New England Itinerary Suggestions
 

My husband and I are going to be celebrating our 1 year anniversary in mid- September and were hoping to get some itinerary suggestions. Here is some information specific to our trip:
- We are planning on spending approximately 2 weeks on our trip, can be a few days longer though.
- We will be flying into New York City and want to spend a few nights (3-4 nights) there.
- We want to fly out of Boston.
- We are interested in visiting and spending a few nights in Nantucket/Martha's Vineyard/or Cape Cod.
- My husband is interested in history and military museums, and I am more interested in visiting memorable towns and would also be interested in visiting wineries. Overall we are looking for

Oops, accidentally posted before I was done.

Overall we are looking for a romantic and relaxing trip. But would like to also incorporate some of our interests in our trip as well.

One other specific on our trip- We plan on renting a car but are also open to other modes or mixes of transportation(including air/train/boat).

Any suggestions as to an ideal itinerary, or suggestions of cities/towns we shouldn't miss out on, including any places to stay or eat, or attractions to visit would be greatly appreciated!

A couple of suggestions to get you started on your research:

Just north of NYC is the Hudson Valley Region of New York State which has numerous wineries. Also many historic homes that can be visited. You could drive north from there to Saratoga Springs, which is a lovely town. There is a national historic site near there at the Saratoga Battlefield. I haven't been there in a long time, but there may be a museum. You could drive from that area to Bennington, Vermont, and from southern Vermont, you could travel through Massachussettes which has some historic villages to visit (Deerfield Village and Sturbridge Village come to mind.) Then go to Nantucket, the Vineyard or Cape Cod. From that area, you could drive to Boston at the end of your trip. This general itenerary would fit into your time frame. A car is the best means of travel in this area. The bus and train schedules are not that extensive. There are many, many beautiful, charming inns and bed and breakfasts in these areas that I would think woulb be considered "romantic". Hope this is helpful. Good luck with plannig your trip!

If you include Portsmouth NH it's a wonderful city with historic Strawbery Banke. Traveling inland, maybe 30 minutes you can visit the Flag Hill Winery and Distillery (they also make Gen John Stark Vodka). We have not been to the military museum in Wolfboro NH but Wolfboro is one of the oldest resort towns in New England, on Lake Winnipesaukee, and could be visited as a day trip from Portsmouth (maybe an hour drive). Odiorn Point has a science center and the WW2 military bunkers are still there. If you take a harbor cruise you'll hear info about the Portsmouth Navy Prison. You can also see it from a causeway if you travel route 1B heading thru Newcastle toward the renovated Wentworth-by-the-Sea (treaty was signed there). One of my favorite events in Maine is the Common Ground Fair by the Maine Organic Farmers Association. It's held in Unity, about an hour from Camden. Haven't been in a few years but they have wonderful handmade crafts and there's no midway. If you stayed in Camden, one of the most beautiful towns in Maine you could also visit the Cellar Door Winery in nearby Lincolnville. We have not visited the military places except for places like the fort at Popham Beach. A friend just traveled to NYC for the first time via train and loved it. It might be a good way to get to Boston and avoid one-way car rental fees. Depending on what period of history your husband is interested in, you might check to see what the Revolutionary War or Civil War re-enactors might be doing. I have not been to Fort #4 in Charletown NH (near Keene) but have heard good things about it.

Mid to late Sept you won't need reservations, ON WEEKNIGHTS, for most places in Cape Cod, NH Lakes Region and Maine Coast. So wing it. Lock in reservations for NYC, for Boston on your departure night etc...but in between, just get out your guidebooks and go where the road takes you.

Sounds like a great trip. I just have a few suggestions for you if you visit Cape Cod. Contrary to what tracystwocents suggests, September is still high season on Cape Cod. If you are particular about your accommodations, I suggest you do the research ahead of time and make a reservation as soon as your plans have firmed up. For charm and "sense of place" you can not miss the outer cape and the National Seashore (from Eastham to Provincetown) In my humble opinion, September is the best time to visit the cape because the family crowds are gone and the weather is superb. There are many charming small towns, all within an hours drive from Eastham, as well as historical sites too numerous to mention. If you are there for a while stop into the Salt Pond Visitor's Center (Eastham) for a list of guided walks and tours (free) that the Park Service runs daily. There are lovely bed and breakfasts in every town but only one that is actually in the National Seashore Park with ocean views. (Fort Hill) The beaches in Eastham are fabulous and because the whole town is only 3 miles wide from Ocean to Bay, you are never very far from the water. Provincetown is really a fun place to visit for a day and so is Chatham...both only 25 minutes from Eastham. If you decide to take a day trip to Nantucket just take the HyLine's fast ferry from Hyannis (in the mid-Cape region) and in one hour you will be in a wonderful little town that is perfect for a day trip. Personally, I think the island is a bit pricey and small for a lenghty visit but it is perfect for a day. You have picked a great time to visit New England...let us know how it turns out!

Don't forget Lexington and Concord ...

Not a big fan of the Cape but I would agree that Eastham is the nicest area. Skaket Beach is beautiful. I would go instead to Martha's Vineyard, skip right out of your ferry town (Oak Bluffs or Vineyard Haven) and stay over in Edgartown. Rent bikes and ride over to Chappy. If you take a car, go up island to Gay Head (it now has an Indian name). That is stunning.

My first thought when you said you would be interested in wineries was the north fork of Long Island, where there are about 25 wineries all within a short diving distance of each other. You could rent a car in NYC, drive out east on 495 (it will take a good two hours or so) and easily spend a night or two out on the east end. There are so many beautiful vineyards and charming B&B's to stay at. When you are done, you could take your car on the ferry out of Orient Point and sail up to New London, CT and continue the portion of your New England trip from there. The ferry ride is delightful, as is driving through the whole North Fork of LI - mostly rural farmlands (compared to the rest of the Island anyway!). If you do choose to go this route, make sure to book an auto reservation on the ferry in advance, especially if you take it on the weekend. Here are some helpful websites:

www.liwines.com
www.longislandferry.com

Wellfleet and Provincetown are nice spots to visit on the Cape. The weather can be perfect in mid-September on the Cape and the Islands. Visitors I have hosted over the years have loved and repeated visits to the mansions in Newport RI and the Rockport/Gloucester MA area. New Bedford MA has a battleship museum. If you take the Ferry to New London, you will be near Mystic, CT where you can visit the Mystic Seaport and eat at S&P Oyster Co. If you make it to Vermont, the Shelburne Museum is wonderful. I would recommend getting reservations if you plan to stay in the Boston area mid-week.

If you want wineries, go to the finger lakes region, it will be beautiful there in sept.

A few thoughts for my two cents...

There is a winery on Cape Cod called Truro Vineyards. Truro is right next to Provincetown so you can see Provincetown and visit the vineyard in the same day easily. Truro Vineyard offers wine tastings and they have some nice products. I am not sure about their hours of operation, though, so you may want to call ahead. Practically across the street from the vineyard is a place called Atlantic Spice which is awesome if you are interested in very fresh and unique spices. I buy all my spices and many other ingredients through them exclusively now.

Between Martha's Vineyard or Natucket I have always preferred the Vineyard. My experience growing up there was knowing Natucket as a very scenic and relaxing place but not a whole lot of "fun" while the Vineyard was a little busier, a little more crowded, and not quite as "pretty" but much more fun. That's just my personal taste, though... yours could be different.

Military sites. There the historic sites in or around Boston such as the USS Constitution and Bunker Hill. You can also drive to Lexington and Concord. Also, Fall River is a bit off the beaten path but there is a museum called Battleship Cove. You can explore the USS Massachusetts, a World War II battleship which is now the feature of the museum. There are also other boats to explore from that era such as a submarine and a PT Boat. I have not been there in years, though, so I do not know how much it has changed.

Just my two cents. If I come up with anything else, I'll post it. I hope the two of you have an awesome time!

There is a winery just outside of Newport, RI, (in Middletown?) which would be a very memorable town to visit en route from NYC to Boston. The mansions are incredible!

So here is the itinerary my husband and I have put together so far:
-4 nights NY city
-1 night New Haven
-1 night Mystic
-2 nights Newport
-2 nights Eastham
-1 night Nantucket
-4 nights Boston

We weren't sure if 2 nights in Newport and 2 nights in Eastham were too long, or if 1 night in the other cities wasn't enough, and were hoping for your thoughts and recommendations.

Also if can you recommend any great hotels and restaurants in those areas we'd greatly appreciate it.

Thanks again for all of your replies. :)

Near Mystic is Stonington Vineyards. Not sure how the wines are, but it might be worth a stop.

Also near there, in Groton, is the Submarine Museum at the Sub Base there.

Two nights on the Cape is not too long....in fact, you will not have a chance to see and experience much in only two days. Also, many places on Nantucket have a minimum stay requiremant....better check that out. Seems like a lot of "on-the-road" time. Perhaps you should either go to one of the islands for 3 nights or stay on Cape Cod for 3 nights.

Mystic and New Haven are only an hour apart, not worth the hassle of checking in and out of a hotel. Find a midpoint and stay for 2 nights, visiting both towns from there.

In mid Sept the Cape is so beautiful, stay a third night there and cut NY or Boston to 3 nights.

We're considering only staying one night in Newport so that we can extend our stay in Eastham for 3 nights.

Do you think one night in Newport would be long enough?

Personally, I would not cut a night from Newport. It is a smaller town, but you'd want one full day to visit 2-3 mansions and walk the Cliff Walk, and one full day to cover the town (shopping) and winery, and maybe the beach. Have you been to NY and/or Boston before? I'd probably take one night off each of the cities.

Also, you can take the high speed ferry out to Nantucket and back and make it a day trip so you don't have to move all your things. I'd make a reservation on the Grey Lady or other high speed company to do this. Don't miss the Whaling Museum while you're out there.

While on the Cape, be sure to visit Chatham and Provincetown. The jeep Dune Tour in P-town is amazing!

Sounds like a wonderful vacation!
From where are you coming?

If you are staying in Eastham make sure you visit Fort Hill in the Cape cod natonal Seashore. It is a lovely area to walk with scenic views of Nauset Marsh and the Atlantic. There is a whaling captin's house, Captain Edward Penniman, that is owned by the Park Service and you can get a tour for free on Monday and Saturday mornings. Or just visit it during one of the afternoon open houses. There is a lovely historic B+B across the street and only one other huse on the road so the area is still pretty much the wa it was in about 1900.... Definately worth a visit. There are kayak tours or just historic tours in the area given by the Park Service so check out what's going on at www.nps.gov/caco

Hi Lina,
You've received good advise so far. You may want to think as mentioned, about staying the extra night in Newport. There's lots of history for your husband and 3 local vineyards for you. One in Middletown RI, one Portsmouth, RI, and the 3rd in Little Compton/Tiverton RI, which you could go to on the way to the Cape.

Also, if you end up in Provincetown after seeing the rest of the cape, you could ditch your car which won't be needed in Boston, and take the ferry from Prov. - Boston. This would prevent you from having to back track down the cape.

I'm curious about what you have planned in Mystic and New Haven. Possibly, depending on your plans you could cut some time there.
Good luck!

Thank you all for the great information. To answer some of your questions, we have been to NY before, but have never been to Boston. The reason we are hoping to stay in NY for 4 nights is so that we can spend some time with an uncle who lives there that we rarely get to see, and we want to catch a few shows while we're there too! As for Boston, my husband is really into the history there and wants to spend the 4 nights in Boston.

We will be traveling from the Bay Area, California to New York on September 15. The only sight in New Haven we had planned to see was the university. In Mystic, we wanted to see the seaport and museum, and visit any wineries in the area.

We may just cut out the night in New Haven, and see the university on our way to Mystic. Making our itinerary as follows:

- 4 nights NY City
- 1 night Mystic
- 2 nights Newport
- 3 nights Eastham
- 1 night Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard
- 4 nights Boston

Does this sound like a better plan, or would you suggest staying that one night in New Haven?

Skip New Haven.

I'd love to see someone make it from Mystic to New Haven in one hour.

Hershey , Pa. is fun so is West Point.

I think you made a good choice to drop New Haven. Personally, for the islands, I would do 2 nights in Eastham and 2 nights in Edgartown on The Vineyard. Nantucket is lovely but the person who mentioned minimum stays is correct. If you take the high speed ferry it is pricy. Are you planning to leave your car on the Cape? You really don't need it at MV (great bus system and fairly cheap cabs) and it is expensive to put it on the ferry. Leaving it in the lots by the ferry at Woods Hole is cheap.

Little known but great things to do in NYC: Museum of Radio and TV, the Frick Museum (small, gorgeous, you can do it in less than 2 hrs, stunning collection), walking tours of neighborhoods - these are great and you will meet some real NY characters, NY Public Library - just a little visit and perhaps coffee in Bryant Park right behind the library.

Cool things in Boston that you may not know about - the Mapparium at the Christian Science mother church located just between Back Bay and the South End - this is very interesting and they also do a good tour of the church. You probably know about the Aquarium, it's outstanding, as is the Museum of Science. The Duck Tour seems touristy - and sort of is -but it's fun and you get a nice view of the new bridge (part of the Big Dig) and some interesting patter from the drivers. If you want a lovely quiet adventure, go to the Arboretum - I think in Roxbury. Gorgeous spot and convenient to the Franklin Park Zoo as well. There are also a few wonderful walking tours of Beacon Hill and Back Bay that will give you a good education re the architecture and how the Back Bay was built.

Two nights in Newport will work well, and give you one entire day to spend there (plus whatever part of the day you arrive there). We recently visited there on a trip (with kids) that began in Boston and ended in NYC. We visited Newport right before the season started, so it will probably be a little busier when you're there, but we found it beautiful, scenic and relaxing. We enjoyed the mansions, and the two restaurants where we had dinner (Scales & Shells and the Black Pearl) were both very good, though I think I preferred Scales & Shells because it felt more like a local place. We loved the B&B we stayed at, Samuel Durfee Inn, and would definitely recommend it.

If your husband is interested in history, consider a stop if possible (may not fit into your plans for the Cape) at Plimoth Plantation. I could have spent all day there, talking to the reanactors; we particularly enjoyed talking to the Native Americans.

In Boston, I would also suggest the Duck tour, if you like stuff like that (I enjoyed it, but probably wouldn't have gone if my kids weren't with me) and the Science Museum. If you walk the Freedom Trail (a must), and end up at the USS Constitution, take the ferry boat back to Long Wharf. It's a cheap, fun and scenic way to end up back in the middle of Boston.

I think you've come up with a nice itinerary. Some thoughts:

You can definitely make it to Mystic in one hour from Yale. Mapquest says it's 59 miles and 59 minutes. I'd probably get there a bit faster :) (We frequently travel from Boston to NJ).

I would suggest trying to get to New Haven for lunch and an afternoon tour. Then go on to Mystic for your overnight. Tour the seaport in the morning. You can make the Mystic to Newport ride in an hour. With two nights in Newport, you can spend a full day at the mansions and touring the town and get on your way the next day.

On your way to the Cape, you could stop at Battleship Cove (which is in Fall River not New Bedford) but I would chose to stop at the New Bedford Whaling Museum. It's fabulous and there are several nice spots for lunch nearby. You can make it to Eastham from NB in less than 1 1/2 hours.

Unlike FitzNJ, I LOVE the Cape. Have a house in Brewster and think that Eastham/Orleans/Brewster are good choices for basing yourselves on the Cape. If you give me an idea of budget, I can probably suggest some inns that would be romantic as well as restaurants.

Don't miss:

Biking the Beech Forest Trail in Ptown
Fort Hill walk (as mentioned earlier)
Viewing the Atlantic Ocean beaches of the National Seashore.
Walking around Chatham (if you like preppy, quaint shopping)
Brewster General Store

There is a fast boat that would go to Nantucket from Harwichport (which is closer to Eastham than Hyannis). It's called Freedom Cruises or something like that. That would be a good choice if you just want to do a day in Nantucket.

I prefer Martha's Vineyard to Nantucket (more diverse topography, little and large towns, etc.) but both are worth seeing and renting bikes on.

On your way to Boston, your husband might like seeing Plimoth Plantation. It's a very well-done living museum that you could get a good feel for in 2 to 3 hours.

Welcome to our side of the country! My family and I are off to your state later this month.

I agree with ccrosner that the places he/she mentions are the absolute nicest on the Cape. I would avoid Hyannis as it is very touristy.

Great little spot to check out on rte 6A (a lovely road) is Scargo Pottery. It's south of Dennis and Brewster right next to Scargo Pond. Maybe ccrosner knows what town this is in?

This is a magical experience with a family-run business mostly dealing with pottery; however, some in the family are artists and their work is beautiful. Paintings are displayed in a separate building.

I've never been to Scargo Pottery but if it's next to or near Scargo Pond, that would be Dennis near or on 6A.

FitzNJ--glad you like my suggestions.

Meant to say that if Fort Hill B&B is in Lina1's priceline, it looks lovely and romantic.

My husband and I just returned from a great trip to Stonington, Maine. We stayed at Inn on the Harbor - this was a great choice. Stonington has not turned into just a tourist destination. There are many lobstermen still working here. We admired the fact that our inn hostess encouraged all of her guests to be respectful of the hard working people living on the island. Acadia National Park is a two-hour drive, but there is plenty to do on Deer Isle - Stonington is on the South tip of Deer Isle. We went sea kayaking with Old Quarry Adventures. They provided an excellent guide as we made our way to several beautiful, uninhabited islands. I hope this area does not develop into another Bar Harbor. This is not a good choice for those seeking night life or lots of activities for small children.

hi

the september is the best mouth for trips to new england. on www.rundreisen.de you can find a travelguide from new england

Thank you everybody for all of your replies, we have finally finalized our itinerary.
- NYC (4 nights)
- Mystic (1 night)
- Newport (2 nights)
- Nantucket (2 nights)
- Chatham (2 nights)
- Boston (4 nights)

Thanks again! :)

hello


new england ist very beautiful .we are booking a cruise on www.kreuzfahrten24.de . here we are find a big roundtrip around america.

sincly
frank

History Museums? Nantucket Whaling Museum or New Bedford Whaling Museum. Both are excellent with extensive collections.

I am coming in late to this but have to say if you're into wineries, the suggestion to visit the North Fork of Long Island was a good one. One possibility is to head there for the day from Manhattan. Hit 1 or 2 wineries and take the ferry from Orient Point to New London. Once in New London, you're not far from Mystic.

Or, consider spending the night on the North Fork (instead of Mystic). There's a gorgeous and very romantic inn called the Jedediah Hawkins House with a terrific restaurant. http://jedediahhawkins.com/

You could stay the night there, leave in the morning on the ferry to New London, spend some time in Mystic and continue on to Newport.

Do you need a hotel reco for NYC? If yes, what's the budget? Right now, the prices for your dates are pretty outrageous.

I drove from New York to Mystic. 1 night stop over. Got to Mystic just before dark so spent next morning in the town & lunch at the olde village. Drove to Falmouth for 3 nights. Arrived there after 5. Next day to Martha's Vineyard & next day Hyannis - got lost in the dark getting back. After breakfast in a diner went on to Boston & arrived in the afternoon.
Point is the travel times are realy long & we didn't have enough time to experience what each town had to offer. This year we are spending 1 week in New York & 1 week at Hyannis as a base. If I was to do your trip I would suggest you spend an extra night at your 1/2 night stops if possible.