40th Birthday New England Vacation -- Help!

Hi everyone!

I%26#39;m turning 40 in the fall, so my remedy to make myself feel better is to plan a 2 week trip I%26#39;ve been wanting for a long time.... Fall in New England!

I am very open to all suggestions. My thought is to fly from Orlando to Bangor, ME; rent a car, and make our way from Bangor down the coast. Across to VT %26amp; NH, then into Mass if we have time and go to Martha%26#39;s Vineyard %26amp; Cape Cod. Then fly out of Boston.

The other thought is to not do Martha%26#39;s Vineyard/Cape Cod and spend more time in NH, VT, ME, and go into Canada.

I am trying to use Marriott frequent traveler points, as I have saved and saved and think I have enough for all 14 nights if I plan carefully!

I need help nailing down a solid itinerary first. Help! Where to fly into? Order of places to go? I%26#39;m excited but I also want to plan so we%26#39;ll have a good (GREAT) time!

Thanks in advance :-)

Laura in Orlando

40th Birthday New England Vacation -- Help!

Hi Laura -

My daughter and I just got back from New England. I am originally from New Hampshire, but moved to Las Vegas 5 years ago. It just so happens my 40th is at the end of August so..... I%26#39;ll give you an idea of what we did.

We flew into Manchester and rented a car. Our itinerary spanned from Porstmouth, NH to Lakes Region, NH to Kennebunk, ME to Gloucester, MA, and to all the beaches along the coast.

Just about anywhere in NE is good in the fall. For foliage, check the timing because it comes eariler the more north that you go. The Kangamangus Hwy in the White Mountains is beautiful but EXTREMELY crowded. Vermont is beautiful, and Massachusetts has a lot of history. Any other questions, I%26#39;d be happy to try to answer.

Penny in Las Vegas

40th Birthday New England Vacation -- Help!

Penny:

Oh my gosh, talk about the world being a small place, and STRANGE THINGS that happen.......

I read your post and thank you for the info! I%26#39;m going to post more on my ideas when I get home this evening, but here%26#39;s the strange thing..... After I read your reply, I looked at your user ID. Penske39 I WORK for Penske! At first I thought this was one of my co-workers playing around with me, but then I realized.... I didn%26#39;t tell anyone here I posted a message on trip advisor, so how could that be ! lol !

My email address is lrichmond3@cfl.rr.com

Too cool !!

Laura :-)

Just a few thoughts...There aren%26#39;t a lot of Marriott%26#39;s in New England...mostly where there are a lot of people and not a lot of the sites that people come to NH for....

The Kanc Hwy. as mentioned in an earlier post is a beautiful drive and crowded if you run the most scenic Lincoln to N. Conway...much less crowded and as beautiful if you go Lincoln to Woodsville...Getting off the traveled byways is the way to see the foliage in the Autumn...and pretty much anywhere you go in a car there will be crowds...best is to get out of the car and check out the foliage on foot....up onto the summits..

Local Innkeepers at the lodging establishments should be able to give you a hand on some breathtaking and easy hikes in the area...

My other thought is that you are biting off a lot for only a two week adventure...NH, VT, ME %26amp; Canada is a big bite since there is a lot to do and see in just the White Mountains....

Sounds like you%26#39;ll be having fun...

A really nice airport to fly into is Manchester, NH....easy in %26amp; out...lots of flights from Florida (think Southwest flys into Manchester) with some great rates.

The Cape and the Islands are horrible in the summer....way to crowded and traffic horrible...in the Fall...not one of the regions that are best noted for the foliage...since so much of the Cape is seacoast (not a lot of trees with good colors there) better to consider the Berkshires (Western Massachusetts)....

Good Luck and safe travels...

Kevin, Innkeeper

Gale River Motel

Franconia, New Hampshire

PS. If you are in the area and want some advice on area hikes stop by my motel for a map and some suggestions...

K

Dear Laura,

As others have pointed out, that%26#39;s a lot of trip in a short amount of time. On the other hand, in New England, the getting there is half the fun.

A couple of things. I recommend staying at your stopovers points at least two nights as most places will have a two night minimum during foliage season (and 3 nights over Columbus Day weekend if you%26#39;re in the area then).

As Kevin from Gale River pointed out, he and any other credible property are glad to offer local insight on best area drives and explorations. For the most part, though, you won%26#39;t be able to use your Marriott points unless you stay in more metropolitan areas. The nearest Marriott properties to me are in Concord NH (75 miles), Burlington VT (120 miles), Portland ME (120 miles) or Montreal, Canada (200 miles).

Perhaps you%26#39;ll want to plan one vacation for relatively urban New England and another for classic New England. Either way you won%26#39;t run out of things to do.

As for drives in the country, the Kanc is wonderful, but a better drive for foliage and mountains and a LOT fewer people (you%26#39;ll have to pull out your map and follow along) is north on 135 from Littleton NH to Bridge Street in Lancaster to Rt 2 West then 115A south to Rt 3 south to Franconia Notch to 93 S . . .

Good Luck,

Lon Henderson

Innkeeper

Sunset Hill House--A Grand Inn (no Marriott Points--sorry)

Sugar Hill NH

Definitely if you really want less of a headache? Fly in to Manchester, NH. It%26#39;s by far the best airport in New England to get in to and leave out of. IGOLF gave you the best and I%26#39;m not kidding you the BEST advice on seeing the foliage. He said to get your map out and go North on 135 from Littleton, NH to Bridge Street in Lancaster to Rte 2 West then 115A South to Rte 3 South to Franconia North to 93S...I%26#39;m telling you....listen to me good, you won%26#39;t go wrong. It%26#39;s absolutely beautiful. MUCH better than the typical roads people take. We have a friend that is from Littleton, NH and I%26#39;m telling you; he took us all through this area and in all my years of growing up and living in New England I never saw foliage like this. It%26#39;s absolutely beautiful going this route. You really have to make it a point to go this way; you%26#39;ll love it; especially if you%26#39;re in New England during the high foliage season. Trust me, you won%26#39;t go wrong. Have FUN, that%26#39;s the most important thing. I%26#39;d stay clear of the Cape myself, I won%26#39;t get in to it, but I%26#39;ll tell you; it%26#39;s not what it used to be. New Yorkers took it over and it%26#39;s GONE! I%26#39;m serious; it%26#39;s GONE! It%26#39;s so ';la-di-da'; now it%26#39;s not even funny; it%26#39;s ruined! Quaint, old gorgeous porched places are being ripped down and mega ';The Hamptons'; style property are taking it%26#39;s place. It%26#39;s such a shame. You%26#39;ll really enjoy seeing these other areas! I saw the Mohawk Trail in the western part of MA a few years ago? It%26#39;s magnificient. Check that out; Williamstown, MA, with Williams College campus? It%26#39;s absolutely breathtaking out through there! I was on that Mohawk Trail? I couldn%26#39;t believe how beautiful it was! Get your map out and check it out, you%26#39;ll be so glad you did!

HAVE FUN AND HAPPY 40TH! I WENT TO VEGAS AND HAD A GREAT TIME----NEVER MIND ASKING WHEN---IT WAS WONDERFUL----JUST THE SAME!!

Kevin at Gale River, Lon at Sunset Hill, and NoMo01.... thanks SO much for all the GREAT suggestions!

As you can see by how long it took me to post back (over a month), I have been procrastinating in planning this trip! This weekend I finally sat down and have a plan! I%26#39;d like to run this by you folks to see what you think. Any suggestions would be welcome.

I was able to use my Marriott points (started the day today with 178,000 points and after booking I now have 323 left! LOL!) for all but 4 nights. That%26#39;s what I need help with. More on that below.

Flying to Boston, driving to Bar Harbor and staying at the Fairfield Inn for 4 nights. Not a great place by any means, but it%26#39;s free.

Leaving Bar Harbor, driving across Hwy 2 to the White Mountains area. This is where I need help. Not a Marriott in sight (not that I have any points left anyway). I was looking at the Conway, N. Conway, Jackson, area. Will need 4 nights there.

Then headed to Burlington VT for 3 nights... using Marriott points at Towne Place Suites.

For the last 3 nights of the trip, we%26#39;re going to hit LLBean, etc so we%26#39;re staying at Towne Place Suites in Portland, ME.

What took so much research was reading, reading, reading, about everything to do in each area, writing down a list of our favorites, then planning how many days in which area, and in what order to drive it all. Whew! Glad the air is booked and 3 out of 4 hotels are done.

Now I just need suggestions for the nights in the White Mountains!

Thanks so much!

Laura

P.S. I have the route marked for leaf watching.... out of Littleton... can%26#39;t wait!!

Luxury Mountain Getaways

Oh and one more thing.... I was going to mention Luxury Mountain Getaways in Jackson has availability, but it%26#39;s $200/a night. I%26#39;m sure it%26#39;s worth it? The web site looks nice, but it%26#39;s always so hard to tell. And truthfully we are wanting something less expensive.

Laura

Hi Laura, I know what you mean about 200 a night for lodging. That%26#39;s so ridiculous when you%26#39;re hardly ever in your room to begin with. It%26#39;s crazy. I checked online and they%26#39;re cute ya know what I mean? They figure it%26#39;s the Foliage season so jack up the prices! It%26#39;s too bad. Have I got an Inn for you to stay at! Wait till you see it. I hope you get this message and call as soon as you can for a room. It%26#39;s only $90 to $125 a night. The Inn is AWESOME. Don%26#39;t get nervous or anything when you see where it is. It%26#39;s the next town over from Conway, NH. In fact it%26#39;s not even 8 miles from the center of No. Conway. It%26#39;s so easy to get to, I%26#39;ve been up through there so many times, for the Fryburg Fair. It%26#39;s called the Peace with-Inn on West Fryburg Road Rte 113N. Fryburg, ME. Go online to see the rooms and their dining room. You%26#39;ll have a car and the sign for Fryburg is right in No. Conway and Conway, every one that lives up there will be able to tell you exactly where this Inn is. The # is 207 935-7363. Here%26#39;s the website www.peacewithinn.com (you have to see the rooms and their dining room!) I hope they have one available for you, let me know! If not? Check out the www.redjacketmountainview.com in No. Conway, the only thing is? The rooms say they start at 99 a night but during the Fall Peak Season they%26#39;re much more. It%26#39;s like that in most of those resorts, I also checked online with the Cabernet Inn and that also has a Fall Peak Season and a Fall Value season, cute huh! Let me know how you make out! Good luck! Oh and I checked out that Luxury Mountain Resort you are looking at? Nestlenook Farm Inn is one of theres! If you can get one of these rooms at Nestlenook Farm Inn try to, they%26#39;re beautiful! I stayed there quite a few times, they%26#39;re really really nice and affiliated with that Luxury Mountain Resort chain! It says online that they%26#39;re $125 a night at the Nestlenook, but like all the others during the Fall Peak season they%26#39;re probaby more! Let me know what happens, good luck! I hope you can get that Peace With Inn it%26#39;s really really nice and so quaint and New Englandy!

No. Conway has an LL Bean now and it%26#39;s really good. You won%26#39;t pay taxes if you go to that one. Although, Freeport, ME is fun too just to see it and shop with all the other type of shops they have over there. It%26#39;s up to you. I just thought I%26#39;d let you know about it being in No. Conway now too. We go up there a few times a year explicitly for LL Bean! I found a beautiful futon cover at the one in No. Conway last spring. It%26#39;s got great buys just like the Freeport one.

Hi Laura-

I did that same trip on my honeymoon 5 years ago. (We were supposed to go to Mexico, but there was a hurricane! ) I live in RI, so I know New England...My recommendation: skip Martha%26#39;s vineyard and the Cape and head north to Montreal and Quebec City! They are both great. We did Montreal, Quebec City, Maine, NH and Vermont. It was wonderful. Make sure to go on-line 1st to check out the peak foliage seasons for each place!

Good Luck.

Mary in Bristol, RI

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