Is the North End Boston’s best spot for ‘authentic’ travel?

Scenic Six The North End was named a hot spot for ‘authentic’ travel. Do you agree? Plus: Holidays at the Newport Mansions, best places to visit in December, and the final Memorial Drive Recreation Sunday of the year. Hanover Street in the North End. Jonathan Wiggs / GlobeStaff
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Welcome back to Scenic Six.
Now that Halloween is behind us, it’s time for the final stretch of 2024. This week, we’ll focus on holiday activities and December trips, as well as upcoming travel trends in 2025.
Hot ‘awayborhoods’ in 2025
If you enjoy living like a local when traveling, an “awayborhood” is what you’re after, according to Priceline, and the North End will be a hot one in 2025. “Awayborhoods” offer a more authentic experience rather than the “prepackaged charm of tourist-filled hotspots,” wrote Priceline. As a former North End resident, I can attest to the neighborhood’s charm. Where else can you buy a homemade jar of crushed tomatoes on the sidewalk from a friendly local who reminds you of your grandmother?
Planning a December getaway with the kids?
Traveling with kids adds another level to the planning process, with the goal of finding excellent multi-generational activities the whole family can enjoy. Good Housekeeping released a list of the 24 best places to visit in December, focusing on kid-friendly spots, and named Biddeford, Maine for its holiday festival and “Hallmark movie vibes.” Also on the list were the Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa in NH’s White Mountains, for its ice skating, movie room, and indoor pool, and Great Wolf Lodge in Fitchburg, Mass., which has water slides, restaurants, mini golf, and more.
Flying out of Logan? Here’s how much time you’ll waste.
Air travel often means delays and now we know just how much time we’ll waste at Logan Airport thanks to a new report by Upgraded Points. Logan Airport ranked 18th out of 50 U.S. airports when it comes to wasted time. Boston travelers waste an average of 32.2 minutes — 11.7 on departure delays and 20.5 minutes on tarmac delays — at Logan. So don’t forget those reading materials.
Travel tips
Mark your calendar for Holidays at the Newport Mansions, taking place Nov. 22 to Jan. 1, 2025 (the mansions are closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas day). The decorations are lavish, the nighttime lights are sparkly, and new this year at the opulent Breakers is a vignette of mannequins dressed in Gilded Age fashions.
Thousands of holiday lights will shimmer once again at three Trustees of Reservations garden properties during Winterlights, which opens Nov. 29. Pick your location — Stevens-Coolidge House & Gardens in North Andover, Eleanor Cabot Bradley Estate in Canton, or Naumkeag in Stockbridge — and reserve your timed tickets in advance, as no tickets will be sold on site.
Stroll or bike scenic Memorial Drive with spectacular views of the city on Nov. 10 during the final Recreation Sunday of the year. The riverfront roadway is closed to traffic between Western Avenue and Gerry’s Landing Road from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Deals and steals
Explore a national park site this month without spending a dime. The National Park Service is waiving entrance fees on Nov. 11 for Veterans Day, the last of its six fee-free days in 2024.
If you are eyeing a Maine getaway, Hotel Ursa, a boutique hotel that opened in Orono, Maine in March, is offering 30% off its best available rate on stays of two or more nights between Nov. 19 and Dec. 31, 2025. Rates start at $109 and are subject to availability. Book between Nov. 19 and Dec. 4 using the code CYBER25.
I’ll leave you with this photo of an early November sunrise taken by photographer Jack Cohen and shared with Boston.com.
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Whether you’re traveling this week or planning your next escape, enjoy the journey.
— Kristi Palma
Do you think the North End is an awayborhood? Do you think the North End is an