Need Storyland Getaway advice

Hi,

I鈥檓 taking wife and 2 kids ages 2 and 3 to Storyland. We want to stay 6 nights and we are looking to be close to Storyland/N. Conway. I鈥檓 trying to avoid spending $150 per night. Here鈥檚 is what we need:

TV, microwave, refrigerator (at least a mini), shower, very clean place, no mold or other smells, a queen or king bed, or 2 doubles. For the kids we usually use cot mattresses or pull out bed mattresses on the floor for them and they love it. Heated pool (either indoor/outdoor of both). Any other amenities would be great but not required. There are tons of vacation rentals available but I can鈥檛 find any geared toward small families; most are sleep 8 to 20 people. All the good hotels and motels are $150 or more. Add in the 8% and it鈥檚 over $900 minimum. I鈥檓 looking to cut that in half. Anyone have any suggestions?

Thank you

Need Storyland Getaway advice

when do you plan on going?

Need Storyland Getaway advice

Oh sorry, I meant to put that in there. It%26#39;s 6/13-6/18. Thank you.

You are traveling before the summer season starts so it may be possible but be realistic. I would suggest Linderhof or Xmas mountain which is right across the street and just up the street respectively for a nice condo. These can be found at vrbo.com and cyberrentals.com (forgive me if I spelled the URL wrong). You can save alot of money eating in to make up the difference in a unit. Linderhof has an outdoor pool, not sure about indoor. Another option could be seasons @ attitash which has an indoor pool. Lots of units which may give you some price leverage. These can be rented directly from resort or again at the other sites mentioned. Eastern Slope in may be less than $150 but will be more than $100 (not including taxes, etc).

Hi everyone,

I found a great deal at Attitash River Run Condos.

Thanks for all the help.

Cheers,

Tim

My family rents out a place in Linderhof. Check it out on line through lyonprivaterealtybrokerage.com. It sleeps 8, but you don%26#39;t have to have 8 to use the place. There is plenty of room to be comfortable. Especially if you are there for an extended time. You can get weekly rates. It%26#39;s nice, clean, it has all the ammenities you are looking for. The pool is accross the street from Storyland on the Linderhof Golf Course. Not sure if it%26#39;s heated or not. The house is located on Wilhelm Place. There are many other nice places to stay, but I do think it would be worth it to look at it. Good Luck, I hope you and your family have a great vacation where ever you decide to stay.

We stayed at the Green Granite which was clean, spacious enough, small fridge in room and micro in hallway, nice indoor and outdoor pools, and new outdoor playground for the kids.

Picked up a coupon book from the Information Center and saved money, or use a AAA/CAA card. However we had to drive 20 mins. to Storyland but we were near all the shopping.

Have a nice vacation.

Boston Express Bus

I%26#39;m looking to get my daughter from Manchester to NYC in March. She can get the Megabus from Boston South Station, and I found the Boston Express bus from Manchester to South Station. Does anyone have any experience with this bus service? Any input is appreciated, thanks.

Boston Express Bus

My wife, parents and in-laws have all used it. Its pretty simple. It goes straight from manchester to South Station. The buses are new and are nice. It takes about 45 minutes.

Not sure what else you are looking for?

Boston Express Bus

That is it, thank you! I didn%26#39;t think it could be so easy. I had first looked into Flightline, which goes to the airport, then she%26#39;d have to transfer to the Silverline to South Station, then to the Megabus. Since this is her first trip to NYC by herself, I was hoping to make it as economical, but simple as possible. You%26#39;ve set my mind at ease, thanks again for the quick reply..

Hi- I have been taking the bus to South Station or Logan for years (10+). It is by far the easiest and cheapest way to go. I normally go from Concord NH and they stop in Manchester- It is great!!

Thanks! This is good information to have in case we need to fly into/out of Boston also instead of MHT. We live in Indiana, have family in New Boston, so we are learning as we go along. Your expertise/experiences are greatly appreciated..

I have taken the bus from Concord to S Station for years and most of the time by myself. It has always been on time and the new station in S. Station is so nice.

Cool, that puts my mind at ease sending my little chickie off on her own to the big city. We definitely will be using this service on future trips out east. Thanks!

The bus goes from downtown Manchester to Logan....would someone please let me know how to get from Manchester Airport to the bus stop downtown, so that I can take this bus? Approx how much would the cab fare be? Thanks!

Manchester - Boston Regional (MHT): Location: 6 km/4 Miles S of Manchester and 69 km/43 miles NNW of Boston. By Taxi: To Manchester City centre ~$13. A taxi fare schedule is posted in the terminal with fares ranging from $8-17 for the Manchester area. 5-STAR Airport Service (603) 641 9709, A %26amp; W Airport Service 235 2720 %26amp; AAA Airport Service 222 1200. Many more companies available - see airport website.

Ideas for teenage girls for dinner

My 17 year old daughter is taking some friends to Sky Venture. I would like to take them somewhere ';cool'; for dinner. Any ideas of some place unique, fun, etc to take them?

Ideas for teenage girls for dinner

Right on the DWH near Sky Venture is Lui Lui. It%26#39;s Italian...it isn%26#39;t as much fun as their West Lebanon location but the food is good, rolls are great, and its nice casual. Their website is www.luilui.com.

Also on DWH is La Caretta. I have not been to the one in Nashua but I used to go to the one in Keene (they have like three locations) and if you like Mexican the food is really good (I have not been down to DWH in about three months and the one in Keene closed...I hope the one in Nashua is still open)!

About 15-20 minutes away Rt 101A in Amherst is Joey%26#39;s Diner. It%26#39;s a %26#39;50s diner and I have even been served by a waitress in a poodle skirt. They deck place out in a fun way. Their website is www.joeysdiner.com. That%26#39;s North a few exits on Rt 3 and then West on Rt 101A. If you do go, you will pass Brusters Ice Cream and they have pretty good ice cream (in case you are thinking dessert).

Most of the other places I know of on the DWH are chains...Joe%26#39;s American Bar %26amp; Grill, Outback, Unos, etc. There are a bunch of independent restaurants North on the DWH in downtown Nashua but since I don%26#39;t go there often someone else might be able to help with other ideas there.

Ideas for teenage girls for dinner

thank you Little river. I will check these out!

Walking with 4 month old baby

My husband %26amp; I are going to Jackson in a couple of weeks with our 4 month old daughter for our first family vacation.

We would like to do some short walks and wondered if any of the trails would be stroller friendly? Or will I have to use the baby carrier all the time?

Thanks for any information.

Walking with 4 month old baby

You will need both. The central village area Main St-RT 16-Village Rd form a loop and there is a sidewalk. Once you leave Main St it%26#39;s uphill with very few sidewalks and dirt shoulders. If you drive north from the village about 4 and half mi on your left is Dana Place. There is a short walk along the Ellis River somewhat level but not for strollers as it is a dirt path. There are areas outside of Jackson that you can drive to so if that%26#39;s of interest, let us know.

Walking with 4 month old baby

Yes we plan to drive to places around Jackson and probably go to Franconia Notch for a day as we are in Jackson for a week so any information for further afield would be most helpful too.

Most of the trails will not be stroller friendly. It is not something that I have paid much attention to but I am thinking that the path to Diana%26#39;s Bath may be stroller friendly (although it is a little early to go swimming there). Also, I believe the Flume gorge will accommodate strollers but you should certainly check first if that is an issue. So, if you expect to walk off road, the carrier is your best bet. To paraphrase Neil Diamond- she ain%26#39;t heavy, she%26#39;s my kid!!

I think the Lincoln Woods trail, five miles or so from Lincoln on the Kancamangus Highway,may be stroller friendly. It%26#39;s an old logging road, very flat. I%26#39;ve walked it numerous times, but never with an eye for a stroller. Nice canopy of trees if the weather is iffy, next to the Pemi River.

Also the Ammonoosuc Lake trail loop behind the AMC Highland Center is nice short hike with a carrier. I%26#39;ve done that.

Given the time of year you might want to look into some bug netting as well.

Enjoy.

Steele Hills Resort south

We are thinking of spending the last week in August at the Steele Hills Resort South in Sanbornton, NH thru an RCI trade. They only have a hotel room accommodation left. Has anyone stayed in one RECENTLY? We really wanted to stay in Maine but coudn%26#39;t find a trade this late in the year so we are looking for activities we can do along the Maine coast in one-day round trips from Steele Hills. Any suggestions? We don%26#39;t mind driving a couple of hours each way. Since we would be in a hotel unit, are there any breakfast places on site? Any other helpful info would be much appreciated.

Steele Hills Resort south

It is really beautiful at Steele Hill and many in the area are very happy when they have weddings there. It is so scenic and the pools are great.

Drive from Bartlett to Bar Harbour

Hi,

We are having a week in Bartlett to see the area and then travelling to Bar Harbor. Have any of you got a suggested route. We are happy to take all day as we will be in Bar Harbor for 3 days to see Acadia.

It would be nice to stop a few times to see the countryside,swim or walk a short trail. Can you also give us an idea of distances. I think its about 300 miles.

Many thanks Chris and Ken

Drive from Bartlett to Bar Harbour

The simplest route would probably be Route 16 North to Gorham, then Route 2 East all the way to Bangor, followed by Route 1 and Route 3 to Bar Harbor. Route 2 is a pleasant drive and really the only direct route that traverses inland Maine east-to-west; there may be other ways of criss-crossing the state, but I think you would risk getting lost. It%26#39;s happened to me before. ;)

I can%26#39;t advise on places to stop, but I%26#39;m sure there are places to walk and swim along the route. The drive is about 220 miles or 4.5 hours.

This is assuming that you%26#39;re planning to drive south along the Maine coast after you leave Bar Harbor (how can you miss the Maine coast?)

If for some reason you%26#39;re not coming back down the coast, then you should definitely take the coastal route to Bar Harbor. Take Route 302 East from Bartlett to Portland (visit Portland Head Light), then I-295 North to Route 1 North -- stop at Damariscotta, Pemaquid Point, Mt. Battie in Camden -- and finally Route 3 to Bar Harbor.

Drive from Bartlett to Bar Harbour

Thanks, yes we will be driving back down the coast over 2 days from Acadia to Boston to fly home, so will take your suggestions . Many thanks.

The previous post%26#39;s suggestion is a good one as far as US Rt 2 to Bangor....it traverses a combination of Maine woodlands and Maine dairy countryside....quite rural most of the way...

Depending on your timing, a short ways east of Bethel on your left is the Sunday River Brew Pub -- might make a nice lunch stop with a chance to sample some local micro-brew if that%26#39;s your taste.

Be aware that althought it%26#39;s a numbered route, US Rt 2 may not be the smoothest road you%26#39;ve ever driven... Maine%26#39;s Department of Transportation has had a chronic shortage of funds for several years and has postponed numerous highway maintenance projects -- not that the road won%26#39;t be paved all the way, but you may hit some less-than-smooth sections along the way.

And another word of caution: between Gorham, NH and Bethel, ME, you%26#39;ll definitely encounter a major highway construction project. They%26#39;re just finishing up one project they started last summer and have a second one scheduled to start up as soon as the first one is completed. They%26#39;ll be maintaining traffic through the work area and all that -- just plan on the possibility of short sections (1-2 miles maximum) of unpaved road and a longer-than-usual travel time for that section. It won%26#39;t be bad enough to consider changing your route or anything like that (not many good alternatives available anyway), just something to expect so you don%26#39;t get caught by surprise.

Thanks,when you live in the UK you get very used to traffic jams. We will leave Bartlett fairly early and take our time. Thanks for the tips.

makeup help

First visit to New Hampshire - suggestions

My daughter and I will be taking a road trip this summer that will include a 2-day stay in Manchester. We both love shopping, history, and easy walks. We%26#39;d also enjoy a nice dinner out one night - nothing too fancy. I%26#39;d appreciate any suggestions on things to do and see, places to shop, and perhaps a restaurant suggestion. Thank you so much.

First visit to New Hampshire - suggestions

A few weeks ago I stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn in Manchester, we were seeing a show at the Verizon Wireless Center on Elm Street. Had dinner at Piccola%26#39;s Ristorante a few doors up from the Arena, it%26#39;s my favorite italian restaurant in the whole state. The owners are from East Boston, MA %26amp; Italy, I absolutely love this restaurant. The Hilton Garden Inn overlooks a beautiful (recently built about 3 years ago or so) baseball park. The NH Fisher Cats play there. The hotel has a fantastic patio where you can see the games right from there, that%26#39;s how close it is to the ball park. If you go to this site you%26#39;ll see info on the team %26amp; ball park:

www.nhfishercats.com

You%26#39;d really like this hotel, hopefully you can get a room there, it%26#39;s pretty popular when there%26#39;s games going on! The beauty of it is they have a free shuttle van that will drop you off on Elm Street where the restaurants are located %26amp; he%26#39;ll pick you up afterwards. He even will take you shopping, so remember to get this gentleman%26#39;s card in the lobby from the hotel desk. It was ideal staying there, you%26#39;d really like it a lot, plus it was SO reasonable %26amp; extremely clean, there was no complaints in that department!

Will you have a car? There%26#39;s several day trips from Manchester that you could take. One idea for you is you could %26amp; should take a ride over to Portsmouth, which is a neat seaport city, only 45 minutes to an hour away from Manchester. Just follow rte 101 east and you%26#39;ll be there. Get your map out or your GPS, it%26#39;s not a bad ride at all.

Where you%26#39;re planning on this trip this summer it would be good if you got to take the Isle of Shoals cruise out of Portsmouth:

www.islesofshoals.com

This way, you%26#39;ll see just how pretty Portsmouth Harbor is, it%26#39;ll be great for picture taking too.

Manchester of course has a lot of neat restaurants and places to go these days, there%26#39;s no doubt about it. Remember, Piccola%26#39;s Ristorante is located at 815 Elm Street right up the street from the Verizon Wireless Arena. It%26#39;s just wonderful there:

www.piccolaitalianh.com

There%26#39;s some good parts of Manchester and there%26#39;s some shady areas like any city, but if you stay at the Hilton Garden Inn, it%26#39;s quite safe. Basically a lot of us shop, dine thru there AND we get entertained at the Verizon Wireless Arena a few times a year, so google the arena to see if there%26#39;s anyone good there this summer to see! I know there%26#39;s Demi Lovato on August 24th. Manchester also has Bedford right beside it and believe it or not, they have the best %26amp; I mean the best Home Goods in the state, I%26#39;m not kidding you either. Their Marshall%26#39;s is quite good there too compared to the ones located around the state %26amp; Mass! It%26#39;s one of the ';bigger'; ones compared to all the others!

If you want unique charming shops %26amp; boutiques, you could head over to the seacoast area of Portsmouth. Something about it there that you can%26#39;t beat, it%26#39;s a little like your Carmel out on your left coast! It%26#39;s definitely quaint, no doubt about it. It%26#39;s extremely charming and it%26#39;s really kind of neat walking through Portsmouth, browsing through their many many shops %26amp; boutiques. Tons of unique %26amp; different restaurants and bistros too.

One of them that%26#39;s good for lunch is ';Popovers on the Square'; at Market Square, look for it:

www.popoversonthesquare.com

Another place that we really like is the ';Rosa';, look for that, it%26#39;s reasonable and very consistant here, they have really good pizza so remember that. Actually a lot of choices on their menu, everything is quite good, it%26#39;s been in Portsmouth for years. Great place to go for dinner too...

www.therosa.com

It also would be good if you got the chance to check out the Strawbery Banke Museum. Talk about history? It%26#39;s awesome seeing this Museum, it%26#39;s something like Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts. You%26#39;ll see it and know what I mean:

www.strawberybanke.org

Walk across the street to Prescott Park too! It%26#39;s really pretty, starting right now. Since around late April actually. The flowers are JUST amazing here. Wait till you see them all!

Here is a review describing it to a ';T'; (from Yahoo) titled, ';A little culture in an old town by the sea'; ';Salt air from the ocean and the harbor keeps the summer heat at bay. Award winning gardens are a relaxing diversion for visitors strolling along the river entrance to Portsmouth Harbor. The summer long attractions of Prescott Park are joined by the work of local artists in an exhibition open to the public. This attraction is a short walk from the restaurants, shops, and other attractions of historic Portsmouth, NH. It is an unbeatable way to spend a summer day whether you are a local resident or a visitor to the area.';

Have a great day %26amp; lastly these two places should be on your list somehow, some way, hopefully you can squeeze one of them in! In Manchester GO to the Currier Museum of Art there, if you can, you%26#39;ll see some beautiful hand made furniture from NH, among other interesting things through out this complex:

www.currier.org

Try to get over to Derry to see the Robert Frost Farm, it%26#39;s well worth it there as well:

robertfrostfarm.org

Have a wonderful time no matter what you do and where you end up going, your road trip sounds fantastic!

First visit to New Hampshire - suggestions

Great info from NoMo01. I especially recommend the trip to Portsmouth, since it sounds right up your alley.

Since this is your first trip to NH, have you considered going up to the mountains at all? Manchester is our one true ';big city'; and doesn%26#39;t really give you an idea of what the state is really like.

If you head north from Manchester on I-93, you can be to Franconia Notch State Park in about 1.5 hours. This is a gorgeous area with some beautiful easy walks (see the Flume Gorge). If you like shopping, head over to North Conway via Route 302 (through Crawford Notch State Park). If you%26#39;re feeling adventurous, go up to Mt. Washington to drive the auto road to the summit. Otherwise, take the Kancamagus Highway back to I-93 South.

This might be a lot to fit into a single day trip, but if you got up early you could manage it. ;)

Another option is the Lakes Region, which is a little bit closer to Manchester (but without the same mountain scenery). Take I-93 North to Exit 23 and then follow Route 104 East to Meredith, a cute little town on Lake Winnipesaukee with some nice lakeside parks and shopping options.

Then follow Route 3 North to Holderness and Route 113 towards Sandwich, passing by lovely Squam Lake (featured in the film ';On Golden Pond';). Sandwich is a beautiful, well-preserved historic New England village. Afterwards, follow Route 109 South to 171 South and visit the Castle in the Clouds in Moultonborough.

You could then make your way back to Meredith and Manchester or return to 109 South and continue towards Wolfeboro, Alton, making a full tour around Lake Winnipesaukee. Another option is to head to Gilmanton from Alton, and then follow Route 107 ';The Old Province Road'; south, for some historic architecture and nice countryside.

I just got back from the Hilton Garden Inn this morning. It was great! I have to post a review so check for it shortly. As far as restaurants we went to the Red Arrow Diner on Friday. It was a good place to eat and reasonably priced. We then went to Fratello%26#39;s for my birthday on Saturday. It was excellent!!! I think that would be a nice place to go with your daughter. The shuttle from the hotel took us there and picked us up afterwards. Have a great time.

Best Day Hikes?

My husband and I are planning a week long trip in June to hike the White Mountains. What are the best day hikes and ';must sees';? We consider ourselves pretty moderate hikers with hiking Glacier National Park in northern Montana most recently. Our Siberian Husky will also be joining us on our hikes!

Also, is there any chances of spotting a moose in the woods instead of on the road? If so, where are the best spots to find them?

Best Day Hikes?

Well, you have to start with MW. I am not going to repeat all the warnings here about hiking except you should be in good shape, bring lots of water, leave early, dress appropriately (usually a 30 degree difference from bottom to top) and only do it if it is a nice day. You can hike up Tuckerman%26#39;s which is the most popular route without fear of losing the trail.

Other hikes, Mt Chocorua, Crawford Notch, Arathusa Falls, and any of the Presidentials. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Chocorua

Any of the AMC trail guides will be a great source of information as well as a google search.

Sorry can%26#39;t help you with the moose.

Best Day Hikes?

As for moose, well maybe you might see some. They are not easy to spot especially if they%26#39;re just standing still. They blend in with the tree trunks pretty well.

The Franconia Ridge Loop is a classic, full day 8-9 mile hike. A good portion is spent above tree line, and includes Mt Lafayette and an AMC hut.

Can go up Old Bridle Path and down Falling Waters Trail or vice versa.

Be safe and enjoy!

whatever happened to Bungay Jar?

Dear all

Have just posted seeking W. Mountains recs.

One place that got good write ups in guidebook was Bungay Jar but I cant get to their website any more and phone line seems dead

Does anyone know if it is still open and, if so, is it any good ?!

Thanks

whatever happened to Bungay Jar?

It was a pretty funky place and the third floor room with its skylights and ceiling painted to look like the night sky were pretty cool!

I know it had been for sale sometime last year but I have no idea what the status of it is now. Sorry that doesn%26#39;t help you now.

whatever happened to Bungay Jar?

thanks

any other recs in that area ?

is the sugar hill inn any good ?

Hi, you may not be watching this anymore, but to the great sorrow of those of us who loved the Bungay Jar, the owners sold it and the purchasers are using it as a private residence. I was terribly sorry that I did not get to plan a final trip there when the owners sent out the news, but there wasn%26#39;t time. I miss it greatly!

I am sorry that I never had the chance to see this lovely inn. I can report from personal experience that the Sugar Hill Inn, the Sunset Hill House and Franconia Inn are all in operation and very good places to stay. Food is particularly excellent at the Sugar Hill Inn. Hope you are planning to visit our Sugar Hill Lupine Festival next month!

Eileen - now a permanent Sugar Hill resident.

Camping at New Hampshire Motor Speedway

My husband and I and a couple of friends are going to the June 28th race there. We have only a tent and online it says tents on the grounds there are not allowed. Are there any good camp grounds close by or anyone have any advise for us?

Camping at New Hampshire Motor Speedway

if you do a search under the Louden forum there is info as well as web sites

Camping at New Hampshire Motor Speedway

There are several, although not quite the same as camping at the racetrack for sure. You can rent RV%26#39;s to bring to the track, but if that is not an option there are a few nearby campgrounds, but I am sure they sell out quick.

http://www.cascadecampground.com/

http://www.ucampnh.com/hillcrest/

http://www.rockyroadcampground.com/main.html

an Englishman in New Hampshire

Hi I%26#39;m travelling to New England in September with my wife. We hope to see as much of New England as we can in 3 weeks. We%26#39;re starting and ending in Boston, could anyone give me advice on best things to see, best places to visit, good hotels, restaurants etc. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Steve

an Englishman in New Hampshire

baggo55, why don%26#39;t you use this as your base:

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g60745-i48-k252308…

Skip Washington DC. Head south to Cape Cod first, you may get a beach day or two in. If you head north later, you may be able to catch the leaves changing.

an Englishman in New Hampshire

Steve

What are your interests? If you are a history buff, there are battlefields (Lexington/Concord), Naval Bases (groton, Ct) battleships (New Bedford, MA)

Sturbridge village, etc

For more intrepid, there are great hikes throughout NE

If you like museums, besides all the obvious ones in Boston, there are great museums in the Berkshires like the Clark Art, Williams College, Mass MOCA (contemporary art if you like that)

A trip over to Martha%26#39;s vineyard is certainly worth it.

You can do a day trip or stay overnite. You will be missing peak season but can still have great weather in Sept.

Newport, RI is great to visit all the grand mansions.

Would you believe that you will not be able to see everything in 3 weeks?

The ';best'; is so subjective without input about what you think would be best.

Hotels 5*, 4*??

Hope this gives you some food for thought.

Thanks domaotc while I really want to do Washington we had already decided to leave that for another year, maybe with Chicago %26amp; New York. Will definitelty be heading to Cape Cod for a couple of days.

Hi neslaw1

Thanks for all that great info. You would have to be mad to go to New England and not take in the history so will definitely take your advice on that one.

I%26#39;ve visited USA on a number of occasions but only really done the big attractions Orlando, SF, LA, NY %26amp; Vegas we would really like to see %26#39;small town%26#39; America.

While we%26#39;re not overly fit 50 somethings, we really enjoy a good hike have you any suggestions that aren%26#39;t too strenuous.

The thing that made me start planning the trip was all the places you see on tv and movies, the Hamptons, Cape Cod, Martha%26#39;s Vineyard Rhode Island etc so hope to visit all these and more. Also we%26#39;re big Stephen King fans so have to do Maine, Salem etc.

I know 3 weeks will never be enough but I hope not to miss anything special with the help of kind people like yourself.

We%26#39;re not too picky with hotels, we usually go for location, but don%26#39;t mind spending a bit extra for something special.

Thanks again for taking the time to help

If you have read any of my past posts, you may know that I have a pet peeve with ';drive by'; vacations. I always recommend finding a few central places to stay for a few days and setting off on adventures. So, when you provide a basic outline of where you want to be there are lots of us on the various forums who can help. Some thoughts on the Cape which are a little different. Many people stay in the Hyannis area. But there are plenty of other places like Mashpee/Falmouth/Wood%26#39;s Hole which is the stopping off place for Martha%26#39;s Vineyard. Another suggestion on the Cape is the Bayside in Barnstable where it is much quieter and lots of great B%26amp;B%26#39;s in former captain%26#39;s houses. September is a little less expensive time of year.

You also want to go to the white mtns. There are lots of posts here about places to stay and reviews of hotels and restaurants to help you.

So after we have a tentative itinerary, then some more suggestions can be made for hotels, etc

1 clarification, I capitalized Bayside- it is not a specific place, just the location on the Cape. Sorry for any confusion.

Anyway, I have not spent alot of time on the CC forum where I am sure there is lots of great suggestions and we will be happy to give any suggestions for NH.

Thanks neslaw1

I agree, while I want to explore as much as I can, I would like to spend some time in interesting places. Will it be peak season or will I be able to find hotels as I go, or will i need to pre-book?

I%26#39;ve only just got my maps so will do a bit of work and come up with an itinerary and get back to you.

Thanks again

You could start off in Boston and take the boat into Provincetown, MA on the outer cape. Rent a car and head down through the cape staying a few days. You can take a day trip to Martha%26#39;s Vineyard. Head back up to Lexington/Concord for a few days and then to NH for the mtns. Go to Lincoln NH and travel through the Kancamaugus Highway-have a picnic and end up in North Conway. Shop a little and go back to Lincoln through Rte 302. Lincoln/Woodstock is a nice central spot to stay. You can either go back down the highway to Boston for a few days or over Rte 302 to the ME coast.

Our friends for England love the Lincoln/Woodstock area and of course the shopping in NOrth Conway for sheets and jeans!

Steve,

When I said ';Skip Washington DC';, I meant ';give it a miss'; (I think).

If you%26#39;re into history you should put Minuteman National Park on your initinerary. You may want to bring some flowers to leave at the graves of the unkown British soldiers who are buried there (many of your countrymen do).

Google ';Stephen King Bangor'; and you%26#39;ll get his home address. He used to hand out candy on Halloween, but he had stop when the crowds got too large. I don%26#39;t know if you%26#39;ll see him up in Maine, but he attends quite a few Red Sox games so you may see him at Fenway Park if you decide to attend a game.

If you want to see some small towns in between your destinations, bring your ';SatNav'; loaded with maps of the US or buy a cheap one here (I%26#39;m sure you could sell it when you get home). Good places to buy one here would be Best Buy, Staples, OfficeMax or even Wal-Mart. Just select ';Least use of Highways'; and you%26#39;ll see lots of small town New England.

Lastly, since you plan on visiting multiple New England states you should probably post questions on the forums of the ones you plan on visiting besides New Hampshire.

Dom

It will be off peak in Southern NE (Cape, Vineyard, RI, etc) but will be moving towards peak in NH and Vt. True peak leaf peeping a little later than September. So for hotels, I don%26#39;t believe you will any problem finding someplace to stay although if you have someplace you absolutely want to stay then prebooking is a good idea. It is like anywhere, there is always a hotel room but the best b%26amp;b with 4 rooms will not be available for a walk in.

The suggestion to see Ptown by boat from Boston is great. It allows you to get to the lower cape (which is actually north of the upper cape- go figure) in much less time than the drive. You can still visit the upper cape by driving from Boston(which is actually lower) and MV, off to Groton Ct for a nuclear sub tour and maybe to Mystic Village to see how far ships have come over the past few hundred years.

That also puts you near Newport, RI. with its harbor and mansions.

Other places I would definitely put on a NE visit list include the White Mountains, of course, a day at Lake Winnipesauki and a trip down the middle of VT and the Green Mountains to visit Stowe, Weston, Manchester, Arlington maybe a visit to Lenox, Ma and the berkshires and back to boston. Another locale which may be doable depending on itinerary could include West Point.

New England in the Fall

Hi - we%26#39;re going to become leaf peepers between 5-22 October 2009 and are trying to decide on an itinerary.

We%26#39;ve booked our flights and just about decided on the accommodation for our first night in Boston.

What we are thinking of at the moment is:

Night 1 in Boston, picking the hire car up the next morning and having a leisurely trip along the coast taking in Salem and Portsmouth on our way up to kennebunkport for the next night.

Next day up to Portland and on along to Jackson for 2 nights, then

2 nights in Stowe,

2 in Bennington,

2 more nights in Litchfield,

2 in Newport followed by

2 nights in Yarmouth and finishing off with

2 night and 3 days in Boston before flying back home.

we%26#39;d really appreciate any advice of whether we%26#39;re choosing the right places to stay at to get the best from our trip or if we would be better going by different places, or even if we are being over ambitious!! We prefer to stay in small B%26amp;Bs in small towns (but with plenty to see and good choices of restaurants)

Any comments appreciated - cheers

New England in the Fall

Hi cuddly53,

That looks like a very nice itinerary to me. Based on your timing, you should see some wonderful colour.

I don%26#39;t think your plan is overly ambitious. You%26#39;ve chosen some very nice towns to stay in as well. The only one I%26#39;m not sure about is Yarmouth, but that%26#39;s only because my knowledge of Cape Cod isn%26#39;t that great. A lot of people seem to recommend Chatham or Eastham, but at any rate Yarmouth seems like it would be a good base for exploring the Cape.

My one suggestion would be to consider subtracting one night from Bennington and adding it to Jackson. There will be a lot to see in the White Mountains, and you might also want to make a trip down to the Lakes Region (Castle in the Clouds, Sandwich, Squam Lake, Meredith, etc.) if you have time. Bennington, on the other hand, has the great monument, but I think you%26#39;ll cover most of the nearby attractions on the drive there (Mt. Equinox Skyline Drive, for example).

You might also consider staying in Manchester, VT instead of Bennington -- it%26#39;s smaller, but it would make the drive from Stowe a bit shorter (and also allow you to make a side-trip to the lovely town of Woodstock if you wanted).

Anyway, those are minor suggestions to consider -- otherwise I think your plan looks great!

New England in the Fall

Hi TerrMys - Thanks for your suggestions its great to have this sort of input so we can tweak things before we go to get the best from our trip - I think we will stay the extra night at Jackson and choose one of the other places instead of Yarmouth. Thanks again - cuddly53

Your plan sounds perfect and once you tweak it a bit more, it%26#39;ll really be a great itinerary.

When you get to Stowe, Vermont and are all settled in %26amp; when you%26#39;re ready to go out to dinner look for Harrison%26#39;s up there. It%26#39;s really really good and has a lot of great reviews on it all the time on a lot of the sites:

http://www.harrisonsstowe.com/

I see that one of your destinations could be Kennebunkport, Maine %26amp; since you really like B%26amp;B%26#39;s, may be you could get a room at the Cape Arundel Inn. You%26#39;ll really enjoy it there a lot, it%26#39;s right along the coast, wait till you see it! The owner has done an amazing job with this beautiful Inn these days. They%26#39;ve got a gorgeous art collection filling this Inn now, it%26#39;s positively stunning. It%26#39;s also got a great dining room too, chef Lemoine helped with the White Barn Inn %26amp; the Salt Marsh Tavern before he started here. If you don%26#39;t get the chance to stay here, definitely try to have dinner in their dining room, by making reservations for it as you get closer to your trip. You%26#39;ll have to see this Inn to see what I mean:

www.capearundelinn.com

Here%26#39;s info on it:

208 Ocean Ave

Kennebunkport

ME 04046

E-mail: cai@capearundelinn.com

Telephone: 207-967-2125

Fax: 207-967-1199

You%26#39;re going to have a wonderful time with this trip!

Cuddly - have you picked a place to stay in Jackson?

We all respond to these requests for itinerary comments from the viewpoint of our own prejudices. Mine is that I would never spend that much time in a car on a vacation as I do not find hours of driving to be relaxing. So, with that grain of salt. I would spend more time in Stowe or Jackson so you get to relax, walk around, take a short hike, etc. Bennington is nice but I would also substitute Manchester, which has the Equinox Hotel and many nice B%26amp;B%26#39;s. Or I would travel further south just a little to Williamstown, MA or any of the very quaint Berkshire towns. Any of the Cape towns are fine, just understand that it is very quiet on the Cape and not alot of leafs to peep at as the flora is very different on the Cape from elsewhere in NE. I am not sure why so many folks from the UK have Salem on their itineray and can only assume that it has a great PR machine. There will be alot of people in Salem around that time. I love Rockport and would skip Salem.

I agree with neslaw. When we first went to England I drove around like a madman wanting to see everything. The second time I really took my time exploring areas amazed at how much I missed the first time.

Also, Southern New Hampshire is a great area to explore and there should be less traffic.

Thanks everyone for all your comments and ideas - I%26#39;ve printed everything out and will use it all in my final planning - will take all your suggestions into consideration - its great to get local knowledge and info from people who%26#39;ve already done the trip.

Cheers Cuddly53

Thanks everyone for all your comments and ideas - I%26#39;ve printed everything out and will use it all in my final planning - will take all your suggestions into consideration - its great to get local knowledge and info from people who%26#39;ve already done the trip.

Cheers Cuddly53

Hi Cuddly,

Like a previous poster, I highly recommend the White Mountains region of New Hampshire. I was there last Columbus Day Weekend (mid Oct) and found the fall colors breathtaking.

New England is beautiful in the fall and I%26#39;m sure you%26#39;ll have a great trip wherever you go. When in Maine, try to incorporate a trip to Acadia National Park. You can drive all the way to the top of Cadillac Mt. and the views en route and from the top are wonderful!

makeup help

New Hampshire Visitors Guide

I just got an email (automatically generated- not to me personally cause I am not that special) that the 09-10 Visitors Guide is now available. This is a terrific starting place for planning a trip and it is FREE!!!

visitnh.gov/maps-guides-and-brochures/visito…

New Hampshire Visitors Guide

Thanks for the info. I already ordered a White Mts. visitor guide and this NH guide will also be helpful for our trip in October.

New Hampshire Visitors Guide

Be sure to check the listings in TripAdvisor for planning your trip to...both the White Mts. Guide and NH Guidebook are great places to start...but any restaurant, lodging, or attraction that pays the fee (White Mt. Attractions) or has a Room %26amp; Meal license (NH Guidebook) can be listed in the booklets. TripAdvisor is the only source for the the candid reviews that separate the wheat from the chafe...

The visitors guide is very beautiful and helpful just be aware that there are far more places to stay, places to eat, things to do, etc. than are listed. It is a very expensive way to advertise which makes it a great vehicle for the largest of places but not so much for the little guy. If you really want to see the best of NH check smaller, local Chambers of Commerce site and other local web sites that come up in searches.

Don%26#39;t worry TA experts I have done my homework and posted on forums for local info. I have also checked with Chamber of Commerce in Bar Harbor and several areas of NH and VT. Thanks for the info.

Neslaw1 -

I have to 2nd his suggestion on getting a visitor%26#39;s guide, the also produce quarterly events guides that are typically distributed at the rest stops. Here you can also get road maps chamber guides the ';NH Loves Campers'; guide (A valuable resource as well, even for the none camper - No I am not in it) and brochures.

Yes, it is expensive to place and AD in the visitors guide if you look at the Great North Woods section you will see virtually no-advertisers. You can go advertising broke, just trust me on that!

No one guide can reach every potential advertisier, and some do not appeal to the property either. Just like the chamber%26#39;s not ALL businesses are listed there either, thy simply list their members, so a little digging either here or a search engine can get results.

I did indicate it is a ';starting place'; and was not meant to put any of us out of our (nonpaying) jobs!

I believe the guide can be accessed on-line also.

New England in the Fall Itinerary

Hi fellow TAs – I just wanted to stop by to let you know that I have now at last finalised and booked our trip to New England in the Fall.

First and foremost Lyn and I would like to send our sincere thanks to everyone that provided us with so much useful information and advice. We received far more than we could ever have expected – it was such an unexpected and generous gesture – we were extremely touched and it has enabled us to put together what I’m sure will be a memorable holiday.

For those of you involved from the start you will recall that the itinerary at one stage was changing on an almost daily basis. We had so much wrong when we started but thanks to your patience I think we have now got it right.

Getting it right of course means lots of thing to lots of people – it will involve a lot of driving but we don’t mind the driving – driving through this fabulous scenery is part of the pleasure. When we’ve had enough of driving we will stop and walk. New England is studded with scenic views, walking trails and beautiful traditional towns – I don’t think we’ll have any problem finding an excuse to get out of the car and go for a walk.

As you all will know the problem with planning this sort of trip has been what to include and what to leave out. This has been the most difficult part of the whole process – we pass so close to so many places and things that demand a visit – they are must sees – even if it is just a fleeting glimpse but of course it can’t be done. I fully recognise that even now we have probably spread ourselves too thin and we have not given sufficient time to “stop and smell the roses” but this holiday has turned out to be all about compromise. It will be sad not to see Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York State, Adirondacks, Lake Champlain, Niagara Falls and many many more – but that will give us a good excuse to return.

Finding accommodation has been interesting – as advised I have booked early – which was solid advice as accommodation is already filling up fast. We set a budget for our accommodation at £100 per night (approx $160) – now that wont buy you the swankiest place in town (and in some towns there were some very swanky places to stay) but it also doesn’t put you into the cheapest bracket. We (hopefully) have found some gorgeous places to stay and yes we did it all for £100 per night. We tended to go for a lot of motels this time but these motels look really nice – last year on the west coast we only stayed at one motel -The Lone Pine in Cambria - and that was terrific and great value so we weren’t concerned about booking motels this time around. We had a poor experience with our bed and breakfast booking last year but I was determined that we should persevere and convinced Lyn to give it another go and so we booked The Woodstocker Inn, Woodstock, Vermont – it looks fabulous.

Anyway for those that are interested I have detailed below the final itinerary with prices (for information):

Flights from Heathrow to Boston and out of Washington back to Heathrow – with Virgin Atlantic £560 ($880)

Sept 30th – Oct 2nd – 3 nights - Boston MA– The Club Quarters - £347 ($547)

Oct 3rd – Oct 5th – 3 nights – Bar Harbour ME - Highbrook Motel - £236 ($373)

Oct 6th – Oct 7th – 2 nights – Grenville ME, Moosehead Lake – Birch Point Cabins - £179 ($282)

Oct 8th – Oct 10th – 3 nights – North Conway NH, Golden Gables Inn - £235 ($370)

Oct 11th – Oct 12th – 2 nights – Woodstock VT, The Woodstocker Inn - £269 ($425)

Oct 13th - 1 night – Williamstown MA, The 1896 House - £87 ($136)

Oct 14th – Oct 15th – 2 nights – Harwich Port Cape Cod MA, Sandpiper Beach Inn - £221 ($348)

Oct 16th - 1 night – Boston Logan Airport – The Wyndham Chelsea - £189 ($298)

Oct 17th Jet Blue Domestic Flight – Boston MA to Richmond VA - £101 ($160)

Oct 17th – Oct 18th – 2 nights - Skyline Drive – Skylands Resort - £201 ($317)

19th Oct – 21st Oct – 3 nights - Washington DC – The Washington Plazza £215 ($339)

Oct 22nd – Fly home.

Our car hire is with Thrifty – we have booked a Sebring (soft top) this is Lyn’s idea although I think it may be a bit cold for open top driving. £480 ($755)

Total comes to bout £3,500 ($5,523) including almost a couple of hundred pounds for petrol – which I think is brilliant for 2 people for 3 weeks in New England (and Virginia).

And that is it – all booked – will now devour even more travel books between now and when we leave to make sure that we pick up all of those “must sees”.

Thanks once again for all of your help – I will keep you all informed on how it went with a full and comprehensive travel report – beware you have been warned!! Lol

Take care

Ray

New England in the Fall Itinerary

What a great trip you have planned. Rarely do we get to see an itinerary in such detail along with pricing. Looks like the pound is making a move upwards so you make get more for your money. You will see people driving with there top down in their convertables especially if the sun is out. Fall will be beautiful. Enjoy!

Dave

New England in the Fall Itinerary

Hi day4844

Yes the pound is making a strugle for a bit of a revival but it is never going to be as good as it was last year - still that was a bonus.

A little sunshine would be nice but I%26#39;m not counting any chickens

Take care

Ray

What an incredible amount of work you have put into this. I am guessing you spent more time planning than you actually will traveling!!

You said this was the final itinerary, but 1 comment anyway. I would skip the long trip to Harwich since you will have been to Bar Harbor and had ocean time.

If you insist on heading from the NW corner of Ma to the SE, then maybe Newport, RI which will be very different from the other areas that you will have visited.

Southwest Airlines - never again

Not sure where to post this but wanted to alert anyone thinking of booking any flight on Southwest Airlines. When we booked a flight on Southwest Airlines from Manchester, NH to Las Vegas we had no idea about their OPEN (Only Pushy Enter Now) Seating policy. We soon heard about it from everyone we knew - not good things either. I called to inquire and express our concerns but no one really cared %26amp; told us it was %26#39;no big deal%26#39;. They said we could cancel for a fee. Also to top that off, since we booked a vacation thru their website, we were not eligible to logon 24 hrs in advance to get our booking letter (A,B,or dreaded C) - we had to wait until we got to the airport. Naturally, we got the dreaded %26#39;C%26#39; assignment. People were lined up, sitting on the floors, very pushy %26amp; we saw some very rude behavior.

We were able to sit together on the 5.5 hr flight in small cramped seats - no movie, no radio, nothing. We bought portable CD players just for the flight.

On the way back, again - the dreaded %26#39;C%26#39; seating. We were separated %26amp; had to sit in the middle seats with strangers. What an awful note to end our otherwise great vacation.

I have no idea why Southwest is rated highly. People I talked to hate the Open seating %26amp; don%26#39;t fly it after they experience it once. Their prices are ok but not the best, no frills, nothing at all special about them. If you have a choice - skip them.

I would think any company that wants to keep repeat business %26amp; also reward customers should treat them with far greater dignity %26amp; respect. We paid close to $1800 for a vacation thru their website - one would think that should at least have gotten us an automatic %26#39;A%26#39; seating, then we could be pushy too but at least we could sit together.

Experienced Southwest once %26amp; never again.

P.S. We Love JetBlue- great prices %26amp; great service but unfortunately not out of Manchester yet.

Southwest Airlines - never again

I never flew Southwest out of Manchester only out of Boston. We sat together on that flight out to Vegas. BUT I have to tell you, I remember thinking back on it that I couldn%26#39;t stand the flight or the fact that the plane was so packed. We were in that plane squished like sardines! It drove me crazy to think they%26#39;d subject their guests to that nonsense. I remember we talked about it and said the airline was nothing but ';cattle pushers!'; and we%26#39;d never fly with them ever again.

I think when we fly to Vegas nex year we%26#39;ll book a completely different airline all together if we can get a good deal.

SO sorry to hear about your experience, that%26#39;s too bad. May be by posting it here Southwest airlines will think more about what they%26#39;re subjecting people to and change their policy if enough people have complaints!

Southwest Airlines - never again

I may be wrong but I believe that Southwest Airlines doesn%26#39;t fly in or out of Boston. I believe they fly into Manchester, NH and Providence, RI only in New England. As for your experience that%26#39;s the way Southwest is yet they are wildly popular because the are lower priced. Not only that but they are the best way into Orlando aka Mouseville and people with kids like cheap.

Ahh well, JetBlue is your clue. You%26#39;ve been spoiled! LOL But I hear your lament. I won%26#39;t fly Southwest for the same reason. At least the other airlines let you pick your seats. Though you%26#39;re still packed in like sardines. I%26#39;d like to try JetBlue but it%26#39;s not worth the hassle and drive (1-1/2) to Boston. Unfortunately JetBlue won%26#39;t be coming to Manchester anytime soon. They recently inked a deal to fly out of Portland, ME. But for me Manchester%26#39;s the only way to fly. In, out and on my way!!

I have never flown Southwest so I do not have that experience to compare to but I did just recently fly both Delta and Northwest. The only difference I can see is the seating assignment and if that is a big deal to someone then they will have to pay the extra to select there seats. I think most flights out of smaller airports (I flew out of Bangor, ME) are on mostly smaller planes that make you fell ';packed like sardines'; that is just the way it is. Again I have not flown on Southwest yet but am considering it for an upcoming trip depending on the price comparison. That is the bottom line of why Southwest is so popular, the price, to people that do not care how comfortable they are just that they get there. I must say I applaud Southwest for keeping the prices low. Have Southwest pull out of Manchester and try booking a flight from there and see what you pay I bet it will nearly double. You can get deals with all airlines out of Manchester for one reason they have to compete with Southwest%26#39;s prices.

YES Local Expert DF in NH I flew out of Boston on AMERICA WEST NOT SOUTHWEST to Vegas that time, sorry about that! Forget my post knocking poor Southwest Airlines it was AMERICA WEST that we were ';squished like sardines'; on that flight! I get those two airlines mixed up all the time....sorry guys!

Southwest prices were not that much better than other airlines we checked. The only difference was the non-stop flight for the times we wanted. USAir %26amp; United had some good deals also. It pays to shop around no matter what. Small airline seats are always an issue but I know when we flew JetBlue last time, the seats were big, leather %26amp; the individual TV screen at each seat was great.

(yes we got spoiled)

Going into Logan can be a real hassle but if we need to we will. Don%26#39;t plan on heading back to LasVegas anytime soon but anywhere we do go, it won%26#39;t be on Southwest.

I would rather fly in anyhthing out of Manchester or Portland then fly out of Logan again. Flew out of there a couple years ago and showed up at the airport almost 3 hrs early and still almost missed the flight, took close to an hour to get parked and get the suttle to the terminal because the lots were so full and the shuttles were filling up before reaching our stop. Then it took another hour and a half to get checked it (via a check in kiosk) get baggage checked and get through security. We would not have made it at all except I flagged down a really nice security officer and told her I was afraid we would miss the flight and she took us to the front of the line. It is always great to get bigger seats and some entertainment i.e. TV screens on the seat but that doesn%26#39;t happen very often except for longer flights or flights between the largest of cities. My best flight ever was actually on a Song Flight (Delta) everything seemed brand new, large seats, and a TV screen at each seat on which you could view movies, TV channels, GPS tracking or play trivia with others on the flight it was great.

Two observations:

Last time I flew out of Boston I took the Concord bus from Portland to Boston. Made things sooooooo much easier. The bus delivers you right to the terminal%26#39;s front door. Plus, for me the bus fare was cheaper than airport parking in Boston (or Portland.)

A great resource for picking your seats on an airplane is http://www.seatguru.com Tells you plane-by-plane, which seats to avoid, which seats are roomier.

Thanks for the seat guru tip I am always changing my seats trying to figure out the best place to sit.

Coco, if you got the “dreaded” C seating, it is because you chose to come late to the airport. I have flown Southwest Airlines over 40 times in the past, and have never gotten the dreaded C seating option because I know to show up at least 1.5 hours early to be sure to get the best seating. Only the slackers who rush and only have 5 minutes to make the flight get the “C” option, for the last 50 who board the plane

roadwork on 112

Has anyone been over the kanc from lincoln to conway and if so is there any roadwork and if so where

First family trip to N.H.

We are making our first trip to North Conway this summer. June 30-July 3. Kids ages are 8,10 1nd 12. We enjoy shopping,nature, hiking, museums and great steaks and pizza. I also love U.S. history sights. Would appreciate any info on lodging, restaurants, day trip options. Thanks.

First family trip to N.H.

What took you so long??? Those are great ages and a great time to visit.

You should check out visitNH.gov and http://www.mtwashingtonvalley.org/ for lots of great information. Things for both parents and kids include swimming in Jackson Falls and Diana%26#39;s Baths. A drive up Cathedral Ledge and/or the Mt Wash Auto road. There are lots of posts about the pros and cons between driving yourself, Cog railway or Glens Falls Stagecoaches. A ride across 302 to visit MW Hotel, walk the Flume Gorge or Lost River Gorge and maybe a stop at Clark%26#39;s trading Post.

Breakfast at Peaches is a treat. The NH crafts guild has a store in NH well worth stopping by. Zeb%26#39;s is enchanting.

Red Fox Grille has great family fare, Muddy Moose is my kids%26#39;s favorite, Moat Mtn pub has great craft brewed beers and good food.

I like to suggest picking up sandwiches for lunch or a quick cheap good breakfast sandwich at Kringle%26#39;s - a small store about 1/2 mi north of Storyland before you get to Jackson on the same side of the road. You can save alot of money and time not having to stop for a sitdown meal.

Have a wonderful trip!! I am pretty sure you will find plenty to do with enough left over to come back again.

First family trip to N.H.

';The NH crafts guild has a store in NH well worth stopping by.';-- Correction the store is in NC, not just somewhere in NH. Sorry.

You gotta go up Mt. Washington!! You can drive yourself, take the tour van up or the Cog Railroad. It is a trip to remember for all the family. In the village of North Conway itself is the Scenic Railroad, with short trips on scenic trains and the station itself is quite beautiful. For great steaks, there is the Red Parka Pub in Glen which also has a big menu. Attitash Mountain, which is a ski resort in Bartlett in the summer transforms itself into a family fun spot, with alpine slides, waterslides, mountain biking etc. For lodging, you can stay across from Attitash at Attitash Mountain Village and stay in a condo with kitchen facilities, which would save some money. In the village of North Conway, we love the Golden Gables Inn. It is so clean, remodelled, close to everything and very reasonable. Have fun!!

I wouldn%26#39;t waste my money riding the train from the center of NC. We did that one time and you really don%26#39;t see anything scenic. It goes through the woods and you only see back yards. Check out the reviews. They are not good.

You definitely have to go to Attitash and do the alpine slides. They are so much fun. Your younger child can ride with you if they want to.

There is horseback riding at Black Mtn located in Jackson.

For restaurants we liked Up Country Saloon and Muddy Moose. The Shannon Door pub in Jackson is also a good place to eat.

There is so much to do you%26#39;ll have a great time.

There is also a Mt Washington Observatory Discovery Center located at 2779 White Mountain Highway, P. O. Box 2310, North Conway, NH 03860 鈥?Tel: 603-356-2137.

It is interactive and will give you an idea of extreme conditions on the mount. You will also be able to stand in a hut and experience what it was like on top of the mt when the 230 plus mph wind was recorded.

Wherever you end up staying, ask at the front desk for directions to:

Diana%26#39;s Bath -- A relatively short, easy hike into the site of an old water-powered mill. It%26#39;s cooler than most spots on a real hot day and offers some interesting pools that provide a fun, safe place for the kids (and mom and dad for that matter) to get wet and cool off.

Cathedral Ledge -- You can drive or walk up -- and the view from the top opens up the entire valley...great spot for a picnic.... or, find a cool, open spot down below and watch the serious rock climbers work their way up one of several trails to the top.

Would also ';second'; previous posts about Mt Washington as a ';must do'; and the Mt Washington Observatory as a great destination -- especially on a rainy day....it%26#39;s at the north end of the North Conway business district opposite the Eastern Slope Inn.

If you do go up Mt Washington, be sure to pack some extra clothing. Not unusual to see a 30-40 degree temperature difference between bottom and top.

Great steaks and pizza? Our favorite for steak is a place called the Red Parka Pub in Jackson....it%26#39;s on the left just beyond the intersection of Routes 302 and 16....or, check out Decade%26#39;s Steak House in North Conway village -- they often run a two-for-one night on Tuesday nights... For a different pizza, and a bit of entertainment for the kids, check out Flatbread and Company, the restaurant at the Eastern Slope Inn on Main St in North Conway. Their flatbread pizzas don%26#39;t ';rise'; like conventional pizzas....they feature ';natural'; healthy ingredients (don%26#39;t tell the kids though), and the wood-fired brick oven for cooking the pizzas is in the dining room -- you can watch them assemble your flatbread, put it in the oven, watch the flames dance as it cooks, and then watch them take it out, cut it, and serve it. They also heat the brownies for their killer brownie sundae desserts in the same oven! Good fun for the entire family....and on our must-do list whenever we%26#39;re in town.

Lots of good suggestions here - although I found the Observatory a little boring. When it rains, it is a good fallback. I would also recommend grabbing a picnic lunch and heading to the Kank (Kancamagus Highway). Very senic and lots of little waterfalls to play in. If you like nature - perhaps consider a canoe trip along the saco river. It was an annual tradition for me and my husband, but our little ones are too young now. Have a wonderful trip!

www.sacorivercanoe.com

Oh, I forgot to mention - your kids are the perfect age for the easy family hike up Jockey Cap in Fryeburg. Great view and lots of fun. The hike is about 15 minutes....

Looking for a hotel for a couple

My fiance just graduated college and his birthday is also coming up so I was thinking about planning just a 1 night trip into North Conway. I was wondering what hotels would people recommend? It%26#39;ll just be the 2 of us and we%26#39;re really not picky I just thought it would be something spontaneous and fun. And I would be looking for a less expensive one as well. Thank you!

Looking for a hotel for a couple

I always recommend the Golden Gables Inn in North Conway. So clean, and updated. They have a variety of rooms from a standard queen (with marble vanity, LCD TV, private balcony, etc to I believe fireplace suites or jacuzzi suites. They usually quite a bit cheaper than the %26#39;chain%26#39; hotels. Try there first!

Looking for a hotel for a couple

Thank you so much, I%26#39;ve actually been looking at the Golden Gables Inn%26#39;s website for the past couple days! Thanks for the reassurement!

We have stayed there twice and recommended it to family as well. It is always our first call when we know we are going to North Conway. We usually take the standard queen room, it is perfect for our needs. Drive up units are perfect for all that shopping too! Have fun.

We%26#39;ve stayed at the Green Granite. I haven%26#39;t been in a few years because we%26#39;ve been renting a condo when we go up but you could check their website.

Dbrown87-

The White Trellis is on the north end of the village, and we stayed there a couple years ago for a single night. Couple new resturants in that area as well.

Any other intrests, or endeavors that you are looking for while in the NC area?

Travel Well!

Tazman

makeup help

driving to quebec through new hampshire

any must see places? to eat? to see? thanks!!

driving to quebec through new hampshire

Have you picked your driving routes?

driving to quebec through new hampshire

Diankiny

You need to give more info. I responded to you on the Ma forums where you indicated you were just looking for someplace to stop but not stay. NH is a large state. Are you interested in someplace for an hour or a week or somewhere in between.

Again, without any information, the short answer to your question is yes. Would really like to be more specific but can%26#39;t.

When are you travelling? How many people and ages? Different places and activities for kids, etc. Is this to be a stop over on the way to Quebec or do you want to see a little more of the state? There are lots of great things to see and do, so the short answer is Yes!

roadwork on 112

Has anyone been over rte 112 from lincoln to conway and if so is there any roadwork and where?

roadwork on 112

That%26#39;s the Kancamagus Highway - been over it a number of times. What would you like to know? No construction on it right now, according to NH DOT...

Purity Springs Resort this summer

I have a few questions for those who have stayed at Purity Springs Resort in the summer. I%26#39;m searching for options for a group of friends - young children, teenagers and adults (18 people total). Last year some of us stayed at Lake Morey Resort in VT and we are considering that option as well, but it is much more expensive.

From what I%26#39;ve read on the Purity Springs website, there definitely seems to be enough to do there for the entire group and the all inclusive pricing is a great deal. So here are my questions:

* I%26#39;m wondering if, in your experience, you would consider this a resort? Or is it more camping in lodges?

* Do all rooms have private baths?

* Are there TVs in the rooms or only in common areas?

* With young children cleanliness is a must - how would you rate the cleanliness of the rooms?

* Is there a particular lodge that you would recommend? It would be great to all be near each other.

* We have some golfers - any nearby golf courses that you%26#39;d recommend?

* Is there wifi access in the rooms or in common areas?

Thanks for any info!!

Purity Springs Resort this summer

* I%26#39;m wondering if, in your experience, you would consider this a resort? Or is it more camping in lodges?

Purity Spring is comfortable... not luxury, but nothing disappointing either.

* Do all rooms have private baths?

Yes.

* Are there TVs in the rooms or only in common areas?

There are TV%26#39;s in the rooms and in the common areas.

* With young children cleanliness is a must - how would you rate the cleanliness of the rooms?

The rooms are very clean.

* Is there a particular lodge that you would recommend? It would be great to all be near each other.

There are several buildings on their property that will accommodate you all.

* We have some golfers - any nearby golf courses that you%26#39;d recommend?

Indian Mound is very close, and highly recommended.

* Is there wifi access in the rooms or in common areas?

Yes, there is wifi access across most of the resort.

Purity Springs Resort this summer

Thank you so much for all the answers! Now the hard part may be to coordinate dates. :) I can%26#39;t wait to get to NH this summer!

Be aware that the prior reply was from Dan Houde - Director of Marketing at Purity Spring Resort. His job is to steer people to the resort - he is not just someone who stayed there and is reporting on his experience.

Also be aware that the tips you leave for the people that give you good service are tracked and apparently confiscated by the management. As you check out, you will be asked what tips you left, when, and how much. You will be asked if you left a tip in your room. When I answered ';yes';, and told them how much, they sent someone to collect the tip (after telling me the cleaning lady wouldn%26#39;t arrive to clean the room until the next day). End result is that the people I left tips for apparently didn%26#39;t get them - the management did, and that is not only stealomg from their employees, it is against the law for management to take their workers tips.

The Port Inn vs Hilton Garden Inn

We are planning to spend a few days in Portsmouth with our two young children (4yrs and %26lt;1yr) in June. We are trying to decide betwen the Port Inn and the Hilton Garden Inn. The cost is significantly more for the Hilton. Is it worth it to be in the center of town, or doesn%26#39;t it matter enough to spend the money? Opinions?

The Port Inn vs Hilton Garden Inn

The Hilton Garden Inn is in a better location for walking and The Port Inn is right off the highway. You would need a car to reach downtown from The Port Inn and is in a better location for day trips. If, the hotel rates were equal, I would choice the Hilton Garden Inn. The Sheraton is also located downtown, have you checked the rates for the Sheraton?

Are you planning to having a car and doing a lot of road trips (New Hamphire%26#39;s Children%26#39;s Museum, York Beach, York%26#39;s Wild Animal Kingdom, Ogunquit, Ft McClary State Park or Odiorne State Park)? If, %26#39;yes'; the Port Inn would be fine. But if you plan on ONLY staying in Downtown Portsmouth, and not using a car, visiting Prescott Park, Strawberry Banke, eating and shopping downtown, all are within walking distance from the Hilton, then I would choice the Hilton Garden Inn.

New Hampshire Foilage Trip (but not by car)

Hi All

I%26#39;m 60 this year so I will be visiting New England/New Hampshire mainly to see the changing colours. Now I%26#39;ve read a lot of reviews and all assume travel by car, but can you get an all round package deal that will get me to this area and have a basis from which to explore, mainly by coach travel?

Any information on which is the best place to use as a base, to explore, by coach, the changing colour, would be appreciated. I know this may be a tall order, and rather an odd request from a country where travel by care is like second nature. Many thanks.

New Hampshire Foilage Trip (but not by car)

You can check out this Tour Company. I hope it helps...

tourvacationstogo.com/new_england_tours.cfm

New Hampshire Foilage Trip (but not by car)

Here is another link

http://www.tyestravel.com/page/52770202

Quite honestly, I would set this up with a travel agent rather than try to do everything yourself to make sure the trip goes smoothly, all connections are made, etc.

Things to do on a 2 night /2 1/2 day stay in NC

Hi Everyone,

Husband and I are planning on visiting NC Sep 16 /17 this year. Driving from Boston we hope to arrive earlish afternoon.

I%26#39;d like to get the most out of our visit , what would you suggest we do on our first afternoon/evening ? I%26#39;d like to take in the views along the Kancamagus Highway, will we be on this route from Boston ,if not how do we get to it.

Is it best to do some outlet shopping that evening or wait until next morning ? what time does the outlet centre close on the Wed ? What else would you recommend we do/see? We will leave on the Fri morning for Lennox area.

Thanks for all suggestions.

Things to do on a 2 night /2 1/2 day stay in NC

Depending on what highway you take from Boston the Kancamagus is off Route 16. The views are spectacular that%26#39;s for sure. The outlet stores should be open until at least 8 at that time of year and open around 0930-10 in the morning or a little earlier. You can spend a full day (or more browing through Settlers%26#39; Green. The Conway Railroad station is beautiful and the area around Jackson is prety too. Lots of good restaurants to choose from (just stay away from the Homestead). Take time to sit outside with a coffee and just enjoy the mountain views.

Things to do on a 2 night /2 1/2 day stay in NC

Spend a full day on a driving tour of the loop up through Pinkham Notch around Mt Washington and back down through Crawford Notch. You could detour in Bartlett and drive across the Bear Mtn Road to the Kancamangus Hwy and then back into Conway.

Thanks for the suggestions, forgot to ask are there any covered Bridges in this location or would they be in our next stop , Berkshires (lennox ) maybe we pass them on our journey from NC to Lennox ?

Thanks again.

Yes, there are a number of small covered bridges that you%26#39;ll see along the way.

The suggestion to drive up through the Notches and then back down and over the Kanc is a great one - absolutely incredible scenery. However, be aware - the traffic could be insane. Once the leaves are out, so are the ';leaf peepers.'; My mother and I were up in Berlin, NH, and were headed home to Conway - decided to go down the interstate highway and then over the Kanc. The traffic trying to get into Lincoln from the south was backed up at least a mile down the interstate. We chose another route... :)

Thanks Yankeetraveller,

Would it be that busy Mid-week as well ?

You mentioned we would pass covered bridges, did you meant on our way out of NC to Lenox or in the NC area itself ? thanks for advising.

PS Noticed that you visited Ireland earlier this year , Hope you had a good visit and that the weather was not too offputting !!

There%26#39;s a great covered bridge that you can drive through at Jackson and several others nearby that although closed to traffic, are still accessible for photos. Look for the one in Glen and another in Conway.

Hi there -

If you like covered bridges, this link will point you towards the ones in Conway. The Swift River one is right off west side road - which is a very scenic bypass of Rt 16 and will also lead you towards Cathedral Ledge, which has a great view.

www.nh.gov/nhdhr/bridges/table

Enjoy your stay!

Thanks a lot for the Link, although it says Page Not Found I did a search within for Covered Bridges and it brought the list up, looks like there are two in the NC Immediate Area - Swift %26amp; Saco , on our drive to our next route which is Stowe do we come across any more without going too far out of our way ?

Thank you

IrishLady,

(First, apologies for the delay - time just got away from me!)

Mid-week travel wouldn%26#39;t be nearly as bad as weekend. There will still be a number of visitors, especially from outside the United States such as yourself, and there will be a number of large tour buses, but it won%26#39;t be ANYTHING like it is on the weekends.

There are a number of covered bridges near Conway/North Conway. Here is a page that lists covered bridges in different parts of the state - perhaps this will help...

www.nhliving.com/coveredbridges/index.shtml

My trip to Ireland is in 48 days (but who%26#39;s counting!) - I can%26#39;t wait!

Thanks a mill for that....

I hope you%26#39;ll have a great trip, Is it your first, I%26#39;d love to hear yr itiniery.

If there is anything at all you%26#39;d like answers /help/suggestions on please feel free to ask, no bother at all.

Thanks again.

makeup help

Large lakes which ban motor boats?

Are there any decent-sized lakes in NH which ban loud motor-boat activity (water skiing, jet skiing, etc.)?

Large lakes which ban motor boats?

Rantipole -

A large section of Lake Umbagog is restricted to powerless boats only. Doeas that help? Not sure what your looking to do on the lake.

Tazman

Large lakes which ban motor boats?

Thanks. Wow, Umbagog is way up there. I wonder if there are any lakes closer to i-89 which have similar restrictions?

I%26#39;m not ';looking to do'; much, just would prefer a peaceful area without yahoo speed boaters and jet skiers.

Rantipole -

A small price (Drive time) to pay to truely be away! The bigger lakes in NH are developed and have issues with speeding. But, the offical speed limit on all waterways in NH is now 45 MPH, hope it helps curb the ';need for speed.';

Actual drive time from Boston should be about 4 hours to the the Great North Woods (note to Trip Advisor - This is not a region listed here). Unless of course you come up Route 16 and through the Ossipee, Tamworth, Conways section especially during peak seasons. I visit these areas myself, but typical during shoulder season%26#39;s.

Perhaps the NW corner of NH is a little closer to home and will entice you to explore NH a little further up north?

Travel Well

Tazman

Oh, I agree Tazman. When I looked up that lake on the map, I saw that must be a great get away spot.

But, I think that drive would require at least 3-day weekend, if not longer, to be worth it to me. I was interested more in weekend-trip-distance locales. Three hours tops.

Rantipole-

If, you coming up 93 and work you way east after Cannon, coming Beantown your looking at a solid 4 hr drive, more than what your looking to commit for this inquiry. If, you decided to come straight up 16 you could grow old during the drive - Especially in the summer.

I get folks for 2 days at a time alot, it all depends on how bad you need a real get-away I guess.

I would then suggest that you may want to start looking at the larger ponds in North, North Central Ma and Southern NH as a option. The ponds are smaller and attract smaller boats, leaving you with at least a decent paddle expreience and safe at the same time.

Anyway, I am sure that those areas have contributors that can provide far more detail than I.

Almost there!!!

For the past week or so I have been tweeking the life out of our itinerary. Would appreciate the experts thoughts on the plan so far.

30 Jun-4 July Jurys Boston

Leave Boston at 6am on 4th July.

Chatham 4-11 July.

Nordic Resort North Conway. 11-14 July

Portland (Hilton Garden Downtown) 14-17 July

17 July Drive to Boston - Fly home.

I increased our nights in Boston, and cancelled our 2 nights in Falmouth. One of the experts suggested we were not spending enough time in Boston (very true). Got a great rate in Jurys (less than $180 a night).

We have a house rented in Chatham for the week. I got a great deal - about $175 per night for a 2 bed town house in N Conway.

I was very disappointed with Glenmoor by the Sea in Camden. It looked ideal - lovely cabins on the beach. However I could not get a reply from them after 6 e-mails. I presume they were booked out. So, we have decided to go to Portland and strike out to various activities from there.

We plan to stay in Hilton Garden Inn Downtown The rates vary so much for this hotel. Got an average rate of $275 per night to include breakfast for the 4 of us - (not much difference in the rates which include breakfast) which is good value. I realise we will have to pay for parking.

So, if you get a minute take a look over the itinerary - we have been so grateful for the local dvice, tips given so far.

B

Almost there!!!

I think this looks like a great itinerary. A good amount of time in each place, so you shouldn%26#39;t feel rushed (and yes, there is SO much to see and do in Boston). There are lots of daytrips you can take from Portland, so staying there in town won%26#39;t be a problem. Am sorry to hear that Glenmoor was so unresponsive...

I%26#39;ll be on the lookout for you in N. Conway! :)

ps - tweaking is part of the fun! You should see how many times we%26#39;ve revised our trip to Ireland!

Almost there!!!

biancat,

One thing I meant to add... I don%26#39;t think you need to leave Boston quite so early on the 4th. I think if you were on the road by 8am you%26#39;d be ok... there would probably be some traffic once you got to the Cape, but I wouldn%26#39;t think it would be that bad yet... plus, a lot of businesses will be closed Friday, so I%26#39;d bet a lot of folks will have done their driving already.

Hoyt's Lodges

My wife and I just returned from a wonderful week in Rye Beach . We stayed at Hoyt%26#39;s Lodges. Remember going to the beach when you were a kid ? Well that%26#39;s what it%26#39;s like. The cabins are super clean and very well taken care of. The ';retro'; interiors are really cool , espicially the refrigerators. We will definately be back.

Hoyt's Lodges

Mauiman,

If you get a chance, please click on the Hoyt%26#39;s Lodges link and do a traveler%26#39;s review. I%26#39;m sure the owner%26#39;s would appreciate it.

Portsmouth, Dover or other suggestions

We are flying in and out of Manchester and starting in White Mts then to Bar Harbor and down the coast of Maine. On our last night where would be better to stay? Portsmouth, Dover or other suggestions? Our flight leaves at 2 pm. Thanks

Portsmouth, Dover or other suggestions

Dover and Portsmouth are about 1 to 1 and a half hr from the airport always depending on traffic. Just a thought - Perhaps staying closer to the the airport will give you more time to relax on your flight day and make it less stressfull in the morning. You could turn the car in that night and take a shuttle or cab to MTH the next day.

Portsmouth, Dover or other suggestions

It takes me 50 minutes to get from Peterborough to the MHT exit and 90 minutes to get from Peterborough to Portsmouth (I drive five miles an hour over the speed limit) so figure 45-50 minutes from Portsmouth to MHT. Once at MHT...it%26#39;s absolute breeze to get in and out of!

I know nothing about Dover...but Portsmouth is a fun little city! If you have never been, I think it beats wasting your last night in Manchester waiting for a flight. Not that there is anything wrong with Manchester but it%26#39;s a city. If you had your choice between spending your last day in Atlanta or in Savannah...(I know they aren%26#39;t that close geographically) but I think you get my point.

Portsmouth has character and charm you won%26#39;t get walking the city blocks of Manchester.

Thanks we will stay our last night in Portsmouth.

Does this restaurant still exist?

About 22 years ago, I was traveling in the White Mountains with my parents and we were staying at Woodward%26#39;s Resort. We had dinner several evenings at a restaurant that was cafeteria-style, where you picked up your own food and paid the cashier at the end. I believe the food was BBQ, but I%26#39;m not positive. I think it may have been a yellow building but I wouldn%26#39;t swear to it. Years later, I%26#39;ve moved to NH myself and am raising my own family here. We love going up to the mountains. Just wondering if this restaurant still exists and if anyone knows the name of it (even if it%26#39;s long gone). Just curious. Sorry I don%26#39;t remember more info, but I was just a kid.

Does this restaurant still exist?

Kittygal,

Could it have been a brown log style building with yellow trim and a big yellow sign? There use to be cafeteria style bbq place not to far from the old man that I went to a few times many moons ago. If that%26#39;s the place, it%26#39;s been gone for some time. The name escapes me but I want to say it had something to do with the South or Texas! We also stayed at Woodward%26#39;s a few times back then.

Does this restaurant still exist?

Thanks for the reply. That very well could have been it. I can%26#39;t recall exactly what it looked like. I figured it was probably gone but still wondered about it! Do you know if there%26#39;s anything in the building now or if the building still exists? I think I%26#39;m going to have to look at some old photo albums next time I%26#39;m at my parents%26#39; house!

Was it the Longhorn Palace?

visitlincolnnh.com/restaurant/…

Ah! I think that%26#39;s it!! Thanks so much. It%26#39;s just been driving me CRAZY trying to remember it! I%26#39;m going to show the picture to my mom and see if she can confirm for me. :-) Funny the things you remember from vacations when you were a kid!

Flea Market in Derry

Is there a flea market near Derry that sells knock off pocketbooks?

Flea Market in Derry

Grand View Farm in Derry sells fake purses. Unless they%26#39;ve been busted recently. It%26#39;s located off of By-Pass 28 in the southern part of town.

Why would you want a fake handbag, anyway?

Flea Market in Derry

Well, I like to take the fake bags when I travel. Lost one (a real Dior) in a hotel and decided to buy knock off bags and jewelry to use when I go on vacation. I heard the flea market in Salem NH got busted, but not sure about Derry

Most people don%26#39;t realize it, but it%26#39;s illegal to buy counterfeit handbags and if you buy more than one it%26#39;s considered trafficking.

Also, anyone who carries a real Dior, LV, Fendi etc. can spot a fake. I have several LV%26#39;s and I can spot a fake from 20 yards. I went to the grocery store today and saw 4 fake LVs and 2 real ones. You certainly won%26#39;t fool anyone with the fakes from the flea market. You%26#39;d be better off travelling with a no-name, non-fake bag from TJ Maxx.

I always travel with my real purses. I mean, I bought them to use them.

For more info on this go to mypoupette dot com and read up.

Thanks for the info

From what I understand it%26#39;s only illegal to sell them when you try to pass them off as the real thing. Some knock off%26#39;s are only knock off%26#39;s because they are a stich or two off and not deemed ';real'; enough to sell.

I see nothing wrong with knock off pocket books. Not everyone can afford the real thing. I would rather have my house payment paid then a $300.00 purse. This is for the the person that asked you why you would want a knock off for.At least I can afford a knock off and pay cash and not have to worry about a credit card payment.I would love to find this place.

My friends down here in Mass tell me this flea market in Derry is unbelievable. They say you have to go. I think it%26#39;s only seasonal as most of it is outside.

It%26#39;s year round in Derry. It%26#39;s a pretty good flea market.

How nice that you can afford to drop hundreads of dollars on a real purse, NHBookworm. Not all of us are so lucky.

I agree with you.I change pocketbooks all the time and know I can';t afford the real thing.If you can afford the real thing then all the power to ypu. Why would you even go to the flea market knowing that they sell knock offs?Thanks for the information about it being opened year round. Now I will have to try and find it.

I buy a bag if I like the look of the bag not because its fake or real. Would much rather spend 300.00 on a get away weekend with my husband.

makeup help