Northeastern U.S. Trip - Suggestions?

[The Tin Man]

What month is your trip? All I saw is the summer. Didn't read too hard though so if I missed it sorry...

June 8-15

[ETFnerd]

yeah, if you're only going for a week, i'd suggest you stay south of NYC. it takes me 8 hours to drive from washington DC to RI. So I would think that Philly to Boston will take 8 hrs. it's not the distance, but the traffic on I-95 that slows you down to a crawl most of the time, but especially in the summer. Driving from Boston to Bar Harbor is another 7-8hrs. there it's the distance, not hte traffic. if i had a week, i wouldn't want to spend my entire vacation driving to places.

if you'll be using your private jet, that's a different story...

[cline]

Philly to boston is easily 7 hrs (the rents live in Boston). If you want to day hike in Philly, choose a historic park w easy trails: the brandy wine, valley forge, ft Washington, or the largest city park fairmount. Nearby, on your way to Boston, parts of the Appalachian trail are totally day hikes and are very newb friendly.

Meet up in Philly? Let me know! It's a great place and I live downtown. Oh yeah and my trainer said he'd do a great boot camp if hu come! Hooyah!

[Shortkaik]

Tin Man, thanks for answering for me!

ETF, it would be just a week (or 8 days), but I don't mind spending time on the road, I'm expecting it to be a bit of a road trip (road trips can be fun!) Maybe we'll drive to NYC for a day and then continue on up to Boston, or something... break it up a little! The drive from Ottawa to Philly would be ~8 hrs, and about the same from Boston back to Ottawa.

cline, I will let you know! I would like to try your bootcamp. I will look into those trails and parks!

[Shortkaik]

So, the trip is official! We bought our tickets to see Jonathan Coulton in Philadephia on June 9th. Now, just need to plan out the rest of the week...

My current working plan is that we'll spend a couple days/nights camping and hiking in the Catskills or Delaware Water Gap area on our way between Philly and Boston. Then we'll spend the later half of the week exploring Boston - I plan to organize some sort of get together, so you all better be ready!

If anyone can suggest specific hikes or camp sites in that area, I'd love to hear your recommendations. Same with restaurants, hotels, and fun things in either Philadelphia or Boston.

Here's my updated squiggly line map:

P.S. I am learning so much about US geography trying to plan this trip. New England ISN'T a state?!

[The Tin Man]

P.S. I am learning so much about US geography trying to plan this trip. New England ISN'T a state?!

It may not be a state but it's certainly smaller combined than many others. Looking forward to your visit to Boston! And have fun seeing JoCo!

[Shortkaik]

It may not be a state but it's certainly smaller combined than many others.

No kidding! Some of those states in that area are so tiny, I'd be passing through like 5 or 6 states in 8 hours. I have to drive 8 hours just to get to the next province over!

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

The trip would be June 8-15, with the first bit being in the Philly area (concert is on the 9th), and then maybe we'll head up towards Boston.

That first bit will be my first full week back in town!

[Georges]

You're missing Maine (a.k.a. the best part of New England... in my biased opinion) but you'll be crossing the Appalachian Trail at least once...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appalachian_Trail

There's lots of links to further reading / external sites on the wiki page if you are interested.

[oystergirl]

Oh booh, sorry I missed seeing this--I am surprised you didn't want to do something in new york! Also, at that time of year I would hope you got a chance to go see some ocean beaches! I have actually been to your town (London) on tour with Nazareth and Deep Purple and we also visited Peterborough on that trip and went down through Niagra falls, it was beautiful! The delaware water gap is amazing as is the catskills for hiking--its fun to find places where the appalacian trail crosses local trails and hike there just to say you did a portion of it.

I wont deny that boston is an awesome area and if you get a chance to cruise a bit out onto the cape you will not be disappointed!

Noting your map though, you are gonna have to go a very round about way to get from philly up to the catskills and then across--that looks to me like you are expecting to get onto 81 then cut over on 84 to the mass pike--that is a HUGE detour so you might want to get the US maps on your GPS and reconfigure that-I am with EFT et all about it taking forever from philly to boston as 95 is one huge parking lot, but there are quite a few local roads that you can take that might make better sense than sticking to turnpikes and thruways.

[The Tin Man]

You're missing Maine (a.k.a. the best part of New England... in my biased opinion) but you'll be crossing the Appalachian Trail at least once...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appalachian_Trail

There's lots of links to further reading / external sites on the wiki page if you are interested.

You have internet in Northern Maine?

[Yoshi]

Sorry, I didn't read every response so if these are repeats I apologize.

NYC is pretty manageable as long as you have a map/ iPhone GPS. I've been there as young as 17 without any "adult supervision" and its been fine. If you were to give it a whirl, I'd suggest seeing a broadway show. The old standbys are good [Lion King, Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, etc.] Or you might choose something more obscure. [if you really don't want to hit up NYC it's understandable - it's not my favorite place, just fun on occasion.]

Boston is great. It seems like you've decided to check that area out. I'd echo some others on here and encourage you to go to Cape Cod for outdoorsy stuff [beach, bike trails, hiking, kayaking, etc.] If you're going to stick to Boston and you do okay on the water I'd definitely recommend going on a whale watch. The whales are amazing in and of themselves, and sometimes you'll see dolphins or sharks.

I'll also second the Newport, RI suggestion. It's a really fun town. There are lots of shops and the harbor is beautiful. You can also check out Salve Regina's college campus. There are paths along the cliffs that overlook the water. [My cousin got married there.] So beautiful.

That's just my two cents. Sorry it's kind of long. I just grew up in the Northeast. Also, I apologize for any repeats or if I suggested things that you've said you really don't want to do. Have a great trip!

[Shortkaik]

Thanks again, guys! Lots of great suggestions. Keep in mind I've only got 7-8 days, with two of those spent driving to/from Ottawa. If my tentative schedule holds, that means about a day and a half per place (Philly, camping, Boston), so won't be time to do everything!

I have gone out whale watching before, off the coast of Nova Scotia. Pretty cool! I'm not really one for beaches, generally. But might be worth checking out.

NYC sort of deserves a whole trip on its own. It's also expensive. We've got a pretty tight budget for this one. Also, NYC kinda scares me. It's so big! Plus I've watched enough tv/movies, I've basically seen it all anyway...

I will look into Rhode Island and see about fitting it in!

@oystergirl: My map isn't entirely accurate. It was just an approximate squiggle based on the map from Google Maps directions. Without knowing my real destinations, I just wanted something general. But if you guys have traffic suggestions (avoid this highway or that) I appreciate it!

[oystergirl]

I am giggling....I was born in Brooklyn and have lived in or around NYC my whole life. I was saying to my husband just the other day, I could live here forever and NEVER see all of new york city. LOL as for scaring because it is big, above the village its all about numbered streets and avenues. It is quite possibly the easiest city on earth to get around and I have been to plenty of cities...but I wont defend it, and yes, you need a few days to do it justice. As for expensive, well, most major cities are but if you use price line or hot wire you can find some GREAT deals. We stayed in a La Quinta right under the empire state building for under 150 a night in the summer a few years back. Much cheaper than the 350 we spent at the Mariott Marquis in Boston ($350 a night but in walking distance of fenway--we discovered the flea bag howard johnsons right behind fenway park our next trip and we rough it there to go to a game...)

but I digress.....sounds like a GREAT trip, my only suggestion would be to AVOID lower NY state park camping. Anything below Harriman state park because these parks get crowded with over summering new york city folk. Its a neat set up, they literally move the whole family into the park for the entire summer, which is fine but the camping sites get crowded and the facilities get taxed. There are some good locations in the delaware water gap on the PA side pretty sure and northern and central NY tier camping in the catskills or even go across into MA or southern VT for green mountain or berkshires camping.

[Shortkaik]

but I digress.....sounds like a GREAT trip, my only suggestion would be to AVOID lower NY state park camping. Anything below Harriman state park because these parks get crowded with over summering new york city folk. Its a neat set up, they literally move the whole family into the park for the entire summer, which is fine but the camping sites get crowded and the facilities get taxed. There are some good locations in the delaware water gap on the PA side pretty sure and northern and central NY tier camping in the catskills or even go across into MA or southern VT for green mountain or berkshires camping.

Thanks for the tip! Some of the parks I had checked out had "seasonal camping" for a hefty price and I wasn't sure what that meant. I didn't realize people who spent the whole summer camping. Sounds awful! I'll take my 2 days of nature and then get back to civilization, thanks.

[Morrigainz]

Agree with Toronto, Niagara, and Boston. If you've never been to NYC it's worth a visit. There is a TON of stuff to do there...and a ton of stuff to see, people included.

I also loved upstate New York - I spent a couple days in the Adirondacks a number of years ago and it was gorgeous.

Funny thing - I too am taking a road trip this summer. We are doing Montreal, QC, coming back through NH, VT, upstate NY, and Niagara. NH has the White Mountains...I've never been there. But, it should be a fun trip.

Have fun!

[oystergirl]

Mir, if you are gonna do NH, you have to do the KANK! Kangamangus trail runs to north conway and it is abso-stinking-lutely my favorite place in NH..my hubby is from there and we go up that way every fall!

[Shortkaik]

Alright, Boston/Philly people, I'm not too proud to ask:

Does anyone have a couch/spare bed we could sleep on or a backyard we could pitch our tent in for one night while we're in town?

I'm not expecting anything, so don't worry about it if you're not interested. Just figured I'd at least put it out there before I start booking hotel rooms. We're trying to keep this trip on a tight budget!

Either way, looking forward to meeting up with whoever I can while I'm there! I'll try to organize some sort of evening meet up once the dates are closer.