<p>I realise this is not strictly college related but since the final destination is college i figured it may be able to pass on these forums </p>
<p>Ok I am a foreigner who is doing exchange in Boston this fall. My parents and I are flying to New York and spending a few days then we have 5 nights to make our way by car through Connecticut and Massachusetts (boy do I wish those were on my spelling lists as a child). I have tried to research where to go and what to do over the internet but am not finding much information and anything i do find of course says how wonderful their town is to visit. </p>
<p>So far I was thinking of Mystic, Essex and maybe route 169 for Connecticut. Providence and Newport for Rhode Island. Provincetown and cape cod for Massachusetts.</p>
<p>Should I add anywhere/avoid anywhere? Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I am fairly clueless when it comes to New England. </p>
<p>My favorite parts of the world … and they were on <em>our</em> spelling lists as kids!</p>
<p>It sounds like you want to go up the coast from New York to Boston. You will miss the mountainous parts of Connecticut/Massachusetts, but they are a long way out of your way so perhaps save them for another trip.</p>
<p>Many of the <em>things to see</em> are historic in nature – and it would seem to me that there’s only just so much of that you can do. </p>
<p>I would start with a day in New York, then drive to Essex. Stay in the older part of Essex and do the Connecticut Steam Train and RiverBoat ride. </p>
<p>The next day, head up the coast to Mystic. You could easily spend a whole week here – so pick and choose. I’d consider Mystic Seaport, OldeMystick Village (for shopping), Mystic Aquarium, also Groton Monument, Coast Guard Academy in New London and the casinos if that’s an interest.</p>
<p>From there I would visit Newport … stay in town if possible … tour a mansion … take a sunset cruise. Personally, I would skip Providence, but you might want to see Brown.</p>
<p>I think Cape Cod is out of your way … very crowded until after Labor Day … but maybe someone else can add something here. My favorite part is the National Seashore … way out almost to P-town.</p>
<p>If you are not historic-ed out, stop at the Mayflower exhibit in Plymouth and Plimouth Plantation. Also the Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice factory tour.</p>
<p>Brown has been my dream school since i was 12. In Australia it was rare anyone had ever heard of it until a few months ago when it came a college on the O.C haha (gee i hope grad applications dont rise from australia due to that … i was hoping to bank on my nationality if i ever did choose to apply). So although providence may be dull i admit i am wanting to go there purely because brown is there. </p>
<p>We are spending 4 nights in New York before we head on the roadtrip to boston…its just filling those 5 days/nights! Even if the mountains are out of our way we may still have time if they are worth visiting?</p>
<p>I was thinking of plymouth but heard that it was a bit boring… so i take it the previous judgement may have been unfair? I will have to read up on it. </p>
<p>Thanks so much for your response! its a big help :)</p>
<p>Also, sorry if this sounds like a silly question, but is conneticut mostly villiages or is it industrialised? I mean are most roads ‘scenic’ or do i have to make sure we take certain roads to see the nice parts…</p>
<p>Thinking about the Connecticut’s LItchfield County, Western Massachusetts, Vermont’s green mountains … it’s not so much that there are ‘attractions’ as that it’s very scenic and lovely. Historic homes, etc. If you are looking for ‘bright lights, big city’ you won’t like it. And … since there is no snow in the summer and early fall, there’s no skiing! There are music festivals, (Tanglewood and more), there’s good restaurants, outlet and other shopping, etc. </p>
<p>One caveat – the distances may not look far on a map, but our roads aren’t straight and flat, especially as you get up into the more northern sections away from the highways. You simply can’t travel at 50-60 mph up there, and the driving takes more concentration. We often talk in terms of hours to get somewhere, rather than miles.</p>
<p>Re Plymouth – I enjoyed my visit there several years ago, but I’m a Mayflower decendant and that was fun for me. If you are coming from the Cape to Boston, it is not out of your way. If you are coming from Providence, I think it is. Your tolerance for historic re-creation will determine how many of those places to visit … and there are a bunch!</p>
<p>It really depends on what you consider interesting or fun. For history buffs, Plimoth Plantation is both fun and interesting, but not necessarily for others. We had an Australian guest who liked submarines, so H and my Ss took him to see the USS Massachusetts. I forget where it is located; I’ll have to look it up. I agree that much of CT and MA are very scenic, though coming up I-95 you might miss it. </p>
<p>Our usual way of traveling to NYC from Boston is going on the Mass Pike (I-91) through CT and then down to NYC. This takes you into the Berkshires mountains which are lovely at this time of the year (but not through Providence. However, Providence is only one hour away from Boston).</p>
<p>The scenery is lovely if you take the train from NYC to Boston.</p>
<p>Rhode Island is basically one big sprawling metropolitan area. I believe Block Island is nice though. </p>
<p>Also, one post mentions Groton. You can actually tour a Nautilus submarine there, which is kind of neat. When I visited with my daughter, we actually observed a sub heading out to sea, it went under as we watched.</p>
<p>Have you checked out travel guide web sites such as <a href=“Frommer's Travel Guides: Trip Ideas, Inspiration & Deals”>www.frommers.com?</a> These sites also have forums where you can post questions or see where other people have been and how they liked it.</p>
<p>I love history but my parents are not as into is as i am. I think we are mostly just wanting to experience small towns and scenery. After new york i assume small towns may be a nice break </p>
<p>Australia is such a new nation that even the US appears old (and therefore intersting). Ok so the I95 skips the good spots i take it… what about the merritt parkway? From pictures it just looked like it drove through trees and green fields which may be pretty for a while but im not sure about a hour or two on end heh.</p>
<p>I will read up on the I 91 and pencil in plymouth… thanks guys :)</p>
<p>I actually live just near a naval base so we see ships and subs from our windows every day, i dont think we will be wanting to visit maritime sights. Although i am very grateful for the suggestions all the same.</p>
<p>I95 actually connects the good spots. It runs along the coast – but generally is not a pretty road. It goes from south Florida to northern Maine and parallels US1 which runs through all (most?) of the coastal towns. </p>
<p>The MerrittParkway (Rt 15) parallels 95 from NY line to Stratford, where it becomes the Wilbur Cross and parallels 91 towards Hartford. It’s a nicer road, with no large trucks.</p>
<p>Starting in NYC, 95 goes through Stamford, Westport, Bridgeport, New Haven, Essex, Mystic, Groton. New London, Providence, to Boston. Plymouth, Newport, and Cape Cod are a good distance off 95.</p>
<p>The Mass Pike is I90 – runs from Boston to Albany NY and onward across upstate NY to Buffalo, Cleveland, and Chicago and other points west.</p>
<p>I91 starts in New Haven and runs to the Canadian LIne, essentially up the Connecticut River. I84 runs diagonally across Connecticut from Danbury on the New York line to intersect the Mass Pike in the northeastern corner. It’s my preferred route when heading to Boston from SW Connecticut.</p>
<p>What you need is a good map!</p>
<p>RE Rhode Island – there are lovely parts along the shore … beaches, lighthouses etc. My favorite town would be Jamestown, an island in Narragansett Bay, accessible by bridge on the way to Newport, which should not be missed!</p>
<p>I bought a giant map today i have been madly studying it all night trying to work out what roads to take… your overview will help me greatly!</p>
<p>Ive just looked up frommers and they mention that hotels tend to book out in peak period. We are going to go during the week (sun-thurs) in late august, do you think we would need to book ahead? </p>
<p>Sorry, I seem to have question after question dont I.</p>
<p>YES you need to book ahead. This is a pretty popular period, right before Labor Day. Make reservations NOW – check cancellation policies you can probably cancel up to 24 hrs before.</p>
<p>It takes much longer with more traffic, trucks, etc., when driving from NY to Boston on I-95. We usually pick up the Merritt Parkway at exit 37 from I-95, head up to 91, then I-84, then then Mass Pike. You see a bit of the hills of CT this way. You could stop in Sturbridge, which is right on this route, at exit 2 off the Mass Pike.</p>
<p>However, Essex is off 95, and is lovely. Mystic is also a fun place to stop in CT. If you do take 95, it is easier to stop in RI, and get over to the Cape. However, although our states look small on a map, if is still several hours from one place to another. Boston to mid-Cape is an hour and a half to two hours, and further than that to P-town.</p>
<p>And yes, I would absolutely recommend reservations everywhere you are planning to visit, particularly the tourist spots.</p>
<p>wow, i am glad i asked now haha.
That means i really need to try to finalise where i am actually going. </p>
<p>I will see what other advice this thread gives then go hotel/motel/B&B hunting.</p>
<p>Is it really as drastic as they will litereally all be full or does it just mean we would most likely have to shop around? I looked it up and it will be two weeks before labour day so does that change matters? (i know my dad is a pain when it comes to booking… he does not like to be tied down when we travel so i guess i need to know if its worth fighting him over it)</p>
<p>while going along the connecticut coast line, stop in new haven- walk through the gorgeous yale campus, and through the cute streets that are filled with really fun boutiques and yummy cafes. there a whole bunch of historical sites in the area, and beautiful old houses that date back into the 1700s.</p>
<p>oh really? i heard that new haven was a dive… its good to hear otherwise! I will def try to check it out. Besides, i am always up for a yummy cafe :)</p>
<p>When I was in college in Boston, we used to take our bikes onto the ferry to Provincetown, and spend 2-1/2–3 hours on a cruise sunning ourselves and having drinks on the way. Now it takes only 1-1/2 hours. Fun, fun, fun. This is the way to go. Forget the traffic jams.</p>
<p>Well … you can go with the flow if you want. But you do NOT want to have to sleep in your car! Most of the places we’ve all listed and talked about are tourist destinations. August can be very very tight even though you are talking midweek. You don’t want to be driving around looking for a place to sleep at 8 pm at night.</p>
<p>Here’s a suggestion tho – book a place for a week NOW in eastern shoreline Connecticut. A place such as a summer cottage on the shore. From there you can day trip to Mystic, Essex, New Haven, Providence, Newport, New London etc. (I’m thinking I would look for a rental at Niantic, Old Saybrook, Clinton etc). Try something like frbo.com for vacation rentals.</p>
<p>oh cool that could be really nice! It does not look like there is room for cars though…do you know if there are any ferries that allow cars from provincetown? (there is a technical name that escapes me atm)</p>
<p>I was planning on catching the Chester-Hadlyme Ferry in CT. as they allow cars and its supposed to be a nice ride.</p>
<p>all these great ideas…</p>
<p>ok thanks cnp… i will work on my dad to try to get him to kill old habbits and book just in case :)</p>
<p>The summer cape traffic can be a huge mess, but if you only want to see Provincetown, you can take a ferry from Boston. If you arrived one day ‘early’ in Boston that would be pretty easy. Ferry reservations would be needed and can be done on line.</p>
<p>I adore the Cape; P-town is charming and very worth seeing. I am assuming you know that there is a very “out” lively gay culture in P-town.</p>
<p>Yeh i read that, i was quite suprised as for some reason i expected that area to be conservative. I live in Sydney near the gay area so i dont even blink when i see transvestites etc anymore. Guess it makes the place more colourful!</p>
</p>
i have been madly studying it all night trying to work out what roads to take… your overview will help me greatly!</p>