Travel New England-Must Do's

[Jalva22]

My DW and I have always wanted to see New England, but know next nothing about individual locations. We are thinking seriously that next summer is the best time to do it. We're from OK, would be flying into Boston. Will be me, DW, DS (11), DD (15). Plans for Boston are the freedom trail and a Red Sox game (DD & I are fans). I want to see Deerfield and then we would like to drive into Vermont, New Hampshire and see the Maine coast.

Any and all suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

[DawnCt1]

My DW and I have always wanted to see New England, but know next nothing about individual locations. We are thinking seriously that next summer is the best time to do it. We're from OK, would be flying into Boston. Will be me, DW, DS (11), DD (15). Plans for Boston are the freedom trail and a Red Sox game (DD & I are fans). I want to see Deerfield and then we would like to drive into Vermont, New Hampshire and see the Maine coast.

Any and all suggestions would be much appreciated.

Just curious, what is special about Deerfield?

 

[Jalva22]

Probably not much, but I was once a history doctoral candidate (before the realities of raising a family sent me back to work!) and I was specializing in colonial history at the time. Deerfield was always a fascination for me during my studies and I'd just like to see the place in person. I was anticipating it being a relatively quick drive-through.

 

[goofystitchfan]

To forewarn you.....Sox games are VERY expensive and almost impossible to get tickets for. I suggest trying on ebay just before you are to come, that is where we get all our tickets.

 

[Jalva22]

To forewarn you.....Sox games are VERY expensive and almost impossible to get tickets for. I suggest trying on ebay just before you are to come, that is where we get all our tickets.

Thanks! (I'm not surprised!)

 

[DawnCt1]

Probably not much, but I was once a history doctoral candidate (before the realities of raising a family sent me back to work!) and I was specializing in colonial history at the time. Deerfield was always a fascination for me during my studies and I'd just like to see the place in person. I was anticipating it being a relatively quick drive-through.

Deerfield is very pretty but not so convenient to Boston and coastal areas. So now that I got the "Deerfield thing" out of the way, I LOVE the Duck Tour. Its fun. It cruises around the historic streets of Boston, and then goes right down the dock and into the Charles River. Then there is Concord and Lexington. I love the Boston Science Museum. They have a great whale exhibit now. It will probably be gone when you get there but something as equally wonderful will be there. The New England Aquarium is nice. The site of the Boston Tea Party. Then there is the coast of Maine which is beautiful during the summer.

 

[crz4mm2]

My Mom wants to go to New England (specifically Maine) to see Lighthouses... So I am planning a trip next summer.
Can anyone tell me if there are "better" ones to see? I have no clue.
Thanks.

 

[daughter_of_amid_chaos]

If you are interesting in history (I am currently a Humanities doctoral candidate with a concentration in history), you may want to take a look at making a day (or two) trip down to Newport and Mystic Seaport.

 

[MichelleinMaine]

My Mom wants to go to New England (specifically Maine) to see Lighthouses... So I am planning a trip next summer.
Can anyone tell me if there are "better" ones to see? I have no clue.
Thanks.

Website for you: http://www.mainelighthousetrail.com/index.html

The good thing is you can see a whole bunch of them in Casco Bay (Portland) and then within an hour or so south/north of Portland.

Portland Headlight is the "classic" one to see- commissioned by George Washington. Up the road on either side you have Two Lights State Park, Portland Breakwater, a tiny little cute "Bug Light" and out in the harbor you can see Ram Island and (on a good day or out in a boat) Halfway Rock. (That one is WAY out, you need binoculars or a boat.)

In Boothbay Harbor, Burnt Island Light is neat. Not only can you go in it (most lighthouses you can't go in- see below), but it's a living history setting. Actors portray the lighthouse keeper and his family living there in 1950 or so. You do have to take a short boat ride there.

Up past that is Pemaquid Point (famous for being on our state quarter).

As said, you can't go into most of the lighthouses. A couple are on private property so you can't even go up next to them or anything. Many of them open to the public though on Maine Light House Day (2nd annual was this year, I suspect they will continue it). That is in mid Sept. Portland Breakwater used to open up on summer holidays- Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day. Not sure if they still do or not. That one is tricky, children under 10 not allowed and you do need to be able to climb up a short but steep ladder to get into it.

 

[crz4mm2]

Oh my gosh! Thanks so much

Website for you: http://www.mainelighthousetrail.com/index.html

The good thing is you can see a whole bunch of them in Casco Bay (Portland) and then within an hour or so south/north of Portland.

Portland Headlight is the "classic" one to see- commissioned by George Washington. Up the road on either side you have Two Lights State Park, Portland Breakwater, a tiny little cute "Bug Light" and out in the harbor you can see Ram Island and (on a good day or out in a boat) Halfway Rock. (That one is WAY out, you need binoculars or a boat.)

In Boothbay Harbor, Burnt Island Light is neat. Not only can you go in it (most lighthouses you can't go in- see below), but it's a living history setting. Actors portray the lighthouse keeper and his family living there in 1950 or so. You do have to take a short boat ride there.

Up past that is Pemaquid Point (famous for being on our state quarter).

As said, you can't go into most of the lighthouses. A couple are on private property so you can't even go up next to them or anything. Many of them open to the public though on Maine Light House Day (2nd annual was this year, I suspect they will continue it). That is in mid Sept. Portland Breakwater used to open up on summer holidays- Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day. Not sure if they still do or not. That one is tricky, children under 10 not allowed and you do need to be able to climb up a short but steep ladder to get into it.

 

[MerMom60_94]

If you are interesting in history (I am currently a Humanities doctoral candidate with a concentration in history), you may want to take a look at making a day (or two) trip down to Newport and Mystic Seaport.

I second Newport. It is absolutely beautiful and you can tour the old mansions. There is also a cliffwalk trail where the ocean is on one side (down the side of the cliff) and the mansions are on the other side. Absolutely lovely there.

If you don't land any Red Sox tickets, you could at least take in a tour of Fenway Park. Also, you might consider a whale watch out of Boston Harbor.

 

[walden]

Probably not much, but I was once a history doctoral candidate (before the realities of raising a family sent me back to work!) and I was specializing in colonial history at the time. Deerfield was always a fascination for me during my studies and I'd just like to see the place in person. I was anticipating it being a relatively quick drive-through.

I was about to warn you that Deerfield is a long way from Boston, but if you plan to rent a car and also to visit southern Vermont -- why it is almost on your way there!

I love Deerfield and we used to be members before we moved. If you are interested in colonial history please make it more than a drive-through! The houses are open to the public and there are also two excellent museums and various changing exhibits that are very interesting to colonial history buffs. Most of the house tours take about an hour. I've never found an excuse to stay over-night in Deerfield, but the Deerfield Inn is supposed to be very nice. There are many other hotels and motels around though. http://deerfieldinn.com/

If you take Route 2 to Deerfield you will also pass by Concord and Lexington (lots of history there from the Revolution to the Transcendentalists and Louisa M Alcott) and Harvard (Fruitlands Museums). You might also want to see the Hancock Shaker Museum near Pittsburg in western MA.

But the kids might never speak to you again after all that history.

 

[daughter_of_amid_chaos]

I second Newport. It is absolutely beautiful and you can tour the old mansions. There is also a cliffwalk trail where the ocean is on one side (down the side of the cliff) and the mansions are on the other side. Absolutely lovely there.

If you don't land any Red Sox tickets, you could at least take in a tour of Fenway Park. Also, you might consider a whale watch out of Boston Harbor.

Also if you can't get Red Sox tickets you could try for their minor league team the Pawtucket Red Sox.

 

[MichelleinMaine]

Also if you can't get Red Sox tickets you could try for their minor league team the Pawtucket Red Sox.

Or go north for another step down- the Sox AA team is the Portland Sea Dogs

 

[MichelleinMaine]

Oh my gosh! Thanks so much

you're welcome!

I didn't mention, if you are here for Lighthouse Day, plan to be up EARLY. They were lining up this year for Portland Head Light as soon as the park opened up in the morning.

 

[Monte Cristo]

Also if you can't get Red Sox tickets you could try for their minor league team the Pawtucket Red Sox.

RIP Ben Mondor....he turned the Paw Sox into a class organization.

 

[Monte Cristo]

I second Newport. It is absolutely beautiful and you can tour the old mansions. There is also a cliffwalk trail where the ocean is on one side (down the side of the cliff) and the mansions are on the other side. Absolutely lovely there.

If you don't land any Red Sox tickets, you could at least take in a tour of Fenway Park. Also, you might consider a whale watch out of Boston Harbor.

Agreed regarding Newport...tennis hall of fame too if you're interested in that.

 

[Stitch2007]

If Red Sox tickets are sold out through the website, try Stub Hub. That's where I got my tickets this year. Still expensive though.

 

[jdisnut]

Spend as much as time as you can afford on Martha's Vineyard, a small island off the coast of Cape Cod.

I believe, and I mean this as sincerely as humanly possible, that if paradise truly exists on this planet, it is a summer day on that island. It is the most beautiful and magical -- gasp! -- place on Earth.

I have been going to the Vineyard every summer since I was in the womb. I will continue to go until I die. I think about the Vineyard the way many of you think about Disney.

 

[crz4mm2]

you're welcome!

I didn't mention, if you are here for Lighthouse Day, plan to be up EARLY. They were lining up this year for Portland Head Light as soon as the park opened up in the morning.

When is lighthouse day?