Ronga

We are seeking a great city in the United States to spend 2 weeks August, 2011. We are from Southeastern coast where it reachs 90 days straight of over 100 degree heat index. Traveling by car with spouse and 2 dogs. We like outdoor activities, small restuaurants, small music venues, festivals, etc. We would love opinions of fun cities within U. S. and low humidity.
We are not limited to the selected "tag" states. We are trying to avoid driving to West Coast due to driving time and gasoline from South Carolina.
Thanks,
Ronga

Dukey1

I hope not because every single ONE of those tagged states has high humidity, yes even New Hampshire. For really low humidity you might look at higher elevation upper plains areas such as Montana, Wyoming, PARTS (NOT Denver) of Colorado, etc.

starrs

I agree with Dukey re the Rocky Mountain states. Click on my screen name to see the weather forecast in Grand Teton National Park (Visitor Center in Moose, WY) last June.

starrs

Cape Cod would be a good choice too.

Ronga

Thanks Dukey1 & starrs, I knew the states have high humidity. I was hoping there will be some city tucked away that I don't know about. I guess I'm going to get ready for a long drive. I'm looking at Colorado, maybe Telluride? I like the mid-west. Never spent any time there.
Ronga

Ronga

starrs, can you get to the Cape by car? Maybe a ferry? I went once, however I flew on a puddle-jumper from Boston. I have 2 dogs and don't want to fly.
Ronga

tchoiniere

Yes, you can drive to the Cape.

tomfuller

Would you consider leaving the dogs behind and getting a USA Railpass on Amtrak? My thought was Crescent from Charlotte NC to New Orleans. From New Orleans on "City of N.O." to Memphis or all the way to Chicago. From Chicago to Boston. Boston to NYC or Washington DC and the Crescent back to Charlotte.
Rent a car at any of your stops if the public transport doesn't get you to what you want to see.
My DW and I each had a USA Railpass and took a trip from Oregon to Florida and returned by way of Albuquerque.
I have fears about how much gas is going to be by August.

starrs

Yes, Cape Cod is a peninsula - not an island.

To see a map, use google maps. Enter your city and "Brewster MA". I used Columbia as a start and a mid-point stop would be Chambersburg, PA. That would be two days of driving at about 500 miles/ 8 hours a day. That's my comfortable max.

If you want to take more time to get up there, there are plenty of places to stop on the way in VA and PA. If you haven't been to the Amish countryside around Lancaster, PA I recommend it. Anyway, it's a long drive but not a bad drive.

I love Cape Cod in summer. You can sit on the beach and soak up the sunshine - but without sweat pouring off you. The water is cold (the bayside water is warmer) but I love it. Plenty of things to do, restaurants, etc. I just randomly chose Brewster for mapping purposes. Go to vrbo.com and check for pet-friendly rentals. I've rented weekly from realty companies and those rentals are usually rented starting on Saturdays. Traffic can be HORRIBLE getting on the cape because everyone is trying to get on (and off) the cape at the same time. But, it's worth it. There are lots of ideas of things to see and do on this board. Cape Cod is wonderful in summer! (Fall is glorious. The first time I went was in March and that was WAY too cold for me )

starrs

Telluride is great. A friend moved from Atlanta to there a year or so ago. They just got more new snow. But I love that corner of Colorado. I used to drive to CO every summer on camping trips and have been back several times since. I LOVE the Rockies in the summer. If you decide to go that way, you'd have two longer days of driving but delightful weather. Telluride, other ski towns, Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park = all would be good choices.

dfrostnh

Although the temps and humidity can be variable I'm still going to vote for NH. One of the top August events is the NH League of Crafts Annual Fair at Sunapee state park (you can ride the chair lift to the top for views). This is a 10 days event of very high quality crafts.
There are different towns around the state that offer free concerts once a week. Bring a picnic supper and lawn chairs. An unusual event that gets little publicity is the annual fiddlers' picnic in Canterbury NH. Sit on the lawn to enjoy the impromptu music and share in a pot luck supper. Portsmouth usually has a variety of events. Both Portsmouth and Manchester have a good reputation for restaurants - lots of ethnic variety in Manchester. Another August event we enjoy is Old Time Farming Days at Musterfield Farm in Sutton NH. People demonstrate old time activities. I like the 4-H oxen obstacle course. DH likes the afternoon tractor parade. There's usually a Revolutionary War encampment (fife and drum music).

You can just poke around, drive some back roads, take the dogs for a run. Concord has some good restaurants and miles of hiking trails not to mention kayaking.

Ronga

tomfuller, I like your idea. It's not going to work for me. I'm one of those people...dogs are going. We went to Panama during Feb. and I missed thoses dogs terribly. I appreciate the advise.

Ronga

dfrostnh...I'm going to investigate NH. That's festival sounds right up my lane. Especially a long festival usually is filled with great musicians. I'll keep everyone posted or prgress.

Ronga

starrs: The Cape is in the running too. I've been twice for July 4th week and all you say is true. The extra driving and the fact I've done it 2 times may lead me to a new city. I also use VRBO. I had great luck with it in the past.

starrs

d's advice on NH sounds great too.

nytraveler

August in NYC and even Boston can be very hot and humid 0 we get lots of days in te 90s and some reach 100). I think th eonlyplace on the east coast that has a god chance of bering cool enough (but possibly stil humid) is Maine. And that will be coast and countryside - not a lof ot cities.

Cape Cod can be cooler than inland - but I've been there when it was 95 too.

DebitNM

Telluride is a lovely little town and it has the price tag to match. Not sure about accommodations that will allow dogs.

There are festivals every weekend [except on, known as "No Festival Festival"] often bringing large crowds.

Driving from Southeast to SW Colorado will take you through HEAT, so be prepared.

Durango is less $$ and has a bigger variety of accomodations and more reasonable restaurants than Telluride.

If you go, be sure to checkout Mesa Verde National Park. A must see/do.

We spent time in Maine last July and it was lovely. Rockland area, mid coast [also Camden area]. Nice weather and a great feel to the area.

michelleNYC

I would investigate Maine much more closely if I were you. Much cooler and some fantastic shoreline.

Ronga

Please continue with responses.
Thanks to "Frodor"(dfrostnh)NH is in the running. We can do a short stay in DC which is a good half way point up the east coast.
This upcoming week I will have it narrowed down to 5 cities. Then I'd love to get your opinions on them before deciding.
Thanks all :=)

tomfuller

The Little League World Series will be in Williamsport, PA the last week of August. If you are coming from someplace farther north it would work for a final stop before heading home.