tkafam

We're considering a road trip next summer thru the northeast with the kids. Our kids will be 14, 12, and 9. Any "must see" spots??

cferrb

What do you mean by the northeast? How far south are you considering going?

tchoiniere

Where would you be starting from? What type of interests? How many days? Please be more specific. Northeast is a broad range.

tkafam

The farthest south would probably be Maryland.

tkafam

We'd have a week to 10 days. Our interests are pretty broad, anything historical, sports related, wildlife, or just plain fun and/or interesting. I've not been north of Pennsylvania. I'm looking for any suggestions. Once I get those I'll research and see if the kids would enjoy. Thanks for all input!

RVtraveler

So much to see. A sampling ...

Would the kids enjoy going into an atomic sub -- there's the USS Nautilus in Groton, CT (exit 86 of I-95).

Mystic Seaport is (exit 90) a mid 1800s seaport with old sailing ships and has workshops. Nearby is a first class aquarium.

Newport, RI has early 1900s summer "cottages" (they're anything but cottages) of the wealthy of the time -- a highlight. Maybe you'd enjoy this more than the kids - but they'd be impressed.

Falls River, MA has several WW2 ships including the battleship USS Massachusetts.

Old Sturbridge, MA is a recreated old New England town.

Cape Cod, MA has great beaches - but is crowded.

About 50 miles north of New York City, along the Hudson River, there is the military academy at West Point and a bit further north is the FDRoosevelt home at Hyde Park.

tkafam

We'd be driving from St. Louis. Thanks for ideas RVTraveler! Any others??

tchoiniere

I would agree with Mystic and Old Sturbridge. Would also recommend the Berkshires. Norman Rockwell Museum, Mt Greylock then head up to Vermont.

Does your week to 10 days include driving time from St Louis? That will take up a huge chunk of time and may limit your options.

emalloy

I agree with RV traveller, about places that are good for kids. If you go to the Mystic area, I think there is some kind of package deal with the Aquarium and the Seaport. These are very different and both are excellent places for kids. You also might visit the Battleship Massachusetts in Fall River, MA. There are great beaches on the RI shore, a large state beach at Misquamicut, about 20 miles from Mystic CT.

Have you considered taking the kids to a ball game? NY, Boston, Philly, Pittsburgh, all have professional teams and Pautucket RI has a minor league team as do some other places in the northeast.

Hartford and Boston both have science museums that would have some fun things for kids. Yale in New Haven, CT and Harvard in Cambridge, MA both have Peabody museums of natural history. Just a mile off i 91 in Rocky Hill, CT is dinosaur park where a large dinosaur prints were found in the bedrock and a small park was built around them.

The Appalachain trail goes through the western part of CT and MA and then on through VT, NH, and ends in ME.

If you want lots of beach there is Cape Cod too.

Have lots of fun!

garyt22

Think about Niagara Falls and then a stop at Cooperstown for the Baseball Hall of Fame... your kids seem to be exactly the right age... then you can head east to New England or south to New York City....

sobster

Cooperstown, NY has other interesting "venues" besides the BB Hall of Fame. Farmers' Museum, Art Museum, Glimmerglass Opera, OLtsego Lake-rent a boat and take a ride on the lake. Also has a brewery the kids might llke. Eat at the Blue Mingo.

dfrostnh

Another question, approximate dates, because there might be a special event. Boston is such a different city than any other, I would include that. Agree great science museum, kids would probably enjoy laser show (we should have worn ear plugs), have a dim sum meal in Chinatown, eat in North End, Duck Tour. And since you are coming from mid-west, you need some ocean time whether it be Mystic area or Cape Cod or any good beach place plus a good boat ride.

It would be great if you could choose something special for each child. When we went to Mammoth Caves in KY for example, we included a tour of the Corvette assembly plant for DS. DS and DH also love class car museums. There's a good one in PA in Amish country. If you visit a historic area, you might check ahead to see if there is a reinactment or other special event going on. Sturbridge is great any time of the year but other places have more activity during a special event. We attend a farm museum in August when it features antique tractors.

gail

Start over in your thinking. You have 7-10 days, including a drive from St. Louis? It is 19 hours non-stop drive from St. Louis to Boston. That is, with kids, most of 2 days each way - leaving you 4-6 days to see anything. You could not even drive thru much of the northeast without stopping to eat or sleep in that amount of time. You need to greatly narrow down this idea.

How about drive to New York State and see Niagara Falls and Baseball Hall of Fame. Then head east towards Boston, spending a few days there. Return home along a different route, perhaps thru Connecticut, Philadelphia and then straight home.

Wishing you a good trip and many more with your kids - think quality rather than quantity - kids that age surely do not want to drive by 10 interesting things, stopping nowhere.

Vttraveler

With only a week to 10 days you will obviously have to pick and choose.
Some other places that you could consider depending on what area(s) you decide to visit
Plimouth plantation
Minuteman Historic Park (Lexington and Concord)
Fort Ticonderoga
Shelburne Museum (VT, south of Burlington)
Hancock Shaker Village (Berkshires)

tkafam

Thanks so much for all of the great ideas! I'll take these and start researching which the kids would enjoy the most. We will probably have 2 weeks travel time so the 7-10 days is for visiting, not traveling to get there. We did a trip like this out west a few years ago and realize that we won't be able to see everything. We'll just have to save some for the next trip =)

tchoiniere

That sounds better then. I would head towards Niagara Falls then to Cooperstown (hitting the Hall of Fame). There is also a great Car Museum near there. Then head to the Berkshires and go Hancock Shaker Village and Mount Greylock. Then continue to Boston for a couple of days. leave there and head to Newport, RI and then Mystic. Head back thru CT and if time remains, stop in NYC or just continue home.

RVtraveler

You've been overwhelmed with excellent suggestions. A couple of more thoughts:

I assume you're not planning to see New York City. You can give it wide berth by crossing the Hudson at Newburg, NY. Then continue on I-84 and other h'ways to Middletown, CT and go south on Rt 9 to the CT coast, if you're planning to hit that area. This is also the way to head to Mass and avoid Hartford.

If you're in the Scranton, PA area consider visiting the Lackawanna Coal Mine tour. We have NOT been there, but it might interest the kids. Other mine tours we've taken have been worthwhile.

If your family enjoys hiking and you are in the New Paltz, NY area you'd probably enjoy hiking at Lake Minnewaska State Park - a beauty spot with fairly level trails, near Rt 209. Watkins Glen also is great hiking with a bit more rugged paths.

Kwoo

I recommend Boston and Cape Cod. This way you get to see a wonderful city, the largest city in New England, filled with history, museums, shopping, restaurants, etc. Then combine it with a beach vacation to the Cape - go to the National Seashore. I think this would be ideal since you are coming from a landlocked state. For the kids, there is the beautiful beaches, Provincetown, biking & hiking trails, miniature golf, whale watches, etc. You could take the ferry to Martha's Vineyard and/or Nantucket. I would not recommend trying to see all of New England. You just don't have the time and would spend most of your vacation driving. Limit your vacation to two areas.
Hope this helps.