Help me plan MA/RI trip?
 

Hi, all.

I'm thinking of maybe a 10 day trip in August. Can I get thoughts on the order and ease of:

Providence (2 nights)
Newport (2 nights) - maybe traveling from Providence?
Boston (4 nights)
Provincetown (1-2 nights)

Is this too much traveling? Too little time in certain places? Maybe I could stay in Providence but transit to Newport to reduce moving around?

These places are quite close together, so if you plan travel at any time other than rush hour, you won't have more than an hour between sites.

Going to Newport as day trip from Providence once is OK, but if you want more time there, the commute will be a pain. Summer hotel rates are crazy in Newport, so if you can go there on weekday and do Providence on the weekend, you will save a lot of money and have fewer crowds.

It does seem like a lot of traveling in a short period of time, so I would skip Providence which is a nice small city but there's not as much to do and see as in Boston,. Or just stop in Providence on your way somewhere else.

When in August? You might want to steer clear of move-in times at local colleges or Jazz Festival in Newport and events like that.

Maybe like August 5 through 15 or something like that. I think I will try to use Providence as a base, as Newport is crazy expensive. Provincetown is interesting in the high season - high rates, many with several day stay requirements, etc.

I think that the first you may do it is to plan! it is the key of a success when you travel. I have been only in Boston, and I think that 4 days it is OK depending what you want to see.
there is cheap bus companies, or planes that you may find cheap.
I have some tips in my blog about planning a trip if you want to take a look ;)

http://tramp-world.blogspot.co.nz/

Bump

What is your actual budget for hotels? Yes, summer resort areas like Newport and Provincetown are expensive in the summer ;) But you may be able to patch it together.

I don't think it will be much fun to spend your vacation commuting, The distances aren't large on paper, but you definitely don't want to stay in one of these places to visit any of the others --unless it's a single day trip.

Think about what you really want to do and see. Beaches? Art museums? Biking? Hiking? No sense staying in a city if you want to do things that are really in rural or suburban ares where hotels can be plentiful and cheaper.

Newport is the area I'm most familiar with. You can look for hotels in Middletown which is just a couple miles north. Lots of chain hotels, not exciting and still not cheap, but can be done for $200 per night or less on weekdays.

Hope this helps.

I would say 100-150 per night which seems doable for most of the places I have listed, especially if I involve priceline. I think Providence/Boston/P'town all sounds doable, but maybe I need to go back to the drawing board to think more about Newport and how to visit the mansions without any transport.

I love my chain hotels and Marriott points!

I am a big art museum/culture person, and I would like a dash of P'town for the beaches and the gay scene.

There are regular frequent buses from Providence to Newport all year round by RIPTA, about one hour each way. In season there may also be a ferry. I couldn't find that info on RIPTA's site, but here's info from a previous year
http://gonewengland.about.com/od/tra...wportferry.htm

Newport has a trolley system starting from the bus station/visitor center so you can get around without a car, The mansions are not very far apart but the wharf shopping and eating areas on Thames Street are a bit far from them. To get to Fort Adama is a nice drive by car and really much easier, but you can alse rent a bike or take a water taxi from the lower part of Thames street
I'm repeating myself,I'm sure. It's fine to do one day of this, but it will be much less appealing if you do it 2 days in a row. Newport can be one long day or fill several-it's up to you.

Art museums--obviously in Boston and the RISD museum in Provdince. The Lexington and Concord area outside of Boston for Minute Man national park, authors' historic sites(Alcott, Emerson, Thoreau -- Walden Pond) DeCordova modern art and scultpure museum near there too.

Just got back from RI. We stayed at the Residence Inn in Middletown. It's one town away from Newport and the price was right. They offer a shuttle for $3 each way to/from Newport so you don't have to fight to find parking and pay crazy amounts.

Take the fast ferry from Boston to PTown.

Thanks all I think it is starting to sound more doable!

What about something like the following:

Thursday 8/8 - arrive around noon in Boston Logan, train to Providence
Thursday 8/9-early Monday 8/12 - Providence/Newport commuting (received a great rate at a Providence hotel)
Monday 8/12 - Thursday 8/15 - Boston
Thursday 8/15 - Saturday 8/17 - Provincetown
Depart Boston Logan 4:45 pm Saturday 8/17

Have you checked availability and prices for Boston & Provincetown hotels yet? Provincetown prices are higher on weekends and you may not be able to get something for a Friday night without also booking Saturday. Were you planning on taking the ferry or driving?
Boston hotels are usually cheaper weekends than weekdays, so maybe you could swap P-town and Boston dates. Personally, I'd want to be in Boston the night before a flight rather than risk any delays getting there on a busy summer Saturday.

I am booking/asking about P'Town now. I think one place is willing to be more flexible. But, perhaps swapping would make the most sense. I was hoping to priceline Boston.

Were you planning on any driving, or all public transportation?
Priceline should work fine for weekdays, but think of how cheap weekends on Priceline could be :) And sites like Travelzoo often have city hotels at such good weekend rates that you can take the guesswork out while still saving a lot.

No driving, yes to all public transport (train, T, ferry, etc.) Yes, I like your weekend rates/Boston approach especially for the Logan departure. I will keep looking for Travelzoo and Jetsetter/SinqueAway, yet I think it may be a bit far out for those ...

Hmm. Without a car, Newport to Provincetown is a problem (if you were just going to switch those 2 legs of the trip)

Reverse the whole trip but come back to Boston a day earlier?

Not sure if it was mentioned,but what about flying IN to Providence and OUT of Boston?

Thought about that but much more expensive. I can train easily from providence to Boston and then fast ferry to p town I think.