ROAD TRIP TO...Stockbridge, MA

   April, 2018
   Ever have a place you wanted to stay, in your salad days, but couldn't afford? The Red Lion Inn was that place for me. I'd been dreaming of it for years. So when the chance to pass through Stockbridge and see it in person, on my way to a conference in Massachusetts came along. I jumped at it. 
   It wouldn't be half as memorable if I did this alone. So I called Roz Lee, a dear author friend, and asked her if she'd like to take a road trip with me on our way to the con. She agreed. I picked her up and we wended our way through the backroads of New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts to end up here. 
   I quivered. There it was. 
   "Let's go in," Roz said. 
   We moseyed up to the desk. Roz asked about room rates. Imagine my shock when the woman quoted a completely reasonable price that became cheap when divided by two. That was it! We checked in. Here's our room:

Dripping with charm, The Red Lion Inn invited exploration. There were all sorts of public rooms where a writer could steal away and get a few words down. Some even had fireplaces! Like this one. 

The Inn had been lovingly restored. Wallpaper and artwork in keeping with the period made me feel like I had entered another era. 

Along with history, came comfort. With chairs, sofas and loveseats everywhere. 

They even had a sun room furnished in white wicker! 

Roz and I enjoyed a meal in their tap room. There was much to see there. Walking down the halls, you could feel the history as you tread the same paths of so many who came before. 

Antiques abounded, adding flavor to the decor. 

Even the artwork is reminiscent of people of an earlier era. 

Being the camera bug that I am, I could hardly snap fast enough to capture all there was to see. 

I vowed to return when I could spend a couple of days there, trying out each public room to see which was the best for writing. 
I can't think of a more inspirational place to write an historical romance. I have one percolating in my mind. When I'm ready to write, I'll be scheduling another off-season excusion, for a longer stay, at the Red Lion Inn.

   We couldn't stay in Stockbridge without a visit to the Norman Rockwell Museum. What a place! It had zillions of his Saturday Evening Post covers, most organized by decade. What a fascinating visual history of our country and people! 

   We did a breeze-through because we had other places to go on this road trip. But I've earmarked it as a place I want to visit again. 

   The road trip to Stockbridge was fabulous. And traveling with Roz was the icing on the cake. Stay tuned for more about our next road trip. 

Thanks for stopping by!