Candlelite Inn is All About the Personal Touches

Submitted by The Mighty Candlelite Foursome:

• Rita G, Inaugural Class of 1996
• Leo G, Red Spotted Newt Class of 1997
• Judy L, St. Mary's Bank Class of 2008
• Ron L, Concentra Urgent Care Class of 2009 

The distance from the Lake Sunapee Region Chamberof Commerce seemed long in that we went down the interstate that took us eastsouth east and then we cut to the west to get to the Candlelite Inn. When we reached Bradfordand made the last turn, there it was. Ourfirst impression of the late 1800s building was that it looked like a convertedfarm house. Instead, the Candlelite Inn wasbuilt as a guest house (inn) with what we thought to be a barn but was a stableand carriage house. Marilyn and Les Gordon,who visited NH over the years from southern New Jersey (NJ Turnpike Exit 3), bought theinn in 1997 and have done extensive work to bring it to its pleasant andpresent state.

The Candlelite Inn, Bradford, NH

Having never stayed at a B&Bbefore, we did not know what to expect. Whenwe arrived, we were delighted that Marilyn was outside greeting and welcomingus with her warm smile! She made us feel like we were returning guests.

Marilyn gave us a tour of the Inn. Rita and Leo were in The Mini Suite on thefirst floor with access to a gazebo porch, cute front glass stove in thesitting area and a beautiful queen sized bed and large bath. Also, there was a decanter of sherry with twoglasses for them to enjoy a pre-meal drink (aperitif). The finishing touches were outstanding, evendown to a rubber ducky to float in the bathtub while bathing.

Ron and Judy were in the Peach Room onthe second floor with four posted bed, a sofa, decorative trunk and a mirroredarmoire. Again, there was a decanter ofsherry there for their enjoyment. The bathroomwas large and spacious. A variety ofamenities (including a rubber ducky) were provided.

The rooms were warm and cozy, Rita,Leo, Ron and Judy were all very happy to be there.

Marilyn was so accommodating withour special request as Leo wanted to see the Bruins in the final game forthe Stanley Cup on Wednesday evening. She set up the TV in thebreakfast room tuned to the correct station and all we had to do was hit the"on" button. Our leisurely dining experience in New London thatevening took much longer than anticipated. We felt badly because we weregreatly delayed in returning to the Inn. Because of Marilyn's kindness, we were able to see the most important part ofthe game....the last 5 minutes... and all the celebratory happenings andpresentation of the trophies. As an Inn Keeper, Marilyn is thetops!! 

Our Breakfast Main Course

Nextmorning, the gourmet breakfast that Marilyn Gordon served was extraordinarilyDELICIOUS and NOT the usual bacon, eggs, toast and cereal. Instead, we enjoyed the starter of biscuitswith butter; main course of mascarpone stuffedFrench toast and dessert of home made pound cake with crème fraiche and berries.

Dessert for Breakfast!

This stay was our first Bed andBreakfast experience!  It was pleasurableto have the personal touch, to actually talk to the people who run and are theoperation. To learn about the work thatwent into restoring the building, the recipe and the effort that went intopreparing the breakfast that we had. Itwas an experience that only offered by a Bed and Breakfast not the chains.

The Candlelite Inn will be adestination for us some time in the future. We surely will recommend itto our friends and visitors to New Hampshire we encounter as Granite State Ambassadors.

Exploring New Hampshire's Capitol

Betty's Travel Planning Tips

Submitted by: Betty Gagne, Granite State Ambassador, First in the Nation Class 1999; Customer Service Assistant NH Division of Travel & Tourism Development

If your idea of traveling through Concord, New Hampshire is flying by the exits on Interstate 93, then you’ve never really been to Concord. Probably best known throughout the world as the birthplace of the Concord Coach, Concord became the state capitol in 1808, and is an exciting city that’s rich in history, culture, education, and heritage. Downtown Concord is a hub of unique shops, restaurants, and historic sites. When you do visit Concord, plan to spend a day or two and don’t miss these interesting stops:

All rights reserved by New Hampshire Historical Society

The State House: Located in the center of town on North Main Street, the capitol building is the oldest one in the country where the legislature still meets in its original chambers. Take a tour and see the legislative body in session. As you walk the hallways, note the portraits of past Governors on the walls.



The Museum of NH History: Contained within Eagle Square, the museum is a must-see for anyone interested in exploring how the state was born. Exhibitions include a birch bark canoe, a simulated fire tower, and of course an authentic Concord Coach. Take time to browse through the extensive gift shop; you’ll find plenty of books, maps, and historically significant items.

McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center: Named for Alan Shepard, who was the first man in space, and Christa McAuliffe, the first private citizen in space, the center is New England’s largest air

All rights reserved by pobrecito33 (Flickr)

and space museum. Families love the planetarium shows and other events. The center is located at 2 Institute Drive.

The State Library: Situated at 20 Park Street, the library is an attraction in itself. Resources and services include catalogs, online databases, a Family Resource Connection, and even an ‘Ask a Librarian’ service for research questions.

For more information about what there is to see and do in Concord, please visit the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce website.

Get Outside and Explore New Hampshire with Letterboxing!

Submitted by Ellen Edersheim, Lake Opechee Class of 2007

This is one of my favorite hobbies, inexpensive and I have been to the most interesting places, its gets everyone outside. Websites like www.letterboxing.org and www.atlasquest.com  can explain it better then I can. You don’t need any expensive equipment to do it. 

First, you figure out a trail name. Mine is skier4444 (when you go to those sites you will see letterboxes that I have put out). Then, you either buy or make a stamp that goes along with trail name (yes, mine is a skier) and buy a blank book to put other stamps in (to start with can use back of index cards that come in a book). In your backpack, you also will put in a pen to write comments, either ink pens or ink pad to stamp the stamps. Then you’re ready to start your adventure...

Go to one of the listed websites above, type in a location and out comes with a list of letterboxes for that area. You will be very surprised how many you see listed in your search. Clues will say if they are close to the road or how many miles, and if located inside or outside. Print out the clue (if have an iPod, iPhone, iPad there is an application for this, so you will always have them) and off you go on an adventure.

When you find the box, it can be anything from a film canister to a Tupperware box. You open the box, and in it, will be a log book and a stamp - the stamp usually represents location of where you are. Use their stamp to stamp your book, and then take your stamp and stamp their book and write a little note, like what the date was and your trail name. Be very sure to put the box where it was found, so you won’t ruin the next person's adventure. Rather than carrying a book, some people keep their stamps on index cards and make a scrapbook when they get home and take photos of their adventure. What a fun way to document your search!

Here is an example of a box I have put out (you can click on the image below to see a larger version):

The icons to the right of the box name "Old Man viewing" each have a meaning:

• Hand = hand-carved stamp
• Car = close to road
• Dog = dog friendly
• Bike = bike friendly
• Wheelchair = handicap accessible

And to acclimate you to the letterboxing terminology:

• Date Planted = The day the shadowbox was placed
• Planter = This is the person who put the box out, and it can be different then owner

When you click on "Click here for a clue", you receive your instructions! I have included them below so you can see how the clue works:

Easy –5 min
Go to the Pull-off after Boise Rock- Northbound only. park at the 3rd -10 min parking signs, stop, Face the sign, look to your right. Will see a big rock, go around right side, will see 2 more rocks with a little cave in between. Look in the cave to find the old man…. (And the stamp is a stamp I made of the old man)

Hike Length: 0.0 miles—gives length of hike, here less than ¼, so 0.0

Elevation Gain: 0 feet- no elevation gain for this box.

Other Fun Letterboxing Information

• Patches! You can get the New Hampshire patch, shown to the right.
• 50th Anniversary Preserve Letterboxing Challenge. This year the nature.org is having a 50 year anniversary of letterboxing in NH. A series of letterboxes will be “planted” at 12 preserves across the state and one on the grounds of the Balsams Grand Resort Hotel.  A “series” includes 3-5 letterboxes on one preserve linked by a common theme. Your challenge is to collect as many series as possible during the year 2011. Follow this link to read more about the 50th Anniversary Preserve Letterboxing Challenge.
• Local Organizations Offer Letterboxes! Visit Sugar Hill Historic Museum and buy a book, which tells you about history of the town and location of boxes. Or visit the websites for Town of Peterborough or the Northern Gateway Regional Chamber of Commerce to learn more about their offerings. Also, the Mount Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce has some boxes in stores located in North Conway, they are listed on the Atlas Quest website.
• Gatherings! Letterboxes also have gatherings where can meet other letterboxes and exchange stamps. You can look on Atlas Quest to find upcoming gatherings. 
• Do it with your kids! Here is a website for kids who letterbox: www.letterboxing.org/kids/

Get out and explore…it's fun….a great adventure and you get exercise….gets you and kids off the computer!!

What is a Yankee Dollar Stretcher?

Betty's Travel Planning Tips

Submitted by: Betty Gagne, Granite State Ambassador, First in the Nation Class 1999 & Customer Service Assistant NH Division of Travel & Tourism Development


Are you ready to save some money during your trip to New Hampshire?

On the homepage of http://www.visitnh.gov/, go to ‘4 Seasons,’ click Money-Saving Offers, and scan the ‘Yankee Dollar Stretchers.’ Yankee Dollar Stretchers are a cool way to save money while visiting New Hampshire. Businesses in the tourism industry have put together some terrific money-saving packages and deals to make vacationing in New Hampshire sweeter than ever!

Be sure to check the page often because new offers are always being added. And, if you are a NH business and want to post a special deal for your place, you can email the information to Communications Manager Tai Freligh at tai.freligh@dred.state.nh.us.

Kaleidoscope Museum: Charming Place for Creative Play

Submitted by Judy Greer
Church Landing / Lakehouse Grille Class of 2004





One of the stops on our recent Manchester tour was the Kaleidoscope Museum, housed in the Millyard Buildings at 250 Commercial Street, Suite 1004.

What an absolute delight! I find myself thinking of everyone who has kids between the ages of 9 months and 6 to 7 years that I could kidnap for a day to take there.
We walked in to this huge bright space with all these wonderful areas to play, including a pirate ship, a climbing wall, a pizza kitchen, a puppet theatre and many more.

Here the children can play and be as creative as they wish, with no TV or video games. Mothers can bring their own food to this facility and stay all day with their little ones if they wish. The best part is that Mom’s are free.



The owner, Michelle Carignan, is a dedicated, creative person to come up with this unique idea. She will provide birthday parties if you wish along with other parties. Often there are special events going on that are just all part of the admission.

If you have little ones, you owe to them to visit this charming place.

Mud Season = Incredible Wildlife Watching

Betty's Travel Planning Tips

Submitted by: Betty Gagne, Granite State Ambassador, First in the Nation Class 1999 & Customer Service Assistant NH Division of Travel & Tourism Development

Rumor has it that it’s mud season in New Hampshire. Well, that might be true, but along with the mud comes some incredible wildlife watching. Viewing wildlife is fun and educational – and free! It’s a family-friendly activity, you can do it just about anywhere, and the best part is you can drive aimlessly and practically be guaranteed to see something. Spring is a great time to look for wildlife because the trees are still bare and it’s easier to spot animals during this time of year. Here are a few tips that will help you get the most out of your wildlife watching expeditions:

Source: Wikipedia

Hawks: Hawks can be seen during all times of the day into early evening. Look for them near open fields, along interstates, and circling over head. Hawks like to perch themselves near tree tops so they can spy on their prey. The most common ones are the red-tailed hawks; they are mainly brown with a white, speckled breast and belly. Scan the tops of trees along road ways and you are virtually guaranteed to see a hawk.

Source: Wikipedia

Herons and other water birds: They’re back! Herons like to wade in shallow water and walk slowly along river banks. Look for them in marshy, wet areas that settle along streams and rivers. They fly slowly overhead, flapping their oversized wings with their tiny feet visible under their bellies. If you’re lucky, a heron will lead you to its nest.

Source: Wikipedia

Red-winged Blackbirds: Nothing says spring is here like the presence of red-winged blackbirds. They gather in cattail marshes and other wetlands, spreading their wings in order to be noticed. The females tend to keep closer to the ground while the males preen at the tops of the cattails and trees.

Source: Wikipedia

Moose: With over 6,500 moose in New Hampshire, you are bound to see one in your travels – if you know where to look. Expect to go north to increase your chances of seeing one. The northern sections of Routes 16 and 3 are excellent roads to take in order to see a moose. If you spot a few cars on the side of the road, or if a car coming in your direction flashes its lights at you, it’s likely there’s a moose ahead. Moose like to hang around wet roadside areas called licks. Slow down, use caution, and stay back if you decide to take pictures. Moose are especially hard to see at night.

Source: Wikipedia

Deer: You never know where you’ll see a deer, but they are around. The last one I saw was trotting alongside Route 93 near Campton in the middle of the day. Keep looking along the edges of open fields, especially at dawn and dusk.

Source: Wikipedia

Eagles: Spotting an eagle is an exciting and rare opportunity. Boating on a large body of water will increase your chances of seeing one. Look for a large bird with a white capped head and white tail feathers. The eagle has black wings and a huge yellow-orange beak. They like to soar through the air and nest along cliffs, and their wingspan can reach 6 feet!

Wildlife watching is a great way to spend your spring weekends. Pack a picnic lunch and make a day of it. It’s the perfect activity when the kids complain that there’s “nothing to do.” For more information about wildlife watching in New Hampshire, please visit the NH Fish & Game website.

Get a Glimpse of the Past with Route 3 Retro Tour

Betty's Travel Planning Tips
Submitted by: Betty Gagne, Granite State Ambassador, First in the Nation Class 1999 & Customer Service Assistant NH Division of Travel & Tourism Development

Set of signs promoting Burma-Shave, on U.S. Route 66.
Courtesy of Wilkipedia.

If you’re old enough to know what a Burma Shave sign is, then you might remember what is was like to pile into the family car and travel aimlessly on a vacation. I’m talking about going back in time, even before Interstate 93 was constructed through New Hampshire. A time when road trips were a way of life, lodging reservations were unheard of, and each corner you turned brought a different adventure. Fast forward to our Route 3 Retro Tour, one of our newest itineraries on VisitNH.gov.

The Retro Tour takes you along Route 3 beginning in Meredith and ending in Pittsburg. During the ‘50’s and ‘60’s, this was the main north-south route that vacationers and business travelers frequented. Follow this path today and you may be surprised to know that many of the attractions and motels along this route are the same ones that were there way back when. Stops along the road include diners, motels (which is a term that blended the words ‘motor’ and ‘hotel’), time-tested attractions (like Clark’s Trading Post, one of the oldest in the state), and beautiful, natural scenery. Did you know that gasoline was 15 cents a gallon in 1950? The itinerary contains an interesting timeline with many historical dates and facts like this about how life has evolved since the ‘50’s. 

The Route 3 Retro Tour is a must-do for visitors, as it paints a clear picture of what it was like to travel through New Hampshire after the end of World War II. Happy Retro Touring!