Summer 2016: Time for a Distinctive Inns road trip

Road trip graphiAccording to all the travel pundits, 2016 is supposed to be the year of the road trip, perfect timing for romantic New England getaways and outdoor exploration.  The 12 Distinctive Inns of New England (DINE) are excited to learn that gas prices are the cheapest they’ve been in 12 years, making this the summer for the all-American Road Trip.

Peter Greenberg, CBS Travel Editor and travel consultant, says travelers can expect to enjoy the cheapest gas prices in 12 years, with estimates of $2.04 per gallon nationwide. “That’s 59-cents less per gallon than a year ago,” tells Greenberg.  In a recent article on PeterGreenberg.com, Greenberg advises, “On trips under 400 miles, the lower fuel prices make it easier than flying. This is especially true if you’re traveling with a friend or your family, and can calculate the pocketbook pain of driving versus flying.”  Good news for our blog readers! If you live in New England at least half, if not three-quarters of the 12 Distinctive Inns of New England are within 400-miles.  Many are much less, making driving to our inns an easy road trip.

Add to that the hassle of flying with long lines to get through TSA Security, and we have another check-mark for making your summer getaway a road trip.  Airlines and TSA are now advising arriving at the airport at least two to three hours ahead of your scheduled departure, just for the opportunity to spend that time waiting in line to get through security.  Who needs that kind of hassle?  Jump in the car and you can be relaxing with the one you love at a DINE inn in less than the time it would take to get through that long line.

With road travel so affordable, why not plan to sample a few of the DINE inns this summer?  We’ve suggested some great itineraries for visiting DINE inns.  Start with a trip to visit some of New England’s most historic inns including the Grafton Inn and the Deerfield Inn, among the first on the stagecoach routes through New England. You can travel the Maine Coast enjoying visits to Captain Jefferds Inn and Camden Maine Stay Inn along the way. Or take the Southern Coastal Itinerary, enjoying the Inn at Harbor Hill Marina in Niantic, CT, Cliffside Inn in Newport, RI and Captain’s House Inn in Chatham, Cape Cod, offering up the best of the seashore destinations. A good one to add to that route would be the Harbor Light Inn in Marblehead, MA too.  For foodies, try the Foodie Itinerary, including fabulous dining at Manor On Golden Pond and Rabbit Hill Inn, and add in stops at the Chesterfield Inn and Gateways Inn & Restaurant to that itinerary.  You’ll dine your way through DINEcountry!

In June of 2014 we wrote a blog article entitled “Life is Short.  Take the Vacation”.  The article started out like this…

There’s a commercial running on the radio for a company that makes manufactured homes in Maine.  It takes a bold approach.  It says “Life is Short. Build the House”. That’s it.  Nothing more.  Just that simple message is enough to cause listeners to take pause and think about that notion.  Amazingly, just yesterday immediately following that ad came another one where a woman talked about the sudden death of a friend, and her “a ha” moment came when she realized that life is short and she should buy life insurance from AIG.   Having been hit over the head with two “life is short” messages in a row, makes one start to think.

So, knowing life is short and gas prices are low, this is the year for the road trip. Create a little summer sizzle with a road trip to any of the 12 Distinctive Inns of New England this summer.  You’ll find a host of fabulous packages on DistinctiveInns.com, offering even more of a reason to get away in your car this summer.Locator Map for DINE inns

Learn more about the 12 Distinctive Inns of New England by clicking below on links that will take you directly to each of their websites where the adventure begins.  Better yet, visit them in person when you take your road trip this summer.

In Maine:  Captain Jefferds Inn in Kennebunkport & Camden Maine Stay Inn in Camden

In New Hampshire:  Manor on Golden Pond in Holderness & Chesterfield Inn in West Chesterfield

In Massachusetts:  Harbor Light Inn in Marblehead, Gateways Inn & Restaurant in Lenox, Deerfield Inn in Historic Deerfield and Captain’s House Inn in Chatham on Cape Cod.

In Rhode Island: Cliffside Inn in Newport

In Connecticut: Inn at Harbor Hill Marina in Niantic.

In Vermont:  Rabbit Hill Inn in Lower Waterford & Grafton Inn in Grafton