of these days, I have to see what it's like myself...