Going on an adventure? Then don’t leave home without a well-stocked emergency medical kit. If you have food allergies and don’t speak the local language, take along food translation cards that indicate what you cannot eat.

legacy. Taking an eco-cruise with Captain Charlie Birch is a great way to spot the horses, see less-visited stretches of the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and to learn about the region’s clamming and oystering plus enjoy two hours of boating.

For sand and surf lovers, Virginia Beach is a good bet. We like the area because its 35 miles of coastline including 20 miles of sandy shores gives us options: a bustling, boardwalk fronted ocean beach, quiet shores for strolling, as well as calm waters for kayaking on the Chesapeake Bay.

Richmond’s Virginia Museum of Fine Arts surprised us. After a $150 million expansion, the facility blooms with new galleries, a sculpture garden and two eateries. With more than 545,000 square feet on 13.5 acres, the revitalized museum makes Richmond an art lovers’ getaway.

At the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort’s spa, we experienced something rare: a session with a Native American healer. After the treatment, a combination of light touch, Native American ritual and centering techniques, we felt so good that next year, we returned to the spa with our adult children.

Over the years, I thought I’d discovered just about everything to see and do in Boston. But recently, I encountered a new Boston – one that triumphantly emerged after a dilapidated elevated highway has been razed and a new roadway positioned underground. Boston has new parks and attractions.