Yale has been in New Haven since 1716. It’s older than the United States; it has a marble library you can see light through, and it keeps a Brontosaurus dug up in Wyoming in 1879. So yeah, it’s old. I…
21 Best Day Trips from New Haven, CT (By Car and Train)
The best day trips from New Haven are Mystic for the seaport and the shopping, Hammonasset Beach for a classic Connecticut beach day, Essex and East Haddam for a steam train, a castle, and a Broadway-launching theater, and New York…
9 Quiet Hotels in New York City Where You’ll Actually Sleep
They call New York the City That Never Sleeps. It’s a great nickname. Until you’re the one lying awake at 2 a.m. listening to it. Sirens, delivery trucks, a sidewalk conversation that somehow sounds like it’s happening at the foot…
13 Best NYC Christmas Tours for 2026 (Picked by a Licensed NYC Guide)
There’s nothing like New York City at Christmas. Every Christmas movie you’ve ever loved that’s set in New York? Iconic for a reason. The city is alive year-round, but December is different. Even the coldest New Yorkers crack a smile….
Christmas in New York Bucket List: 35 Must-Sees and Best Things to Do (2026)
Updated October 2026 · Every date checked for the 2026 season You think the city of New York is pretty special any time of year, right? Well, get ready to experience it at Christmas. I’ve walked hundreds of people past…
How To Understand NYC Streets: The New York Grid System Explained
A while back, a girl from Milan asked me how on earth people find their way around Manhattan. Fair question. From the outside, it looks like someone spilled a spreadsheet across an island. Streets run east–west. Avenues run north–south. Street…
Does It Snow in NYC at Christmas? The Real Odds + 15 Snow Day Activities
Every Christmas movie set in New York, from Elf to Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, has prepared you for this moment. Lights on every corner. Little piles of snow tucked neatly beside the store entrances. A gentle flurry,…
Does Venice Smell Bad? When It Does, and When It Doesn’t
Mostly, no. Venice smells like salty, briny lagoon air. You might catch a stronger odor at a very low tide, beside a drained canal, or on a hot, windless afternoon, but it fades as soon as you walk away from…
13+ Fantastic Fall Activities in New Haven, Connecticut
Autumn is here, bringing cooler temperatures, colorful foliage, and many fun fall activities in New Haven county. Whether you’re excited to attend one of this season’s local festivals or just want to get outside and enjoy nature, there are excellent…
12 Best Fall Activities in Mystic, CT (From a Connecticut Native)
Updated October 2026 with this year’s dates. Mystic is my go-to day trip whenever I’m home in Connecticut. In summer, it’s ice cream and sailboats. In fall, the same little seaport swaps its flip-flops for cider donuts, ghost tours, and…
14 Fall Foliage Tours from NYC for 2026 (Picked by a Licensed NYC Guide)
When you grow up in New England, you take fall foliage for granted. The leaves change, your father hands you a rake, and life goes on. Then I became a licensed New York City tour guide and started showing autumn…
35 Best Things to Do in NYC in the Fall (Updated for 2026)
“Don’t you love New York in the fall?” – You’ve Got Mail Fall is a beautiful season for when I gave tours in New York City. The summer crowds thin out, the air turns crisp enough for a jacket, and…
