Picture this: You are in NE and you are there for a vacation (ie you are not seeing family) and you are with someone you love that you want to see the "best" of what NE has to offer...

Where would you take them? What would you do there?

Specifically - what one thing would you do over everything else. AND if you have the time, what one place would you see in each state? (CT, MA, RI, ME, NH, & CT)

We are taking the month of August to try to see it all. What should we do?

Thanks!

(edited to correct my poor grammar. :rolleyes: )

I grew up in CT, my brother lives in MA and we had a winter cabin in VT growing up as well. I loved going to Salem, MA and Mystic, CT has a killer aquarium and, if you are into historical things, Old Sturbridge Village can be fun too. If you can afford it, NH and ME both have amazing whale watching tours that are just so incredible and fun. There is a great book called Hidden New England by Susan Farewell that kicks major booty. She tells you about a lot of out of the way un-touristy places to go-farmhouses and farms, day hikes, great local restaurants-I'd highly recommend it.

Have a fun trip!

Well there's tons in NH and Maine that I love, so thats a toughie. But I'd probably say Mt. Washington/white mts for NH but I'm in love with mts anyways. Maine Mt Katahdin or Acadia National Park but those both are a bit of a drive though.

Never been to Vermont except once so don't know much there. Mass I'd probably say Boston just cuz there's just so much to do there. The cape's ok if you just want to relax on the beach (if its warm enough but traffic is horrible during touristy times)
RI, lol, hmm not much interest there for me really. But the Newport Cliff walks are nice so I'd suggest that. I haven't been to CT much except to Mystic aquarium so can't speak much for CT.

First of all I'd go in October, when the foliage is breathtaking. I'd stay for a night at least in Newport, RI. You can walk the beach, tour old castles, and go shopping in the quaint downtown. If you are big on buffets, you can go to the....hmmm I can't think of what it's called...it's a big buffet on the road from RI to CT. It's pricey, but yum, is it good! Let's see...I am from CT and I can't think of a whole lot to do there besides maybe drive through Litchfield County and see the awesome views...farmhouses, farms, mountains, again the breathtaking foliage. Definitely hit a bed and breakfast...there's a good one up Rt. 8 when it hits Massachussetts...there's a lot of antiquing to do up that way too.

If you want, go to Cape Cod in MA (completely other side of MA from Rt 8 though!) and spend a couple of days poking around the little towns...and don't miss Provincetown if you go out that way! If you prefer to see Boston, check out Quincy Market...also, the Museum of Science is great for kids and adults alike, and there's a big aquarium right near there.

If you're thinking of the winter, there's great skiing in Vermont and New Hampshire...I'm not a skier myself, so I can't help with specifics.

If you go the last couple of weeks of September, don't miss Eastern States' Exposition, better locally known as the Big E, in West Springfield, Mass. Great New England food, buildings for each of the states in NE, rides, animals, quilting and "country" exhibits.

In Vermont, do not dare to leave without buying some fresh maple sugar candy!

In southern Maine there are lots of outlets if you're into that. Kittery, York, Wells...all small towns with great touristy stuff. If you can go in the fall, the tourist season is over. Up that way hit the Maine Diner on Rt. 1. Their blueberry pancakes are excellent!!

Yes, the whale watches are great, too. I've actually only been on one out of Cape Cod, and it was quite chilly even in the summer...so pack a sweatshirt and sunscreen if you do that!

Oh man now I"m missing "home" more than ever...I can't WAIT to go home this October!!!

I grew up on the Cape. In the summer, the main drag, route 6 can be so slow it takes hours to get somewhere that would ordinarily be a hop, skip, and a jump. I'd avoid it in August.

[QUOTE=beanandpumpkin]If you are big on buffets, you can go to the....hmmm I can't think of what it's called...it's a big buffet on the road from RI to CT. It's pricey, but yum, is it good! [QUOTE]

Do you mean the Griswold Inn in Essex CT?

I asked DH...it's the Nordic Lodge in Rhode Island. That one in Essex...is that the one in an old castle looking thing? If so we've been to that one too!

I've lived in CT all my life and am still finding great little places all the time, lol! Mystic Aquarium is very nice, as is the Seaport. There are some beautiful state parks. Lots of great farms for pick your own things (in August it would be raspberries, apples, peaches and pears around here). In Goshen there is Action Wildlife, which is amazing - a 117 acre wildlife foundation where you can walk or drive through. There is a petting zoo and there is also a "safari" area which you can drive around, or if you are there at the right time, you can get Jim (the owne) to give you a hayride right inside it. He will stop and feed the animals so that they come right up to the hayride! It is one of our favorite places!
If you're seeing New England, definitely make a stop in Newport, RI. Tour a mansion, go to the beach, walk Cliff Walk and smell all the roses. But skip the crowded mail beaches and drive past all the mansions and keep going along the coast - there are a couple of tiny rocky beach areas that we always go to where we go crabbing and tide pooling. Much nicer than fighting the crowds!
I second Old Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge MA. We have a membership there and go frequently (though not frequently enough)
Also in MA - in South Deerfield, on the same road, you can visit the Yankee Candle Factory (and car museum), Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory and a (man made) mining company.
If you are into camping, there are a ton of beautiful campgrounds in New England. And if you have a choice at when you are travelling, I would also say October is best! :)

I've lived in CT my whole life. The only thing I would visit, say if i had moved away and wanted to come visit a place, would probably be Mystic Aquarium. But The Boston Aquarium is ALOT better(i think its called like New England Aquarium, i forget) anyways, If you go to Mystic Aquarium dont forget to visit Mystic Pizza(remember the movie?!) :) Gillettes Castle is cool too. Sturbridge Village is cool. Also, I think it's rte 20 but theres a strip that has a bunch of shops like Basketville and Yankee Candle and others. The Basketvile in Sturbridge is 100% better than the one in VT. I was soooooo disappointed with the "big" one in VT. There's 2 in VT, the Putney one and I believe the other is in Manchester. manchester one is supposed to be the big one but neither are big and not worth it. The Sturbridge one is the best. If you go to NH, take a trip for the day to Hampton Beach. We go every Summer and its alot of fun. There's little shops and games room along the stretch of beach. Maine has the kittery outlets which you may like. RI has Newport Beach which is alot of fun. Also, in RI is Roger Williams Zoo which is probably the best zoo in NE. It's not expensive to get in either. There's another place and I think it's in NY, it's Howes Cavern. Now that is ALOT of fun. You may wanna bring a light jacket, like a windbreaker with you cuz the caves get a little cool. It really is alot of fun. My SO brought me last Summer, I've never been before then, and I loved it. Also, VT has the Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream factory tour dealy. I've never been to it but we are going there this Summer. and my favorite place of all NYC. I LOVE going to New York. Times Square is so much fun and there's so much to see in Manhattan. You can take the subway down to Little Italy and Chinatown. And for The Big E, since you're coming in August , you'd miss it cuz it doesn't start til around the 2nd week in Sept. but it's alot of fun, alot of food and rides and games. Thats the one time a year I eat Fried Dough. mmmmm YUMMY!!! I also buy my once a year Maple Cotton Candy in the VT building. :D It really is alot of fun. Also, if you go to each states main site, you can request that a tour guide be mailed to you for free and you can look through the guide and see all the attractions and hot spots. Thats what i do so i know whats going on in the Summer. You will definetly keep busy and have alot of fun. :)

Well, I love NH. I would go to Franconia Notch. And then take a tour around Strawberry Banke. If I had an extra day I would go to the Canterbury Shaker Village.

In Maine the place I have always wanted to visit is Bar Harbor/ Acadia National Park. I also absolutey love the Kennebunk/Ogunquit beaches.

I used to live in Connecticut. Mystic is very quaint as is Old Saybrook. I might do a lighthouse tour. The seashore is beautiful in Connecticut.


Massachusetts has so much, it would be hard to choose. I would definitely visit Boston, see Boston Common, Quincy Market, Fanuel Hall, the North End to get some good pastries at a bakery and maybe Back Bay for lunch. Western Mass is beautiful too, especially Stockbridge area where Norman Rockwell got his inspiration.

Enjoy!

Definently the White mountains of N.H.

If you are gonna be there for a month then i would see Mystic aquarium also.

I grew up in ct. too. Hope to live there again.:)


Sue

I would definately go up to the white mountains and hit the seacoast as well, it's wonderful there in the summer. I think strawberry banke there is great too.
I say sterbridge village in Mass is awesome and def. worth a trip.
I live in NH and have been here my whole life and sadly I don't know anything about the rest of NE, I've never been to RI and only been one place in ME and VT so that's pretty pathetic LOL but NH has alot to offer. Try either nh.com and NewHampshire.com

Have a great vacation.

I grew up in Maine and live in CT now. I agree that August is not the time to go! Anything below Portland on the Maine coast is quite touristy: Portland is considered "Midcoast" and has a nice children's museum and is fun to look around for the day. Acadia is gorgeous but really packed in the summer. And we aren't talking just a little busy either... Moody's Diner is on Rt 1 in Maine and is a great place to stop.

As for CT, Mystic is nice as well but still touristy. We are mebers of the aquarium but the Boston one is better. However, Mystic for a few days is nice if you want to check out the seaport and it's very close to the Mashantucket museum.

This thread is terrific!! :heart: Thanks so much to y'all who took the time to answer :bow:

I have already requested the tourbooks from all the states. Only, of course, every book has about 200 things that "you should see" and we just couldn't possibly see it all.

I hear from just about everyone I ask why we can't go later. In Sept/Oct, dd#1 will be a first grader and is already missing a week of school for us to do this trip. It'll be totally worth it, but I feel really uneasy about her missing a month of school versus the week, KWIM?

I don't really want to go then anyway, we live in one of the most beautiful areas of the country for fall foliage - the Blue Ridge Mountains. ;)

If you are going to The White Mts in NH don't forget about StoryLand. It is in Glen just north of North Conway.
We go almost every year. My kids think it is the best. LOL
They don't advertise it (or maybe they do) but if you go after 3pm on one day then you can go for free any other day that season. So we go at 3pm and then all day the next day.LOL

I like to take the kids about 10-15 minutes north on rte 16 (that is a right out of the Storyland parking lot and visit the AMC visitors center.
AMC is Appalachian Mountain Club. They have hiking traila that go all the way up Mt. Washington. We like to take the kids to Chrystal Springs. It is only about 1/4 of a mile in and you cross a small bridge over the river and then see the waterfall. It is not a huge waterfall mind you. But it gets the kids out hiking, isn't far in, and the visitor center has a very cool model of the White Mountains inside. And we always check out the books about tracking animals and the look for moose etc on the trail. A good friend of mine saw a moose RIGHT next to the trail once. The moose froze as they passed by. She could have touched it but chose to just hesitate near it. It was breathing on her neck.
I have never been so lucky though. LOL We go almost every year. Right near there (just a few more minutes north...same road... is the Mt Washington Auto Road.
Now I do not know if you want to go and "do that " to your car, but if you catch a clear day, there is nothing like it.
Absolutely the most gorgeous view I have ever seen.
I have to drive up when my husband does the bicycle race up the MT. he races up and they do not let people ride down. It is an 8 mile uphill climb.
The road is very narrow, not always paved but I drove it in the rain last year. LOL
There is a very cool very small museum at the top in the visitors center. All the history of the MT, road and the cog rail train. You can take the cograil train up but it doesn't start from the auto mile road. I am not sure where it starts from, actually.

There ia a Hanna Anderson outlet in Kittery, ME
There are outlets in Freeport Maine(where the origional LL Bean outlet is...open 24 hours) . Even Patagonia Outlet!

One of our favorite places to go near there (in Freeport, ME)....(ahhh, I am giving away our secrets) Is Recompense shore/ Wolf's Neck Farm, about 5 miles backroads from LL Bean(which also has a Ben and Jerry's shop out front. )
We go camping at Recompense Shore campground....it is located on Wolf's Neck Farm. My kids love to see the animals...they have summer camps about Farm life. You can go in the farm/barns during the day to visit the animals. You cannot feed the animals as it is an organic meat farm. They are fed only the best. LOL
Only my oldest (9 yr.s) knows that it is a meat farm.

There are hiking trails and it is right on the ocean. As in, when I camp my tent is about 10 feet from the ocean.
LL Bean does kayak classes for about 12 dollars for maybe 2.5 hour class (ages 8 and up only) and the classes start out at Recompense. Oh and then they normally give you a coupon for 10 dollars off if you spend $20 at LL Bean.

When we camp there we rent canoes or kayaks for the weekend and bring our bikes.
They have cabins for rent also.

If you go to Boston, you can get around on the T and see several places. Certain memberships can get you into several museums. We tend to park near the children's museum, and although it is a bit of a walk....still doable with kids....we walked (mostly following the water) to the Aquarium. The walk must be a nice day. LOL
The science museum there is awesome too!!!
There are a ton of theatre and dance or art to be seen there as well.
Fanieul Hall is market place where you would often see mimes, jugglers, musicians playing here and there hoping people will toss money in their bucket. My kids love that.
There are often "oldie concerts" for free on Saturday nights. Big name people from the 50's and 60's.
radio 103.3 FM puts them on.
There are duck tours of Boston or the swan boats.
Swanboats are a big paddle boat in the shape of a swan powered by one person. You get tour of the pond and can pretend to be a swan. LOL In the grass they have statues of the ducks from the book...
Make Way For Ducklings as that is the place in Boston it was written about.
Many families, schools, daycare ceneters etc take the kids their , of course bringing a copy of the book to read afterwards. Bring ablanket and picnic lunch or snack to sit and read the book. It is like being in the book.

Providence RI has the Children's museum and Just south of there is the zoo. Roger Williams Zoo.

there is a few ideas anyways. I could go on and on.

Do you have specific types of things you want to do?
or like to do?

If you like Dr. Seuss at all, you might be interested to know that he was from Springfield, MA. Mulberry Street really does exist!

At the Quadrangle Museum, there is a sculpture garden filled with liknesses of many of his characters and him. In a lone corner, sits the Lorax on his stump. There is also an area in the history museum dedicated to him and his stories/characters.

http://www.quadrangle.org/
http://catinthehat.org/memorial.htm


Just 15 minutes north of where I live (West Springfield) is Northampton/NOHO. Kind of a bohemian/eclectic place. If you like sushi, there are lots of little places.

http://www.noho.com/

I also love the white mountains of NH. We don't ski, but we love Waterville Valley in the Spring/Summer. A beautiful area, DH and I take our rollerblades and skate together. We hike also.

Coastal Maine is special too.

Many of the previous posters said some of the places I like. I kind of think that Kennebunkport is over-rated, but many people like it. I think Ogunquit is a special town.

http://www.ogunquit.org/
http://www.ogunquitplayhouse.org/
http://www.communitynetwork.com/ogunquit/ogunquit.html

HTH

I am from Boston and live in Maine. I agree with Newport RI -a very nice coastal town with shops -good for adults.
If you have kids with you, check out the NE Aquarium in Boston and the Museum of Science-both are great for kids and adults.
Salem MA is north of Boston and a cool place to visit.
Then into NH -The White Mountains have many attractions-the Flume, Ruggles Mine, Storyland etc. But if you are going to be closer to the coast, go to Hampton Beach. It is a long boardwalk with shops and arcades. There is live outdoor entertainment nightly and fireworks once or twice a week.
Portsmouth NH is nice too.
rte 1 north of Portland has many nice little towns. Camden is a place to stop and eat of shop. Leading to Bar Harbor/ Acadia National Park. If you are there towards the end of August, it isn't as busy. Since the kids up here go back to school in August, the traffic dies down. Make plans to take a horse drawn carrige ride through the trails of Acadia Park.

Have Fun!

Timely post, I'm headed to some of these places myself soon.
Does Hampton Beach have a season and in the off season are most things open or closed?

Hampton Beach is definately a summer place- it gets busy when the weather is warm. The shops open Memorial Day Weekend but things are in full swing from the end of June through August. They do have a large Seafood Festival the weekend after Labor Day every year and then it's done for the year.

.

:sob: Stop this thread!!!! I miss home sooooo much!!!!! :tear: I'm from Wilbraham, Ma and want to go home soooo bad!!!!!

Okay, for MA

Sturbridge
DEFINITELY Stockbridge
Fanuel (could never spell it) Hall
Boston Aquarium
Northampton
Mt. Greylock ~ highest point in MA IIRC
Skinner State park
used to camp in Otis ~ no clue what it's like now ~ probably 25 years since I've been there
Quabbin Reservoir
Provence Town is a blast
Salem

Rhode Island
~ I spent a summer semester at St. George's in Newport and Newport is lots of fun!!!!! Definitely do the mansion tours!!!! Very cool!!!

sorry to be short. . . will add more later LOL

I'd say your top pics would be the White Mountains in NH and Boston Ma.

:sob: Stop this thread!!!! I miss home sooooo much!!!!! :tear: I'm from Wilbraham, Ma and want to go home soooo bad!!!!!



Wilbraham! The home of FRIENDLY"S, woo hoo!

:hug: :hug: :hug:

Sorry you are missing MA so much. I wish I could mail you a nice Fribble, but it would totally melt...

I love Northampton too. :)

Wanda

Wilbraham! The home of FRIENDLY"S, woo hoo!

:hug: :hug: :hug:

Sorry you are missing MA so much. I wish I could mail you a nice Fribble, but it would totally melt...

I love Northampton too. :)

Wanda

HOLY CRAP!!!!! Color me impressed!!!!! Nobody has ever made that connection before!!! LOL My grandfather was the V.P. ;) Pres & Curt Blake were a major part of my childhood :heart: as I was raised by my grandparents.

And, thanks!!!! I could TOTALLY go for a Fribble right now!!!!! Or even a Reces Peanut Butter Cup Sundae. ;)

Where are you from??

Well, I love NH. I would go to Franconia Notch. And then take a tour around Strawberry Banke. If I had an extra day I would go to the Canterbury Shaker Village.

In Maine the place I have always wanted to visit is Bar Harbor/ Acadia National Park. I also absolutey love the Kennebunk/Ogunquit beaches.

I used to live in Connecticut. Mystic is very quaint as is Old Saybrook. I might do a lighthouse tour. The seashore is beautiful in Connecticut.


Massachusetts has so much, it would be hard to choose. I would definitely visit Boston, see Boston Common, Quincy Market, Fanuel Hall, the North End to get some good pastries at a bakery and maybe Back Bay for lunch. Western Mass is beautiful too, especially Stockbridge area where Norman Rockwell got his inspiration.

Enjoy!
Yeah, what she said. A day in Boston is so much fun. But don't forget NEWPORT my home. Bar harbor/Acadia is so beautiful, but quite far.
*sob* now I'm homesick

Just 15 minutes north of where I live (West Springfield) is Northampton/NOHO. Kind of a bohemian/eclectic place. If you like sushi, there are lots of little places.

hey, I live in Enfield. I'm very close to you. :) I live right on the CT/ MA border. :D

To the OP, one of our vacations this Summer is to Cape Cod. I can't wait to go. Nantucket Island, Martha's Vineyard, there's more too and it's sooo much fun.

HOLY CRAP!!!!! Color me impressed!!!!! Nobody has ever made that connection before!!! LOL My grandfather was the V.P. ;) Pres & Curt Blake were a major part of my childhood :heart: as I was raised by my grandparents.

And, thanks!!!! I could TOTALLY go for a Fribble right now!!!!! Or even a Reces Peanut Butter Cup Sundae. ;)

Where are you from??


:thumbsup: That is really neat about your grandfather!

We moved to West Springfield this past summer (love this area), but we lived in Nashua NH from 89-98, so I am very familiar with Friendlys. My DH, born in NY, spent his teen years growing up in NH. I grew up in FL (born in MI), but I love New England. Actually, I think I love the entire east coast, LOL.

Those reeces cup sundaes are really good too.

:big hug:

Wanda

No way I could I point to just a few places, but I WANNA COME!!! :lol:

I miss "home" way too much...despite our beautiful mountains! ;)

If you go to Kittery in Maine, go see Nubble Light and make sure you stop at Goldenrod Kisses. :heart: (Okay, maybe I'm just being sentimental. LOL They're probably not that great, but I have great memories of going there growing up!)

It'll be packed until after Labor Day, but I love seeing the places as a "tourist", too. :)

hey, I live in Enfield. I'm very close to you. :) I live right on the CT/ MA border. :D



Yes, you are quite close. :)

Maybe our paths will cross sometime.

:heart:

Hey Debby ~ I forgot to ask my mom about those things you asked about. I just e-mailed her, though. BUT she did say you need to get reservations SOON for the campsite(s) on the coast in Maine b/c they fill up quick until after Labor Day w/end (off season). I've e-mailed to ask her what the good/reputable (i.e not junky! LOL) ones are near the ocean.

E-mail me if you had more specific questions that I forgot. My mind is a blur right now! She told me some other things worth visiting as well, but again, forgot so she'll have to tell me again. LOL

Maine: Old Orchard Beach or Kittery (outlet stores!)

NH: Mt. Washington

MA: Boston...Boston Harbor, New England Aquarium, Red Sox baseball game, Children's Museum, Museum of History, Planetarium....

(Stacy, who was born and raised in NH and has visited every one of these places!)

I've lived in Ri my whole life ;) And Hi Lynn(EssentialMother) I know you from hs'ing ;)
I would try totay at bed -n- breakfast places!
Eat lobster, steamers, coffee milk, del's lemonade, dough boys....

RI
Roger Williams Zoo
Newport beaches, mansions(some have tours with the guides dressed in period attire), newport also has lots of festivals
Providence RiverFire.....On some Fridays and Saturdays the river is lit with bins of wood all night long, music is played, its very cool and free!
Umbrella Factory is a cool eclectic store in south kingston, not sure, but near the beaches
Block Island

CT
Mystic, mystic aquarium(alot is outside so it's great on a nice day, our favorite are the belugala whales) and the mystic shops

MA
Southwick zoo,
NE Aquarium(all indoors)
Bostom Common(another book that is true is boston'make way for ducklings')

I would check for outdoor festivals, concerts too