IN late June, my wife and I will be leaving a conference in Montreal and taking a bus to Burlington VT where we will be renting a car. We are planning on spending the next two days touring from Burlington to New London CT where we will be catching the ferry to Long Island to spend the remaining time in the Hamptons. Does anyone have any ideas on what to see in VT, NH, CT, RI. We can't do it all, and we have been to Boston. Should we spend one night in VT and another in another state? If so where would be the best locations to visit on a limited time schedule? I hear the Stowe area is nice. Is the NH coast worth the trip, or would it be better to head down to the CT coast or RI? Any ideas or comments would be appreciated. Thanks, Jeff.

I think in that short a time you should stay two days in VT. There are always festivals and things to do there.

Some ideas:

Staying in Amherst, MA, with a side trip to Lee and Lenox in western MA, and a stop in Deerfield on the way.

Newport, RI, which is roughly an hour and a half from New London, with some summer-traffic time figured in. (Without traffic, it's about an hour away.) Newport is quite the gem, with a lot to do there. (Of course, many other tourists come along with the deal.)

Heading south via the North Shore (i.e., north of Boston), with Salem, Marblehead, Rockport.

Also, there are beaches all along the southern RI coast. (I'd prefer this anyday to the NH coast, though Portsmouth, NH, is a very nice town.) There are some shops and restaurants in Narragansett; there's a quaint inn, The Larchwood Inn, in Wakefield, not far from Narragansett. (Never have stayed there, but their restaurant and lounge is great.) There's also Watch Hill.

These are just a few ideas. In late June, you're likely to hit crowds anywhere coastal. Hope you get more postings on this!

Jeff...the drive down Rt 7 from Burlington right into the MA Berkshires is a beautiful one. I especially like Middlebury and Manchester Vt, and Williamstown and Lenox/Stockbridge MA, along this route. We used to make that drive from Grand Isle, west of Burlington to our home in the Berkshires when I was a kid camping on Lake Champlain in 4 hours and I know it's vastly improved since then. That allows for no touring stops but gives you some idea of drive time on the smaller roads.

You could spend the night in Stockbridge (might try Red Lion Inn), even take in Tanglewood if lucky. This is Norman Rockwell country and Stockbridge still looks like his painting of "Main St"....just more people...many more, because of the draw of the area.

Head east down the Pike from there to Newport RI where I'd spend another night and tour the beautiful old summer "cottages" that the cliff overlooking the Atlantic. They are almost unbelievable!

I'll put another vote in for a day in Newport RI. Yes, if you are there on a weekend it might be pretty crowded but still enjoyable; if your schedule puts you there on a weekday so much the better!

Be prepared - you may not want to leave Montreal! Depending on your dates, the International Fireworks Competition and Jazz Festival may both be underway during your visit (not to be missed)! And, there is plenty to see and do in Montreal. While you're there, you may want to take a day trip to Quebec City or the Laurentians. Stowe is our favorite town in Vermont, and the annual flower show is held at the end of June (call 1-800-24 Stowe for the dates this year). Stockbridge and Lenox are fabulous destinations in MA. And, the New London area of Connecticut is excellent for exploring. With only 2-1/2 days, you might want to check a tour guide that covers all of these states and determine which destinations you find most appealing. You can drive from Burlington to New London in about 4-1/2 hours, though, so one night here and another there along the way is definitely a good plan.