Help planning route from Cape Cod to Ohio!

Old Mar 28th, 2011, 04:43 AM
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Help planning route from Cape Cod to Ohio!

Hello everyone,

We are a couple in our late 20's from Northern ireland. This June/July we are travelling from New York to Cape Cod then on to Ohio to see family (23 days total) in our hire car.

I think we have our first leg of the trip covered- but need help planning travel route from Cape Cod on to Ohio at the start of July. We are keen to skirt New Hampshire and Vermont if possible and would like to see some covered bridges etc. I had hoped to take in Salem on route to New Hampshire- but may this be too out of the way?

We will likely stop over in either NewHampshire or Vermont for one night- any suggestions for either place ( small budget!) ???

Also should we then continue on into New York state and maybe follow the lakes (erie is it?) on into top of ohio? .......or should we cut down into Pennsylvania then into Ohio?

Our destination is New Philadelphia in Ohio. We would like to see as much nice scenery on our route so any suggestions or particular places to see- and which route may be best would be much apprweciated!!! Thanks, Sarah.
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Old Mar 28th, 2011, 05:27 AM
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If you want to see covered bridges, there are plenty in Pennsylvania -

http://pacoveredbridges.com/

http://pittsburgh.about.com/cs/penns...ed_bridges.htm

The Lancaster area would be a perfect place for a stop over one night -
http://www.800padutch.com/covbrdg.shtml

http://www.800padutch.com/mem-acc.shtml
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Old Mar 28th, 2011, 06:20 AM
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If you decide to come in from the north you will enjoy Cedar Point in Sandusky Oh http://www.cedarpoint.com/ before heading south to New Philly around a 3hr drive. We also have the islands, Put-in-Bay, and Kelly's that can be reached by the Goodtime 1 out of Sandusky http://www.goodtimeboat.com/ They offer a one day cruise that gives you both islands for a few hours each. You would take the boat to the island and then rent a golf cart to tour the island....it is a lot of fun!
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Old Mar 28th, 2011, 06:33 AM
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You can try Mapquest for a good route. If it were me, I would go through I-80 across PA, to I-76 in Akron and down I-77. If you do this, you are going right by the largest concentraion of Amish population in Holmes County, Ohio off I-77 near Sugar Creek/Dover. It is practically in New Philadelphia's back yard, so you might want to visit this with your relatives.

Here is a listing of covered bridges in Ohio, scroll down and you will see several in Amish country - Holmes County.

http://www.dalejtravis.com/cblist/cboh.htm
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Old Mar 28th, 2011, 07:31 AM
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If you want to skirt New Hampshire and Vermont, the southwest corner of the state (known as the Monadnock region) would not be out of your way and has a tour of covered bridges. Here's a link:

http://www.southwestnh.com/outdoors/bridges.html

From Monadnock, you could drive across southern Vermont (pretty drive across Green Mountain National Forest) to Albany, NY. From Albany, you can either take Interstate 90 across NY and check out Niagara Falls (north of Buffalo) or you could take Interstates 88 and 86 (similar to Interstate 80 across PA) but crosses Lake Chatauqua in the west.

Both routes will bring you to Interstate 90 in Pennsylvania heading towards OH-IO. From there is is Interstate 271 to Interstate 77 straight to New Philly.

Sites along the way:

---There is the Finger Lakes region in NY. I am a particular fan of Watkins Glens Gorge http://nyfalls.com/watkinsglensp.html

---Lake Chatauqua is beautiful to drive past (have never stayed in the area)

---If you want a nice view of one of the Great Lakes, check out Presque Isle in Erie, PA (it won't take you far off your path), is a small peninsula jutting out into Lake Erie. Just the short drive around the park is nice. http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/statepar...esqueisle.aspx

---If you like bike riding, the towpath trail in the Cuyahoga National Park is fabulous (you skirt it in Ohio...check out the map) http://www.nps.gov/cuva/ohio-and-eri...path-trail.htm

---As others mentioned, I also like the idea of Amish country with your family in Ohio

Have fun!
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Old Mar 28th, 2011, 09:25 AM
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After leaving New Hampshire/Vermont make a stop in Corning New York to see the Corning Museum of Glass http://www.cmog.org/
From there You can travel down US 15 through Williamsport PA and find the covered bridges.
You could get to New Philadelphia by way of US 22 (parts Interstate highway) through Ebensburg and Pittsburgh all the way to Cadiz Ohio. It looks like a nice highway past Tappan Lake to get to New Philadelphia.
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Old Mar 31st, 2011, 12:31 AM
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WOW! thanks sooo much everyone for your help!!!

I like the sound of everyones ideas- but perhaps RLfox184 idea- mainly because we have been to ohio many, many times to visit family (but have always flown into Pittsburgh then been picked up by them) and have been to Cedar Point and seen Sugar Creek regularly- which i love to do

we are very keen to try and see New Hampshire and Vermount and maybe stick with the covered bridges there- i had a look at that Monadnock area and it looks lovely- where would you recommend staying? the sites you mentioned along the way sounds great- should we try to stay at one of them?

Is Niagra Falls a little too out of the way? its soo hard for me to judge but just so you have an idea of time scale- we will leave cape cod on 30th June- aim to drive for maximum 4-6hrs- and i am hoping that this will get us into southern New Hampshire/ Vermount???? is this realistic? If so, we will then tour around for a few hours and hopefully see some bridges(if we havent seen any on route before this) then stay then night somewhere reasonably priced- suggestions VERY welcome!

Then we plan to leave early the next day to be in New Philadelphia evening time- is this realistic?? If so- would going as far north as niagra add too much time? Should we try and head from Vermount into New York and south in Pennsylvannia then west into Ohio?

Many, thanks again, i cant tell you how helpful this is. Sarah
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Old Mar 31st, 2011, 03:21 AM
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How long it will take depends on where you are starting from on the Cape and on the time of day you would be going. If you are in the Hyannis area, and go to southern NH, it should take about 3 hours or so.

You will want to go on 6 W or 6A W so you can access rt. 25 to 495 then to 190, then 2 and depending on where you want to start, probably 140 or 91 north. Do check locally to see if there is construction on either of the bridges getting off the Cape. You can parallel the canal on either side (6 or 6A) to get to 25, just don't go up to 95 or 93 towards Boston.
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Old Mar 31st, 2011, 03:43 AM
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Sazcc,

Monadnock is a very pretty area and I am sure you will enjoy it. 4-6 hours from Cape Cod will certainly get you to the area (depending on where on the Cape you start). There are two B&Bs in Swanzey (Bridges Inn or Tartan Fox) that will take good care of you and are only five minutes from Keene which has a good selection of dining and shopping options. You could also find a chain hotel in Keene or Brattleboro, VT.

That said, I didn't realize your plan was to drive all the way from NH/VT to New Philly in one day (I figued you had at least two days to make the trip). That's a loooong day...trust me, I live in Monadnock and drive to Cleveland several times a year. I do 70 on the highways, don't stop for any real breaks, have seen many of the things to sights, and it takes me 10:30 to do the drive. New Philly is probably another hour past my destination.

I am not telling you not to do it, but an extra day to get to New Philly seems preferable to me. Take the 86 and 88 route, stay overnight in the Corning, NY area, then hit Presque Isle in Erie on your way to Ohio the next day. Or something like that. Just my two cents.
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Old Mar 31st, 2011, 05:59 AM
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thanks again for your relpies- you guys are so quick!

Just so you know- we will be staying in Dennis which is mid- Cape i believe- i dont think it is too far from Hyannis so thats good to know we should touch NH after around 3-ish hours (traffic providing!)

RLfox184 - i had not realised that it was such a loooong drive from NH to New Philly!! YIKES!!

Do you think it would be perhaps a better idea to try to make up some more hours on the first day- which may well take us on past Vermount into New York state- but at leaset we could drive through the Monadnock area on route and make occasional pleasure stops say over a 6-7hr period? Than maybe stay the night in New York state somewhere- any suggestions? Would this cut the time the following day down any?

Problem is, we kind of have to be in New Philly for 1st July- it doesnt really matter what time, i had optimistically hoped for evening time, but as we are just staying at my aunts we could arrive later (any time really). Thanks again
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Old Mar 31st, 2011, 06:28 AM
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With the route I outlined above, the route from Corning NY through Ebensburg and Pittsburgh PA to New Philadelphia takes 7 hours. If you can see the CMOG first thing in the morning and be on your way by 11:00 AM, you might have time to see a covered bridge in PA.
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Old Apr 1st, 2011, 06:54 AM
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Thanks tomfuller- would you suggest a stop overnight then in New York or pennsylvania?

I think we have driven past Tappan lake before- when we were picked up from Pittsburgh and i remember it being gorgeous- LOADS of lilly pads all over the lake! Thats an idea!
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Old Apr 1st, 2011, 07:59 AM
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Stay in the Corning-Horsheads area. There are not many good places along US 15 until you get to Williamsport, PA.
If it works better for your schedule, you could stay at the motel at the intersection of US 6 and US 15 at Mansfield, PA.
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Old Apr 4th, 2011, 03:28 AM
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Ahh its soo tough for me to know where you are talking about! I definatley have to get a goog road map! I have seen on other threads people recommending Delorme Atlas and Gazettes? Would people recommend that i get this type of map or is there a better alternative? Also would people recommend getting a detailed map of each state we plan to drive through, or just a general map which includes them all? Many thanks again.
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Old Apr 4th, 2011, 06:35 AM
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If you've got a good printer to print out the maps:
Use mapquest: http://www.mapquest.com/routeplanner...S|b|4143294056

If you don't like a part of the route, you can drag the line to another spot/highway.
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Old Apr 6th, 2011, 06:03 AM
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Tomfuller- is that link that you posted just a general link to mapquest or was that a route you had looked at? Its just its only opening as mapquest in general. Its a great tool, ive had a good look at a few routes and am thinking this->

Driving from Dennis, MA to southern New Hampshire and on into southern Vermont and hopefully see a covered bridge and the Green Mountains just on route (not make an actual stop as such)It seems this weill be roughly 4-5hours? (can anyone tell me where the Kangamangus highyway is in NH?)

I was thinking then driving on into NY state (as mapquest is suggesting)and keep to the top of the state, skirting Lake Erie, Buffalo and MAYBE Niagra Falls (not bother with PA route).....now my questions are- do you think it would be realistic to leave Dennis, MA early in the morning for the route suggested above and be in Niagra Falls for the evening to stay the night there?

Or would you suggest staying the night in southern Vermont/ NY state area and going by Niagra Falls on way to Ohio next day?

Or....forgo Niagra Falls and simply keep following interstates along Lake Erie and come in from top of Ohio? Many thanks again.
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Old Apr 6th, 2011, 06:03 AM
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Tomfuller- is that link that you posted just a general link to mapquest or was that a route you had looked at? Its just its only opening as mapquest in general. Its a great tool, ive had a good look at a few routes and am thinking this->

Driving from Dennis, MA to southern New Hampshire and on into southern Vermont and hopefully see a covered bridge and the Green Mountains just on route (not make an actual stop as such)It seems this weill be roughly 4-5hours? (can anyone tell me where the Kangamangus highyway is in NH?)

I was thinking then driving on into NY state (as mapquest is suggesting)and keep to the top of the state, skirting Lake Erie, Buffalo and MAYBE Niagra Falls (not bother with PA route).....now my questions are- do you think it would be realistic to leave Dennis, MA early in the morning for the route suggested above and be in Niagra Falls for the evening to stay the night there?

Or would you suggest staying the night in southern Vermont/ NY state area and going by Niagra Falls on way to Ohio next day?

Or....forgo Niagra Falls and simply keep following interstates along Lake Erie and come in from top of Ohio? Many thanks again.
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Old Apr 6th, 2011, 06:12 AM
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Oh dear- apologies for repeat my computer lead me to believe there was an error and it didnt post first time!!!
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Old Apr 6th, 2011, 06:45 AM
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Dropping Central PA and adding Niagara Falls-Mapquest:
Manchester NH to Corning NY --7 hours
Corning to Niagara Falls NY --3 hours
Niagara Falls to Cleveland, OH- 4 hours
Cleveland to New Philadelphia- 1.5 hours
Don't know how much time you want to spend at Niagara Falls.
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Old Apr 6th, 2011, 07:09 AM
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We most likely would just sort of stop by Niagra falls and maybe Niagra-on-the-lake for the night- so a few hours. Then travel on to New Philadelphia, OH the next day and plan to be at my aunts hosue for evening time. So in actual fact would maybe have time to see Niagra falls (all lit up) the night before and stay over around that area? Then get up early the next day- see the falls a little more maybe do Maid of the Mist then see Nairga-on-the-lake before heading on our 5 hours drive to Ohio?

My main problem is- is the 10hours the first day going to be unrealistic?
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