Northeast Vacation Suggestions

[soocool]

So DH asked where should we go on vacation this year. Since we are probably going away either the last week of July or 1st week in August, I would rather stick to the cooler northeast locales. We have already been to Maine (Portland area), Ct (Mystic, Stonington), Rhode Island, Block Island), NH- rock mining. We were thinking upstate NY, Corning, Finger Lakes area.


DD is 17 and not sure if this would interest her. Any suggestions for a northeast vacation (outdoorsy things), but also love to visit museums, aquariums, lighthouses, galleries? Next year as a grad present, we are taking her to Aruba, so no island adventures this year.

 

[elrohwen]

The Finger Lakes is fantastic, but most of the stuff to do is outdoorsy (hiking and boating) and wine drinking. There definitely aren't aquariums and museums hanging around, and your DD is too young to drink, so it might not be the most fun place for an extended trip. I went to college in the area and DH grew up around there, so I can definitely give you some recommendations if you do decide to go there! It's one of my favorite places and I hope to live there some day.

Have you been to Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket? Both of those could be fantastic for you guys. Or Cape Cod.

eta: I love your schnauzer! I had them growing up and they're such great dogs. Yours reminds me so much of mine (with the floppy ears and scruffy look going on)

 

[soocool]

Date: 5/10/2010 3:25:02 PM
Author: elrohwen
The Finger Lakes is fantastic, but most of the stuff to do is outdoorsy (hiking and boating) and wine drinking. There definitely aren''t aquariums and museums hanging around, and your DD is too young to drink, so it might not be the most fun place for an extended trip. I went to college in the area and DH grew up around there, so I can definitely give you some recommendations if you do decide to go there! It''s one of my favorite places and I hope to live there some day.

Have you been to Martha''s Vineyard or Nantucket? Both of those could be fantastic for you guys. Or Cape Cod.

eta: I love your schnauzer! I had them growing up and they''re such great dogs. Yours reminds me so much of mine (with the floppy ears and scruffy look going on)

I have a friend who lives (has a house for over 30 years and retired there 10 years ago) on Nantucket and his recommendation is to stay away in the summer.

Martha''s Vineyard sounds interesting. Does it get very crowded in the summer?

My schnauzer is a clown. He likes to bounce balls off his head. It''s funny anytime someone sees him for the first time doesn''t think schnauzer. He was all black as a puppy, but now that he is over 3 years old has gotten more silvery.

 

[Kismet]

Northern Vermont (Burlington area) is pretty in the summer and has lots of outdoors stuff to do. I wouldn''t say it has lots of museums but the Shelburne Museum is fun... indoors/outdoors with lots of Americana. Ft. Ticonderoga isn''t that far away. Quechee Gorge is really pretty and (if you like his stuff) Simone Pearce glass is there and I believe you can watch the glass blowing. If you have passports, Montreal is a 1.5 hours drive away.

 

[Kaleigh]

Nantucket isn''t so crowded early July. It''s August that is crazy. Martha''s Vineyard gets crowded too, but it''s larger, more spread out...

 

[elrohwen]

Date: 5/10/2010 3:30:55 PM
Author: soocool
I have a friend who lives (has a house for over 30 years and retired there 10 years ago) on Nantucket and his recommendation is to stay away in the summer.

Martha''s Vineyard sounds interesting. Does it get very crowded in the summer?

My schnauzer is a clown. He likes to bounce balls off his head. It''s funny anytime someone sees him for the first time doesn''t think schnauzer. He was all black as a puppy, but now that he is over 3 years old has gotten more silvery.

Hmm, good point. I''ve only ever been in the fall (specifically to avoid summer rush), so I don''t have experience with summer crowds. Didn''t think of that! Though I have been to Cape Cod in the summer and it was fine. There were a lot of people, but I never felt like there were too many (and I hate crowds).

Most people didn''t know our dogs were schnauzers either! We didn''t keep them in the typical cut, just trimmed their hair down a bit ourselves, so they were more scruffy than what people are used to. I love the scruffy schnauzer look

My little girl was an all black puppy but ended up the same coloring of your boy. Her brother was silver all over. I miss them!

 

[stone-cold11]

Cross the border into Canada?

 

[AGBF]

Date: 5/10/2010 5:45:48 PM
Author: Stone-cold11

Cross the border into Canada?

What a great idea!!! We never travelled to Québec with our daughter...at least I don't think we did. I think Québec with the French speaking and the beautiful Gaspé Peninsula would be great, however. Quebec City

is like a lttle European City and yet, even in July and August it is cool enough there so that one does not need air conditioning. I find it completely charming. Not all the French Canadians are welcoming, however, even

if one speaks French (as my husband and I do). I would say, just go and roll with it!

AGBF

 

[AGBF]

Another thought: Maine, the Bar Harbour area. It is completely different from the Boothbay Harbor area which is where we stayed for years when we wanted to be on the water more towards the south of Maine (in

the Portland area). The Bar Harbour area has Acadia National Park, which you couldn't explore in even a two week vacation period. It is physically gorgeous and is full of shops and restaurants. You can eat a $5.00

lobster lunch in a lucheonette if you want to at noon. There are lovely places to stay (like the Blue Nose Inn) if you choose to stay there...and if your daughter gets appendicitis, the surgeons at the Mount Desert Isle

Hospital are extremely well trained! I wrote about the lemonade that one can get with popovers on Jordan Pond in another thread. It is really an idyllic spot! The Blue Nose Inn has indoor and outdoor pools. There

are whale watches off the coastof Bar Harbour. Of course if you go on whale watches, you see seals, too. And if you were in the Portland area, you already know that there are lighthouses everywhere in Maine!



AGBF

 

[Callisto]

I haven''t been to a whole lot of NE vacation spots, but I loved Baltimore when I was there, but I only spent one day there (we were mainly spending time in DC) so idk how it is for a longer time vacation spot.

 

[AGBF]

Date: 5/10/2010 6:39:10 PM
Author: Callisto

I haven''t been to a whole lot of NE vacation spots, but I loved Baltimore when I was there, but I only spent one day there (we were mainly spending time in DC) so idk how it is for a longer time vacation spot.

You''re in the wrong region, Callisto! That''s in Dixie!!!

Deb

 

[soocool]

I like the idea about going into Canada, however, DD still has a minor''s passport. I neglected to get her an adult passport, and since she is over 16 it can''t be renewed online. If I can get one in time for vacation, Canada may be a possibility. I''d like to see Niagra Falls on the Canadian side

AGBF, I absolutely love Maine and have wanted to go to Bar Harbour (Acadia), but DD wants to go somewhere else. We''ve been to Maine at least 6 times. Niagra Falls may also be a possibility.

Kismet, Burlington, VT sounds interesting. DD would love glass blowing. That is why we thought about Corning. There is a glass blowing place there where you can make your own ornament.

elrohwen: I''ll check Cape Cod out online. PS. I also like my dog shaggy. He''s such a lap dog!

Kayleigh: Unfortunately we''ll be going on vacation either the last week in July or 1st week in August. Nantucket would be a no go.

Stone-cold11: again if we can get DD a new passport in time, Canada will probably be high on our list
SL: we''ve done a fall drive up the northeast corridor in the fall when all the leaves changed color. It was gorgeous.

 

[soocool]

Date: 5/10/2010 6:39:10 PM
Author: Callisto
I haven''t been to a whole lot of NE vacation spots, but I loved Baltimore when I was there, but I only spent one day there (we were mainly spending time in DC) so idk how it is for a longer time vacation spot.

We''ve been to Baltimore. Loved the aquarium and the Science Center, but in July and August too hot.

 

[swimmer]

Soocool!

To add on to Burlington VT, the Ben&Jerry''s factory is amazing for anyone who isn''t lactose intolerant. Plus the Culinary institute has funky classes for all ages. hiking, canoeing, just a chill hippie town with great restaurants.

Cape cod has a wide variety of areas, some low rent, some pretty fabu. I don''t really go there other than to visit friends so don''t know the lay of the land, but there are experts here i''m sure and people up here are rabidly devoted to their little corner of CC, so there are tons of options there.

re MV vs Nantucket, MV is more chill, N is much more expensive, lots of see and be seen. Can you guys sail? We charter out of ME or RI most years and sail over but hang in N for a day and spend a few days mooring off of MV at different ports to do different things, beach, surf, shop, fish, people watch... Sailing up the coast is also fun, so many cute different towns. Chartering saves $$$ on hotels and we get super fresh seafood for our dinners on the water.

Montreal is amazing! Fabulous food, ecotarium, themepark, great walking city, so Euro, but not so spendy as the Euro...

The ferry to Nova Scotia is quite reasonable...some fun things to do, certainly not hot. Hockey fans in your gang?

Some great cycling in all of these places. Ditto AGBF on Bar Harbor, ME is vacationland for a reason!

hope that helps! Selkie will have more insight for some of these I know!

 

[stone-cold11]

Prince Edward Island is also a good place to go if you can go into Canada.

If in US, how about Adirondack Mountains, NY?

 

[megumic]

I suggest skipping Corning - FI is from there and let me tell you - not much to do. Finger Lakes are nice, but when you can drink the wine!

A couple suggestions:

- Cape May, NJ
- Hudson Valley, NY
- Long Beach Island, NJ

 

[lizzyann]

How about starting in Boston and hitting the museums and Boston Aquarium? Then move onto Cape Cod from there or come west to the Berkshires - Lee, Lenox area.

 

[soocool]

Date: 5/10/2010 10:48:43 PM
Author: megumic
I suggest skipping Corning - FI is from there and let me tell you - not much to do. Finger Lakes are nice, but when you can drink the wine!

A couple suggestions:

- Cape May, NJ
- Hudson Valley, NY
- Long Beach Island, NJ

I spent my summers down the Jersey shore. My parents had a house in Point Pleasant and later Lavallette. We now go to the shore after Labor Day when it is much less crowded. Plus we are only an hour from there anyway.