The 13th Annual Portsmouth Fairy House Festival
September 23 & 24, 2017
11-3 pm Both Days
Rain or Shine
If you are in New England and looking for something fun to do this weekend, the Fairy House Festival in Portsmouth, New Hampshire has always been a favorite of ours. On this 13th anniversary, more than 200 fairy houses built by creative professionals, community members, and students will be on display on the grounds of Strawbery Banke, the Governor John Langdon House, and in Prescott Park.
When I envision a picturesque New England view, covered bridges immediately come to mind. I go out of my way to drive over these historic structures and my girls always laugh and squeal when we go over them since it reminds them of the opening scene in the movie Beetlejuice. My three favorites happen to be the ones we most go over when in the White Mountains.
Take a peek at how amazing they are:
And just like that…summer is almost over. School starts next week and then homework, sports, and after-school activities take the lead. No more lazy afternoons where the hardest decision is which float to lounge on before the sun sets. My girls went away to sleep away camp for the first time so I feel like I was robbed of two weeks of play. Now we are in the final stretch of summer and it’s time to fit in as much fun as we possibly can. Here is our end-of-summer bucket list…
New England is filled with quaint, picturesque towns, and Jackson, New Hampshire is one that should not be missed. Jackson is 3 hours from Boston, 1 ½ hours from Portland, and a half hour from Conway. Jackson Village has adorable places to eat, shop, and have coffee. Your mood will be set as you pass through the covered bridge coming in to town. The Wentworth Inn is the perfect destination for families, a girl’s getaway, or a romantic night away.
I am not the type of person that lets someone walk all over me, but I am so glad I did! I’ve had a good amount of massages and I’m becoming pickier about them each time. One type of massage I’ve always wondered about was ashiatsu, where you are literally paying someone to “walk all over you.” I was so excited when I booked it, but as my appointment got closer I started to freak out over it. Complete panic! So many questions were running through my mind.
On our last night in Iceland we decided to stay somewhere that was close to the Blue Lagoon, our final activity before catching our flight. The Northern Lights Inn is the perfect location to stay since it is located directly next door to the lagoon and is only a 5-minute walk. We chose the inn based on location, but we were pleasantly surprised by how nice it was. Located 20 minutes from Keflavik Airport and 45 minutes from Reykjavik, it is a wonderful starting point or final destination to get your barring before setting out to explore Iceland. The dramatic landscape surrounding the inn is amazing!
Jokulsarlon, which translates to “glacier river lagoon” is one of the most breathtaking sights I’ve ever seen. The icebergs originate in Vatnajokull National Park, where huge pieces of icebergs break free and linger in this lagoon until they drift off into the sea. My whole family consider this to be one of our coolest days in Iceland. (No pun intended!) Here’s my plan for a fun day at Jokulsarlon:
Our first stop on our family trip to Iceland was the Hotel Klettur, in Reykjavik. After an overnight flight, in which I never fell asleep, my head was dying to hit the pillow and this hotel provided a wonderful spot to do it. Cozy beds, Moscow mules, and soccer… read here to read all about our stay.
Before we went to Iceland, we talked about our top “must-do” activities and my daughters chose to see some adorable, colorful puffins up close. Their colorful beaks and speedy wings make them such interesting birds. Little did we know that each year about 30,000 puffins come to a tiny island was only a 15-minute boat ride from the city. We decided to use Special Tours , since it is the original puffin tour out of Reykjavik.
We approached this modern building and it was not what I expected from what I’d read about Iceland. The grey color and vast windows made this elegant building stand out in the countryside. The hotel is in a great location, close to the southern coast. It is a good driving distance to the Blue Lagoon, the Golden Circle, and Vik. The hotel is only a 40-minute drive from Reykjavik and the drive from there is unforgettable as you pass endless fields of lava rock and moss.
Click here to read all about our experience at Hotel Selfoss…