Perhaps not the best time of year but school holidays are the deciding factor.

We arrive in JFK 10 April and return from there 24 April. First 3 nights already booked in NYC. We are then thinking of travelling straight to Boston for the next 3 nights and hiring a car from there - avoiding the Boston marathon.

Any suggestions about these ideas would be much appreciated:

- A comfortable but reasonably economical way of travelling to Boston. Coach looks quite reasonable. AMTRAK quite pricey unless we can get a discount for 2 adults and one 14 year old. Single day car hire is an option. Flying could be a hassle.

- We would probably look to stay a couple of nights at each place after Boston. Are there any must sees north of Boston? - we're a bit reluctant to go up north just because it is there during mud season.

- We are thinking of making one base near Cape Cod and perhaps another one in or near Newport RI. Any better ideas?

- We have plenty of time to get back to NYC on our last day. Most car hire companies seem to have a drop-off charge for NYC but not to say Hartford. What are the public trnasport links like from Hartford or somewhere nearby to JFK?

- And finally it seems that Hotwire, Priceline and Quikbook only seem to guarantee rooms that sleep 2 people. Are we in danger of booking a room like this and then finding that it will not accommodate a rolloway? Might we save a lot of money by buying a cheap mattress for our daughter and taking it round with us or is that not the done thing?

Sorry about so many questions in one post!
Best wishes
Rick, Anne and Alyssa

You were joking about the mattress, weren't you?

Yes, Priceline does automatically book a double room. Indeed, they specifically warn that in NYC you might not be able to get a room with 2 beds. BUT according to www.biddingfortravel, the Embassy Suites is the only hotel in its category (4-star, IIRC) in its district (Financial District, IIRC), so you might want to aim for that. But check updates with biddingfortravel.com first. They're snippy but knowledgeable.

Amtrak often offers 2-for-1 deals, discounts for using Mastercard, AAA members, etc. Look for the link to deals on their home page. It's much more comfortable than buses (that's American for coaches). A car rental would be your cheapest option, even with dropoff charges.

Mid April is a nice enough time to visit Boston. The weather will likely be pleasant (but you just never can tell) and the bulbs will probably be in bloom, and perhaps the flowering trees.

The Boston Marathon is Monday, April 21 this year.

As for destinations in the Boston area, much would depend upon your preferences - scenery, historical destinations, museums, or just quintessential New England towns?

I've lived in New England for more than 20 years. Apparently, you've done a bit of homework regarding "mud season". This would apply more to the northern most areas and ski resorts (but, not necessarily exclusively) where "mud season" is the result of lots of snow during the winter, melting when it warms up. Like the weather, you just never know. November and April, often referred to as "mud season" are also when it's too early/late for skiing and/or too late/early for "vacationing" (at those destinations where the "season" is Memorial Day to Columbus Day). It's also when many innkeepers/B&B owners have traditionally shut down and gone on vacation themselves, but this is not so much the case anymore, especially with the sagging economy and the fact that more and more people seem to be taking driving versus flying trips and staying stateside versus going overseas.

I've had much experience with Priceline and Hotwire. If you stick to 4* and above, you are mostly likely to be assured of a room with two beds or one that's large enough for a rollaway. As soon as you book, phone the hotel and ask them to record your preferences. Then, the closer to check in time you arrive, the better your chances. Worst case scenario is that you will be offered an "upgrade" for $20, maybe $30/night for a "deluxe" room or even "suite", still a bargain considering the ridiculously low Hotwire and Priceline rates.

Cape Cod (and the Coast of Maine) is rather desolate still in April. The islands (Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard) are wonderful destinations, though it would be a bit silly to rent a car to drive to the ferries and pay to park is - taking a car to either island is a bit pricey.

I, frankly, don't think you'll find "single day car hire" sufficient. While you can get from Boston to a limited number of other destination via bus/commuter rail, most require a car once you've arrived. New England is not like Europe, where lots is within walking distance of a bus/train station.

I'm wondering, for example, whether Newport could be considered a "basepoint" without a car for the duration of your visit. The harbor and the mansions are the primary reasons to visit. It will likely be way to chilly to enjoy strolling the Cliff Walk or enjoy outdoor cafes and dining. And, it would be a considerable hike from wherever you're staying to the various mansions (though there are taxis).

Ask away - but more information as to what you have in mind seeing and doing would definitely help with recommendations.

Mud season is sort of a joke, we do have paved roads and for those of us who do live on dirt roads, mud season in central NH is generally in mid-March. Check Cape Cod for their daffodil weekend but the blooms are dependent on the weather and will be gorgeous for a couple of weeks. There is an amazing number of daffodils planted along the roads. A 14 yo will probably love Boston's Museum of Science and the OmniMax theater. Teens also love the laser show. While in Boston, the Blue Man Group is a big hit with teens and a lot of adults. Should you desire to see some of the Maine coast or NH's mountains, you won't have any problems with mud. With the amount of snow we have this year, there might still be good skiing in some locations. But if you want Spring, it's best to stay in southern New England.

Thank you for those replies.

Anonymous - No I was not joking about the mattress - we really can be cheapskates when we put our minds to it! A few years ago we had 3 weeks on the west coast with all three kids and my son slept most nights on a foam strip that fitted in a suitcase - but he was smaller then than my daughter is now.

I have looked at one day car hire prices on Hotwire - pick up NYC and drop-off BOS. $63 for the cheapest. With AMTRAK 2 for 1 and kids 50% deals there is a $96 dollar total fare. This is not the Acela, takes a bit longer, does it follow the same route? The deal says it has to be booked before Feb 15. Do AMTRAK usually roll these offers over? It says it is for unreserved seats - does that mean getting to Penn Station early to guarantee a seat?


djkbooks - You sound like a mine of information. Just to clarify, we intend hiring a car from Boston and keeping it until our last or penultimate day.

You asked if we wanted 'scenery, historical destinations, museums, or just quintessential New England towns?'
The answer is mainly scenery and quintessential towns. We will probably return one fall for more of this and our quandary is how ambitious to be in mid-April. If we could head north or west from Boston for 2 or 3 nights, either based in one place or doing 1 nighters that would appeal. 4 or 5 hours on the road each day would be OK.

I am assuming that the weather will tend to favour areas south of Boston.

Rick

dfrostnh
Not ignoring you - missed your reply as I did not send my post for a while after writing it.
Thanks for the Boston tips. By southern New England do you mean south of Boston?

Hi rickus, by southern New England I mean south of NH/VT/Maine. April can be a real iffy month weatherwise. Spring comes sooner in the Boston area and south plus the coast of NH (Portsmouth) is generally warmer than inland. If you have good weather, Portsmouth would be nice to visit. Great little shops adjacent to the historical area of Strawbery Banke. Wonderful restaurants. It's a favorite weekend destination for New Englanders. You might be surprised by the amount of color in the trees as they begin to leaf out. Hope you have a great trip!

The weather, on any particular day, is not usually substantially different in April, for example, Providence RI or Burlington VT. Though, it could be raining in one place and not the other, or vice versa.

The arrival of "Spring" is widely variable. The daffodils in my yard have popped up anywhere from early April to early May, you just never know. Some years, the leaves on the trees aren't full until the end of May. There are daffodil "festivals" on the Cape (Nantucket and Brewster come to mind.). When we went to Nantucket every year for the Daffodil Weekend (which is usually the last weekend in April), it was in the low 30's two of those years for the entire weekend. Another, it rained during our entire visit. The other years the weather was pleasant, but chilly.

There is unseasonable weather in every season. In April, you could have 70's and sunny or freezing and snowing (not likely, but very possible).

I'm confused as to how many nights you plan to spend other than in NYC and Boston. I was counting about six, but then you mention 2 or 3 nights.

Generally speaking, no matter where you plan to spend several nights, you can cover a lot of territory in that area with day trips (as opposed to packing and unpacking every day).

There are SO many possibilities. The coast of Maine is not a particularly good destination in April. Nor is the lakes region of NH. The towns throughout the mountains in northern NH, though charming and scenic, are smaller, and there's less to see and do than in Vermont and Western MA. The best reason to visit Newport RI is to tour the mansions (which are all architectural gems, and "museums" in their own right). And really can do only two a day, and all are worth a visit. So, if were me, I'd head from Boston to Stowe, VT (about three hours) for a few nights and explore northern Vermont from there. Lots to see and do in the area. Then, I'd head to Stockbridge or Lenox, MA (about four hours via the scenic route through western VT.) If you're planning to drop the rental car in Hartford, that's only an hour and a half drive from Stockbridge. These are also wonderful destinations in the fall, so you'd have the opportunity to check out lodging, dining, etc. for future reference, all along the way.

If you like cities, Hartford has plenty to offer...

You might consider using Priceline to bid on a rental car.

But, here's another option. Peter Pan Bus Lines and Greyhound from New York to Boston will cost you $40 roundtrip per person. Buses run practically every half hour from the Port Authority to South Station. You won't need a car in Boston, and parking is prohibitively expensive, but you could rent one in Boston (even via Priceline).

In most of the Boston hotels, you'll be able to get either two queen or two full-sized beds. If you choose to use Priceline, the hotel that is usually referred to as the customer favorite is the Sheraton.

Also, one of the bus companies does run a route from Boston to Falmouth and Hyannis. From there you can take the ferry to Martha's Vineyard and Cape Cod. There's also ferry service running from Boston to Provincetown.

Another fun thing to do in Boston is to see the USS Constitution in Charlestown. The tours are run by the US Navy and are free. Take the ferry from the Aquarium to the Charlestown Navy Pier. Cost is $1.50 each way, and its a 15 minute ride. On the ferry you'll get a great view of Boston's coastline.

You might also check the new boutique hotel Nine Zero, which is located at 90 Tremont Street across from Boston Common. Recent rates were as low as $109/night for two queen beds in a standard room. They'll be higher for the Marathon, but will probably drop shortly afterwards. You can find the rates online if you do a search.

I think Leslie meant that the Sheraton is a "customer favorite" on Hotwire. You'd also need to know that it's come up as a 4* in Hotwire's Back Bay area. But, it's also been the Hilton (I've gotten both and once they were even listed at the same time, exact same ammenities, "customer favorite", can't remember the rates).

And, Leslie make good points about Portsmouth, NH. Stopping in Marblehead, Gloucester, Rockport, Newburyport, along the coastal route, would be worthwhile. All of these are beautiful seaport towns, each different and interesting.

djk, you're right I meant Hotwire.

And, if you are going to use Priceline, I suggest you refer to wsw.biddingfortravel.com for bidding advice for both rental cars and hotels.

I really appreciate all the tips you have provided here. I have been getting some ideas from guidebooks but you can't beat 'word of mouth'. I will be copying and pasting this to my PC now before the site goes down for maintenance.

I have not made myself clear on the car hire. We intend picking it up for 7 or 8 days after staying in Boston - the 2 to 3 days I mentioned was an idea for travelling round anything north or west of Boston. If I book car hire thru Priceline or Hotwire does it come with all the insurances included or do you buy those separately? We are always warned in th UK to make sure that we are well covered in the US because of the potential for high claims.

I have spoken to Nine Zero - they are offering rooms themselves at $109. However they say that these are the 'Intimate' rooms and are not big enough for a rolloway, therefore they say to go for a 'Fantastic' room at $139. Has anyone here, been, so to speak, 'Intimate' and if so can you tell me about the size?
At the moment I am thinking of booking the 'Fantastic' with the hotel, to get it in the bank, and then if something better comes up I can cancel. On Hotwire there is a Boutique hotel coming up (will that be Nine Zero?) but I guess that would be for an 'Intimate' room.

I will also need to make a decision soon about using the train or bus earlier in the trip. If I can get aperiod return on either that might help.

I am reluctant at this stage to book anything that I cannot cancel as our flight is with UA!

Thanks again for all your help so far.
Rick

I have decided to not worry about our UA flights being cancelled and have just spent a successful hour or two with Priceline UK:

Boston - Millennium Bostonian booked for 3 nights for a total inclusive price of £213 ($345). There might be $20 dollars a night to pay for a rollaway unless they are free for children but they will upgrade us to a 2 bedded room if there are still any free two weeks beforehand.

We will then leave Boston, have one overnight stop at Portsmouth or somewhere inland from there - any recommendations for places to stay?

After that we have 2 nights booked at the Sheraton in Burlington for a total inclusive price of $113 for a room with two doubles and the potential of an upgrade with my Starwood privelege card.

This leaves 5 more nights to arrange.

The Millennium Boston is in the Quincy Market. Nice hotel, and plenty of choices for restaurants in the evening. If you like fish, and want to try it Cuban style, go to Go Fish, which is next to the Millennium Hotel, otherwise you can go to Todd English's Kingfisher Restaurant in the Quincy Market. If you'd like to try Malaysian food, Penang is located in the Quincy Market.

While you're in Boston, make your way over to Cambridge to Harvard University and MIT. You might also enjoy the Science Museum and Omni Theatre in Cambridge.

Depending upon the age of your daughter, you might also want to go to the Children's Museum in Boston, along with the Aquarium. You should also book yourself on Boston's Duck Tour, its an amphibious vehicle that takes you around the city and then you get to float along the Charles River. Make sure that your daughter gets to drive the boat. Otherwise, there's the hop on hop off trolley tour, which gives you 2 days of transportation in Boston.

Regarding insurance on rental cars, you purchase that over and above the rental price, and you would do that directly with the rental car agency.

The rooms at Nine Zero are 250 square feet, slightly larger than a 15 x 15 room.

I think you should consider Newport, Rhode Island to see the mansions and water front. You can try Priceline again and try to get the Hyatt. Newport would be good for a two day trip.

There is a Fairfield Inn owned by Marriott in Portsmouth, NH that is in Priceline's inventory. Its rated a two star, but Fairfield Inn's are pretty consistent, not a ton of amenities, but clean large rooms. It's the only hotel showing up in Priceline's inventory in Portsmouth, so you have 3 attempts to bid on it (2 free rebids). Start bidding at the 2 star level, then 2.5, and finally 3. You should check the website to determine what the rack rate is in order to formulate your bid. Otherwise, you could make your way back to Massachusetts or your next destination after you've visited Portsmouth.

Oops, I did that backwards, start bidding at the 3 star level, then if that bid is not accepted, 2.5 star and then 2 star. The Fairfield Inn is the only hotel in Priceline's inventory in Portsmouth.

Why avoid the Boston Marathon? it's great fun to watch! and you can all take your pictures at the finish line after the last stragglers come in-
April 19th is a Massachusetts holiday- not just because of the Marathon- it's "Patriot's Day", the anniversary of "the shot heard round the world" reenactments of Paul Revere's and William Dawes' rides and the battle of Lexington-Concord are wonderful- those very picturesque towns are about 40 minutes north of Boston- you have to get up early and get to Lexington Green by 6:00 or 6:30 to get a good viewing spot, but it's well worth it-your daughter would love it! There are pancake breakfasts after the reanactment and then a parade- Minuteman National Historical Park is also a great take- check out the National Park Service site for events in April-
Salem (the "witch city") is also well worth a visit-The witch museum is worthwhile, and the monument to the people hanged as witches is very moving

you're coming at a perfect time -make the most of it!

The excellent advice keeps on coming - all very much appreciated.

Accommodation now booked for more than half of the holiday. Decisions still to make:

- Choose betwen train and bus for travel from NYC to Boston. Train $96 if I book by this Saturday. I have seen that AMTRAK have baggage restrictions. Do they apply these strictly? Will need to measure our suitcases. Will also look into bus journies a bit more closely and possible period returns.

- Book the car hire from Boston. Hoping to find a downtown pick up point. Need to work out additional insurance costs (might be able to buy these separately in the UK) and whether to pay the extra to drop-off at JFK.

- I have now booked a night in the Fairfield at Portsmouth. I don't want to spend 7 or 8 hours on the road from there to Burlington but 5 or 6 would be OK. Is there a scenic / must see route that fits the bill here?

- We leave Burlington on Patriot's day. Advice above was 'I'd head to Stockbridge or Lenox, MA (about four hours via the scenic route through western VT.)' What is the scenic route or are there options? Are there places to see / avoid in MA on Patriot's Day?

- Rest of the trip still to be finalised. Probably 2 or 3 nights in Newport. Major decision here is whether to keep the car or use public transport to return to NYC and JFK.

Best wishes
Rick