I'm always on the lookout for free or inexpensive places to visit while traveling, so I was delighted to find Longfellow's Wayside Inn in Sudbury, Massachusetts.

I was surprised to learn there's a national park of sorts that straddles Rhode Island and Massachusetts and is home to half a million residents and 2 dozen communities. Moreover, the federal government doesn't own 1 square inch of it!

The immense Quabbin Reservoir in central Massachusetts offers spectacular scenic views, especially in fall (above).

The 39-square-mile Quabbin is the world's largest manmade reservoir devoted solely to water supply--it provides water for the Boston area, about 65 miles east. It holds 412 billion gallons of water!

Judging from outward appearances, you'd never guess there's anything unusual about the ordinary-looking Paper House located in Rockport, Massachusetts.

Want to visit a real castle without taking a trip to Europe? Hammond Castle Museum in Gloucester, Massachusetts is the real thing--a medieval-style fortress complete with towers, a drawbridge and even a dungeon.

Ww would have completely missed Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts had we not been flower lovers.

While driving through the Berkshires on State Highway 2, we saw a sign that read, "A Bridge of Flowers". Intrigued, we turned off the highway and made our way to the little village.