Hello! My fiance and I are thinking about honeymooning in New England in June 2002, but are completely unfamiliar with the area. Can anyone recommend must-see/do or places to stay? Good restaurant reccomenddations are appreciated too!
Thanks!!

Heather: New England is a large area. You need to give some info, such as state(s) you're considering, interests?

For a city stay, I vote for Providence. The Biltmore is old-fashioned but the Westin has luxurious beds with lots of pillows. Providence has wonderful restaurants. See if Waterfire will be held during your visit. You can take an short day trip to Newport to see the mansions. Boston could be a day trip also. Maine would also be nice especially if summer theatre has started.

If you are looking for the most romantic and pampering Inn in New England look no further than the Rabbit Hill Inn. It's in Lower Waterford, Vermont, about 3 hours from Boston. It's in a very picturesque part of Vermont and the innkeepers are the greatest. We stay there about twice a year and it's heaven! Check out their website www.rabbithillinn.com!

I am curious what Donna means by "Maine would be nice especially if summer theater has started."

New England is definitely vast. You might want to pick up a good tour guide with photos such as "Best Loved Driving Tours of New England" to determine what's most appealing to you. June is "shoulder season" along the Maine Coast and on Cape Cod, so the crowds haven't arrived yet but the weather is getting nice. Nantucket Island is one fabulous honeymoon destination.

HI Heather,

The Equinox in Manchester, VT is a beautiful, big bucks inn. Not sure what there is to do in that area other than shop--it's a big outlet town. Also, my favorite B & B EVER is the Admiral Fitzroy in Newport, RI. Charming and funky, each room is painted with trompe l'oeil walls, the rooms have sleigh beds and down comforters, breakfast is goood. (I must preface all of this by stating it's been several years since I've been there so you may want to do a bit of research if you're interested.) June would be a nice time to be in Newport with things to do and see.

Good luck,
Ann

I'd vote for Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard. Maine, while very beautiful, really lacks a high end honeymoon caliber lodging (my scale, anyway).

Mark has obviously never been to the White Barn Inn (Kennebunkport), The Black Point Inn (Prouts Neck), The Inn by the Sea (Cape Elizabeth), and the list goes on and on.

Heather, for a small area, New England has lots of diversity- do you want the sandy beaches of southern New England, the rockbound coast of Maine, the rugged mountains and forests of New Hampshire, the bucolic countryside of Vermont? If you have a week or so, doing two different regions are doable. For a big city experience, Boston wins, no contest (unless you want to go to Montreal!).

Just got back from the Black Point Inn. Absolutely gorgeous! Had a corner room in an 8-room cottage overlooking two sides of the coast. Comfy king size bed. Fine dining. Two-mile cliff walk. And a short drive to Portland.
I'd also recommend the Mt. Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods, NH or the Wequasset Inn in Chatham, MA. Newport, RI is also super.

Actually, Jon, I have stayed at the White Barn and Captain Lord Mansion in KBport. I just don't consider them the type of places I'd want to stay for my honeymoon. You'll notice I said based on "my scale". Not everyone looks at this issue the same, certainly. One man's luxury is another man's everyday.
New England doesn't have much of (nor does it apparently desire to have) the kind of lodgings I'd consider truly special for a honeymoon. But that's based on what I find desirable. I'm a westerner and the number of 'luxury lodgings' is greater along the Pacific Coast, which skews my opinion some I'm sure.

IMO, the Mt. Washington Hotel in NH is not a great place for a honeymoon. Not that there is anything wrong with the place. The last time I was there, the place was overrun with kids! Not what you'd want for a honeymoon.

A great B&B is stone hill inn in Stowe. (stonehillinn.com) The place only has 9 rooms and they only cater to couples. (no kids at all) All rooms are about the same size, but decorated differently. There's even a 2person jaccuzzi tub and fireplace in the bathroom of each room.

My recommendations: Newport and/or Maine. In Maine, I stayed at the Five Gables Inn in East Boothbay, it was a very nice 15 room inn/b&b down a private lane overlooking a cove in East Boothbay (about 4 miles from boothbay harbor). East Boothbay has a restaurant (Lobsterman's Wharf) with bar etc., but Boothbay harbor is livlier. The rooms were nicely decorated (not too fussy), and I think they have one with a a wood burning fireplace.

Newport is also a fun location, it has lots of bars/restaurants, the mansions for sightseeing, beaches, the cliffwalk, and good scenery on the state park near Jamestown.

I've only stayed on Martha's vineyard once (in Edgartown) and was disappointed with the price and quality of accomodations compared to Newport and Maine. We spent around $170 per night for a room that was a complete dump. Friends who have traveled there have raved about B&B's and inns they've stayed in--but they also spent $250+ per night, which is too much for me.

Dear Mainer, I like summer theater for evening entertainment. Sometimes the schedules don't start until late June/early July. I know it's a honeymoon but I didn't think they would want to go to bed early EVERY night!

Hi again!
Just thinking that if you split your time up between two New England areas, you may want to consider Newport, RI and Manchester or Woodstock, VT. Sort of a contrast city/country, coast/mountains, rocky/green... Variety! If not, and Maine ends up your goal, Ogunquit is a charming town with great restaurants and a cliff walk from the "downtown" to Perkins Cove!

Donna: I wasn't questioning the honeymooners going to the theater; I'm questioning where in Maine there is good summer theater? (I don't consider Ogunquit good summer, resident, Equity theater; it's a travelling show.)

Start here in Boston, we have everything from great restaurants to theatre to romantic hotel, great museums and only a short distance to sea or mountains

hi!

if i were doing a honeymoon in NE...i'd start with a few days in boston, staying at a great hotel, like the Ritz or four seasons....both have a great location and i am a sucker for luxurious hotels. do a duck tour, go to the Gardner museum....wander the north end, there's really so much to do in boston, depends on whether your thing is history, outdoors stuff, etc. there's always the possibility of a game at Fenway, too. i had a great dinner recently at Grill 23, btw.

then i would go for a few days to Newport, great restaurants, great nightlife, beach or mansion sightseeing for days.

if you have time....maybe a few days on nantucket or the vineyard for a more secluded, laid back beach vacation. i guess i am figuring you'll take a two week trip, and 3-4 days in boston, 3-4 days in newport, and the rest on a beach somewhere.

good luck.

Mainer, I'm curious and probably inexperienced. Where would you go for good summer theater? Where would you go for good theater? Give an example of a good show. (A current one would be good just in case I have the opportunity to go and see for myself!)