I'm a Brit looking at a trip up the North East in Summer 2000, complete with 2 kids (10 & 13) There's no itinery yet, so I'm looking for things to do, place to see. A bit of action, and a bit of quiet. How do I find the best deal on accomodation? Are there motels with 2 bedroom accomodation or similar? (Us old 'uns can't stand the kids snoring!) Any hints or good net links would be most welcome.

Cheers

Brendan

While I don't live in the NE, all throughout the U.S. are many motel chains such as Comfort Suites, Quality Inn Suites, Embassy Suites, Residence Inns, etc. etc. that offer accommodations suitable for families, i.e. two rooms, kitchenettes or full kitchens, etc. Depending upon your budget you can find a variety of choices out there with Comfort Suites being on the lower end and Embassy & Residence on the higher end. You can find a great deal of info by looking up their web sites or if you are a member of an auto club in Britain you might be able to get access to Auto Club guide books in the U.S. which list all sorts of accommodations & prices. The Best Western Motel chain also has "Suite" hotels in some cities. I hope you enjoy your trip!

The "suites" hotel suggestion is a good one. Please note that at the "budget" point of the price range you may also wish to check Extended Stay America and Marriot Townplace Suites (the Marriot facilities are being built as direct competition to Extended Stay's price range but are a bit more nicely appointed).

Hi Brendan,We have been to New England twice and really loved the area,we stayed mostly in B&Bs and I can give you a couple of good web site addresses if you are interested. As for getting the best deal for hotel rooms, you really can't beat the web.A case in point we are off to San Francisco in a couple of weeks and got a good deal from Best Western via their web site a whole 50$ a night cheaper than was offered when calling their reservations number in the UK!
As for where to go in New England you are spoilt for choice, we loved coastal Maine and also Cape Cod though we were there in June before it was too busy, guess you won't have that choice with school age kids. Feel free to email me if you want any further help.

Hello Brendan! Just returned from a few days in London, and really enjoyed British hospitality and friendliness, Hope we can do the same for you! Where in the northeast USA are you headed? New York and north? Or elsewhere? Give us a list of states where you can spend some time, and if you are traveling by car or train or whatever once you are here! There's alot to do, so list the states you would like to see, OK?

New York is the type of destination where there is something for everybody! I'm sure you'll enjoy a couple of days in New York City with all the exciting things to do and see. Then, get on a train or hop in a car and come up to the Adirondack Region, a beautiful area of lakes and breathtaking scenery with tons of history as well. Near the Adirondack region, there is also easy access to Vermont, Massachusetts, even to Montreal. You could also access Boston (great city!; Harvard, MIT, great aquarium!).

Check out the following site: http://iloveny.state.ny.us/

I would recommend staying in the Portsmouth NH or Portland ME area. Portsmouth is a nice walking city with history and good daytime cruises in the harbor area or out to places like Star Island. It is an easy trip south on Rt 95 to Boston but also only about 1 1/2 hours to NH lakes and mountains. You are mostly like to find a suite hotel in the larger cities but New England is so small you can reach quiet areas pretty quickly. Check out Yankee Magazine's website www.newengland.com for activities and recommended driving tours.

Try the White Mountains in New Hampshire. A great little town is Littleton NH - you might think that you are back in Britian!
Also any coastal area of Maine, just cruise the bays and harbours. I thought Bar Harbour was great, but crowded.
For the true New England experience, avoid chain hotels, stay at quaint bed and breakfasts, and old world hotels. Eat where the locals eat. In Maine, don't miss the seafood and local brews.
Bill

Brendan, packing now to come over your way! Boston is a great city for adults as well as kids. They might find it very interesting to view history from the American perspective! They have a Freedom Trail there that kids that age love to walk. A day trip from Boston gets you to Lexington and Concord and, again, a bit of American history. Also, they might like to see the old Nautilus submarine, the first nuclear one, which is tied up on the coast of Connecticut at Groton. They can climb on boards and walk through the sub. There's also an interesting museum. Very nearby is Mystic, CT, and the seaport museum. Newport, R.I., might provide your bit of quiet while still having enough to keep the kids interested.It's a popular destination in summer, so reserve well ahead. I just can't include New York City as part of New England. Have a great time--I did it with a 16 year old and we both enjoyed it alot .

Kkam; I may be wrong, but in their post Mr./Mrs. Fogarty referred to the NORTHEAST. Unless you know something I don't, that's where NYC is located...The post clearly stated a desire for both, excitement and relaxation. Gee, what was I thinking when I suggested NY!!??

I just drove from Upstate NY to Washington, D.C. following the Atlantic Coast. Fantastic trip! The fact is that the Northeast has so much to offer that you can't go wrong.

A word about B&B's in the States: it's not the same as the UK, where we have found the B&B route a thrifty alternative to hotel lodging. Yes, you'll find a warm welcome, and lots more character in any US B&B than you will in a chain motel, but in the states, "B&B" lodging is NOT a thrifty alternative. (Given your favorable exchange, this may not be a factor, but there IS a big difference in the lodging styles between the UK and US). Other than that, I vote for a couple days in NYC (SO much for the kids to see/do) and then on to some relative peace & quiet. (Boston, too, would be great for a couple days - but def, NYC first).

Hi,
I posted earlier on suggesting you look into "suite" hotels so that you can have two rooms. Despite those that advocate B&B's I honestly think if you are traveling with kids you would be much better off in a motel, i.e. the "suite" kind, and one with a pool as well (most have). Kids need some place to run about a little and a quaint B&B with antiques, etc. is not the place for that! Likewise B&B's in the U.S. can be very very pricey.

Hi Brendan from a fellow Brit who's just returned from a family holiday (with 2 teens) in the North East. If you'd like to read about our trip go to "A hand across the sea II" in this forum. Feel free to ask me any extra questions.

Yes, by all means, do check out the "hands across the sea" thread started by Hilary. It's a great report, and we thank her. But don't hesitate to ask more specific questions here once you get further along in your planning.

Re: lodging. Ask at your auto club whether you can get reciprocity with America's AAA to get the benefit of discounts on hotel rooms in the major chains. I ALWAYS get the AAA rate, which is usually a decent discount. Also, make sure you ask about family packages -- e.g., Holiday Inns often have a kids-stay-free policy (but this is usually all in the same room) and don't charge for kids' breakfast. This may have changed, but it's worth checking out. Do check out Hampton Inn Suites, Courtyard Suites, Embassy Suites on line.