Maine, Vermont or New hampshire?
 

My family and I are visiting Boston for the first time next July. I've read in this forum that Boston can be known in two days.We'll be travelling for about 15 days. What other places are interesting to visit near Boston? We'll rent a car. Is there beautiful places to visit in the states quoted above? We love visiting big cities and also country sides.Any information will be very wellcome! THANKS!

With 15 days, you'll have time to see a lot of New England. Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont are all very beautiful, but they each have their own personality.
Maine - The seacoast! From York to Kennebunk are where most of the sandy beaches are, interspersed with rocky coves, and lighthouses. As you head north, it becomes more rocky, with colder water (and less crowds). Inland Maine is quite rural, with lots of small lakes and hunting and fishing camps. Portland is a great city.

New Hampshire - The White Mountains are quite rugged and a hikers paradise. Spectacular scenery, lots of large clear, lakes. NH also has a small, scenic coast. The Manchester-Nashua area is fairly urbanized, and is basically a suburb of Boston. Nice tonwns to visit - Portsmouth, New London, Sunapee, Wolfeboro, Conway, Jackson, Lincoln, Hanover, Peterborough.

Vermont - Bucolic, quite rural. Lots of farmland and mountains. The most 'charming' New England state. Nice towns - Burlington, Stowe, Woodstock, Grafton, Chester, Montpelier.

See Maine as soon as you can! The whole State is becoming a giant sprawl of big box stores and unregulated development.The fishermen can't afford to live near the water,the farmers can't afford the property taxes so the farms are growing houses.The lakes are wall to wall, cottages being converted over to year round mansions.Clear cutting is the rule.Clear out the trees and put in a housing development.

Hello,
Personally, I would allocate more than 2 days for Boston in order to get a better "feel" for the city. I don't like to rush through a destination. It's a great city for walking and many interesting things to do. How old are you children? There are great museums, such as Science Museum, Aquarium, Museum of Fine Arts, & Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum. History - definitely do the Freedom Trail. I've never been on the Duck Tours but have heard only good things about it. Great neighborhoods to walk around: Back Bay, Public Gardens (go on the Swan Boats), Fanueil Hall and Quincy Marketplace, Beacon Hill. Newberry St is expensive but fun for shopping. North End is great for eating.

The other poster gave good descriptions of the 3 states you mentioned. Depends on what you prefer, ocean or mountains. If you like the beach, do you want to relax at a beach for several days? I would also recommend Cape Cod if you are beach people.

Lery,

I think you have two choices; a coastal tour, or a mountain tour. I say this, because a coastal tour must include the Maine coast through Camden. and east-west travel in Norther NE can be a pain. Having said that...

Coastal tour: Newport to Providence to Plymouth to Boston to Rockport to Kenebunk to Camden, and if you're adventurous, Bar Harbor.

Mountain tour: Boston, include Lexington and Concord, and dinner at Lonfellow's Wayside Inn, north to Cape Ann and Rockport, northwest through NH to North Conway, Jackson and the Mt. Washington Valley, west through the White Mountains to Franconia notch, West to VT and Burlington...maybe take the ferry across Lake Champlain and visit the Olympic center in Lake Placid, Waterbury and Ben & Jerry's, south on VT rte 100 through the Mad River Valley to Killington, east on 4 through Woodstock and Queechee gorge to Concord NH then south back to Boston.

Have fun!

Hey Zootsi,
you left Concord NH off your list, otherwise I pretty much agree with your recommendations. Reasons to visit Concord? It's a great small city with a great downtown including a League of NH Craftsmen store if you like high quality handmade crafts. The Museum of NH History is right on Main Street. You can rent a canoe to explore the Merrimack River. Canterbury Shaker Village is within 30 minutes. Head west to Warner for an easy hike up Mt Kearsarge and/or a visit to the Kearsarge Indian Museum.
I would take a boat ride during a visit to Portsmouth. The inland rivers cruise is great. A trip to Maine HAS to include going as far as Camden. Watch the windjammers sail along the coast and boat traffic in the harbor from the top of Mt Battie. (Bring binoculars, a blanket and picnic lunch.)
All three states have their own look. It would be a hectic trip but if this may be your only visit to New England, I would try to work in all three.

Tough call. Boston Duck tours are fun; the Museum of Science and shows. then you could always head down to Newport RI for a couple of days tour the Mansions and a harbor tour on one of the America's Cup boats. Head north of Boston to Rockport and Gloucester then right up the coast of Maine. Over to NH and take the Kangamangus Hwy (sp?) and up Mt Washington on the Cog railway. skip Vt on this trip being July you don't want to be in the car too much.

Book now! Lakes and oceanside accomodations are tough to get in July!

www.bayside-inn.com
www.billowhouse.com
www.migislodge.com

Hi: As long as you're driving North; stop by Rockport, MA - my favorite NE town (on the ocean) - stay at Peg Leg Inn. Gloucester, next door is a fun town. I lived in Rockport for 10 years and cried when I left.

Newport, RI is a great trip - do the Cliff Walk and tour one of two of the mansions. It's beautiful there.

The Lakes Region of New Hampshire is very pretty and there is a lot to do there in July. Rent jet skis or have dinner on the Mount Washington. Drive up the Kangamangus Highway and spend some time in Conway. There is Lost River and lots of waterfalls, as well as outlet shopping.

I second the recommendations for both Rockport, MA and Newport, RI... but then again, I'm biased. I got engaged in Rockport (12/2002), and I'm getting married in Newport (5/2004).

But anyway, there are no shortage of cool/scenic/quaint seaside towns in Maine, Mass., and Rhode Island. My fiance and I have done many weekend trips around those states the last 6 or 7 years, and here are our favorites:

Rockport, MA - cute sea-side town, art/photo galleries, ice cream, views, romantic!!! (honorable mention = Gloucester. A real fishing town. Take the scenic drive along the ocean from Rockport to Gloucester or vice versa!!!)

Salem, MA - we almost moved there. Cool history, witches, good restaurants

Boothbay Harbor, Maine - a little bigger than Rockport, but also very scenic with lighthouses nearby.

York, Ogunquit, Kennebunkport, Maine - these three towns and the areas around them are great in the summer... great beaches (water is a bit cold though), great ice cream options too. Outlets nearby if you're into that.

Portland, Maine - great, fun little city. The historic section has some nice bars and restaurants

Newport, RI - Cliff Walk, masions, beaches (finally -good waves!), lots of sailing.

Vermont and New Hampshire are great if you like mountains... I especially like Stowe, VT. Eat and drink at Ye Olde English Inn (I think that's the name). Burlington, VT is a cool city on Lake Champlain. South Conway, NH is really beautiful with its covered bridges, etc...

I can't say enough about New England. Boston is the best city in the world (or at least tied with London, England in my opinion), but also make sure you check out the cute seaside towns, quiet mountain towns, etc... the quintessential New England. It's the reason I moved here and will stay here for life! Good luck!!!

One last thing... if you can only choose one of the states you mentioned, I would go with Maine. Get up to Bar Harbor if you can. It's a long drive (6 to 8 hours if I remember), but Acadia National Park is a surprisingly great park and the town of Bar Harbor is cool. July is a good time (weather-wise) to go.

I also recommend geting the fish and chips... everywhere!

If visiting Boston, why not see more of surrounding areas in Massachusetts, such as Salem, Cape Cod, Newburyport, Gloucester, and further inland of course there is Sturbridge, Berkshires, etc. Nothing against the aforementioned states to the north
Bill L.

This should be a wonderful trip. I recommend that you spend at least 3 full days in Boston. Then travel up the coast to see what interests you. You can certainly do everything in 15 days. After you reach perhaps Camden ME, travel west, check out the White MOuntains, travel west again and visit Burlington VT. Perhaps take the ferry across Lake Champlain. Head south for a while then back into NH for a different part of the state or stay south for western MA. You should be able to find perfectly adequate lodgings everywhere without reservations with the exception of the coast. Get a good map, have a sense of adventure, and enjoy your trip.

Shaz60 suggests an excellent itinerary. It will be a lot of driving, but well worth it and you'll get to see a lot of what makes New England great.

One correction from an earlier posting of mine... when I said South Cnway, I meant North Conway. That's what happens when you're online after midnight.

Good luck!

i can't say enough about vermont. my husband and i were married in Putney, VT at the Hickory Ridge House, and the state is now our favorite. Southern Vermont is not a difficult drive from Boston - 2-3 hours, I think (We come from New Jersey, so I'm not certain). You'll sense the change in the air the moment you cross the state line from MA to VT.

I'd wholeheartedly recommend the Hickory Ridge House for a stop over. It's in a charming little town called Putney (which is near Brattleboro). Brattleboro has nice restauraunts and shops, and Putney offers easy access to tiny country roads and major thoroughfares alike.

One of our favorite things to do in Vermont is just get out and drive through the towns...we usually visit a couple of cheese and maple syrup stores, but the best is discovering hidden covered bridges, old farmhouses and antique equipment off the beaten path.

If you're up for outlet shopping, the Manchester outlets are a nice stop, too. It's a bit more "commercial," if such a thing exists in Vermont.

Beyond the gorgeous countryside, enjoy the people in Vermont. They're some of the nicest people we've run across in our travels.

I love Maine. The farther up ("down east") the better! Spend 3 days in Boston! Consider Cape Cod - didn't know if I'd like it (sounded to shi-shi) but I did. The gingerbread houses in Oak Bluff amazed me.

It's kind of a hike from Boston (6 hours), but Acadia ME is wonderful. The only place on the East Coast where the mountains meet the Ocean. Incredible views, great food, biking, hiking, did I mention great food?