New England Fly Drive
Dec 22nd, 2016, 03:30 AM
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New England Fly Drive
I'm planning a fly drive trip for August 2017 starting and finishing in Boston. It'll be for myself, my wife and 8yo daughter, we've got 16 nights to fill and have drawn up the below itinerary - has anyone got any recommendations on whether they'd spend more/less time in certain places or whether I should replace any of the stopovers with somewhere else?
Boston - 3nts
Portsmouth - 1nt
Portland - 1nt
Bar Harbor - 2nts
White Mountains - 1nt (probably looking at North Conway)
Burlington - 2nts
The Berkshires - 1nt (need a recommendaton on somewhere)
Mystic - 1nt
Newport - 1nt
Cape Cod - 3nts (thinking of Hyannis to be centrally located to explore the area, but open to options)
To give you an idea of what we enjoy our daughter LOVES history and a good museum, we generally tend to prefer urban exploring compared to hiking.
Boston - 3nts
Portsmouth - 1nt
Portland - 1nt
Bar Harbor - 2nts
White Mountains - 1nt (probably looking at North Conway)
Burlington - 2nts
The Berkshires - 1nt (need a recommendaton on somewhere)
Mystic - 1nt
Newport - 1nt
Cape Cod - 3nts (thinking of Hyannis to be centrally located to explore the area, but open to options)
To give you an idea of what we enjoy our daughter LOVES history and a good museum, we generally tend to prefer urban exploring compared to hiking.
Dec 22nd, 2016, 05:21 AM
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It sounds like a nice trip. It will probably be a good idea not to get your rental car until you are ready to leave Boston. Parking is expensive and hard to find and public transportation is good (the T, taxis, water taxi, uber, etc.).
There is lots of history and there are great museums along your path. In Boston if she likes science at all the Museum of Science is great, also look at the Harvard Peabody Museum as well as Freedom Trail and any of the other museums. In Portsmouth go to Strawberry Banks, near Burlington the Shelburn, in Mystic the Seaport, Aquarium and in nearby Stonington the Lighthouse Museum.
There is lots of history and there are great museums along your path. In Boston if she likes science at all the Museum of Science is great, also look at the Harvard Peabody Museum as well as Freedom Trail and any of the other museums. In Portsmouth go to Strawberry Banks, near Burlington the Shelburn, in Mystic the Seaport, Aquarium and in nearby Stonington the Lighthouse Museum.
Dec 22nd, 2016, 10:52 AM
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Just a few thoughts:
Gardner Museum in Boston!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There's a good hands-on science museum for kids that age in Acton, The Discovery Museum.
On the way up to Portsmouth, Gloucester/Rockport, and across lovely open farmland, a beautiful drive to Newburyport and Plum Island via Essex, antique shops, and maybe a clam shack (Woodmans or Clam Box). Then north on highway.
Strawberry Banke historic village in Portsmouth and a boat ride in the harbor.
Just past Portsmouth, north, is classic Nubble Light (York beach has bands at the bandstand in the evening too and other activities/rides), then Ogunquit where you can float the river if the tide is going out (most fun ever!), then Laudholm Farm (old dairy) in Wells with quiet walks through fields to woods to the ocean.
Sturbridge Village (1800s) on the way to/from the Berkshires.
Plimouth Plantation (1600s) while to/from the Cape.
Hyannnis is very commercial. Maybe Chatham or Orleans?
Happy travels.
Gardner Museum in Boston!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There's a good hands-on science museum for kids that age in Acton, The Discovery Museum.
On the way up to Portsmouth, Gloucester/Rockport, and across lovely open farmland, a beautiful drive to Newburyport and Plum Island via Essex, antique shops, and maybe a clam shack (Woodmans or Clam Box). Then north on highway.
Strawberry Banke historic village in Portsmouth and a boat ride in the harbor.
Just past Portsmouth, north, is classic Nubble Light (York beach has bands at the bandstand in the evening too and other activities/rides), then Ogunquit where you can float the river if the tide is going out (most fun ever!), then Laudholm Farm (old dairy) in Wells with quiet walks through fields to woods to the ocean.
Sturbridge Village (1800s) on the way to/from the Berkshires.
Plimouth Plantation (1600s) while to/from the Cape.
Hyannnis is very commercial. Maybe Chatham or Orleans?
Happy travels.
Dec 22nd, 2016, 11:16 AM
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Portsmouth and Portland are only about an hour apart. You will drive through Portsmouth on your way to Portland so I'd stay in Portland for two nights and stop in Portsmouth on the way. Less time wasted moving hotels.
Acadia is absolutely lovely, but crowded, in August. I would give another night to Bar Harbor as you will traffic on your way there so might not have enough time with two nights.
I am not an expert on the region but I am guessing that will be a lot of driving for the White Mountains, Burlington, Berkshires given the time you have allocated. I would skip one or two and spend more time in the other spot.
Agree with the others not to stay in Hyannis. Many other nicer places nearby and equally convenient.
Acadia is absolutely lovely, but crowded, in August. I would give another night to Bar Harbor as you will traffic on your way there so might not have enough time with two nights.
I am not an expert on the region but I am guessing that will be a lot of driving for the White Mountains, Burlington, Berkshires given the time you have allocated. I would skip one or two and spend more time in the other spot.
Agree with the others not to stay in Hyannis. Many other nicer places nearby and equally convenient.
Dec 23rd, 2016, 02:07 AM
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Here are my comments:
Boston - 3nts: not sure if she's old enough to appreciate the Kennedy Library. I think she would appreciate a food tour of Boston's North End. We also liked the Chinatown tour which ended in a dim sum lunch.
Portsmouth - 1nt: A harbor or inland rivers cruise takes about a half day. You also have Strawbery Banke. Very good narration on the cruises. Walking distance from parking garage. Haven't been to Odiorne since school field trip days but this would be a marine biology science center.
Portland - 1nt: Tough call. The mailboat cruise doesn't have a lot of narration but it also provides transportation for kids living on an island to get to school in Portland. First trip of the day from Portland is full of people going to work on an island for the day. Great restaurants. Great view from Fort Williams Park plus light house.
Bar Harbor - 2nts: Perhaps skip because of distance and you're not hikers. Great harbor view from top of Mt Battie in Camden and good chance to see windjammers. You're also missing Owls Head Transportation Museum near Rockland. For a hiking experience, I would suggest day trip to Monhegan Island plus visit to the small museum but that's a full day and highly recommend taking a picnic lunch. The Maritime Museum in Bath usually sponsors some boat trips to see lighthouses. Check their schedule. The Bath Iron Works is not open to the public but the museum boat can get pretty close. Last summer just going over the bridge we could see two of the new stealth destroyers being worked on.
White Mountains - 1nt (probably looking at North Conway): you're picking the busiest town. If you plot your drive from ME, you could stop on the way at the Cole Transportation Museum in Bangor. I think even non-hikers enjoy The Flume but that's on the I93 corridor.
Burlington - 2nts: The Shelburne Museum south of Burlington fits your history requirement. You can also ferry across Lake Champlain for a hike thru Ausable Chasm (but I like The Flume better).
The Berkshires - 1nt (need a recommendaton on somewhere): I think I would drop this area because of timing unless you have a specific reason like visiting Sturbridge Village.
Mystic - 1nt: I would try to fit in a visit to the Native American Museum near Foxwoods Casino. GREAT history lesson.
Newport - 1nt
Cape Cod - 3nts (thinking of Hyannis to be centrally located to explore the area, but open to options)
Your 8 yo might get tired of museums but your itinerary misses Canterbury Shaker Village just north of Concord NH. The tour is very interesting. Closer to Boston is the Lowell Mills National Park. We only visited recently since we're of an age when some mills in New England were still operating when we were young. Your daughter should learn about the mill girl experience and the Industrial Revolution.
I agree with reducing the number of hotel changes but this will depend on how much time you want to spend in an area. Portland could be a drive thru on your way further north. I have not been to the World War 2 Museum near Lake Winnipesaukee in NH. For your daughter's age, I highly recommend Squam Lakes Science Center in Holderness. Plan to spend most of the day and even longer if you take a pontoon boat tour to see loons.
If you aren't set on the Shelburne Museum/Burlington area, your daughter might prefer The Montshire Museum in Norwich VT (on the NH/VT border) Should you go there, bring bathing suit and picnic lunch so she can enjoy the water play area after lunch. The Billings Farm Museum in Woodstock is short drive south. I91 south will get you headed to the Berkshires.
If you want some R&R at the end of your trip, I don't think I would choose Cape Cod.
Boston - 3nts: not sure if she's old enough to appreciate the Kennedy Library. I think she would appreciate a food tour of Boston's North End. We also liked the Chinatown tour which ended in a dim sum lunch.
Portsmouth - 1nt: A harbor or inland rivers cruise takes about a half day. You also have Strawbery Banke. Very good narration on the cruises. Walking distance from parking garage. Haven't been to Odiorne since school field trip days but this would be a marine biology science center.
Portland - 1nt: Tough call. The mailboat cruise doesn't have a lot of narration but it also provides transportation for kids living on an island to get to school in Portland. First trip of the day from Portland is full of people going to work on an island for the day. Great restaurants. Great view from Fort Williams Park plus light house.
Bar Harbor - 2nts: Perhaps skip because of distance and you're not hikers. Great harbor view from top of Mt Battie in Camden and good chance to see windjammers. You're also missing Owls Head Transportation Museum near Rockland. For a hiking experience, I would suggest day trip to Monhegan Island plus visit to the small museum but that's a full day and highly recommend taking a picnic lunch. The Maritime Museum in Bath usually sponsors some boat trips to see lighthouses. Check their schedule. The Bath Iron Works is not open to the public but the museum boat can get pretty close. Last summer just going over the bridge we could see two of the new stealth destroyers being worked on.
White Mountains - 1nt (probably looking at North Conway): you're picking the busiest town. If you plot your drive from ME, you could stop on the way at the Cole Transportation Museum in Bangor. I think even non-hikers enjoy The Flume but that's on the I93 corridor.
Burlington - 2nts: The Shelburne Museum south of Burlington fits your history requirement. You can also ferry across Lake Champlain for a hike thru Ausable Chasm (but I like The Flume better).
The Berkshires - 1nt (need a recommendaton on somewhere): I think I would drop this area because of timing unless you have a specific reason like visiting Sturbridge Village.
Mystic - 1nt: I would try to fit in a visit to the Native American Museum near Foxwoods Casino. GREAT history lesson.
Newport - 1nt
Cape Cod - 3nts (thinking of Hyannis to be centrally located to explore the area, but open to options)
Your 8 yo might get tired of museums but your itinerary misses Canterbury Shaker Village just north of Concord NH. The tour is very interesting. Closer to Boston is the Lowell Mills National Park. We only visited recently since we're of an age when some mills in New England were still operating when we were young. Your daughter should learn about the mill girl experience and the Industrial Revolution.
I agree with reducing the number of hotel changes but this will depend on how much time you want to spend in an area. Portland could be a drive thru on your way further north. I have not been to the World War 2 Museum near Lake Winnipesaukee in NH. For your daughter's age, I highly recommend Squam Lakes Science Center in Holderness. Plan to spend most of the day and even longer if you take a pontoon boat tour to see loons.
If you aren't set on the Shelburne Museum/Burlington area, your daughter might prefer The Montshire Museum in Norwich VT (on the NH/VT border) Should you go there, bring bathing suit and picnic lunch so she can enjoy the water play area after lunch. The Billings Farm Museum in Woodstock is short drive south. I91 south will get you headed to the Berkshires.
If you want some R&R at the end of your trip, I don't think I would choose Cape Cod.
Dec 23rd, 2016, 05:45 AM
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Good call on the Lowell National Park tour. I forgot that one, but we have done the tour that includes a boat ride through the canals, the trolley, Boot Mill, the locks, the girls' dormitory, etc with folks from 2 to 72 and all enjoyed. A great way for a girl with an imagination to understand what her peers in that era might have had for a life choice.
Dec 23rd, 2016, 08:58 AM
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I think your plan looks pretty good, although some of the suggestions are also good.
Everyone says Acadia/Bar Harbor is crowded in August but I guess everything is relative cause I've been in August (more than once) and didn't really think it qualified for 'crowded'. It is gorgeous, but so are other places on the coast and you can't see everything.
Re the "Berkshires". The most direct route from Burlington Vt to Mystic Ct takes your through the Pioneer Valley (Conn River Valley), not the Bershires. Sturbridge Village is the best of the "living history museums" in New England. If you went through the Pioneer Valley Sturbridge is less than an hour detour. If you really mean the "Berkshire" (eg. Stockbridge, Lee, etc.) then you are quite west of it. You don't really have time for both. With an 8 year old I'd go for Sturbridge Village over the Berkshires. There is also Historic Deerfield which you will go right past on your way from Burlington to Mystic (unless you opt for the western route) but I think Sturbridge is better for kids than Historic Deerfield which is great museum houses but less crafts, gardens, etc.
Overall sounds like a nice trip.
Everyone says Acadia/Bar Harbor is crowded in August but I guess everything is relative cause I've been in August (more than once) and didn't really think it qualified for 'crowded'. It is gorgeous, but so are other places on the coast and you can't see everything.
Re the "Berkshires". The most direct route from Burlington Vt to Mystic Ct takes your through the Pioneer Valley (Conn River Valley), not the Bershires. Sturbridge Village is the best of the "living history museums" in New England. If you went through the Pioneer Valley Sturbridge is less than an hour detour. If you really mean the "Berkshire" (eg. Stockbridge, Lee, etc.) then you are quite west of it. You don't really have time for both. With an 8 year old I'd go for Sturbridge Village over the Berkshires. There is also Historic Deerfield which you will go right past on your way from Burlington to Mystic (unless you opt for the western route) but I think Sturbridge is better for kids than Historic Deerfield which is great museum houses but less crafts, gardens, etc.
Overall sounds like a nice trip.
