FAYZIE

I am trying to plan an entertaining, but not overwhelming, vacation for myself and 2 daughters (15 and 10 years old). Hope to leave NY metro area for somewhere in the northeast - MA, ME, VT. Looking for outdoor adventures, amusement parks, shopping and accomodations with a pool. Probably going to go in May - but flexible.
Thanks!

zootsi

Well, May is bug season in northern New England (Maine,NH,VT), and it's really much too early for a beach vacation. This area is not big on amusement parks or shopping either. Although the White Mountains of New Hampshire offer some very nice 'kiddie' type parks (Santa's Vilage, Storyland,etc), and some rides and amusements at Wier's Beach. If you are willing to go later in the season, these states offer unlimited outdoor activites such as swimming, hiking, biking, kayaking, etc. The Maine coast has great (but cool) beaches, water parks, mini golf, scenic towns and some shopping, but you would need to go after June to enjoy the beaches. Check out Ogunquit and Kennebunkport - lots of big motels with pools.

bennnie

The biggest amusement park in New England is Six Flags in Agawam, MA. Not sure what else is nearby. Canobie Lake Park is in Salem NH but while I like because it is convenient to home I wouldn't build a vacation around it. Maybe Lake George in upstate is better but I haven't been there. Make sure you look for a place with an indoor pool as May can be too cool for an outdoor pool unless its heated.

If you can forgo the amusement park, consider the Nordic Village in Jackson NH or Mt. Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods, NH or Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe VT. All will offer outdoor adventures, a little shopping etc. Nordic Village and Mt. Washington definately have an indoor pool. Can't recall if Trapp Family does. Also in Stowe is the Golden Eagle Resort which is more motel than resort but does have an indoor pool. All of the above have outdoor pools too.

alvarki

How about Bar Harbor, Maine? Acadia National Park is right there (they have biking, hiking, etc.) Boat tours, shopping in the adorable quaint little town, and the Bar Harbor Inn has a nice pool too! We also had some of the best pizza we've ever had at Getty's!

bm

Would you consider Montreal? La Ronde is a great amusment park and the city is awesome.

FAYZIE

Thank you for all the replies. You all told me details I had not taken into consideration. Bar Harbour sounds nice. Do you know how far a drvie that would be from Westchester County, NY?

alvarki

I'm not sure how far Bar Harbor is from NY...I flew into Boston and it was a 5 hour drive up the coast from there. (I'm from Minnesota)

zootsi

Bar Harbor is incredibly beautiful BUT it's too cold for swimming, there are no amusements or much shopping around, and it's a very, very long drive from New York (I'm guessing 7-8 hours?). The southern Maine coast has wide sandy beaches, mini golf, lighthouses, some shopping, etc, and it's at least 2 hours closer.

FAYZIE

Thank you again. Zootsi, is there a particular town you would reccomend?

zootsi

In a nutshell:
Kittery - Miles of factory outlet stores.
York Beach - Nice beaches, small old fashion arcade type beach town.
Ogunquit - amazing beaches, crowded, charming.
Wells - very nice beaches, no charming town, less expensive than Ogunquit.
Kennebunkport - very nice beaches, somewhat crowded and cutesy downtown. Quickly gets scenic and rural outside of town.
The whole US route 1 strech of highway that connects these towns is lined with motels, restaurants, mini golf, etc,etc.

clarkgriswold

Take a look at the Inn By the Sea in Cape Elizabeth, maine. Short day trips to outlet shopping/LL Bean in Freeport.........Old Orchard Beach Amusement Park......Camden, Boothbay or Kennebunkport. If you're driving from NY, you could even stop at Six Flags over New England on the way to Maine

shaz60

Fayzie-

Just a point to keep in mind. Many amusements parks and other type places are not open during the week (if at all) until after Memorial Day and in the case of some (Storyland for instance) until after Father's Day. Definitely get a hotel with an indoor pool. Everything else would be too cold. Also hiking in the woods should be avoided in May because of the tiny little bugs that will drive you insane. How about the Berkshires, Burlington VT, you could take the ferry over to NY, or Newburyport MA? It's a short ride from Newburyport to the Hampton/Salisbury Beach area which has at least a couple of arcades open year round and while it is far from deluxe is fun for kids.

ediegirl

I have two suggestions, one is not in New England, but is a really fun family vacation, where you can do a million things each day or nothing at all, with an indoor pool and an assortment of lodgings...plus golf, and it's probably less than two hours from westchester...Woodloch Pines Resort in the Poconos.

the other IS in NE, Smugglers Notch in VT...the only thing both lack is an amusement park, but there's so much to do that unless you're really just dying for rides, you won't miss that.

Gene

If you can live without the amusement park then Cape Cod might suit you.

Outdoor Adventures - to name a few!
Whale Watches
Provincetown Dune Tours
Wellfleet Wildlife Sanctuary
Cape Cod Rail Trail - Biking
National Seashore Beaches - exploring

Shopping
Christmas Tree shops; Black Dog shops
Unique stores: Ptown, Chatham, Hyannis
3 Malls: Hyannis, Falmouth, Mashpee

Inns, Motels, Resorts:
They are everywhere in all 15 towns on CC. Most have outdoor pools and many have indoor pools.

FAYZIE

Wow! Thank you all for so many ideas. Now all I have to do is make a decision!

suzannek

Have you considered Montreal? You really should. Its just about a 6-8 hour drive from NY; its a great place to visit, shop, wander, eat and has a wonderful theme park called La Ronde, (part of Six Flags). It opens sometime in May; weekends only, I think, but check the Six Flags web site. If you get a season pass at La Ronde, you can use it at any 6 flags in the US as well, and the cost in canadian doollars is great. Also hotels, and everything else are considerably cheaper. Stop in Vermont (Top Notch in Stowe is a wonderful resort and first class spa, with tennis, hiking, horseback riding) on the way for a couple of days, then another 2.5 hours to Montreal.

BAK

Aren't these children in school in May?

And how do you plan to get around?

Anyway, go to Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal (Niagara Falls as part ofo the Toronto visit). Lots of intersting things for both girls, a foreign country, a different language in Montreal (you'll survive just fine speaking English, though)

BAK

PortiaLucy

If you really want to do an amusement park, why don't you fit that in while you're in and around NY? Then you'll be free to go wherever you like to experience New England or elsewhere on the East Coast. Since you're going to be based in Westchester, you could check out Rye Playland, a sort of old-time amusement park (it usually opens sometime in May). If you want more of a Six Flags experience, make a day trip to Great Adventure (in NJ); the bonus there is the drive-through safari, which is a hoot (imagine baboons climbing on your car). They have a water park, too, but it probably won't open until summer. Dorney Park, in PA, is another option. Then you'd be free to go north (your kids might like Mystic Seaport on the way to Cape Cod). We love Mount Desert Island, but May will be too cool to swim. It's at least an 8-hour drive from Westchester. Alternatively, head south from NY. After Great Adventure, you could do the aquarium in Baltimore and then D.C. or head via Philadelphia out into the beautiful countryside: anywhere from west of Philly (Lancaster County mixes Pennsylvania Dutch with plenty of outlet shopping) on down to the Shenandoah. Don't get me wrong: Maine and Montreal are both terrific (if you go to Montreal, the botanical garden is great), but both mean a lot of driving from Westchester. Good luck.