New England Getaway: New England travel, vacation, and destination guide

Darlene and Eric Johnston, owners of the Ash Street Inn in Manchester, are spreading the word about their day trip-friendly location, which is only a half a tank of gas away from destination areas such as Mystic, Conn.; Newport, RI; Portland, Maine ; and Burlington, Vt. They are also offering a $20 nightly savings on a two-night minimum, weekday stay to help their guests offset the cost of gas.

“Travelers from larger western states don’t realize that you can hit all the hot spots in New England in one trip. Manchester is centrally located, so taking day trips is really easy and fun,” said Darlene Johnston, who adds that hybrid drivers will receive an extra $5 off their stay each night. “On one of their day trips, we’ll pack our guests a gourmet lunch in an insulated picnic bag that they can keep, provide them with coupon books and maps, and send them on their way.”

The innkeepers said many travelers enjoy their urban inn because flying into and out of Manchester’s airport is easy and convenient, but few visitors are aware of the state’s tax-free shopping and its proximity to other New England destinations.

“People tend to think that New Hampshire is in the middle of nowhere, but the truth is we have the best of all worlds with beaches, mountains and metropolitan activities,” said Eric Johnston. “With regard to tourism, Manchester is really the center of New England because you can be anywhere in a few hours — even Montreal and Manhattan are only 250 miles away.”

For information about the Ash Street Inn or details on the aforementioned offerings, visit www.ashstreetinn.com or call (603) 668-9908 and ask about the “Explore New England” package.