Late July/early August I will be taking my wife on a trip to New England (we are from Chicago). She has all sorts of places she wants to visit: an old prison in Pennsylvania, spots in Manhattan, Woodstock, etc. The trip is meant to mainly revolve around her, but we have 10 days and she wants me to find some things I would like. Perhaps you can help. I figure Nintendo World will definitely be on my list but I don't know much of New England. Our travels should take us through Philadelphia, New York, Boston, southern Maine and possibly through Vermont/New Hampshire to Montreal. My interests will no doubt be similar to many of yours, so please throw some suggestions my way. Any help would be very appreciated.
Help me plan a New England vacation
- Thread starter kinko6
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Torn blue sky
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Only thing that springs to the front of my mind is; if you're going through boston, eat at Legal Seafood....Hella good food.
BPI
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When I spent a day in Philly we went to see the Liberty Bell & to the big city Museum/Art Gallery which has some great pieces. Though I recall my Grandad telling me that more people visit the steps outside than actually go in, because Sylvester Stallone ran around them in a Rocky film!?!
It was also the place I first encountered a corn dog. I get the battered sausage on a stick bit, smothering it in cheese & chili just seemed to be diabolically messy to me
New York - the Guggenheim was brilliant, the Museum Of Modern Art is probably great but the floor I wanted was closed the day I went! Top of the Empire State Building at dusk (hopefully it looks less like a building site than when I was there). The Statue Of Liberty was nice to visit too, a trip on a boat & then a potter around, enjoying watching the part-baked people emerge after climbing the stairs up & down on a hot day. I'm not convinced that discomfort would be worth the 20 seconds looking out the window up top before you're shuffled on by the press of other sweaty tourists!
Have a great trip!
Cheers, B.
It was also the place I first encountered a corn dog. I get the battered sausage on a stick bit, smothering it in cheese & chili just seemed to be diabolically messy to me
New York - the Guggenheim was brilliant, the Museum Of Modern Art is probably great but the floor I wanted was closed the day I went! Top of the Empire State Building at dusk (hopefully it looks less like a building site than when I was there). The Statue Of Liberty was nice to visit too, a trip on a boat & then a potter around, enjoying watching the part-baked people emerge after climbing the stairs up & down on a hot day. I'm not convinced that discomfort would be worth the 20 seconds looking out the window up top before you're shuffled on by the press of other sweaty tourists!
Have a great trip!
Cheers, B.
BarstoolProphet
New member
Seconded! I'm not even a big fan of seafood, and it was great.
IdofEntity
New member
As I was raised in Pennsylvania, I have one point of objection. PA is NOT part of new england. We take pride in not being part of New England.
If you're into the civil war, and your wife can tolerate it, head to Gettysburg. I had a blast there. Every once in a while you might find a piece of ammunition in the field. (which I recommend you turn over to the caretakers) It's informational and educational....so you might hate it if you're not into that. The Philadelphia Zoo is a great spot, and I enjoyed the Boston Aquarium. The Aquarium isn't huge, but last time I was there they had a large gathering of penguins. They also had a good amount of exotic jellyfish that are quite beautiful, especially since a good many of them are luminescent. Avoid Philadelphia's Chinatown. It's just not that interesting. If you're into architecture, the 30th street station in Philly is a nice piece of engineering.
Providence, Rhode Island, is a great spot for seafood. If you time it right you may be there for the Longship festival when they come into port with the old ships. If not there's great little shopping areas, a great restaurant called the Red Parrot, and all the mom & pop eateries that are the real treat. Rhode Island is also home to a few of the old lighthouses, if that's more your wife's speed.
Oh, for Massachussets it might be a nice thing to drop by Lexington. That's where the Minutemen made their stand, and it's located within 5 miles of Hanscom AFB. It's only about 15-20 miles from Boston, and is easily accessed off of I-95. I want to say it's between exit 30 and exit 32. Maybe it was 31b? There's a quaint little town, with great coffee I might add, and a few little restaurants again that I'd love to see again. On the anniversary of the stand the Minuteman society will go out and perform a reenactment. There's a little Indian place down the main boulevard that had some amazing curry.
(I love food, can you tell?)
The wife may enjoy a trip into Faneuil Hall for some light shopping, again with good food, and that place is pretty close to the Boston Aquarium. Feel free to drop by Paul Revere's resting place while you're in Boston since it's very close to a well respected college campus.
I'm out of ideas for now, but I'd like to say BPI had some great points. Best of luck on your trip, and when I think of more I'll submit it.
If you're into the civil war, and your wife can tolerate it, head to Gettysburg. I had a blast there. Every once in a while you might find a piece of ammunition in the field. (which I recommend you turn over to the caretakers) It's informational and educational....so you might hate it if you're not into that. The Philadelphia Zoo is a great spot, and I enjoyed the Boston Aquarium. The Aquarium isn't huge, but last time I was there they had a large gathering of penguins. They also had a good amount of exotic jellyfish that are quite beautiful, especially since a good many of them are luminescent. Avoid Philadelphia's Chinatown. It's just not that interesting. If you're into architecture, the 30th street station in Philly is a nice piece of engineering.
Providence, Rhode Island, is a great spot for seafood. If you time it right you may be there for the Longship festival when they come into port with the old ships. If not there's great little shopping areas, a great restaurant called the Red Parrot, and all the mom & pop eateries that are the real treat. Rhode Island is also home to a few of the old lighthouses, if that's more your wife's speed.
Oh, for Massachussets it might be a nice thing to drop by Lexington. That's where the Minutemen made their stand, and it's located within 5 miles of Hanscom AFB. It's only about 15-20 miles from Boston, and is easily accessed off of I-95. I want to say it's between exit 30 and exit 32. Maybe it was 31b? There's a quaint little town, with great coffee I might add, and a few little restaurants again that I'd love to see again. On the anniversary of the stand the Minuteman society will go out and perform a reenactment. There's a little Indian place down the main boulevard that had some amazing curry.
(I love food, can you tell?)
The wife may enjoy a trip into Faneuil Hall for some light shopping, again with good food, and that place is pretty close to the Boston Aquarium. Feel free to drop by Paul Revere's resting place while you're in Boston since it's very close to a well respected college campus.
I'm out of ideas for now, but I'd like to say BPI had some great points. Best of luck on your trip, and when I think of more I'll submit it.
Last edited:
Necroghast
New member
Ohh schweet! I'm the first one actually FROM New England to post!First up, even New York is not technically part of New England. In terms of stuff to do, theres lots.
I live in Connecticut so I'll start with that:
Long Island Sound- nice beaches with sort of warm water, great restaurants/curiosities (also the richest part of the state so....some parts are very nice)
Northeast CT - Tolland County (where I live) this is where all your nice traditional colonial New England stuff is... if you're looking for winding country lanes hills and farmland this is your destination.
Hartford - not much to comment on. I wouldn't bother stopping in Hartford.
Massachusetts:
Boston - The Mueseum of Fine Arts is great. Theres also a store in Boston called Newbury Comics (locations all over NE but the original is in Boston) thats awesome for all sorts of cool stuff. Theres also all the Revolutionary War stuff.
Cape Cod - the vacation destination of all New Englanders
Gloucester - WHALES!!
Worcester - The Palladium - best venue for heavy metal shows anywhere... though I dont know if you care about that.
Maine:
Portland and the islands in Casco Bay - I go to the farthest one, Cliff Island, every summer. Great place.
First up, even New York is not technically part of New England. In terms of stuff to do, theres lots. I live in Connecticut so I'll start with that:
Long Island Sound- nice beaches with sort of warm water, great restaurants/curiosities (also the richest part of the state so....some parts are very nice)
Northeast CT - Tolland County (where I live) this is where all your nice traditional colonial New England stuff is... if you're looking for winding country lanes hills and farmland this is your destination.
Hartford - not much to comment on. I wouldn't bother stopping in Hartford.
Massachusetts:
Boston - The Mueseum of Fine Arts is great. Theres also a store in Boston called Newbury Comics (locations all over NE but the original is in Boston) thats awesome for all sorts of cool stuff. Theres also all the Revolutionary War stuff.
Cape Cod - the vacation destination of all New Englanders
Gloucester - WHALES!!
Worcester - The Palladium - best venue for heavy metal shows anywhere... though I dont know if you care about that.
Maine:
Portland and the islands in Casco Bay - I go to the farthest one, Cliff Island, every summer. Great place.
