Harbor Ridge, Southwest Harbor, ME?
- Thread starter SEC
- Start date
I have not stayed via DVC in any of the New England trade-ins, but I can tell you I am pretty familair with most of them (if you are not)-aside from the one in Southwest Harbor. If Southwest Harbor is near Bar Harbor then you can't go wrong, it's absolutely the most physically beautiful piece of coastline on the eastern seaboard in my opinion. Some very nice little villages with shopping and great eating (Lobstah)!!
As for the cottages in Greenville Maine on Moosehead Lake- this is also my favorite inland spot in New England, but there is NOTHING to do but relax, fish, sail, hike, or drive deep into the Maine woods on paper company dirt roads looking for Moose (we counted over 25 sightings one spring). The lake is unreal, nestled in the mountains and 99% of the shoreline is undeveloped.
As for Vermont. Manchester and Woodstock- both of these inns are beautiful classic inns, but Manchester has a lot more to do in my opinion. World class shopping and eating, close to some ski areas and historical places like Hildene, and other day trips.
At any rate, lots of us New Englander's on here but I travel a ton and can drill down on most of these locales/places if you need...
As for the cottages in Greenville Maine on Moosehead Lake- this is also my favorite inland spot in New England, but there is NOTHING to do but relax, fish, sail, hike, or drive deep into the Maine woods on paper company dirt roads looking for Moose (we counted over 25 sightings one spring). The lake is unreal, nestled in the mountains and 99% of the shoreline is undeveloped.
As for Vermont. Manchester and Woodstock- both of these inns are beautiful classic inns, but Manchester has a lot more to do in my opinion. World class shopping and eating, close to some ski areas and historical places like Hildene, and other day trips.
At any rate, lots of us New Englander's on here but I travel a ton and can drill down on most of these locales/places if you need...
OK, I just took a better look. Here's the shortlist in my opinion.
If you are not a New Englander and wanted mountains/inland then (not in any particular order):
Von Trapp at Stowe: Stowe is the premier New England Ski area, but is kind of quiet with not a lot to do for young kids. Great hiking/skiing, and the Von Trapp Lodge is really 1st rate. Other things to do: Ben and Jerry's tour, Mt Mansfield Auto road...
Moosehead Cottages: I described this already. This is the north Maine Woods...physical beauty, I thinks the most physically beautiful inland spot in New England, and I love it- but young kids will be bored if they don't appreciate outdoorsy stuff.
Manchester VT: The Equinox is beautiful. Very different than Von Trapp. Manchester has more to do than Stowe, better shopping and eating, and is "closer" to the Bromley water slide park which is great for ikids. Again, not a lot of kid stuff.
Loon/Lincoln NH: This is a bit more touristy. There are a few ski areas here and close to North Conway, the shopping/eating mecca. Quite a few scenic drives and much more kid stuff than other places above. There is actually a big waterpark, Santa's Village which is a cute little year-round winter themes amusement park, water tubing on the rivers etc.. if you look around you will find things to do with younger kids in this area, but the hotels and dining/shopping facilities aren't as upscale as Manchester or Stowe.
If you want coastline:
Newport: both of the listed options are nice, I prefer the Harbor Club. Newport is awesome in the summer, I wouldn't go otherwise, and it is my favorite summer coastal destination in New England. Mansion tours, the nicest beaches in New England some say, great dining and shopping, incredible nightlife, and its all in a very tight little area unlike the Cape. So the beaches are 1 mile from the heart of it all etc....you can also day-trip to Block Island or even the Cape or Martha's Vineyard, or even Foxwoods/Mohegan Sun Casinos.
Bar/Southwest Harbor: A bit more subdued and quiet. Quaint upscale villages with nice seafood restaurants and some great lobster pounds. Quiet at night. Maybe a movie theatre is about it for little kids. But again, if you hike/bike/horse-ride/just appreciate physical beauty this is as beautiful as coastline gets east of the Pacific coast!
Cape Cod: Lots of little villages and nice beaches, shopping and dining, but it is spread out. There are a few little cheesy water parks/mini-golf things. Day trips to Nantucket the Vineyard, or Provincetown if you are not homophobic are possible. The cape has a lot, but I find it to spread out. Very nice golf courses if you play.
Just my opinions here....
If you are not a New Englander and wanted mountains/inland then (not in any particular order):
Von Trapp at Stowe: Stowe is the premier New England Ski area, but is kind of quiet with not a lot to do for young kids. Great hiking/skiing, and the Von Trapp Lodge is really 1st rate. Other things to do: Ben and Jerry's tour, Mt Mansfield Auto road...
Moosehead Cottages: I described this already. This is the north Maine Woods...physical beauty, I thinks the most physically beautiful inland spot in New England, and I love it- but young kids will be bored if they don't appreciate outdoorsy stuff.
Manchester VT: The Equinox is beautiful. Very different than Von Trapp. Manchester has more to do than Stowe, better shopping and eating, and is "closer" to the Bromley water slide park which is great for ikids. Again, not a lot of kid stuff.
Loon/Lincoln NH: This is a bit more touristy. There are a few ski areas here and close to North Conway, the shopping/eating mecca. Quite a few scenic drives and much more kid stuff than other places above. There is actually a big waterpark, Santa's Village which is a cute little year-round winter themes amusement park, water tubing on the rivers etc.. if you look around you will find things to do with younger kids in this area, but the hotels and dining/shopping facilities aren't as upscale as Manchester or Stowe.
If you want coastline:
Newport: both of the listed options are nice, I prefer the Harbor Club. Newport is awesome in the summer, I wouldn't go otherwise, and it is my favorite summer coastal destination in New England. Mansion tours, the nicest beaches in New England some say, great dining and shopping, incredible nightlife, and its all in a very tight little area unlike the Cape. So the beaches are 1 mile from the heart of it all etc....you can also day-trip to Block Island or even the Cape or Martha's Vineyard, or even Foxwoods/Mohegan Sun Casinos.
Bar/Southwest Harbor: A bit more subdued and quiet. Quaint upscale villages with nice seafood restaurants and some great lobster pounds. Quiet at night. Maybe a movie theatre is about it for little kids. But again, if you hike/bike/horse-ride/just appreciate physical beauty this is as beautiful as coastline gets east of the Pacific coast!
Cape Cod: Lots of little villages and nice beaches, shopping and dining, but it is spread out. There are a few little cheesy water parks/mini-golf things. Day trips to Nantucket the Vineyard, or Provincetown if you are not homophobic are possible. The cape has a lot, but I find it to spread out. Very nice golf courses if you play.
Just my opinions here....
I personally love SouthWest Harbour. My husband and I stay up in Acadia at least once a year. Just beautiful scenery. Also we love biking and hiking. We don't have kids so that may be a factor. I do see a lot of people with kids, but I'm no expert on what there is to do with kids.
Now we usually stay off the island so we have a little more of a drive to Acadio National Park. (which is just an awesome place)
Now last year we did drive to the place that you can use your DVC points. Nice place. The places are like townhouses. I belive there were 3 floors. Just huge. I was thinking to myself that we could bring our whole familly...
The view of the harbor too is really cool. In the future when we eventually have little ones and we don't want to fly somewhere, we will definitely stay there for a week.
So I'm partial to Acadia, probably because I go up to NH all the time. Nothing really new there to see....
New England is great in the Fall!!! I love Acadia in Sept/Oct!! Columbus day weekend can be real nice.
Now we usually stay off the island so we have a little more of a drive to Acadio National Park. (which is just an awesome place)
Now last year we did drive to the place that you can use your DVC points. Nice place. The places are like townhouses. I belive there were 3 floors. Just huge. I was thinking to myself that we could bring our whole familly...
The view of the harbor too is really cool. In the future when we eventually have little ones and we don't want to fly somewhere, we will definitely stay there for a week.
So I'm partial to Acadia, probably because I go up to NH all the time. Nothing really new there to see....
New England is great in the Fall!!! I love Acadia in Sept/Oct!! Columbus day weekend can be real nice.
nursetigger
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Nov 10, 2004
- Messages
- 22
Hi. We own at Harbor Ridge also. It is nice. Three floors 1 and 2 bedrooms with pull out couch on middle floor {main floor}. Downstairs is either a bedroom or a whirlpool. Upstairs is master bedroom and bath. What time of the year are you looking at? I will try to answer any questions you have. Good luck.
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