FOX Business Network’s Trish Regan (host of Trish Regan Primetime) is a rising star at FBN and a New England lover raised in Hampton, NH. Here she reveals her favorite hidden gem travel locations in New England, from skiing with the family to boating in Maine. Trish is live on the air each night at 8PM/ET but will frequently take weekends to escape with her husband and three kids.
Where to begin? I grew up in New Hampshire so, I’ll start there:
Mt. Washington, Bretton Woods, New Hampshire- Every year, my husband, James, and I, take the kids to meet my parents, as well as my sister and her husband, at the Omni Mt Washington Hotel. The New Hampshire White Mountains are known as the “Switzerland of America” and, that’s not a bad comparison. There’s a hominess to the area and it’s got all the benefits of being a serious ski resort while maintaining a casual elegance that exudes a New Hampshire spirit and style.
Wentworth by the Sea, New Castle, New Hampshire- I also spend a lot of time at the Wentworth by the Sea along the New Hampshire seacoast. When I was a kid, the place was all boarded up. It was actually pretty terrifying to look at - a kind of Bates Motel-like looking property. But, you could see it had probably been magnificent in its day and the location was, and is, incredible, surrounded by water. My dad used to tell me stories of how it was once “the place” when he was a kid ...so I was delighted when, as a young adult, some investors came in and saved it. It’s a beautiful spot on the water complete with boating, swimming and tennis.
Ocean House, Watch Hill, Rhode Island- I have grown to love Watch Hill, Rhode Island. Ocean House is another beautiful grand old resort. (Are you sensing a theme here? I love history so old hotels are some of my favorites!) There’s a beautiful beach and quaint little town complete with a beautifully preserved historic carousel for the kids! The kind where you really do try to catch the brass ring. (One of my daughters, Alexandra, takes the challenge quite seriously. If you capture the brass ring, you get a token for a free ride.) Ocean House has a wonderful event each summer — a celebration of Swiss Independence Day complete with a polka band, fireworks on the beach and a zillion games for the kids.
Kennebunkport, Maine- I have to also mention two of my favorite spots in Maine. I grew up spending summers in Kennebunkport and developed a heck of a work ethic by bussing tables and waitressing every summer at the restaurants and hotels in the area. We love it there and take the kids back quite frequently. The Colony Hotel is family-friendly and right on the water. We often like to rent a home for the week so we can accommodate our family as well as lots of guests.
Prout’s Neck, Maine- One last place to mention in Maine — and I almost hate to because it’s SO hidden and I’d like to keep it that way.. is Prout’s Neck. It’s beautiful and almost feels like you’ve entered a kind of time warp — but, in a good way. It’s Maine back when Maine was really just Maine. The community is tiny - and located just outside Portland. It’s highly private and filled with long held family homes. There’s a small Inn, quite modest but lovely with a super friendly staff — that’s where we stay. As a guest at the inn, you receive membership privileges at the Prout’s Neck Beach club, tennis club, yacht club and country club. All of which are barely populated. It feels as though you have the peninsula, surrounded by water, nearly have the place to yourself! There’s a New England formality to the place (think Vineyard Vines on steroids) that might take a little getting used to for some — including wearing only whites, even white tennis shoes, on the tennis courts... but, that quiet tranquility and snail paced lifestyle... including winding dirt roads and bike paths that take you past a tiny shingled style structure housing the community library ... and the cliff hikes along the edge of the Atlantic Ocean remind me of Maine’s state slogan — “Maine, the way life should be.” Time stands still in Prout’s Neck. The days are long, the sunsets are beautiful ... and you’ll really feel like you are on a summer vacation.
