I'm arriving in DC via the auto train with my 7 and 12 yr old grandsons. We have 2 days of touring in DC already planned out. We will then travel to NH which is a 9 hour drive. I want to overnight someplace around half way where we can see something of interest to them. I do not want to drive into NYC. I would love some suggestions. Thanks

Having made that trip more than a few times from northern Virginia, how about Gettysburg; the basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass... I'm sure others will have better suggestions.

Go to freetrip.com. After you enter starting and destination points, mark off the hotel price range you are interested in. It will list hotels all along the way in addition to time and miles.

Knowing how far you want to drive and what type lodging suits you will help in determining where you want to stop for points of interest.

The route you want to take is I-83 north of Baltimore to I-81 to Scranton, PA. Then I-84 to Hartford, CT, and finally, either I-91N or continue on I-84 towards Boston, depending on where in NH you're going.

You can stop as early as Scranton, PA, or further east into the Poconos Mountains, and down to the Hudson Valley. Depends on what you're interested in seeing and whether you want to drive more on the 1st or 2nd day.

West Point, NY

There's a Six Flags and a waterpark in Agawam Mass, just north of Hartford on 91. But thats a little too far to be called half-way.

How about taking the New Jersey TPK to see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island from the Jersey side? You can take the ferry from Liberty State park in Jersey City.

Thanks for the suggestions I like the idea of making the trip without having to drive the Jersey Turnpike. On the otherhand seeing the Statue of Liberty without having to go into NYC is also appealing. I am going to go online freetrip.com and check out the times.
Thanks

There's a classic car museum near the eastern section of Amish area of PA. It would be a detour for you. My husband prefers to avoid NJ and NYC areas AND Hartford. There's a scenic route up thru the Delaware Gap in PA and if you head north to Albany NY, you can cut across VT and into southern NH.
If you take the quicker route, heading up Rt 91 to VT and then over into NH and thru Keene is a great route with less traffic. From Concord NH area it's surprisingly fast compared to Mass Turnpike and Rt 495 up to Rt 3. Much less traffic congestion after you get thru Hartford.