Meeting and traveling in the Northeast

AFRICAN AMERICAN GUIDE TO MEETING AND
TRAVELING IN THE NORTHEAST (continued)

MASSACHUSETTS

From the first church built by free Blacks in America to the nation’s first university, the state of Massachusetts boasts many landmarks that highlight its pivotal role in early U.S. history.

But don’t’ think your trip to Massachusetts has to begin and end with a history lesson: There are plenty of places throughout the state to just relax and have fun. On Cape Cod, for instance, you’ll find beaches, hiking trails and attractions like The John F. Kennedy Museum in Hyannis. Martha’s Vineyard is another popular beach resort, known for its pine forests, rolling hills and Victorian gingerbread cottages.

The city of Marlborough, located between Boston and Worcester, might be the perfect setting for a small meeting. Local visitor attractions include Ghiloni Park, Holts Grove and Memorial Beach.

Further west is Springfield, where one of the most notable attractions is The Quandrangle, a downtown complex of art, history and science museums.

BOSTON
The African American Meeting House, the first U.S. church built by free Blacks, is celebrating its bicentennial. The Meeting House is part of Boston’s Black Heritage Trail, which consists of several sites in Beacon Hill, a prominent African-American community during the 19 th century. Another local self-guided tour, the Freedom Trail, focuses on sites related to the American Revolution.

Fans of the arts might like to visit The Hub, the cultural district that includes the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and the Institute of Contemporary Art, which opens a new waterfront location in September 2006.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

You may not think of New Hampshire as a beach destination, but if you visit this picturesque New England state during the summer months, you’ll discover some great spots for waterside recreation. The options include Atlantic shore locations like Hampton Beach and lakeside attractions like Weirs Beach, situated on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee, the state’s largest at 72 square miles.

New Hampshire’s Seacoast Region includes the city of Portsmouth, where 24 designated downtown sites make up the Portsmouth Black History Trail. Along the way, you can visit the John Paul Jones House Museum and The South Meeting House, which is now home to the Children’s Museum of Portsmouth.

Your itinerary might include skiing, hiking or camping in the White Mountains if you’re looking for outdoor adventure. And if your idea of the best travel adventure is an indoor hunt for bargains, remember that in New Hampshire the shopping is tax-free.

MANCHESTER
New Hampshire’s largest city is still fairly small, yet it boasts a wide array of cultural and recreational attractions.

At the Palace Theater, you can see performances of the New Hampshire Symphony Orchestra, the New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra and the Opera League of New Hampshire. During the summer months, Intown Manchester presents two free concert series, and Veteran’s Park hosts its Thursday Evening Music Festival.

Manchester’s Currier Museum of Art is considered to be of the nation’s finest small galleries. Other area attractions include the Manchester Millyard Museum, the See Science Center in the Amoskeag Millyard and the Anheuser-Busch Brewery.

NEW JERSEY

New Jersey has a number of suburban and small-town destinations that could make ideal locations for a small conference or board meeting, with participants having access to a variety of local and regional attractions.

In the northern town of Parsippany, you can visit historic sites like the Condit House, the Olde Littleton School House and Craftsman Farms, the former home of designer Gustav-Stickley. Secaucus, a suburb of New York City, is known for its outlet shopping. It’s also the site of the Meadowlands Exposition Center. Somerset, located in the rolling hills of the Skylands Region just west of New Brunswick, is the site of Hageman Farm and the Blackwell Mills Canal House. Princeton, in the Delaware River Region, is of course home to the famous Ivy League University that is its namesake. Other points of interest include the Tony Award-winning McCarter Theatre and the shops and restaurants in Palmer’s Square.

ATLANTIC CITY

The dice are rolling again at Atlantic City’s gaming resorts, which continue to roll out new visitor attractions. Celebrity chefs Bobby Flay, Wolfgang Puck and Michael Mina are opening new restaurants at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, the beginning of a $200 million expansion. The second phase, to be completed in 2007, will add a 43-story hotel tower with 800 guest rooms and suites. Harrah’s Atlantic City recently opened its new Xhibition bar and Polistina’s Italian Ristorante restaurant, and a new tower is expected to be completed by mid-2008. A House of Blues has opened at Showboat-the Mardi Gras Casino, while the Pier at Caesars offers a new venue for luxury shopping and gourmet dining.

Another popular shopping haunt, Atlantic City Outlets, has expanded to include more retail stores, along with Jay Z’s 40/40 Club, Ruth’s Chris Steak House and other attractions.

Be sure to take in some of the traditional tourist favorites while you’re in town, like the beaches and Boardwalk, the Absecon Lighthouse and the Atlantic City Aquarium.

The Atlantic City Convention Center offers 486,000 sq. ft. of contiguous exhibit space and 109,100 sq. ft. of meeting space. The city has 6,000 committable hotel rooms out of a total of 16,000.

NEWARK
If you go to Newark, be sure to check out the Newark Museum, New Jersey’s largest museum complex, encompassing 80 art and science galleries, a mini zoo, a planetarium, a sculpture garden, a historic school house and a restored mansion. In August, the museum hosts the Newark Black Film Festival, the longest-running event of its kind in the country.

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center showcases a concerts, operas and Broadway shows, and there is more live theater at African Globe Studios. Before the show, you might enjoy sampling some of the international cuisines in Newark’s Ironbound section.

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