Boston holiday
Discussion
Got some cheap flights to T. F. Green Airport in Boston in October for two weeks and looking for some ideas. We leave Glasgow at 6pm and get in at about 8pm to Boston. Anyone done the Boston area? Looking at spending three or four days in Boston then hiring a car and doing a bit of a road trip. Don't have any plans so could do Boston in the middle or end. Going with my wife and 14 year old son, don't want to drive more than 200 miles a day and don't want to really spend more than £3 -£4k.
I've been to Boston a few times, both for work and pleasure, and coincidentally will be there for a week in October too. One of my favourite US cities.
Definitely do the Freedom Trail, a marked out walk taking in many of the historic sites. You can do it in a day, but a day and a half to two will be more relaxed if you want to spend some time extra in the old statehouse, churches and on the USS constitution.
Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall - nice shops and places to eat and drink. There's an outdoor pub on the corner called The Salty Dog which I always visit and does nice seafood and chowder. Excellent steaks in the Hillstone.
The Tea Party museum is a good experience too if you want to relive part of the lead up to independence. And if you want good lobster there's a nice restaurant called the Barking Crab close by. Fort Independence is interesting too, and Harvard Campus out in Cambridge well worth a visit.
Uber is plentiful in Boston and cheap to get around. Logan airport is only about 15 mins drive from the centre so easy to get to.
As for places to drive to, depending on when you visit in October many of the leaves New England is famous for will be gone. We are planning to spend a few days on Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard but that's a first visit for me so I can't offer travel advice. I have taken the train along the coast to NYC though which is a glorious route.
Definitely do the Freedom Trail, a marked out walk taking in many of the historic sites. You can do it in a day, but a day and a half to two will be more relaxed if you want to spend some time extra in the old statehouse, churches and on the USS constitution.
Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall - nice shops and places to eat and drink. There's an outdoor pub on the corner called The Salty Dog which I always visit and does nice seafood and chowder. Excellent steaks in the Hillstone.
The Tea Party museum is a good experience too if you want to relive part of the lead up to independence. And if you want good lobster there's a nice restaurant called the Barking Crab close by. Fort Independence is interesting too, and Harvard Campus out in Cambridge well worth a visit.
Uber is plentiful in Boston and cheap to get around. Logan airport is only about 15 mins drive from the centre so easy to get to.
As for places to drive to, depending on when you visit in October many of the leaves New England is famous for will be gone. We are planning to spend a few days on Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard but that's a first visit for me so I can't offer travel advice. I have taken the train along the coast to NYC though which is a glorious route.
Martha's Vineyard did not meet our expectations, the centre is really just a huge trailer park, but the coast was nice especially the area where they filmed jaws. Just driving round was interesting and the people very friendly around Cape Cod.
We really liked Newport Rhode Island - especially if you like sailing.
We went mid-October and The Fall had already happened so our drive to Vermont was effectively wasted time.
The train to NYC through Connecticut was great. Not sure just how interesting this all would be for a 14-year old.
We really liked Newport Rhode Island - especially if you like sailing.
We went mid-October and The Fall had already happened so our drive to Vermont was effectively wasted time.
The train to NYC through Connecticut was great. Not sure just how interesting this all would be for a 14-year old.
We just did a 3 week tour,NYC to Boston. We were only in Boston 2 days but the harbour area is nice so is the freedom trail.
New Hampshire has some stunning scenery,Mount Washington is very cloudy,the food is s
t,Rhinebeck is a lovely little town in the Hudson Valley and the Rhinebeck aerodrome airshow is brilliant(just like a barnstormers show).
It's expensive,very expensive.
New Hampshire has some stunning scenery,Mount Washington is very cloudy,the food is s
t,Rhinebeck is a lovely little town in the Hudson Valley and the Rhinebeck aerodrome airshow is brilliant(just like a barnstormers show).It's expensive,very expensive.
rdjohn said:
Martha's Vineyard did not meet our expectations, the centre is really just a huge trailer park, but the coast was nice especially the area where they filmed jaws. Just driving round was interesting and the people very friendly around Cape Cod.
We really liked Newport Rhode Island - especially if you like sailing.
We went mid-October and The Fall had already happened so our drive to Vermont was effectively wasted time.
The train to NYC through Connecticut was great. Not sure just how interesting this all would be for a 14-year old.
Have to agree with your Martha's Vineyard comments, vastly overrated place!We really liked Newport Rhode Island - especially if you like sailing.
We went mid-October and The Fall had already happened so our drive to Vermont was effectively wasted time.
The train to NYC through Connecticut was great. Not sure just how interesting this all would be for a 14-year old.
Hedgeman said:
Definitely do the Freedom Trail, a marked out walk taking in many of the historic sites. You can do it in a day, but a day and a half to two will be more relaxed if you want to spend some time extra in the old statehouse, churches and on the USS constitution.
I spent three days there and did the freedom trail on day 1. It's a good way to discover things that you might want to return to for longer on another day. At a steady pace you should be in the Hanover Street area around lunchtime where there's plenty of nice places to eat (Mike's Pastry is a must if you like massive cakes and coffee) before continuing the trail in the afternoon and finishing at the USS Constitution in plenty of time to have a good look round. Great, relaxed and friendly city in my experience. Enjoy!Chatham on Cape Cod is lovely. Stay in a rental from these guys - very good when we did: www.NewEnglandVacationRentals.com
Kennybunkport very nice. Lots of good options there.
Highlight of our trip was Woodstock in Vermont - gorgeous place. We stayed at the Woodstock in - I'd go back without hesitation. Cracking hotel www.woodstockinn.com
Kennybunkport very nice. Lots of good options there.
Highlight of our trip was Woodstock in Vermont - gorgeous place. We stayed at the Woodstock in - I'd go back without hesitation. Cracking hotel www.woodstockinn.com
If you've plenty of time Acadia national park is great at that time of year - some great scenery and nature in the area and think that the fall colours there hit their peak in mid-Oct.
Another great drive is the Kancamagus Highway between Conway and Lincoln - even more so if you time it nicely with the changing of the leaves. We're a big fan of Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire and there's plenty to keep you occupied for a couple of weeks
Another great drive is the Kancamagus Highway between Conway and Lincoln - even more so if you time it nicely with the changing of the leaves. We're a big fan of Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire and there's plenty to keep you occupied for a couple of weeks
I've just got back from almost 3 weeks in the US, starting and finishing in Boston.
Without a doubt Boston is one of my very favourite US cities - it's like the laid back sister of New York. We stayed at a small B&B and got chatting to the locals for recommendations.
Definitely do the Freedom Trail - its well marked out and a fun afternoon. Take a ferry back from the USS Constitution for the river views.
Fenway Park is great - really small and good fun, even if you don't follow baseball.
Cambridge and Harvard are a good day out.
From Boston drive North to Vermont... the Green Mountains are stunning. From Vermont we went to Maine (Kennebunkport), which was nice but a little 'old' for me - it seemed like a favourite for Grandparents.
Our final stop before going back to Boston was Cape Cod which was brilliant. I heard mixed reviews so understand some parts can be more touristy than others - we stayed in Brewster which was pretty much perfect.
Without a doubt Boston is one of my very favourite US cities - it's like the laid back sister of New York. We stayed at a small B&B and got chatting to the locals for recommendations.
Definitely do the Freedom Trail - its well marked out and a fun afternoon. Take a ferry back from the USS Constitution for the river views.
Fenway Park is great - really small and good fun, even if you don't follow baseball.
Cambridge and Harvard are a good day out.
From Boston drive North to Vermont... the Green Mountains are stunning. From Vermont we went to Maine (Kennebunkport), which was nice but a little 'old' for me - it seemed like a favourite for Grandparents.
Our final stop before going back to Boston was Cape Cod which was brilliant. I heard mixed reviews so understand some parts can be more touristy than others - we stayed in Brewster which was pretty much perfect.
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