Going to New England
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Going to New England
April 2007
We'll be in New England for a few weeks this summer. I'd
love any ideas for places where there might be enough to
entertain 2 middle aged parents and an almost 14 year old
boy.
He is not into nature, camping, long drives, museums or
history (or much of anything that we enjoy).
Thanks
Kate
If you are in Boston you could go to a baseball game. The
mother church of the Christian Scientists is in Boston and
within that is the really cool Maparium. It was made by
Tiffany (of Tiffany glass) and is a large globe made of
stained glass that you can walk through the center of on a
ramp. It has amazing acoustics. It is also interesting to
see how many of the countries are named differently now from
when it was made, I think, in the 1930s. In Cambridge, there
is Harvard Square, you should feel at home if you are from
Berekley!
Have fun!
Couple ideas for you given below. I took three kids there
last year (15, 15, and 17). The boys liked the Tech and the
Improv Theatre in Somerville. The beaches are different and
interesting on Cape Cod.
Have fun,
Nathan
Try a ball game.
Boston Red Sox
http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/schedule/index.jsp?c_id=bos&m=7&y=2007
Pawtucket Red Sox
http://www.pawsox.com/team/schedule/index.php
Miniature Golf on Cape Cod
http://www.capecodrec.com/minigolf/minigolf.html
Improv Theater in Somerville, MA
http://www.improvboston.com/ (I think this is it. Should
be 6-8 blocks north of Harvard Square, maybe more.)
MIT Tech Museum
It's on a corner near Mass Ave. Took my two 15-year olds
there and they had a blast.
The Patriot's Walk in Boston
(Could be a stretch if he doesn't like history. There is an
option to take an amphibious vehicle for the tour; called a
Duck Tour, as I remember.)
Nathan
March 2006
We have a family event to go to Sept 2nd in NY. We are planning on flying to NY
around Aug. 26th and then driving through New England up to Vermont for a
vacation prior to the NY event, and driving back down again to be in NY August 31st
or September 1st. That's not much time, but it's all we've got. I wanted to ask for
recommendations for places to stay (we prefer hotels with suites, but are open to
any cool recommendations you might have), visit, eat (kid-friendly, but not fast
food, and our daughter is a picky eater!), and have fun with our 8-year-old
daughter on the way up and back. The only thing we know we want to do at this
point is to spend a night in Amherst on the way up as my husband went to college
there and we'd like to show our daughter where he went to school. Thanks!
New England bound
I grew up in Western Massachusetts (about 45 minutes west of
Amherst) and these are great things to do with kids in that area:
1) Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art -- this is on the
Hampshire College Campus. They have an art studio the kids can
make art in, a library and of course art to look at! It is a
great ''art museum'' experience for a kid.
2) Look Park in Northampton has water activities. It also has a
train ride and a little zoo. Zoo is kind of depressing.
3) Horseback Riding. I don't know where, but it is definitely a
BIG activity up there and you could probably do it cheaper than
in this area.
4) If your kid is into Basketball there is the Basketball Hall of
Fame in Springfield. Never been -- don't really like basketball.
5) If you want to give them a dose of New England history there
is Historic Deerfield village. The required fieldtrip I went on
every year.
6) You've picked the best time to go to that area becaus the
''big'' Three County Fair in Northampton is that weekend. Horse
racing, farm animals, rides, bad food. It is great fun and the
best experience of a New England county fair. http://www.3countyfair.com/
Have a great time! I love it so much there.
Ramsey
Try the Inn at East Hill Farm. It's a family vacation resort in Troy NH, near Mt.
Monadnac (sp?). Three pools (one indoor for rainy days), no official child care, but a
day chock full of kid friendly activities that parents attend as well. arts and crafts,
pony rides, egg hunting (every morning, give 'em to your server and you eat 'em for
breakfast), pig and duck feeding, cow milking, goat milking, hikes, square dance night
(my daughter loved this!). it's an all inclusive resort, so you will gulp at the price at
first glance, but each night's fee includes 3 meals. my daughter still talks about our 2
night stay and asks to go back.http://www.east-hill-farm.com/
Jessica
I spent my childhood summers in Rhode Island and lived in
Providence for a while as an adult and can highly recommend a
stop there with kids. The Children's Museum downtown is probably
one of the best and Roger Williams Park has a great zoo, lakes
for walking around looking for bugs and paddleboats to rent. All
along the waterfront in Providence has been really fancified and
makes for a pretty walk. Rhode island beaches are pretty packed
in the summer but they're all kid friendly as far as beaches
go(mild surf for easy swimming, good shells and lunch close by)
mamamia
August 2005
We are going to a family get-together in Boston in October, and
we want to extend our trip a few extra days. We're looking for
fun and easy places to go with a 4- and 2-year old. Looking for
something easy (within a 2 hour drive). We're considering Cape
Cod, Martha's Vineyard, Western Mass, Vermont, etc. Anyone have
any recommendations? We'd prefer condo/house rentals over hotels
so we can cook and have more than 1 room. Mostly, we're looking
for something that our kids would like.
Sam
Anywhere in New England will be great in October... I'm not
giving a specific place recommendation, but an activity - it's
the perfect time to go to a pick-your-own apple orchard, and I
would think your kids would love that!
anon
There are lots of choices here- even southern Maine. I lived in
W. MA and on MV. I think a lot depends on what you're looking for
-- beach? Small country towns? Mountains? Foliage? For foliage I
might go to NH. For beach, the Cape MV or Nantucket. For the
islands the logistics are slightly more complicated then the
Cape. You might need to get a ferry reservation if depending on
when you go (weekend or weekday). October is a lovely time of
year to visit.
anon
March 2002
We will be in Boston in mid-July for a wedding, and
have decided that it makes most sense for us to stay
there and vacation somewhere on the East Coast, maybe
even Canada. Does anyone know a great little spot,
maybe cabin on a lake, or somewhere like a condo complex
with a pool, or cottage on Cape Cod, Fire Island, etc.
that could provide relaxation as well as some activities
for our 12-year old who will be alone with us for the
first time since her sister has 'moved on' (she's 19).
There used to be places around small lakes in upstate
NY with bungalows, and pools, and lakes, and community
halls with ping pong and stuff like that, but where?
Thanks for any ideas.
a now family-of-three
My family has gone to the Poconos before, which is a
group of lakes in a low-mountain range in Pennsylvania
(about two hours from NYC as I recall). In the resort
area known as Pocono Pines, the houses are quite cheap
(I remember 1000 for a week for 4-5 bedrooms) and there
are a whole bunch of lakes with swimming, canoeing etc.
Pretty sleepy area, not very trendy.
The Cape is beautiful and pricier, and is much more
crowded. If you can afford it, the upper part of the
cape, say wellfleet area, is really just so lovely.
hyannis/falmouth and lower areas are not quite as nice.
we rented houses in craigville near hyannis port (two
hours from boston) last year, (I remember something
like 1600 for four bedroom) and the wonderful beach
is very very close. The farther up you go (including
provincetown at the top) the more spectacular the
beaches.
have fun!
allison
The White Mountains in Northern New Hampshire are a
wonderful place to vacation (about a 2 1/2 hour drive
from Boston up Hwy 93). In Whitefield NH is a big lake
called Forest Lake. There are cabins to rent along the
lake at differenet points. You can swim or boat or fish
(I think maybe only non motor boats...not sure).
The town of Franconia is a gateway to fabulous hiking
(Franconia Notch State Park). The smaller town of Bethlehem
has lots of cottages for rent. There are side of the
road inns and motels all over the place. About 45 minutes
east of Bethlehem along Rte. 302 is the town of North
Conway( past Crawford Notch, another great hiking place)
which over the years has become an Outlet Store mecca.
In that general area are condos for rent, ski areas that
have summer activities, water slides, etc. Also the
famous Kangamagus highway connects Crawford Notch to
Lincoln NH, a really beautiful scenic drive.
Further east of Conway is Mt. Washington, the tallest
Mtn in the east coast (not saying a lot)with a driving
road or cog railway to the top, but noted for the coldest
winter temps and hightest winds in the USA. It is absolutely
gorgeous. Do I love this part of the country?
My parents bought a summer house in Bethlehem when I
was in 6th grade. I spent all vacations there and later
moved up there all year and went to college. I go back
every year or so to visit friends and scenery. Sadly,
my mom doesn't live there anymore so we don't have our
house.
I hope you have a great trip, whatever you do. Maine is
also really great, especially if you like lobster and
steamers. Vermont too. Good luck and have fun.
June
Since you are going to be in Boston for the wedding, I
would recommend going to Maine for vacation. I just
moved from the East Coast last year (New York) and
really enjoyed our vacation to Maine. If your looking
for something close to Boston, southern Maine is just a
few hours. I highly recommend Ogunquit in Southern
Maine. It's a very cute little town with its own beach
and beautiful scenery. If you have a little more time
to travel, my favorite place in Maine is Acadia National
Park. It is further north, but well worth the trip.
We stayed in Bar Harbor when we went, but there are
plenty of other cute little towns in the area. And
there are tons of outdoor activities - mountain biking,
cayaking, hiking, etc. Really, anywhere you choose
along the coast of Maine is beautiful. I highly
recommend it!
rlieber
Definitely the beach, especially since there isn't much in
the way of beach vacations in NoCal. How about the East
End of Long Island or the Cape? I'd think you want to go
somewhere where there are going to be lots of other kids
around her age, and both of these places would be good.
Martha's Vineyard, though really expensive is really fun.
anon
March 2002
My family is going to NYC for our summer vacation. We also want to go somewhere in the
country and spend a few days. I would like to go to New England, but I don't want to
drive a long distance. My friend who's from NY said she thought there were places in
northern Connecticut that were New Englandish. Does anyone have any ideas for places
we might go? Also, it would be nice to have some recommendations for places we might
stay.
Toby
Replies received: see Trip to New England
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