Need help with east coast visit
Jul 11th, 2011, 03:13 PM
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Need help with east coast visit
We will be visiting family who live 20 miles south of Providence,RI. We would like to take a two or three day round trip driving tour from their house. What are some scenic or interesting sites you would recommend?l
Jul 11th, 2011, 03:34 PM
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You could drive east to Cape Cod, spend a couple days visitng the National Seashore.
If you like historic museums (mostly of the outdoor walk-around type): Mystic Seaport, Plimouth Plantation, Old Sturbridge Village, Mashantucket Pequot Museum are all gems.
Newport RI has the great american mansions and the cliff walk.
Or west to, say, the Hudson River Valley: Culinary Institute of America, FDR's home, and maybe up to the Berkeshires.
What time of year are we talking about?
Or
If you like historic museums (mostly of the outdoor walk-around type): Mystic Seaport, Plimouth Plantation, Old Sturbridge Village, Mashantucket Pequot Museum are all gems.
Newport RI has the great american mansions and the cliff walk.
Or west to, say, the Hudson River Valley: Culinary Institute of America, FDR's home, and maybe up to the Berkeshires.
What time of year are we talking about?
Or
Jul 12th, 2011, 01:59 AM
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Second the Mashantucket Pequot Museum. It's very well done and fascinating.
You can also be in NH's White Mountains in about 3 hours from Providence. What kind of activities do you enjoy? If you aren't from a coastal area, I would highly recommend a short boat trip. Portsmouth NH has some great choices, i.e. harbor cruise but I'm sure there are options closer to RI. (I think Portsmouth NH is about 2 hours from Providence)
You can also be in NH's White Mountains in about 3 hours from Providence. What kind of activities do you enjoy? If you aren't from a coastal area, I would highly recommend a short boat trip. Portsmouth NH has some great choices, i.e. harbor cruise but I'm sure there are options closer to RI. (I think Portsmouth NH is about 2 hours from Providence)
Jul 12th, 2011, 02:57 AM
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From Providence: HappyTrvlr's suggestions above plus Block Island, Tiverton and Sakonnet, RI (very rural vineyard area just across the river from Newport but a world away).
Northwestern Connecticut and the adjacent Berkshires of Massachusetts would be perfect: historic houses, art museums (the Clark in Williamstown, MASS MOCA (modern) in North Adams, Norman Rockwell in Great Barrington, waterfalls to walk to, car racing at Lyme Rock,CT, the Shaker Museum at Hancock, MA, the famous White Flower Farm nursery in CT. Lots of good places to eat.
Northwestern Connecticut and the adjacent Berkshires of Massachusetts would be perfect: historic houses, art museums (the Clark in Williamstown, MASS MOCA (modern) in North Adams, Norman Rockwell in Great Barrington, waterfalls to walk to, car racing at Lyme Rock,CT, the Shaker Museum at Hancock, MA, the famous White Flower Farm nursery in CT. Lots of good places to eat.
Jul 12th, 2011, 03:07 AM
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You said two to three DAY round trip. The suggestions above are for two to three HOURS away from RI. While they are decent suggestions, if you really are talking about being gone for a couple of overnights then I suggest you think about northern New England, especially the coast of Maine. That is the 'classic' New England Coastline. To get some mountains also you could drive up the coast of Maine, then over to the White Mountains and then south through either New Hamp or Vermont. The Berkshires and the Hills of Conn, plus the Mystic Seaport area are lovely but northern New England is more dramatic and with three days you could easily do that.
Have you been to Boston? If you didn't want to do a lot of driving you could spend the entire time there, or add in short side trips to Salem, Gloucester and Rockport (which are on Cape Ann, aka the 'North Shore'). Although Boston is an easy day trip from anywhere in RI so probably not worth the overnights.
Have you been to Boston? If you didn't want to do a lot of driving you could spend the entire time there, or add in short side trips to Salem, Gloucester and Rockport (which are on Cape Ann, aka the 'North Shore'). Although Boston is an easy day trip from anywhere in RI so probably not worth the overnights.
Jul 12th, 2011, 05:10 AM
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Hi Bob! I remember your posts on the Hawaii forums when I was planning my Kauai trip. Let me extend an early "Welcome" to my side of the country!
Like CA, the east coast has LOTS of different types of landscape. Do you have a particular interest? Lots of good ideas posted already. Favorites for me are Newport (the mansions are really interesting, but my favorite part of the mansions is seeing them from the cliff walk!) Hop the ferry over to Block Island, RI. The Maine coast is breathtaking, yet different than Monterrey (one of my favorite places on earth, btw. Is that where you are from?) Last summer we spent a few days in and around Rockport, MA. Loved walking to town for breakfast & walking the rocky coast at Halibut Point State Park. Just spent a spectacular weekend in Vermont, kayaking with beavers. Mystic, CT has an awesome aquarium, as well as the seaport. But CT & RI are mostly on Long Island Sound so the coastline is not as impressive. I guess it's all about what type of adventures you are looking for. Nature? Arts? Touristy stuff? City life? It's all available in New England!
Like CA, the east coast has LOTS of different types of landscape. Do you have a particular interest? Lots of good ideas posted already. Favorites for me are Newport (the mansions are really interesting, but my favorite part of the mansions is seeing them from the cliff walk!) Hop the ferry over to Block Island, RI. The Maine coast is breathtaking, yet different than Monterrey (one of my favorite places on earth, btw. Is that where you are from?) Last summer we spent a few days in and around Rockport, MA. Loved walking to town for breakfast & walking the rocky coast at Halibut Point State Park. Just spent a spectacular weekend in Vermont, kayaking with beavers. Mystic, CT has an awesome aquarium, as well as the seaport. But CT & RI are mostly on Long Island Sound so the coastline is not as impressive. I guess it's all about what type of adventures you are looking for. Nature? Arts? Touristy stuff? City life? It's all available in New England!
