What to see between Boston and Southern Vermont
 

I am taking my son to school in Southern VT in late January 2010. I am flying in and out of Boston so after dropping him off I have time on my way back to Boston to see and enjoy the winter sites. I have never been to Vermont, New Hamphsire or the Boston areas. Please can anyone help me with what to stop and see or where to stay on my way back to Boston. I would like to spend a few days in Boston too any ideas where to stay and what to see? I have aprox. 4.5 days until I fly back to CA. Thanks

The southern third of NH is pretty built up but Rt 101 west from Nashua takes you thru NH's quiet corner. Peterborough is a small artsy, pretty town with some interesting shops/galleries on the river. Great Toadstool Bookstore, both new and used. If icy conditions, driving in Mt Monadnock area can be difficult so pay attention to weather. You could opt for an herbal luncheon at Pickety Place in Mason NH but it may not be fun without friends.
We keep meaning to explore Brattleboro VT. You might want to do a loop that would include a visit to the Vermont Country Store, also visit Woodstock VT (the perfect Vermont town but a little too perfect for me), lunch at Simon Pierce in Quechee and return to Boston via Rt 89 to Rt 93.
In Boston, a culinary tour of either Boston's North End or Chinatown is great fun. I've enjoyed both. Great tastings and it won't matter if you're by yourself. The Chinatown tour ends with a dim sum lunch. It's only offered once or twice a week. Everyone else on our Chinatown tour except my husband had loved the North End tour so much they were doing the Chinatown tour.
I'll leave VT/NH lodging recommendations for someone else. This area is usually day trips for us.

Wow thanks for the info. Posting this was a 1st for me and your info is a great help! Happy New Year!

If you take the route suggested in the last post and are at all interested in Shaker history, the Enfield Shaker Village near Lebanon, N.H. is a very easy side trip from Rte 89.

There is another post going about things to do in the Woodstock, Vt area that might give you some ideas
http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...g-from-nyc.cfm

Where exactly are you going in southern Vt for your son's school?

There are two ways to get to the southern route in NH, you could head North out of Boston and take Route 3 to Nashua and then 101A and 101 across the lower tier of the state. I usually take this route because it is most direct but it certainly isn't very interesting.

Another option which wouldn't add much time at all would be to take Mass Route 2 West to Route 140 in Gardner and then 140 North to Route 202 North to Route 101 in Peterborough (or Rt 140 to Route 12 North to Route 101 in Keene).

Mass Route 2 takes you past Concord and Lexington which of course are the start of the American Revolution. You would have to check with others about things to do there.

If you took Rt 202 to Peterborough: love Peterborough but I am biased because I live here. It is a very artsy and classic New England town. Nice dining, shopping, and a fun place to explore. Peterborough is home to the well known Peterboro Basket Company where they have been making baskets by hand for over 150 years. West of P-Boro on the way to Keene you will drive through Dublin and around scenic Dublin Lake, from there you would see Mt Monadnock, the most hiked Mountain in the Western Hemisphere).

If you took Rt 12 to Keene: Keene is a nice college town with a great Main Street for shopping or just walking around. February 6th is the Keene Ice and Snow Festival.

I would recommend driving the covered bridges tour South of Keene in Swanzey, Troy, and Ashuelot.

Twenty minutes North of Keene is Walpole which is a cute town well known for Burdick's Chocolate and Walpole Creamery. Also North of Keene in Gilsum is the HQ for Badger Health & Body Care Products.

On Route 101 you continue West to Brattleboro on the VT/NH border. I don't know where in VT you need to drop off your son so I can't make many suggestions from there but agree the Vermont Country Store is always fun.

What are your interests...it would be easier to make some suggestions if we know some of your hobbies or what you are interested in doing.

I would highly recommend at least passing through Concord and Lexington. You could spend all day, but even a few hours is worth it. Both are currently well-to-do suburbs or Boston. Lexington has the "battle green" in the middle of town (the "shot heard round the world"), then there's the "battle road" to Concord (I'm sure I'm getting these names wrong, but any guidebook will tell you what they're really called). Concord is a lovely town with both the American Revolution angle (the first British soldier killed in the revolution is buried there), and the American literary angle (Louisa May Alcott, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and others lived there, and some of the homes are open for tours. Walden Pond is in Concord).

Since you have 4.5 days total, and have never been here, I would suggest you dedicate AT LEAST 2.5 - 3 days for Boston alone.

I assume you'll be renting a car from Logan Airport? If at all possible, return the car as soon as you arrive into Boston, as you won't and you don't need a car for your stay in Boston. I'd suggest you return the car at a location near your hotel (wherever you're staying, eg, around Copley sq/Back Bay), instead of returning the car at the airport.

If you're staying in the city but returning the car at Logan, you'll easily waste 2 hours just getting from the car rental place to your hotel if you take public transit; or waste 1+ hr plus $25+ taxi fare if you take a taxi.

There are lots of sites to see in Boston, including the Freedom Trail, Museum of Fine ARts, Gardner Museum, Cambridge (harvard Sq)... HOwever, since you're from CA, I hope you have some really warm clothing & shoes, as it's going to be freezing cold here in late Jan...

If you are going to Concord, MA (highly recommend), you might want to stop at the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, where many American notables are resting:

http://www.newenglandtravelplanner.c...py_hollow.html