NO-FLY ZONE P
These accessible winter wonderlands don’t even require a plane ticket
UBLIC transportation is affordable, eco-friendly and often faster than driving or even flying, especially during the traffic-snarled holidays. This season, skip the pricey car rental or plane ticket for the train tracks or bus lane.
Portsmouth, NH
In 2016, my dear friend Angie and I journeyed to Portsmouth. We feasted at James Beard-nominated restaurants (Moxy, Black Trumpet), gaped at gingerbread houses at the yearly Vintage Christmas fête and tackled our tax-free holiday shopping in Market Square, which originated in the 1700s. Under North Church’s white steeple, I swore I’d be back for another Winter Wine Festival — think jazz brunches, wine education, vintner dinners — at Wentworth by the Sea. (In 2019, it spans Jan. 18 to Feb. 17.) Check into the Water Street Inn (est. 2018) in Kittery, Maine’s oldest town, and walking distance from downtown Portsmouth across the Piscataqua River, which acts as the border between the two states. Or post up at the Residence Inn By Marriott, which offers Skate & Stay packages with two passes to figure-skating bliss at Puddle Dock Pond. To get to Portsmouth, take a five-hour ride on C&J from Port Authority Bus Terminal.
Providence, RI
In a land where slurred “Rs” still reign, PVD juxtaposes classic New England (historic homes, the Ivy League, seafood) with the surprising (indie art, vegan eats, nice people). This season, draws include ice bumper cars at the Providence Rink, the circusand-carol-filled “Magical Cirque Christmas” show and boat rides with Santa himself. Pick up some last-minute gifts from trendy boutiques along Thayer and Wickenden streets. Survey the city’s outstanding food scene with three-course meals from $16.95 (yes, it’s that affordable) during Providence Restaurant Week from Jan. 13 to 26. After your 3½-hour Amtrak journey, rest up at the centrally located Omni Providence.
Baltimore, Md.
Wintry magic abounds at Charm City’s German Christmas Village (through Dec. 24) in West Shore Park. Then torch calories at Pandora Ice Rink or gain some at Bluebird, a bistro with tipples inspired by authors like Hemingway and Woolf. Another lure is holiday afternoon tea at the Baltimore Museum of Art’s Gertrude Chesapeake Kitchen. After, catch “John Waters: Indecent Exposure,” a retrospective of the native Baltimorean’s pieces. Open until New Year’s Day — and worth the three hours on Amtrak — is “Miracle on 34th Street,” a stretch of row houses transformed into a dazzling display with inventive themes. Recuperate at Hotel Revival in the Mt. Vernon Cultural District or the waterfront Sagamore Pendry Baltimore.