Archive through June 30, 2003
TV ClubHouse: Archives: Tell Bob2112 Where To Go!!!:
Archive through June 30, 2003
Bob2112 | Monday, June 30, 2003 - 09:12 am     Some of you don't need a thread to prompt you to tell me this, but this time it's a little more specific. Mr. and Mrs. Sponge, Sponge Jr. and Spongette will be driving from Chicago to Nova Scotia to Cape Cod and home via NYC from 8/14 to 8/31 and need some input on things to see and places to stay. We have a general path we will be following, but much of the specifics are up for grabs. Here's the general path:- Niagara Falls
- Northern NY (Lake Champlain)
- Vermont
- New Hampshire
- Maine
- New Brunswick
- Prince Edward Island
- Nova Scotia
- Ferry back to Maine (Bar Harbor and Acadia)
- Follow the Coast down to Cape Code
- Martha's Vineyard and/or Nantucket
- NYC via Rhode Island and Connecticut
- Back to Chicago
The only requirement we have is that accomodations need to have 2 decent sized beds. Other than that, I've got the Wagon Queen Family Truckster (in Metallic Pea) all gassed up and ready to roll!  |
Wargod | Monday, June 30, 2003 - 09:15 am     You won't be picking up any elderly relatives with little dogs will you? Sorry, can't help with the trip unless you come a bit west....way west, lol. Sounds like fun though! |
Squaredsc | Monday, June 30, 2003 - 09:24 am     sorry bob, that is a bit too far north from me. but sounds like loads of fun. you got any xtra space in the truckster? |
Mware | Monday, June 30, 2003 - 09:31 am     I think I can help some here, Bob. Looks like you're trying to squeeze a lot into a short time here. How old (and how absorbent) are the young sponges? That area of Vermont, the Southeastern Maine coast, Boston area, and of course CT are all areas I know something about. Any chance you'll have time for a TVCH meeting as you pass through CT? |
Readonly | Monday, June 30, 2003 - 09:33 am     I'm so jealous. Years ago, on one of the best vacations I've ever had, my husband and I took a driving tour up through Maine, across New Brunswick, to Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, to St. John, New Brunswick, and then back to Maryland. Canada is a beautiful country, the people are great, the campgrounds were the best (yes, we were young then), and the scenery was spectacular. Don't miss the Bay of Fundy. It's breathtaking. Prince Edward Island was just one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. I didn't get to see as much of Nova Scota as I'd hoped, but plan to go back some day. And taking the ferry between places is great fun. You are going to have a wonderful trip. |
Bob2112 | Monday, June 30, 2003 - 09:45 am     Thanks, MWare. I had a feeling I'd get your attention with a few of the locations. Sponge Jr. is 13 and Spongette is 11. Both absorb quite well and are seasoned veterans when it comes to road trips. TVCH meetings are always a good possibility. All depends on the route and schedule, but it is something we are trying to fit into the planning. Here's a few other things I just remembered (I'm sure there will be more):- Somewhere we'd like to go on a whale watch.
- Mrs. Sponge loves lighthouses and plans to see many of them.
- We have a National Parks Pass and will likely visit a few of these.
Readonly, that's sounds like a great trip. Back in 1986, the not-yet Mrs. and I drove up to Quebec via Montreal and then into Maine and down the coast. We always regretted not going farther east in Canada, but I guess we'll make up for it this time. We camped about every other night back then and had no reservations for any night, any where. Ah, to be young again!  |
Mware | Monday, June 30, 2003 - 10:04 am     The coast of Maine is full of lighthouses. The Ogunquit area is just beautiful, and that whole area (being quite tourist-y) is filled with motels/hotels, some of which have ocean views. Maine Lighthouses This should give you an idea of a few that you might want to see. There are also cruises that you can take in that area where I don't think there are any whales, but you'll get to see harbor seals sunning on rocks and stuff, not to mention the home of George Bush, the elder, as you cruise the Kennebunk River. There are also cruises that leave from York, ME. There's a terrific water park in Saco, ME, just north of Ogunquit with lots of slides and stuff that the kids will love too. The Portland Sea Dogs play AA baseball in Portland, ME, and set attendance records year after year. This year they are affiliated with the Boston Red Sox, which makes them especially dear to me. Much of the great stuff about Maine is along US Route 1. (Including outlet malls in Freeport and Kittery, in case back to school clothes shopping is needed) Route 1 continues south through a tiny part of New Hampshire, and makes Cape Cod fairly accessible. That's where you'll probably find your best whale watching cruises. You shouldn't get that close to Boston without finding a little time to see the city. The aquarium is pretty great, as well as the Science Museum, and both now feature IMAX theaters. If there's time, a visit to Newport, RI would be a great stop after that. Aside from having beautiful scenery in the Harbor,there are historic mansions which used to be owned by the "old money" such as Rockefeller, Astor, etc. I'm running on here, but I hope that some of these things will help give you the "authentic" New England flavor. I've got more, so just let me know what direction to keep going on! |
Heyltslori | Monday, June 30, 2003 - 10:06 am     Hey Bob! What route are you taking from Chicago to NYC? |
Adven | Monday, June 30, 2003 - 10:15 am     Hi Bob. I'm a Nova Scotian and would recommend the Cape Breton Highlands to anyone. I've been fortunate enough to travel extensively and the Highlands can match anywhere I've ever been for breath-taking scenery. Because it's a national park, most accomodations are of the tenting or trailer variety. They do have a relatively pricey resort in the park (The Dundee, I think it's called)and a variety of cottages and motels just outside. It's a large park and mountainous. Make sure your brakes are in good working order and your car doesn't overheat easily. |
Neko | Monday, June 30, 2003 - 10:18 am     Quote:Mrs. Sponge loves lighthouses and plans to see many of them.
Then when you're here in Nova Scotia, you'll have to go to Peggy's Cove... There's a lighthouse there, and I think one that been turned into a gift shop...(You can flatten a Canadian penny with a machine that'll also imprint a little "Peggy's Cove NS" on the other side of the penny..) It's fun, and the little shops along the road leading out to the actual "cove" have some gorgeous stuff in them.. It's about an hours drive for Halifax. |
Adven | Monday, June 30, 2003 - 10:42 am     Good one, Neko. The Citadel in Halifax, Louisburg in Cape Breton and Port Royal and Fort Anne in Annapolis are also worth seeing. They all re-create life in 16th and 17th century Nova Scotia. Port Royal is particularly interesting because it is where Samuel de Champlain established the first real settlement in North America and started the Order Of Good Cheer if you remember it from the history books. The settlement has been rebuilt in exacting detail and many of the original artifacts are on display. |
Sasha | Monday, June 30, 2003 - 10:58 am     If you go to New Brunswick, I would highly recommend going to Hartland. The people are wonderful and you will see the world's longest covered bridge. I would recommend staying at Ja-Sa-Le Motel in Hartland. The owners are the best. As well, be sure to travel along the St. John River and visit Fredericton. It is gorgeous. If you go north of Moncton, I would visit the small town of Shediac. Very beautiful. I live in Nova Scotia and recommend visiting of course downtown Halifax, maybe take a Harbour Hopper's cruise. Don't forget Dartmouth, there is a peace pavilion in its downtown area. You can just hop on the metro transit ferry to get between the two places. I would recommend visiting the Museum of Natural History and the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. The outlining communities of Eastern Passage, Lower Sackville and Bedford all have interesting local sites. Visit the Annapolis Valley if you can -- very pretty, lots of little shops to visit. When you go to Peggy's cove keep going to see two European flavour towns called Lunnenberg ( an UNESCO World Heritage Site) and Mahone Bay. Whale watching tours take place in those areas. Take the scenic route not the 103. You will see a lot of places to stop (i.e., beaches, shops, etc.) along the way. Too bad you are not going to Newfoundland. Because I would totally recommend taking the ferry from North Sydney to Port-aux-Basque and drive to Corner Brook. See its wonderful sites. Then go to the Northern Pennisula. It has Gros Morne National Park which is breathtaking, L'Anse Aux Meadows, and Port aux Choix Historic site. We visited St. Anthony on the Northern tip as well and saw icebergs and whales in the Harbour!!!! |
Tabbyking | Monday, June 30, 2003 - 11:04 am     holy spit, i hope the bob-bobs are taking a month's vacation! i am so envious of all the great places they might choose to see! make sure you post some pics here when you get back!!! you would love fort ticonderoga--lake george is very close to lake champlain--they are separated by such a small area, yet one is in ny and the other in vermont. |
Tabbyking | Monday, June 30, 2003 - 11:05 am     p.s. do you think disneyland is too far out of your way? lol |
Adven | Monday, June 30, 2003 - 11:20 am     I'll echo what Sasha said: Lunenburg and Mahone Bay are gorgeous towns/villages. They have ordinaces, for instance, that don't allow neon signs or fast food restaurants, among other things. The idea is to preserve their uniqueness and it has worked. |
Goddessatlaw | Monday, June 30, 2003 - 11:47 am     Goodness, I had a few obscene pronouncements leap to the forefront of my mind when I saw the thread title, but I shall save them for a later date. If you're going to Cape Cod, go all the way up to Provincetown. It's a spectacular old fishing community (actually, the earliest landing point of the Pilgrims - before they moved farther south to Plymouth) - there are houses there from the early 1600's that they literally put up on rafts and floated over to their current positions when the tip of the Cape went under. The Pilgrim monument and Black Pirate (is it Bart?) working musuem there - the Pirate museum has the hulk of the Pirate's ship they pulled up out of the harbour and are slowly restoring for display - you can see all the techniques they use to defunkify the coins and wood and beams and everything else they pulled up. There's a maritime museum there, too, I believe. The best thing about Provincetown is it's sort of a gay resort town in the summer - there are all kinds of festivals, parades, parties, and other colorful activities planned by very creative minds to entertain and be entertained. It's a very lively, joyous and interesting historic community - a former haven for the literary crowd, too. MM and I may swing through there this summer while we're up in Boston. I really love the place. |
Bastable | Monday, June 30, 2003 - 12:12 pm     May I suggest the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, which compared to the U.S. side, has a vastly superior view of the rapids and the Falls themselves? The hotels are really wheeling and dealing right now because tourism is down. Last week, I stayed at the Brock Plaza with a view of both falls for like $80 a night, American, with two big double beds, daily breakfast, and a $50 dinner credit--the restaurant there is on the top of the hotel and it has a stupendous view. And in NYC: www.applecorehotels.com comes up with great deals in places that are cheap but not shabby. |
Tishala | Monday, June 30, 2003 - 12:17 pm     Newport RI is beautiful, has lighthouses, and an amazing tennis hall of fame. Even if tennis doesn't interest you, the city itself is lovely and has great houses over which you can drool. I'd avoid Provincetown that time of the year, myself. It's better if you can go after labor day.... |
Ginger1218 | Monday, June 30, 2003 - 12:33 pm     Bob, I am going up to New England on August 21st, a quick stop at Foxwoods Casino and staying in Mystic Connecticut, which is beautiful. Has nice places and Mystic Village a little shopping village is great. Then we are going antiquing in New England for a few days. |
Mware | Monday, June 30, 2003 - 01:07 pm     I feel a TVCH meeting coming on. Foxwoods is great, and Mystic is definitely beautiful. Let's all talk about it as it gets closer! |
Adven | Monday, June 30, 2003 - 01:44 pm     I'm just throwing stuff out as it occurs to me, Bob. Do with it what you will. Prince Edward Island is a beautiful little province, but in July and August it is a tourist magnet: crowded and expensive. What was once a pristine area of the country has turned into a mecca of commercial tourism: wax museums, $30 pizzas and second rate amusements parks. Still, it has Canada's best beaches, by far, and taking the Confederation bridge, an incredible and incredibly long structure, from NS to PEI is almost worth the trip by itself. You can get to PEI by ferry, but the bridge is much more interesting. |
Llkoolaid | Monday, June 30, 2003 - 02:04 pm     Bob, e-mail me, I would love to help you. I think I have stayed just about everywhere in the province. Tell me what you like and what you would like to do. There are still lots of quiet places in PEI, you just have to know where and The ferry is my favorite way plus it leaves close to me. |
Reiki | Monday, June 30, 2003 - 02:07 pm     My family is going to Boston and Maine in late July - early August. We haven't firmed up hotel yet in Boston, but are looking at the Best Western Roundhouse Suites which is housed in a 1800's brick gas tank - or the Midtown Hotel which I found in Budget Travel Magazine. For Maine, my sister found a nice looking place called Idlease & Shorelands Guest Resort in Kennebunkport. We are staying here for 3 days the first week of August. There will be at least 12 of us so we needed a place that was family friendly. We plan on doing the lighthouse tours too and from what I have been reading, most of them are only viewable from a boat. There seems to alot of cruise tours from the Boothbay - Bath area. I would agree that the Canadian side of Niagara Falls is the best. Make sure to take time for a ride on the Maid of the Mist. I've seen many of this countries natural wonders and these falls left a big impression on me. Lake Champlain is also beautiful. I would recommend either coming down Rt 9 on the west side of the lake, or taking Rt 2 which comes south through the islands and will bring you to Burlington, Vermont. Don't forget our discussion that there are only a few interstate highways going West-East through Vermont. Once south of Burlington you are left with state and county roads going through the Green Mountains. Very scenic, but possibly time consuming. And don't forget the Ben&Jerry's Ice Cream Factory in Waterbury, Vt. not far off US-89 between Burlington and Montpelier. And if you have any Sound of Music Fans in the family - The Von Trapp Family still have a resort (Trapp Family Lodge) in Stowe, Vt. Have fun Bob, take lots of pictures and soak up as much you can! |
Curiouscat | Monday, June 30, 2003 - 02:09 pm     Bob, are you planning to spend a night or two in Niagara Falls, Ontario? I live in Southern Ontario, only a couple hours drive from the Falls. My brother and I were around your kids' ages when we spent a weekend there with our parents and had a great time. Besides standing right there at the Falls, the Journey Behind the Falls, and the Maid of the Mist are worthwhile and fun for kids and adults alike. A few years ago during Christmas time I spent the weekend to check out the Falls and the Butterfly Conservatory, which I enjoyed very much. I stayed at the closest hotel to the Canadian Horseshoe Falls called the Niagara Falls Marriott Fallsview. I stayed in a fallsview room, I think the 7th floor, and had a great view of both the Canadian and American Falls. I enjoyed the brunch that was included then, and checked out the nice indoor pool. There's an Incline Railway right by the hotel that takes you down the enbankment to the Falls itself, so there's no need to spend extra money for parking. I can go on and on about the Falls, but I better wait to see how much time you're going to spend there. Here are a few more links: Niagara Falls Tourism Niagara Parks Information Centre Niagara Economic & Tourism Corporation |
Llkoolaid | Monday, June 30, 2003 - 02:14 pm     Mahone Bay is so beautiful and I love the fact that all the buildings are kept like back in the day. Cabot Trail is spectacular. Chester is a pretty town and close to Lunenburg and Mahone Bay. Actually the drive along the shore between Chester and Bridgewater is beautiful. Did I say I live 10 minutes from the ferry terminal. I'd love to meet you guys. |
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