It’s hard to beat the American history, amazing scenery and outdoor adventures we find in New England, where it all began. That’s why 26 guest rigs enjoyed Fantasy’s Autumn Harvest Tour this past September.
The group rendezvoused just outside of Kennebunkport, Maine. Naturally, their Fantasy Welcome Dinner offered local “lobstah”. They learned more about these sea creatures on an authentic lobster boat cruise, where they watched local fishermen pull up a trap and explain how they are caught and how long they live. They learned more about the area on a downtown trolley tour, and even passed by former President George Bush’s home.
It was a short drive to the next stop – North Conway, New Hampshire, right in the heart of the White Mountains. Most guests opted to stop at Castle in the Clouds – the Lucknow mansion built by Tom Plant in 1914. Tom had made a fortune in the shoe industry and he and his wife Olive lived in this 16-room Arts and Crafts mansion on 6,300 acres which include a man-made lake, a boathouse, a greenhouse, golf course and tennis court, and miles of carriage and bridle trails. Using Arts and Crafts architecture, it blends traditional style with modern amenities while still living in nature’s harmony.
The next day, the group boarded buses to tour the Kancamagus Scenic Byway, a 34.5 mile drive right in the heart of the White Mountains. Also known as “The Kanc”, there are no gas stations, restaurants, hotels, campgrounds or other businesses along the route, just amazing unspoiled scenery. Along the way, they passed the Albany Covered Bridge, built in 1858. Next, it was all aboard the Cog Mountain Railway for a trip to the top of Mt. Washington, New England’s highest peak for a lunch buffet. “Mt. Washington is known for its wide weather swings,” said Lonnie. “You could need an air conditioner down below but at the top it can be misty, extremely windy and cold. Fortunately for us, the weather was absolutely perfect. You could see for miles and miles.”
Another short drive brought the group to Meredith, right in New Hampshire’s Lakes Region. The group enjoyed a cruise and delicious lunch on Lake Winnipesaukee, the largest lake in the state and also visited Shaker Village, a community which has been in existence since the early 1800s’.
Next destination was Quechee Gorge, a small Vermont town built on a gorge. The group had a free day to explore the Gorge and then enjoyed a guided bus tour, visiting Plymouth Notch, the birthplace and boyhood home of President Calvin Coolidge. According to WagonMaster Mark Almeida, this tour also included one of the favorite destinations for the ladies, the King Arthur Flour and Bake Shop, which has been selling flour since 1790 and purportedly was used by Martha Washington to make apple pies.
The tour culminated in Montpelier, the capital city of Vermont. “At this point, we started to really see some spectacular fall colors,” said Mark. They also found plenty to do during their four days in the area. They toured (and no doubt tasted) the home of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream. They tasted maple syrup at Morse Farm Maple Syrup Works. They visited Vermont’s Gold Dome Statehouse and Hope Cemetery. And they explored the immense Rock of Ages Granite Quarry, the world’s largest deep-hole dimension granite quarry, which has been operational since 1885. In those days, it took several hundred hard-working men to operate the quarry. Today, it sports a staff of seven, who operate some impressive machinery.
One of the group’s favorite stops was at the Von Trapp Family Lodge overlooking the picturesque ski village of Stowe. It was settled by the Sound of Music’s Von Trapp family in the early 1940s. “One of the Von Trapp granddaughters came out and spoke just to our group,” said Mark. “She posed for pictures with our guests and signed some books. They really loved it.”
The tour culminated with a Fantasy Farewell Dinner, followed by a Goodbye Continental Breakfast the next morning, as guests went on their way.
“The nice thing about our Autumn Harvest Tour is that it’s action packed and very diverse,” said Mark. “There’s a real variety of things to see and do. The whole trip is just 238 miles, and we’ve found that first-time caravanner’s like to go on these shorter trips so they can test the waters. Of our 25 guest rigs, 17 were first-timers.”
The 2019 Autumn Harvest Tour has come to an end, but Fantasy has two more planned for 2020, and another two in 2021. The 2020 tours depart September 16 and September 26. In 2021, Autumn Harvest tours are scheduled for September 15 and 27.
“We were born and raised in New England, and I thought we’d seen everything in the area,” added Lonnie. “But there was so much we’d never seen. It was all so interesting.”