NYC to Boston roadtrip
 

After 5 days in NYC, we are renting a car for a roadtrip to Springfield, Boston and Cape Cod for 6 days with 2 college age kids. Is this doable? What are the best bets & routes for this on a moderate budget? I'm afraid we will just drive by something we should see. What do you suggest?

I suggest you skip Springfield.

The kids wanted to see the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield--is it worth it?

If your kids are interested you should visit the B-Ball Hall of Fame in Springfield. It will probably take about 4 hours from NYC to Springfield and about 2 hours from Springfield to Boston. If you have never been to Boston before, 3 days would be an okay amount of time to see the sights. The Cape is at least a 2 hour ride depending on when you travel. Try to drive into Boston on a weekend and to the Cape on a weekday. You can take the Mass Pike from Springfield right into Boston. More info about your interests would yield good stopping place ideas.

As shaz explained, it's impossible to make suggestions without knowing your interests. I, for intance, have lived in Boston for 54 years without having even the slightest urge to travel to Springfield, to see the BB Hall of Fame or for any other reason.

It'll take closer to 3 hours, rather than 4, to go from NYC to Springfield. Take I-84 to Hartford, where you'll pick up I-91 to Springfield.

As a resident of beautiful Lowell, MA, I hesitate to discourage people from visiting cities that may not be everyone's idea of tourist destinations. The B-Ball Hall of Fame is pretty good.

shaz, sorry if I offended; I was just trying to make a point about needing to know interests.

According to Microsoft Streets, it's 2-1/2 hours to Springfield and another 1-1/2 hours to Boston.

You could stop in Springfield, visit the Basketball Hall of Fame, then continue on to Boston without an overnight in Springfield.

I would not recommend heading to the Cape for a short visit in July or August, especially on a budget, especially if you're booking this late.

Better bet for ocean/seaside visit is north of Boston (Rockport, Marblehead...), Portsmouth, NH (even Hampton Beach, NH with college age kids), or the southern coast of Maine.

Thanks for the ideas. Family interests include colleges, sports, beaches, history, roadfood! We are from Washington State so really want to experience New England for the 1st time. Any suggestions where to stay on the way back to NYC or should we just drive back in one day?

No offense taken Anon. You could take Route 2 to Lexington/Concord for a day trip or as someone mentioned the North Shore is beautiful (Marblehead, Rockport, etc.), a little farther up is Crane's Beach in Ipswich. You could take the route along the CT coast back to NYC and stop in Mystic. In Boston there is certainly plenty of history and colleges. Also tours of Fenway Park, Fanueil Hall/Quincy Market, the North End, Chinatown, Harbor tours, the Museum of Science, the Museum of Fine ARts, the Isabella Gardner Museum, etc. I am sure that you will drive by something that you should see, but you only have 6 days so don't sweat it.

If I were going to Spgfld & BB HoF, I'd also try a stop in Hartford to see the Mark Twain home. There are a couple of museums in downtown Spgfld too, and the Indian Motorcycle museum. I've found that lodging in the Spgfld area is usually quite inexpensive ... maybe a short drive in the morning to Old Sturbridge Village. And Lowell has an interesting museum too, especially if you have an interest in the Industrial Revolution in the US.

I've bicycled from LA to Boston, and there's a LOT to see in small towns if you look, and ask the locals. Yes, the MOFA and the Aquarium are great, but there's life beyond the big cities.

Would Filenes basement be popular with teens? Any other bargain shopping? they love outlet malls, too.

Lodging question: Would it be worth it to stay in downtown Boston and pay more or stay in the outskirts? I have found better lodging deals in Bilercca, Auburn etc.

I'd stay in town, but if you do decide on the suburbs, try to stay at a hotel near a "T" train stop so that you can take public transportation into the city. Parking is horrendous and expensive in town, so the train is the only way to go.

BTW, Auburn is at least 45 mins. from Boston by car, so I wouldn't stay there.

If you're going to Springfield and you're interested in history I would definitely consider stopping by Old Sturbridge Village.

If you want a taste of small-town New England, you might also consider checking out some of the towns north of Springfield (such as Northampton). For whatever it's worth, I think the Yankee Candle factory/gift shop in South Deerfield was (at least at one point) one of the best visited "tourist attractions" in New England. Western Mass. is really lovely, and most people in Boston have never been there.

I would also stay in Boston if you can swing it at all (there are usually some pretty good deals floating around). Boston is a small, very walkable city so almost any location is good, but you don't really want to have to commute in on the T (and you certainly don't want to be driving around).

Advice appreciated--we were thinking of going from NYC to Springfield to take in the museum and then stopping at Sturbridge for the night. That would be doable, yes?

Sure, but Sturbridge to Boston is just an hour.