rving from Philadelphia
Sep 7th, 2010, 12:59 AM
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rving from Philadelphia
We live in Ireland and are going to rent an RV from Philadelphia for 4 weeks starting 1st october. We are a couple of a certain age although fairly fit . we do a lot of sailing.
We read an entry on your forum which suggested it would be better to have a car and just stay in budget hotels. We will not have a car as well so this might prevent us seeing places where the rv cannot go. we have booked the rv but havent paid the full price yet.
We thought of going North to see the leaf fall. will it be cold at that time.
We would also like suggestions as to where to visit..
We read an entry on your forum which suggested it would be better to have a car and just stay in budget hotels. We will not have a car as well so this might prevent us seeing places where the rv cannot go. we have booked the rv but havent paid the full price yet.
We thought of going North to see the leaf fall. will it be cold at that time.
We would also like suggestions as to where to visit..
Sep 7th, 2010, 01:39 AM
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We just returned from a weekend camping trip (first weekend in Sept) in NH's White Mountains. On Friday it was hot but it was much cooler for Sat and Sun. At night, sitting around the campfire we needed jackets. On Monday morning I turned the heater on. It could be t shirt weather during the day but jacket weather at night and maybe a sweater by late afternoon around 3pm when the day usually starts cooling off.
Some campgrounds close after Columbus Day weekend (Oct 11). The RV is too big for some city traffic. You would not be able to visit Boston unless you stayed at a campground that provides transportation to a train stop. In places like Camden Maine, I'm not sure where you would park. We enjoy camping but would never consider having an RV. We pull a camping trailer. Some of the larger popular tourist attractions have special parking areas for long vehicles. You would also have to be careful about parking in grocery store parking lots. Pick a place where no cars will park next to you. You can't stop in a small town and run into a little downtown shop. Public parking is scarce is a lot of New England towns and cities. I agree, you would find it much more convenient to stay at budget hotels.
Do a search on Fodor's for suggested road trips to see foliage. By mid October, head to southern New England. From Philadelphia I would go up thru New York, the Deleware Gap area, head to Bennington VT, then Keene NH. From there you can take Rt 101 all the way to the seacoast and then up to Maine. If you decide on the RV make sure you carefully plan your trip to avoid bridges/tunnels that do not allow RVs because they are carrying propane and/or are too tall. There are roads into Boston for example that specifically say cars only because the bridges are too low for RVs, trucks and buses.
Here in New England it's been very dry. It could be warm until Thanksgiving or we could have snow for Halloween (Oct 31). Come prepared for cold but also bring light weight clothing for the warm days.
Some campgrounds close after Columbus Day weekend (Oct 11). The RV is too big for some city traffic. You would not be able to visit Boston unless you stayed at a campground that provides transportation to a train stop. In places like Camden Maine, I'm not sure where you would park. We enjoy camping but would never consider having an RV. We pull a camping trailer. Some of the larger popular tourist attractions have special parking areas for long vehicles. You would also have to be careful about parking in grocery store parking lots. Pick a place where no cars will park next to you. You can't stop in a small town and run into a little downtown shop. Public parking is scarce is a lot of New England towns and cities. I agree, you would find it much more convenient to stay at budget hotels.
Do a search on Fodor's for suggested road trips to see foliage. By mid October, head to southern New England. From Philadelphia I would go up thru New York, the Deleware Gap area, head to Bennington VT, then Keene NH. From there you can take Rt 101 all the way to the seacoast and then up to Maine. If you decide on the RV make sure you carefully plan your trip to avoid bridges/tunnels that do not allow RVs because they are carrying propane and/or are too tall. There are roads into Boston for example that specifically say cars only because the bridges are too low for RVs, trucks and buses.
Here in New England it's been very dry. It could be warm until Thanksgiving or we could have snow for Halloween (Oct 31). Come prepared for cold but also bring light weight clothing for the warm days.
Sep 7th, 2010, 02:49 AM
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You have 2 problems.
There are cities you can't take an RV into - since there will just be no place to park - like New York and Boston and a bunch of smaller towns with limited parking
In the NE US there are a bunch of roads called parkways that are for passenger cars only. They cannot be used by RVs. trucks, buses, large vans etc, since they were not built for them and just aren't wide enough and have low bridges.
If you wander onto one of these roads there are 2 risks
1) You will be ticketed - from$100 up to $1000
2) you will be stuck under a bridge - very expensive - heavy fine plus costs to remove the RV (they typically have to deflate the tires and sometimes remove goods and pull it out backwards - ruining tires, damaging road and causing a large towing bill) - plus cost of any damage to the RV
I strongly reco NOT using an RV in this area of the country - there are too many places you just can't see with one. (They are OK farther west in terms of accessibility, but still more expensive than a car and motels.)
There are cities you can't take an RV into - since there will just be no place to park - like New York and Boston and a bunch of smaller towns with limited parking
In the NE US there are a bunch of roads called parkways that are for passenger cars only. They cannot be used by RVs. trucks, buses, large vans etc, since they were not built for them and just aren't wide enough and have low bridges.
If you wander onto one of these roads there are 2 risks
1) You will be ticketed - from$100 up to $1000
2) you will be stuck under a bridge - very expensive - heavy fine plus costs to remove the RV (they typically have to deflate the tires and sometimes remove goods and pull it out backwards - ruining tires, damaging road and causing a large towing bill) - plus cost of any damage to the RV
I strongly reco NOT using an RV in this area of the country - there are too many places you just can't see with one. (They are OK farther west in terms of accessibility, but still more expensive than a car and motels.)
Sep 7th, 2010, 03:38 AM
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If you are renting an RV the size of a European van-based motor caravan, say VW Westphalia size, you will be fine. But why would you come all the way to America to be in something tiny? Save the RV for the west, as nytraveler suggests, where it will be appreciated, and enjoy as big an RV as you can afford.
If I were you, I would take the New Jersey Turnpike to the Palisades Interstate Parkway, then follow the Hudson River (various routes) to Saratoga Springs. Then I would travel north through the Adirondack Mountains and cross Lake Champlain on the ferry to Burlington, Vermont. Then all Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine lie before you.
If I were you, I would take the New Jersey Turnpike to the Palisades Interstate Parkway, then follow the Hudson River (various routes) to Saratoga Springs. Then I would travel north through the Adirondack Mountains and cross Lake Champlain on the ferry to Burlington, Vermont. Then all Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine lie before you.
Sep 7th, 2010, 04:37 AM
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If you do decide to rent an RV this is an excellent website for finding and reserving camp sites.
http://www.reserveamerica.com/campin...=CampgroundMap
They show federal, state, local campgrounds as well as private (KOA, ELS, other) sites. You can browse for camp sites, check opening dates, and make reservations. As of today I'd expect that reservations would not be needed anywhere - yesterday (Labor Day) was the official end of the summer season here in the Northeast. Many summer-only sites will already or soon be closed, but there are a lot of camp sites open through at least October.
That website shows operating dates for each of the camp sites.
Nights will be cool - we're already seeing nighttime temperatures below 8C, but October generally is a very nice month. You will get frost in many locations overnight but it's very rare there will be any snow except on a few high mountains. Daytime highs in the 20-23C range are quite common, but you should expect temps in the 14-18C range. Lower towards the end of the month.
If you do rent an RV you cannot take the route Ackislander suggests as it includes the Palisades Interstate PARKWAY. That's the operative word as nyt indicated.
Other examples include
Merrit Pkw (Connecticut)
Hutchinson River Pky (NY)
Taconic (NY)
Sprain (NY)
Saw Mill (NY)
Bronx River (NY)
Garden State Pky (NJ)
We can help you plan out RV friendly route if you need ideas - there are plenty of ways to get around.
Some people really enjoy traveling by RV. If that includes you then there is no reason not to enjoy the area by RV as long as you understand some of the limitations of parking in bigger cities.
For leaf peeping the 1st 2 weeks of October tend to be the best. After 10/15 there will be significant leaf drop but still lots to see and enjoy.
Have a great trip. If you need specific advice please come back with more questions.
http://www.reserveamerica.com/campin...=CampgroundMap
They show federal, state, local campgrounds as well as private (KOA, ELS, other) sites. You can browse for camp sites, check opening dates, and make reservations. As of today I'd expect that reservations would not be needed anywhere - yesterday (Labor Day) was the official end of the summer season here in the Northeast. Many summer-only sites will already or soon be closed, but there are a lot of camp sites open through at least October.
That website shows operating dates for each of the camp sites.
Nights will be cool - we're already seeing nighttime temperatures below 8C, but October generally is a very nice month. You will get frost in many locations overnight but it's very rare there will be any snow except on a few high mountains. Daytime highs in the 20-23C range are quite common, but you should expect temps in the 14-18C range. Lower towards the end of the month.
If you do rent an RV you cannot take the route Ackislander suggests as it includes the Palisades Interstate PARKWAY. That's the operative word as nyt indicated.
Other examples include
Merrit Pkw (Connecticut)
Hutchinson River Pky (NY)
Taconic (NY)
Sprain (NY)
Saw Mill (NY)
Bronx River (NY)
Garden State Pky (NJ)
We can help you plan out RV friendly route if you need ideas - there are plenty of ways to get around.
Some people really enjoy traveling by RV. If that includes you then there is no reason not to enjoy the area by RV as long as you understand some of the limitations of parking in bigger cities.
For leaf peeping the 1st 2 weeks of October tend to be the best. After 10/15 there will be significant leaf drop but still lots to see and enjoy.
Have a great trip. If you need specific advice please come back with more questions.
Sep 7th, 2010, 05:56 AM
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