Manchester, VT, Lake George, or Mystic, CT

[bergenparent]

We have 3 kids ages 3,5 and 7 . We are in Bergen County NJ and prefer 200 miles or less of travel. So far these are the top 2 I have thought of. I do not want any place all inclusive. I am not sure on either of these places and was hoping anyone who has gone can contribute. Both of these places are about 190 miles from us. The only place of these we have gone is Mystic.

Besides Disney and our other favorite place is Lancaster, PA where we are going at the end of the summer on a trip where we will also spend a day in Baltimore's Inner Harbor. Our kids love nature, science, trains.

Any other suggestions appreciated. My kids seem to love science museums which we normally revolve our trips around. we liked Mystic before but the whole acquarium is so small it can be done in less than 1 hour.

 

[vicki_c]

We love Manchester and spend a week near there every few summers in a rented house. I can't speak to the other locations.

We actually stay near Stratton Mountain (15 minutes outside of Manchester). We have a number of things we always do - Bromley Mountain Fun Zone http://www.bromley.com/ multiple trips to the Northshire Bookstore , some shopping and favorite places to eat in town. We always go to the Vermont Country Store. A few times we've gone up to the Ben & Jerry's factory, but it's really not worth the drive, IMO. We usually go to the King Arthur Flour store and Montshire Museum of Science in Norwich - your kids are the perfect ages for that and given what you said, I think they would enjoy that a lot. You should be able to spend an afternoon there, if you include the outdoor items. Lots of hands-on fun things.
http://www.montshire.org/

Let me know if I can give you any more info. I'm sure I could think of more items that we've done.

 

[bergenparent]

is Bromley overcrowded or not that bad. We plan to go sometime between the week of July 27- Aug 5. What town do you stay in? Science museum looks real good. My kids can spend all day at sciencd museums. My biggest concern about Vermont is I see the science museum is like 80 miles away. I prefer places with more in a smaller area. But what else do you do in Stratton area. Are there kid friendly areas to bike, fish, tiny hikes. See mountains.

 

[bethbuchall]

We're looking at Mystic, so I'd love to see any suggestions that you get about going there. Also, we were considering a night near one of the RI beaches if anyone has any suggestions about that.

Sorry that I can't help with your choices, but I hope you have a great vacation!

 

[vicki_c]

is Bromley overcrowded or not that bad. We plan to go sometime between the week of July 27- Aug 5. What town do you stay in? Science museum looks real good. My kids can spend all day at sciencd museums. My biggest concern about Vermont is I see the science museum is like 80 miles away. I prefer places with more in a smaller area. But what else do you do in Stratton area. Are there kid friendly areas to bike, fish, tiny hikes. See mountains.

Oh tons of that - if nature is what you want, it's the place to be. Lots of great easy hiking at the Townsend Dam area. We actually stay in Stratton itself (it's actually called Jamaica) - right down the mountain from the ski resort in a private home (on the mountain though). The problem with that area or Manchester, is that many other things are not that close. For example, Burlington (IMO) is too far to drive - it's like 3 hours away. We only went there once, but there are tons of cool things to do in that area or on the way there - but for us, it's too far to go up and back in one day. I didn't think Norwich was 80 miles away, but you might be right. It's definitely worth a day trip up/over there.

For us, staying not in town, we just know that if we want to go and do anything other than stay @ the house, we will be driving. It's the trade-off of the remote location. If you don't want to be driving around a lot, southern VT may not be a good choice for you. I don't think even if you stay in town in Manchester you will find a TON to do to entertain kids the ages you have. It's tough to get around Vermont because the main roads really run only north-south and all the east-west type roads go around mountains so are windy and not straight to where you want to go. Again - it's the trade-offs for the mountains.

I'm sure I could make you a list of things to do when I have some more time - send me a PM if you want. We've been vacationing there since 1998 off and on.

Bromley has never been crowded when we were there - only line was for the Alpine Slide and it was nothing - like 5 minutes in line to get on the lift. They have a cute kiddie park area as well. We normally go in the beginning of August.

 

[Heidict]

Okay, put this on the other thread, but looks like it's going to go inactive and this one will stay so I will repost.

Oh thank goodness! You had me scared for a minute.

There are nice hotels in Old Saybrook. Depending on your price range you could go nice and stay at Waters Edge http://www.watersedgeresortandspa.com/index.php or the Old Saybrook Point Inn and Spa http://www.saybrook.com/ . These are both located on the water as is The Madison Beach Hotel in Madison. http://www.madisonbeachhotel.com/

For something a little more budget minded there is a Days Inn, Comfort Inn, Super 8 and Econo lodge along with some privately owned motels. If you are interested in B&B's there are plenty of them to choose from. Let me know.

Old Saybrook is about 30 minutes from the Mystic area and if you wanted to head into New Haven for the museums, they are about 30 minutes south back down 95.

There is the Nautilus museum on the sub base in Groton. Free admission and parking.
http://www.ussnautilus.org/

There is the CT Science Center, but it's in Hartford. More locally to the shoreline there is the Peabody museum in New Haven. There are also lots of smaller local museums that are dedicated to local towns, history and residents. Here is a list of all the museums in CT. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_museums_in_Connecticut

Foxwoods Casino has an excellent museum. One of my favorites in the state. Mashantucket Museum http://www.pequotmuseum.org/

Of course the casino's are fun, both Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun, but the hotels there can be expensive, specially on the weekends.

For amusement parks there is Quassy in Middlebury, about 1 hour away. http://www.quassy.com/ and Lake Compunce in Bristol, also about an hour away. http://www.lakecompounce.com/

Not sure of what is in between NJ and Mystic area along 95. We tend to go north and around that area when ever possible to avoid the traffic.

If you need any more info let me know!

 

[bergenparent]

thanks for all the great ideas. and we may do more than 1. if we can do each for 3 or 4 days that is ideal. After 4 days in hotels with 3 young boys it can get tiring so we often prefer smaller trips.

 

[Bren's Mom]

The Mystic area also has Mystic Seaport. It's just down the road from the Aquarium and it is SO much fun! I live in CT, and hadn't been there in years, but Mother's Day weekend my sister and I took our kids and our parents. The kids were 6, 7 and 9. They all LOVED it. We were there all day and could have used a few more hours even. They had WAY more for the kids to see and do then I ever remembered/imagined. And some things are inside AC, which is nice in the summer.

http://www.mysticseaport.org/

About 25 minutes from Mystic is The Dinosaur Place. That's really fun too. A huge sprinkler park, hike through the dinosaur trails, search for geodes and fossils (indoors).

http://www.thedinosaurplace.com/

Essex Steam Train and Riverboat Ride is nearby also.

http://mystic.org/browse/what-to-do/fun-for-kids/trains-and-rides/essex-steam-train-a-riverboat

Go for a sail:

http://www.mysticwhalercruises.com/day-sail-cruises-from-connecticut/

http://www.argiamystic.com/

There are also lots of beaches in the area you can go to for the day.

 

[Heidict]

Bren's Mom- I have not been to the seaport in ages. I have to go soon. I think my 6 year old will probably love it. Do they still have the planetarium? She is so into that right now, so I think she could spend half the day in there watching the show.

Totally forgot about the dinosaur place. Another one I have to get to.

 

[Bren's Mom]

Bren's Mom- I have not been to the seaport in ages. I have to go soon. I think my 6 year old will probably love it. Do they still have the planetarium? She is so into that right now, so I think she could spend half the day in there watching the show.

Totally forgot about the dinosaur place. Another one I have to get to.

I have to say I was REALLY skeptical that we would hold the kids' attentions all day there. REALLY skeptical. But we've done the Aquarium a million times. I am near New Haven, my sister is in southern NH and my parents are in Long Island so near the ferry in New London works well for us when we are all meeting. Anyway, yes we ALL loved it. It was a phenomenal day. SO much to see/do!

Yes, they still have the planetarium although we were short on time so we didn't see a show. They have a puppet playroom, there were several different crafts being made at various times during the day (included in price except for a wooden boat which was $5), the museum rooms were cool, very 'Sturbridge' like in that there were people in period costumes, etc. They liked going down into the boat. LOVED the demonstration with the workers climbinb the masts and unfurling the sails on one of the tall ships. There was a little playgound area, and another area where the kids could play on small boats (not in the water). A great lawn area, we had a blanket in the car and took a rest there in the shade. There's a small lighthouse to go up in. Really, a full day's worth of stuff to see.

 

[bergenparent]

The Mystic area also has Mystic Seaport. It's just down the road from the Aquarium and it is SO much fun! I live in CT, and hadn't been there in years, but Mother's Day weekend my sister and I took our kids and our parents. The kids were 6, 7 and 9. They all LOVED it. We were there all day and could have used a few more hours even. They had WAY more for the kids to see and do then I ever remembered/imagined. And some things are inside AC, which is nice in the summer.

http://www.mysticseaport.org/

About 25 minutes from Mystic is The Dinosaur Place. That's really fun too. A huge sprinkler park, hike through the dinosaur trails, search for geodes and fossils (indoors).

http://www.thedinosaurplace.com/

Essex Steam Train and Riverboat Ride is nearby also.

http://mystic.org/browse/what-to-do/fun-for-kids/trains-and-rides/essex-steam-train-a-riverboat

Go for a sail:

http://www.mysticwhalercruises.com/day-sail-cruises-from-connecticut/

http://www.argiamystic.com/

There are also lots of beaches in the area you can go to for the day.

Have you done the argia. It looks nice but I would worry it may be bumpy. The whaler cruise would be too long.

 

[mickeyboat]

is Bromley overcrowded or not that bad. We plan to go sometime between the week of July 27- Aug 5. What town do you stay in? Science museum looks real good. My kids can spend all day at sciencd museums. My biggest concern about Vermont is I see the science museum is like 80 miles away. I prefer places with more in a smaller area. But what else do you do in Stratton area. Are there kid friendly areas to bike, fish, tiny hikes. See mountains.

The Montshire Museum is fun, but it's not an all day thing. Make sure to bring the kids' bathing suits, as there is an outdoor water feature / play area. But there is plenty to do in the area to keep you busy for a day trip. You will be close to Hanover, NH, and fairly close to Quechee and Woodstock, VT. You could rent canoes or kayaks very near the Montshire Museum and paddle down the CT River. Hanover is the home of Dartmouth College, and is a fun town to walk through (stop at Molly's Balloon for lunch). The Quechee Gorge area is fun, too and you can hike to the bottom of the gorge (on a paved trail). The Billings Farm and Museum in Woodstock is great for kids your ages.

Enjoy your vacation, no matter what you decide to do.

 

[Bren's Mom]

Have you done the argia. It looks nice but I would worry it may be bumpy. The whaler cruise would be too long.

I haven't done that one specifically but have done dozens of other boat trips (not at Mystic). Not sure what you mean by 'bumpy'. Boats on water DO move a lot, but unless you go out in a hurricane it shouldn't be a scary ride or anything.

 

[bergenparent]

I have to say I was REALLY skeptical that we would hold the kids' attentions all day there. REALLY skeptical. But we've done the Aquarium a million times. I am near New Haven, my sister is in southern NH and my parents are in Long Island so near the ferry in New London works well for us when we are all meeting. Anyway, yes we ALL loved it. It was a phenomenal day. SO much to see/do!

Yes, they still have the planetarium although we were short on time so we didn't see a show. They have a puppet playroom, there were several different crafts being made at various times during the day (included in price except for a wooden boat which was $5), the museum rooms were cool, very 'Sturbridge' like in that there were people in period costumes, etc. They liked going down into the boat. LOVED the demonstration with the workers climbinb the masts and unfurling the sails on one of the tall ships. There was a little playgound area, and another area where the kids could play on small boats (not in the water). A great lawn area, we had a blanket in the car and took a rest there in the shade. There's a small lighthouse to go up in. Really, a full day's worth of stuff to see.

ok do you have any idea if traveling on 84 is better than traveling on 95. Also do you recommend any other places within an hour of Mystic as based on what there is to do in Mystic I can see spending 2 nights there but not more as we have beaches here iN NJ and I cannot see spending extra time in Mystic just for the beach although we hope to maybe go one morning. I see Newport is within 1 hour but when I went to Newport it seemed like the main thing to do was touring mansions which my kids would not like. Or are there any other places that you would recommend within about 60 miles of Mystic where the kids will have 1 to 2 days of fun and or learning.

 

[bergenparent]

The Montshire Museum is fun, but it's not an all day thing. Make sure to bring the kids' bathing suits, as there is an outdoor water feature / play area. But there is plenty to do in the area to keep you busy for a day trip. You will be close to Hanover, NH, and fairly close to Quechee and Woodstock, VT. You could rent canoes or kayaks very near the Montshire Museum and paddle down the CT River. Hanover is the home of Dartmouth College, and is a fun town to walk through (stop at Molly's Balloon for lunch). The Quechee Gorge area is fun, too and you can hike to the bottom of the gorge (on a paved trail). The Billings Farm and Museum in Woodstock is great for kids your ages.

Enjoy your vacation, no matter what you decide to do.

My kids are science lovers. IN Fort Lauderdale we went to the science museum 4 days in a row and they never tired of it. Is there enough or more to do in Woodstock area as compared to Stratton as maybe it would be better to stay in Woodstock area. I was looking at the Woodstock Inn but we have 3 kids and it is hard to find a place that will take 3 kids + 2 adults. But do these places really check as we usually stay at Coutryard by marriott and they do not care or check.

 

[CAStevens218]

I have never been to the Lake George area so I can't speak to that, but as a Mystic area native, I can definitely give you advice on this area!

Some of this has been mentioned but, attractions include:

- Mystic Aquarium (I'm getting married there!!!). They have Beluga Whales that you can do a contact program with for an extra fee. Totally worth it! They also have a penguin contact program, a sea lion show, seals, a ray touch pool, tons of fish tanks inside, a Titanic exhibit, etc...

- Mystic Seaport is a lot of fun. You can check out the ships and exhibits and learn a lot about the history of the area and maritime history.

- Old Mystic Village for shopping and dining.

- Downtown Mystic for shopping and dining. One of our favorite things is to eat down there (so many great choices, my two favorites are S&P Oyster Company and Margaritas) and then take a boat ride. There is a guy who has a small pontoon-like boat right next to the drawbridge and he does boat rides for $10 per person every hour each day. Super affordable and fun!

- Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun casinos. Foxwoods will have a really fun celebrity impersonation show this summer (Legends in Concert), great for the whole family. Mohegan has a lot of free shows in the Wolf Den. There is a nice hiking trail up Lantern Hill near Foxwoods.

- Beaches. There are a lot to choose from. The nearby area in CT has some great state park beaches. My favorite is Rocky Neck State Park, and Harkness Park is fabulous as well. You can't swim at Harkness but it has a small beach and huge, grassy areas, picnic areas and grills. Its great for a day outside flying kites, barbequing, riding bikes, etc... Rocky Neck has a campground, and a very nice beach where you can swim. It has a huge sandbar at low tide and you can also go crabbing. Both of these are on the Long Island Sound.

About an hour away in Westerly, Rhode Island you can go to Misquamicut Beach, which is the open Atlantic Ocean. These are gorgeous beaches with waves. There are also places to eat and shop.

- Block Island You can take the high speed ferry to Block Island for the day from New London, CT. It takes a little over an hour, and Block Island has beaches, shopping and restaurants. A popular thing to do there is rent a bike for the day and tour the island.

Boston and New York City are easily accessible by Amtrak or commuter train. Amtrak from New London to either city in a couple hours. Communter Rail to Boston about an hour to hour and a half drive away and to New York City from New Haven, CT.

- Downtown Westerly, RI and Downtown Stonington, CT are cute little towns with shopping and dining.

- Book Barn, just down the road in Niantic, CT is a fabulous used book store. They have more than 5 buildings at their main location plus two satellite locations down the road full of used books for as little as $1! Niantic is also a cute little town to take a stroll in.

I could honestly go on and on. Other nearby options are the Essex Steam Train, Newport, RI to see the mansions, Providence, RI for a huge mall, dining and shows, nearby amusement parks at Lake Compounce in Bristol, CT and Six Flags New England just over the border in Agawam, MA. Etc, etc, etc...

Feel free to PM me if you have questions!

ENJOY your summer vacation!

 

[mickeyboat]

If you did stay in the Woodstock area, you would be on Route 4, right in between the Hanover / Norwich / Quechee area and the Killington / Rutland area. I think you would be able to find lots to do if you branch out in both directions.

Pico Mountain (near Killington, about 30 minutes away) has an alpine slide / kid area (although it is not nearly as nice or as large as the one at Bromley. There is a gondola at Killington and lots of hiking and mountain biking trails.

You would also be close to the junction of Interstates 91 / 89, which would allow you to branch out even further into Vermont. Waterbury (where Ben & Jerry's is) is about an hour away, and Burlington (ECHO museum, VT Teddy Bear Factory, Burlington Waterfront) is about an hour and a half away.

The Woodstock Inn is very nice. I am not sure about their occupancy limits.

 

[mickeyboat]

I can also give you a little insight on Lake George as we vacation there every summer. There is a TON to do there.

We rarely go into Lake George Village anymore, as we have found a resort north of there where we spend most of our time (it is an all-inclusive). But there is a Six Flags park / water park there, lots of arcades and mini golf, some outlet shopping, water sports and boat cruises on the lake.

There is an adventure park nearby (zip lines, I think), Ft. Ticonderoga is about an hour away, there are white water rafting trips and horseback riding.

There are lots and lots of different accomodations available. I can't speak for them really.

 

[Bren's Mom]

ok do you have any idea if traveling on 84 is better than traveling on 95. Also do you recommend any other places within an hour of Mystic as based on what there is to do in Mystic I can see spending 2 nights there but not more as we have beaches here iN NJ and I cannot see spending extra time in Mystic just for the beach although we hope to maybe go one morning. I see Newport is within 1 hour but when I went to Newport it seemed like the main thing to do was touring mansions which my kids would not like. Or are there any other places that you would recommend within about 60 miles of Mystic where the kids will have 1 to 2 days of fun and or learning.

Traffic varies greatly depending on the day of the week and the time of day.

We love Lake Compounce, which is in Bristol, CT. It's right off I-84. So I'd consider perhaps an early morning departure from home, make the 2+ hr drive to Bristol and doing the amusement park/water park. Then at the end of the day doing the 1.5hrs(approx) to Mystic via Route 9.

Lake Compounce is a GREAT park for younger kids, LOTS of rides and things to do even if they're under 48". The water park is awesome too. We opened the park at 9am last Friday, and we closed it at 5pm...and could have done a couple more hours. But it's small spacewise so very walkable, we did the whole circle of the park twice that day. And they offer free soda/ice water, all you can drink! I also love that it's very clean.

You can easily do 1 day at the Seaport, and the walking the Village shops.

A half day at the Aquarium, plus a boat ride or the Dinosaur Place.

That's 3 solid days there without the beach.

You could easily spend a few hours at one of the casinos if you have any rainy time. The arcades are cool at both, there is also a museum at Foxwoods that your kids might like. Or spend an evening there. Parents can take turns on the gaming floor is that interests you.

Plus time in Downtown Mystic, walking, seeing what there is to offer. A pp said there are pontoon boat rides, that would be cool, and be sure to get Mystic Pizza!

A PP mentioned Block Island, that's a good suggestion.

Newport isn't just Mansions, although I've only ever been there for adult trips so I can't really speak on fun things for kids to do.

Perhaps enroute home you can do 1 night in Norwalk, CT? We have the Maritime Center there, plus Stepping Stones which is a great children's museum. Outside the museum is an awesome playground/sprinkler park. You could also visit the famous Stew Leonard's and bring some goodies home.

ETA: This place I just heard about. If you have adventurous kiddos, this might be something to consider. It's less than an hour from Mystic.

http://brownstonepark.com/

 

[FayeW]

I can also give you a little insight on Lake George as we vacation there every summer. There is a TON to do there.

We rarely go into Lake George Village anymore, as we have found a resort north of there where we spend most of our time (it is an all-inclusive). But there is a Six Flags park / water park there, lots of arcades and mini golf, some outlet shopping, water sports and boat cruises on the lake.

There is an adventure park nearby (zip lines, I think), Ft. Ticonderoga is about an hour away, there are white water rafting trips and horseback riding.

There are lots and lots of different accomodations available. I can't speak for them really.

Would you mind sharing the name of that all-inclusive near Lake George?

Thanks.