Coolidge Reservation

Sunday we visited the Coolidge Reservation in Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA. The reservation includes woodlands, wetlands, a beach, the famous Ocean Lawn, and rocky outcrops. It is a 66 acre reservation located on a peninsula known as Coolidge Point. It is named after the Coolidge family who acquired the property in 1871. There once stood a grand home known as the "Marble Palace" on the Ocean Lawn. That home was torn down in the 1950s. Two other family homes were built in its place over the years before the family donated the land in 1990. The Coolidge Reservation was established in 1992.

It was very easy to find. There is a parking area directly off of the road. The parking area is very small. It maybe holds 10 cars if everyone parks close together. When we arrived there were no parking spots available. We drove around a bit, but I'm not sure where else you would be able to park close by. Luckily when we circled back someone was leaving and we were able to get a spot. 

From the parking area you step right onto the trail. The trails are well worn and well maintained. It makes for a leisurely hike that just about anyone can do. The trail leads you through a wooded marshland. You pass by a small pond and over a wooden bridge. Once you reach a fork in the trail a left will bring you to Gray Beach and a right will bring you up to the famous Ocean Lawn. 

It is a short walk to Gray Beach. I'm not one for laying out on the beach and sunbathing, but I do like to feel the sand between my toes. This little beach was perfect for a quick walk and to wade out into the water. There are other ways to access the beach so there were a fair amount of people, but certainly less crowded than the main beaches. Dogs are allowed on the walking trails, but they are not allowed on the beach. 

The hike up the hill to the Ocean Lawn takes a little longer, but is still a short and fairly easy walk. As soon as you come over the top of the hill and step onto the lawn the view is breathtaking. I was immediately compelled to take a photo. I felt like I wanted to run across the lawn and get close to the ocean as quickly as I could. However, we took our time crossing the lawn. Stopping to take pictures as we got closer and closer. There were other beautiful sights along the way. There are several old, large trees. There was also plenty of beautiful flowers and wildlife. We saw a couple of rabbits and there was a large flock of Canada Geese that have made the lawn their home. We had to walk  past the geese to get to the edge of the lawn. We got hissed at a few times by cautious parents protecting their young, but made it through without being chased by any of them.  The view from the edge on the rocky cliff was spectacular. There are many gorgeous homes dotting the coastline. What a dream it would be to live in one of those! On a clear day you can also see the Boston skyline.

I could have easily spent hours up there. If I lived closer it would certainly be one of my regular hikes. It was very romantic and makes a fantastic date for nature lovers. It would also make a great solo trip if you are looking for a peaceful spot to clear your mind and relax. Just as with the beach, dogs are allowed on the trail, but not on the Ocean Lawn.


 - Meaghan

 The latter half of our trip started with one of my favorite places in the entire world to eat. Kelly's World Famous Roast Beef (Danvers location). A staple of summertime beach food, Kelly's is a must any time I am near one of their five locations especially the original restaurant at Revere Beach. I have been a loyal patron of Kelly's literally my entire life. I can vividly remember being 5 years old, sitting on the wall at Revere Beach, eating Kelly's chicken fingers and french fries. I have seen a lot of places and eaten at restaurants all over the world, but only one has kept me coming back for over 3 decades.

 Since 1951, Kelly's Roast Beef has been delighting guests daily with its freshly prepared sandwiches, succulent seafood, crisp salads, fries, onion rings and legendary roast beef. With their flagship walk-up window still operating on the shores of Revere Beach, Kelly's larger, suburban dine-in and drive-thru locations are reminiscent of their 1950s history, featuring carousel horses, colorful fish tanks, Revere Beach murals and boardwalk nostalgia. Little known fact: Kelly's Roast Beef is the Creator of the Original Roast Beef Sandwich. Before 1951, no one had ever heard of eating such a thing. 

  I had a large roast beef sandwich (with cheese), and because I can never get enough I also had a grilled cheese sandwich with fries. Meaghan opted for the cheese burger and fries. Of course you should absolutely try the roast beef at Kelly's but I will also recommend going with either the fish plate, or the chicken finger plate. Both will fill that void in your stomach that is aching for the best food New England has to offer, and all of the menu items will have you coming back for more. 

Our next stop was to yet another place that I have enjoyed since my childhood. Route 1 miniature golf and batting cages or as we used to call it "dinosaur mini golf". Meaghan challenged me to a round of mini golf, and I love a challenge.

 Family owned and operated since 1951, Route 1 Mini Golf is distinct in its classic design. It's almost like stepping into a time machine to the late 50's. With the large animal statues, and classic sign overlooking route 1 Saugus, you'll feel like a kid again (at least I do anyway). And of course you can't miss the HUGE orange dinosaur peering out towards the highway. Not only do they feature 18 holes of mini golf, but also batting cages, and an arcade. My favorite part is and has always been the last hole. If you get a hole in one, a siren goes off and you get a free game. Unfortunately for us, we didn't have very good luck or maybe skill to achieve that hole in one but we had fun none the less.

  
 Our last stop before heading home was to a place that is much more common in the south, than here in the north east. A short trip back up route 1 north brought us to Sonic. I know that a fast food restaurant doesn't seem worthy of mentioning, but there is only one location in all of New England, so we had to go try it at least once. Both of us had been to a Sonic in years prior, but have never been to this location since it was built a few years ago. I wish I could say that it was everything I hoped it would be, or at least everything I remembered it was about 10 years ago. But there's really nothing to write home about. The food wasn't that good, the wait time was long, and the menu has definitely changed quite a bit since my last visit to a location in Virginia back in 2003. It's just a southern fast food chain run by rude New England teenagers who clearly don't want to be there. The girl taking orders was rude to all of the cars around us who had questions about the menu, and or didn't understand the lingo. Other than the rude order taker, nearly 20 minute wait for the food, and lack of menu items the novelty of a drive up restaurant was still worth the experience.

So after a long day of so many little adventures it was time for us to hit the road and head back home. On this weeks trip I relived a few childhood memories, and started a few new ones as well. I couldn't have asked for a better day or a better companion to share it with.

 - Jay

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