Massachusetts, Rhode Island & Connecticut - The "Little States Trip"

In June of this year, shortly after returning home from our adventures in Maine, Alan and I set out on what affectionately became known as the “Little States Trip.”  All of the photos in this post were taken at Winter Island Maritime Park in Salem, Massachusetts, over the course of Father’s Day weekend.

Last year, Alan and I were looking at our map of the states we had camped in since acquiring our first travel trailer in 2006.  (The map always appears at the bottom of the column to the right.)  We realized that we had only four states left to go in the contiguous United States, and all of them were clustered right here in the northeast, pretty close to home.  Go figure.  We quickly devised a driving loop that would take us through Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut, leaving the state of New Jersey as the last piece of the puzzle.  (Alaska and Hawaii might pose problems, but we’re working on that.)

Choosing campgrounds in Rhode Island and Connecticut was as easy as pie.  And you know how much I love pie.  Fishermen’s Memorial State Park in Rhode Island had a wonderful reputation and would put us close to the coast.  Actually, now that I think about it, almost anywhere in Rhode Island is close to the coast.   As for Connecticut, after visiting Hammonasset Beach State Park when we were in Connecticut on personal business a year or two ago, we had already added it to our list of places we’d love to camp.  So, for those two states, the campground selection couldn’t have been easier.  However, for Massachusetts, choosing a campground couldn’t have been more difficult.

An Awful, Wonderful, Final Day on the Coast of Maine

The Friday after Memorial Day weekend would be our last day in Maine.  Sigh.  The combination of Acadia National Park and so many fascinating cities and villages to explore creates an irresistible draw for me.  I really do love coastal Maine.  Of course, I understand that the residents of Maine, like those in every other state, have issues to deal with, including the lack of affordable housing in many areas.  I can remain grateful for the countless opportunities we have to explore and enjoy Maine's natural beauty and learn about its history and heritage.  Hopefully, the tourist dollars that we and other visitors spend are a true benefit to this magnificent state.

Knowing that the next day would bring a day of travel, followed by the inevitable unpacking and the loads of laundry that go along with it, we tried not to over schedule ourselves on Friday.  A leisurely day of poking around Freeport, a visit to a State Park and a late lunch at the Five Islands Lobster Company – that was the extent of the day’s itinerary.  After a slow start – it was SO hard to leave the amazing water views at our campsite – Alan and I made our way to our first stop – the wharf in Freeport.