Scenic Six

Plus: Holidays at Newport Mansions, the best places to visit in December and the last Memorial Drive Recreation Sunday of the year.

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Welcome back to Scenic Six.

Now that Halloween is behind us, it’s time for the final stretch of 2024. This week, we’ll focus on holiday activities and trips for December, as well as upcoming travel trends in 2025.

Hot ‘Awayborhoods’ in 2025

If you like to live like a local when you travel, an “awayborhood” is what you’re looking for, according to Pricelineis, and The North End will be hot in 2025. “Awayborhoods” offer a more authentic experience rather than “the prepackaged charm of tourist-filled hotspots,” he wrote Priceline. As a former resident of the North End, I can attest to the charm of the neighborhood. Where else can you buy a homemade jar of crushed tomatoes on the sidewalk from a friendly local who reminds you of your grandma?

Planning a December getaway with the kids?

Traveling with kids adds another layer to the planning process, with the goal of finding great multi-generational activities that the whole family can enjoy. Good housekeeping released a list of 24 Best Places to Visit in December focusing on kid-friendly spots and named Biddeford, Maine for its holiday festival and “Hallmark movie vibes.” Also on the list were the Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa in NH’s White Mountains, for its skating, movie theater and indoor pool, and the Great Wolf Lodge in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, which has water slides, restaurants, miniature golf and Mai much.

Are you flying out of Logan? Here’s how much time you’ll lose.

Air travel often means delays, and now we know just how much time we’ll be wasting at Logan Airport, thanks to a new Upgrade Points report. Ranked Logan Airport #18 of 50 US airports when it comes to wasted time. Boston commuters waste an average of 32.2 minutes — 11.7 in departure delays and 20.5 minutes in tarmac delays — at Logan. So don’t forget those reading materials.

Travel tips

• Mark your calendar for Holidays at Newport Mansionstaking place from November 22 to January 1, 2025 (mansions are closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas). The decorations are lavish, the night lights bright, and new this year at the opulent Breakers is a vignette of mannequins dressed in Gilded Age fashion.
• Thousands of holiday lights will once again shine at three Trustees of Reservations garden properties Winter lightswhich opens on November 29. Choose your location — Stevens-Coolidge House & Gardens in North Andover, Eleanor Cabot Bradley Estate in Canton or Naumkeag in Stockbridge — and book scheduled tickets in advance, as no tickets will be sold on site.
• Walk or bike along scenic Memorial Drive with spectacular views of the city on November 10 during the finale Recreational Sunday of the year. Riverside Road is closed to traffic between Western Avenue and Gerry’s Landing Road between 11am and 7pm.

Deals and steals

• Explore a national park this month without spending a dime. The National Park Service is waiving entry fees on November 11 on Veterans Day, the last of six toll-free days in 2024.
• If you’re considering a Maine getaway, Ursa Hotela boutique hotel that opened in Orono, Maine in March, is offering 30% off its best available rate for stays of two or more nights between November 19 and December 31, 2025. Rates start at $109 and are subject to of availability. Book between November 19 and December 4 using code CYBER25.

I leave you with this photo of an early November sunrise taken by the photographer Jack Cohen and shared with Boston.com.

Where have you traveled lately? Please share your photos by sending them to (email protected) and may be featured in a future Scenic Six newsletter.

Whether you’re traveling this week or planning your next getaway, enjoy the ride.

— Kristi Palma

Kristi Palma

Culture writer

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Kristi Palma is a culture writer for Boston.com, focusing on New England travel. She covers airlines, hotels and things to do in Boston and New England. She is the author Scenic Sixa weekly travel newsletter.

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