Vacation ideas

Parent Cafe
1

<p>I always get really good travel advice here, so I thought I would ask for some ideas.</p>

<p>I am looking for a place to go on vacation around the end of June. By the way, I am not a college student - I work now - I just have my old screen name for CC, so I don’t have any restricitons based on my school breaks.</p>

<p>I am in New York City, and I would like to go somewhere within reasonable driving distance (I wouldn’t want to spend more than 2 days or 800 miles one way driving). I can’t fly or take public transportation, because I will be traveling with a big dog. I would like to go to a new place, and I have been to Massachusetts, Virginia, Florida, New Hampshire, Vermont (I am still open to those places - Massachusetts and NH is where I’ve spent the most time). I am open to going to Canada, as long as it’s not anywhere in the Ontario Province - I wouldn’t even be able to drive through Ontario. However, I have been to Montreal several times, so I would like to visit a different part of Canada.</p>

<p>I would like to go to a place where I can experience a mix of things. I would love to go hiking or just walking through a forest/park with my dog. I am also interested in history/museums and any ‘adventure’ type things (rafting, etc), and I love big cities (so if there is one within driving distance of my destination, that would be a bonus). Also, I would enjoy taking a ferry/boat tour of near-by islands if the destination is on the coast.</p>

<p>I would prefer to go somewhere where I can get a simple but safe motel room for a relatively cheap price, as I don’t want to spend all my money on accommodations.</p>

<p>I would love some ideas!</p>

2

<p>Check out the Canaan Valley and Seneca Rocks areas in West Virginia. Stunning scenery, incredible hiking, affordable accommodations, and pet friendly. The river rafting there is fantastic, although I’m not certain dogs are allowed. You might be able to find a river rafting outfitter (or, more likely, a canoe outfitter) that allows dogs on the calmer parts of the New River.</p>

<p>I’d also recommend the White Mountains of New Hampshire, but it sounds as if you’ve already been there.</p>

<p>Edit: This is a great place to stay in Canaan Valley. It’s affordable, centrally-located, and there are hundreds of tame (wild) animals on the property, from deer to skunks. It’s not fancy, but it’s perfectly adequate for pet owners:</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.canaanresort.com/[/url]”>http://www.canaanresort.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Things to do near Canaan Valley: </p>

<p><a href=“http://www.canaanresort.com/area-attractions[/url]”>http://www.canaanresort.com/area-attractions&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Thanks for the idea! I don’t have to bring the dog everywhere - he is just fine being left alone, and he is quite used to is.</p>

<p>I have been to Seneca Rocks, but I haven’t been rafting, so I will definitely look into that!</p>

4

<p>You might have fun heading towards Pittsburgh. Carnegie Museum. Beautiful rivers. Fallingwater and another nearby Frank Lloyd Wright house not too far. There’s what looks like nice parks in the area of Fallingwater. Can’t advise you on the pet possibilities though.</p>

5

<p>acs, I work for a pet travel company. Feel free to PM me with any questions you might have and I’ll try to answer them. I’ve done lots of research on good pet travel destinations, but most of it was in the West/Southwest.</p>

6

<p>I highly recommend driving to Maine and taking the car ferry from the mainland (Portland)to Nova Scotia. It’s a fabulously beautiful island, the people are warm and welcoming, it’s easy to get around, and a wonderful change from the US in culture. </p>

<p>There is a stunning National Park (Cape Breton) and much natural beauty as well as charming small cities. You can map out various routes without driving the entire island if time is an issue. We also visited the Bay of Fundy (highest tides in the world and SO interesting) and went on two whale watching excursions. Absolutely fabulous place to vacation. The other thing we loved is that the island seemed to be very simple but with million-dollar views! Plus it was relatively inexpensive, especially back then when the Canadian dollar wasn’t very strong.</p>

<p>When we went, we had two kids but no dog. So I don’t know how easy/difficult it will be to stay in any lodgings with a pet. Given the laid back attitudes, I’m guessing perhaps it won’t be too much of an issue? </p>

<p>I look forward to hearing what you decide!</p>

7

<p>My advice is always the same - Cozumel, but you cannot walk in forest with your dog there. It is my absolutely favorite place, we always go back there after we try some other place, nothing compares to Cozumel for us. But we like to be on a beach for whole day, snorkel off shore several times a day and eat / drink awesome food / drinks all day long without break - this is our idea of ideal vacation.</p>

8

<p>Lake Niagara ( sorry it’s in southern Ontario) has beautiful scenery, trails that take you to several wineries,a good theater scene, spas and is very charming.</p>

9

<p>Thank you for all the suggestions! Keep them coming - I am definitely looking into all of them.</p>

<p>Longtimelurker, that sounds wonderful, but I definitely can’t go to Ontario. My dog is a pit bull mix, and they have a law that allows them to confiscate any dog that even LOOKS like a pit bull (even if you are just driving through and are not a resident) and kill the dog. I couldn’t believe it when I heard it, but apparently it’s true, as ridiculous as it sounds.</p>

10

<p>Have you been to DC? Full of museums (and the Smithsonians are all free) as well as Rock Creek Park and the C & O Canal for hiking with the dog.</p>

11

<p>There are some interesting rural places just 2-3 hours to the north and west of NYC, with reasonable rates for accommodations, outdoor activities like rafting, and very small museums. The route takes you north up the Hudson River Valley to NewPaltz, then
west into the Catskill Mountain foothills (Sullivan and Ulster Counties). </p>

<p>First, head north to West Point/Bear Mountain/New Paltz. There’s an outdoor modern sculpture musem (name slips me) atop a mountain near West Point. I believe you can walk through the military academy at West Point. New Paltz is an artsy/state university town; check for theater performances or clubs if you like to do that. </p>

<p>From New Paltz, drive over the hair-pin curves to cross a ridge of mountains (the Shawangucks!) into Ulster and Sullivan Counties. Sullivan County has a new small museum devoted to the 1969 Woodstock Festival (note: the original site and new museum are in the town of Bethel/WhiteLake, NY, rather than “Woodstock” NY which has other charms). See if the festival season has begun at “Bethel Woods” just 5 miles west of Monticello, NY. </p>

<p>Look nearby for eco-tourism opportunities around Honesdale, PA especially rafting and canoe-rentals. If you like trout fishing, go up to Roscoe, NY, and I think there’s a trout-fishing or fly-casting museum there. </p>

<p>For much better details, google up each New York County’s tourism website; try Sullivan and Ulster Counties for Catskills; and (I think) Dutchess for the WestPoint/New Paltz area. </p>

<p>The actual village centers in this Catskill region are sadly very run-down (Monticello, Liberty), not attractive at all. But immediately outside each village center you’re in beautiful rolling country, the “foothills” of the Catskill Mountains. </p>

<p>OK, it’s not the Metropolitan but you have that all year round. I forgot one site along this route, if interested: along the Hudson River, stop to tour the home/grounds of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, if you like American History.</p>

<p>This is not an elegant tour; it’s very nitty-gritty, staying in a different budget motel each night (or every other), putting together your own amusement with chance to talk with people along the route at diners and lunch-cafes. I might be nuts but to me, it’s my favorite kind of tourism.</p>

12

<p>Another choice: research the Appalachian Trail to hike a section of it with your dog and a tent, camping each night or possibly booking a nearby motel for relief from tent-camping. (AH, a shower and hot breakfast of eggs and potatoes!).</p>

<p>The trail runs continuously from Maine to Georgia, so some stretches are quite beautiful (e.g. near the Green Mountains/Bennington Vermont), while others you’re literally crossing suburban traffic by a red traffic light to stay with the trail. It was conceived by the regional planner Benton MacKaye to preserve a continuous green trail of open space as a kind of “back yard” to anticipated population growth up and down the East Coast of the U.S.</p>

<p>You might also research local chapters of the Appalachian Trail Club all along that route; see if they have advice, maps, events or gatherings planned. They will know “their” section of the trail in great detail.</p>

13

<p>Chiming in with Post #4 for Pittsburgh area. Andy Warhol museum is also very interesting. Nice restaurants…some not so expensive…overlooking the 3 rivers area. </p>

<p>Laurel Highlands area, south of Pitts, is just beautiful. State parks are nice, with a number of hiking trails, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwaters house is not to be missed, and there’s biking and rafting in Ohiopyle. Go to the Laurel Highlands website and order their brochure. Also…State of PA tourism website has very good info. about the state parks.</p>

<p>There are a couple of ski areas …and…off season (spring/summer) condo rentals are VERY reasonable…and many allow animals. Check out Laurel Highlands area at VRBO (Hidden Valley and Seven Springs are two of the more popular areas with off season condos for rent.)</p>