Need some travel advice

Mrs. Jolly and I are celebrating our 20th anniversary this summer and are planning on taking a driving tour of New England (after we take out a second mortgage on the house to pay for gas!).  We were wondering if anyone who lives up there or who has traveled in New England and knows that part of the country would care to give us any travel advice.  Any tips on places we just have to see, out of the way places that aren't in the tourist books or anything else that could make the trip exciting would be most helpful.

So - advise away.

Comments

[Chris D.]

David, We live in Concord, MA (home of a wonderful PCA church - and Walden Pond). Anyway - I recommend the Maine coast. Of course visit Boston (see where George Whitfield preached) Concord (home of Thoreau, Emerson, Hawthorne, Alcott), see the history - but then go up to York, Kennebunkport, and Ogunquit. Beautiful light houses, gorgeous rocky beaches, old New England homes, lobsters, chowda, and some close Islands for day trips. From Boston this is only about 1 hour drive. Everything is so close up here.

Lots of great Puritan history - if it's Mrs. Jolly's cup of tea. But, maybe you can fit it all in - just sneak in the Purtians between visits to rocky beaches. I sneak it in - between my husband's rounds of golf:)

Feel free to email if I can offer you more tips. I have a load of information from years of day trips. Happy vacationing!!!!

[Byron]

Plimouth Plantation is an absolute must. History comes to life there, in the persons of re-enactors who interact with guests. I could have stayed for several hours listening to the anecdotes of skilled interpreters of 17th-century Plimouth. Not to be missed!

[Greg Linscott]

How far north are you going? I'll give you some decent Maine tips, some of which you may not get in a book...

Acadia National Park is very nice. Make sure you see Sargent Drive on Mount Desert Island if you go- it;s one of those places that one might miss, but it is a spectacular drive- the only fjord in the US. Another place often neglected is Acadia's Schoodic Peninsula (not on Mount Desert Island with the rest of the park).

Camden and Rockland are also very nice. The Rockland Harbor Breakwater Lighthouse is a nice little walk outside the car.

Reid State Park, near Bath, boasts what I think are the nicest sandy beaches in the state.

Fort Knox, in Prospect, is very interesting- it's a well-preserved stone fort dating back to the Revolutionary War.

The Mount Washington Auto Road across the border in New Hampshire is a nice drive- and at 6288 ft, it's views can be spectacular.

Inland, the Rangeley Lakes are very nice- Rotes 17 and 4 in that area are well worth it for the views just from your car. Way up north (probably too far for you, though), Baxter State Park and Katahdin are simply breathtaking- and you can see some pretty interesting wildlife such as moose.

Also, make it a point in Maine to try a Whoopie Pie, drink some Moxie, and eat at Governor's, Big G's, The Coffee Pot, Amato's, or Moody's Diner. You won't regret it.

Let me know if I can give you any more Maine tips. I love this state!

[Sheena]

We had a wonderful time driving up throught New England from New Jersey several years ago.

We spent a couple of nights in Cape Cod enjoying some wonderful seafood and we stayed in a really lovely romantic little hotel/B&B type place (just right for an anniversary!) which you can find here:

http://www.lambandlion.com/

I wouldn't bother going all the way up the Cape to Provincetown unless you want to go whale watching, we should have read the guide book before setting out there, it was a real eye opener! The smaller towns were nicer by far. From the Lonely Planet New England guide, on Provincetown

" Provincetown is Cape Cod's most lively resort town and New England's gay mecca....Walking down Commercial St on any given day, you may see cross-dressers, children eating saltwater taffy, leather clad motorcyclists, barely clad rollerbladers, women strolling hand in hand and middle-Americans wondering what they've stumbled on on their way to a whale-watching ferry"

[Mike Touhey]

David,

If you are up for the drive, one of the best vacation/camping trips I ever had was when my wife and I went to Bar Harbor, Maine. It's so beautiful there and there is tons to do...hiking, swimming, whale watching. The rugged, rocky coastline is magnificent! While you are that far North, you might as well jump across the border to Quebec City. This city cannot be beat for its historic beauty and interesting things to do/see.

On another note, I used to live in Maryland (I am now in NY) and grew up going to the movies in what is now your church. In fact, my father is still there and practices law across the street from you (Joseph Touhey - 91 Aquahart Rd.). If you ever feel led to make a pastoral call on him...I will pay for lunch! The Sunset Inn maybe? Anyway, I love my Dad and he needs the Lord.

Happy anniversary and safe travels.

[danny]

I live in Boston and would recommend checking out the historical sites (the Freedom Trail for instance) if you are into that sort of thing. George Whitefield's burial in Newburyport (just north of Boston) is another good one. Of course, for me the main attraction of Boston is the Red Sox, good luck getting tickets. To each his own.

If you're going to be in New England, you must go to Maine and eat some clam chowder. You'll get good chowder here in Boston, but nothing beats Maine for that. And lobster, if you don't mind putting some effort into eating (as for me, I just want to eat without the work!).

[cavman]

And you didn't call me?????

Yes, the beaches in Maine are beautiful (though the water is too cold for a Gator like yourself). At least one lobster from some dumpy looking place is a must.
I'm partial to the mountains. As a NH boy, the White Mountains are georgeous (and not nearly as far away as Arcadia). You can drive along the Kangamangus (sp?) Hwy and see some beautiful spots. Along the highway is a place called the Flume which has some fairly easy trails along some waterfalls and stuff. I almost died in there doing the typical stupid 20 year-old trying to impress my girlfriend stunt.
The Green Mountains, in VT, are also very pretty.
Been to Newburyport- don't go out of your way, but if you are passing by stop. When I stopped there 6 or 7 years ago the PC (USA) pastor was in and gave us a tour. They maintain it as an historical site.
If you want to climb a mountain, Monadnock (between Nashua & Keene, NH) is do-able for old folks. Amie is laughing at the thought of you flatlanders trying to climb a mountain.
Boston has lots of cool things, though many of the historical sites are a tad run down (or were when last I visited them 15 years ago). I know you hate baseball- don't worry the Sox are a tough ticket to get. But you just have to get lost trying to get to Boston Common once. You really have to experience Boston traffic, particularly the maze of one-way streets, before you die. Try learning to drive a stick there. Oye!

[Rick]

Check out my buddy Al Baker who has started anew PCA church in Hartford. Al was a baseball player at Alabama and we went on a mission trip to CA when we were in college. He and I roomed together and he intorduced me to Maryanne when we got back to the states. Then, he went to RTS in Jackson. He's pastored in Georgia and after he became an empty nester, he and Wini moved to Hartford to start a new church. Very cool. www.ChristCPC.org

By the way, I saw what you wrote about Maryanne - how she hasn't changed much in 20 years. ANd I saw what you worte about me. I want to fight. Go Vandy... SEC champs!

[Alex O]

I would like to add that if you don't have travel insurance yet, then it's time for you to get one. I think this is compulsory today for our own safety during trip.