Summer vacation, English family, day trip suggestions please

Hi

We are visiing New England during August and thanks to the advice I have been given here we have arranged all our accomodation.

We have 3 nights in Boston, 7 nights at Cape Neddick (near York %26amp;

Ogunquit), Maine, 1 night in Wolfeboro and 3 nights in Jackson NH.

I%26#39;m now trying to organise day trips and activities for the family (me, my wife and 2 girls ages 12 and 15).

Boston I think we are OK, there will be plenty to keep us occupied, and I have already managed to get tickets for the Red Sox! Likewise the White mountains will depend on the weather but I have looked at some possibilities.

I%26#39;m looking for a few trips when we are staying in Maine. My wife is always keen to %26#39;do something%26#39; once a day (or every other day), she doesn%26#39;t like to just sit in the sun and read a book (my kind of vacation).

I would like to get a feel for the wilder and rocky parts of the coast or national parks but I%26#39;m keen not to spend the whole holiday driving or sitting in traffic. What would be some good days out along the coast with maximum of 1-2 hours drive to get there?

Is whale watching a possibility on this part of the coast and does anyone have recommendations?

Any other suggestions more than welcome.

Summer vacation, English family, day trip suggestions please

Suggestions from Jackson, NH:

In my mind a must do the The Cog Railway up Mt Washington in Bretton Woods. This is very east to get to and a one of a kind. Check it out at www.thecog.com . I also suggest The Flume, a walking tour through a natural gorge. It%26#39;s part of the White Mountain National Forest and you%26#39;ll find lots opf info on it at any info booth. Another is The Tramway up Cannon Mountain or the gondola up Wildcat Mountain. Again info will be readilly available.

From Wolfeboro do The Mt Washington boat cruise. It leaves right from the town dock.

From York, ME travel south to Portsmouth, NH and take in some NE colonial history at Strawberry Banke a village of old, restored homes including John Paul Jones. Also take in Portland, Boothbay Harbor, Wiscasset and Camden, ME.

Summer vacation, English family, day trip suggestions please

We had already planned to visit Mt Washington however the cost of the cog railway at $228 makes it pretty expensive for a family of 4.

I had considered using the Auto Road instead which is a more managable $41.

Is the experience that much more special going on the railway?

A fun (and not too expensive thing) to do would be a short cruise. You could go to the Portland Public Market, get a picnic lunch, and head out. The first listing is for several different cruises that department from South Freeport (just north of Portland). One goes out to Eagle Island, Admiral Peary%26#39;s home. The second offers 2 hour schooner cruises of Casco bay.

www.inusa.com/tour/me/portland/seal.htm

portlandschooner.com/portland_schooner_day_s…

Popham Beach State Park (link below) is very nice if you would like a beach day. It is a little over an hour%26#39;s drive from Portland. I would make this a weekday trip, since it can be very crowded on weekends.

state.me.us/cgi-bin/…

Whale watching is a possibllity on this part of the coast. There are several companies that take passengers out to Jeffrey%26#39;s Ledge, a feeding ground for several species of whales. Here%26#39;s a link to one:

http://www.firstchancewhalewatch.com/

Yes, Portland. A wonderful to city to wander, shop, eat and be near and on the water. The cruises that someone suggested are great, if they fit your budget. An alternative is to take one of the ferries to one of the islands in Casco bay. Most of these are inhabited islands with both year round and summer residents. You can walk around the island, have lunch, etc. My family took our bicycles out to Peaks Island and had a great afternoon. I think there may be some mail boats that stop at several islands. You can probably just go aboard one of those pretty inexpensively and enjoy the cruise around the bay.

Other nice towns to visit include Ogunquit, Kennebunk and Lennebunkport (George Bush, Sr.%26#39;s summer home) and Porpoise Island, Freeport (home of L.L. Bean, open 24 hours, 365 days a year). And Portland. Did I say Portland?

And as has been stated, stay off the roads on Saturday and Sunday. Best time to enjoy Cape Neddick, one of Maine%26#39;s loveliest destination locations. If you weren%26#39;t staying there, it would be on my list.

Welocome to a lovely choice for summer travel!

1. Boston, with the teens be sure to walk the ';Freedom Trail';(red-line mosaic walking path) of Boston%26#39;s colonial history and architecture...';Fanneuil (sp?) Hall'; is a must-see with summer concerts, contemporary shopping and outrageous local food-lunch!. Boston%26#39;s harbor is a feature of this city so a boat tour or a visit to ';Old Ironsides'; ship-at-dock is a way to enjoy and get the flavor of the city.

2. Ogunquit is a art gallery-touristy-lovely village...park near Perkins Cove-which is painting-worthy-a New England visual delight and walk the ';Marginal Way'; an easy rocky coastal paved path along the beautiful homes and ocean...mist and rugosa roses scent your experience(30 min-2hours if pausing/reading/photos)...bring camera! Look for roadside ';lobster roll'; stands-they have the best taste of this local tradition-enjoy!

3. Wells Beach may be your day of salt,sun and a good book, despite usu. chilly water this far north...near Ogunquit, while Old Orchard Beach nearby is a comercial, arcade/boardwalk type of carnival-at-the-beach.

4.Tour the Cape Neddick Lighthouse,known as ';Nubble Light'; of 1879

5. Portland Museum of Art is exceptional NE museum,as well as Boston%26#39;s Museum of Fine Art.

6. Biking trail in Portland is a new, fabulous, and well-mapped urban trail, with historic architecture, the flavor of Portland-very renovation-chic- and waterfront.

Have Fun...lots of info/lit at hotels/on-line

Ahh,beautiful, NH,let me also add.... my family of teens don%26#39;t enjoy the commercial quality of nearby North Conway (near Jackson),cog railroad,etc. BUT you are near exceptionally beautiful trails for easy hikes to view waterfalls and moutain views.

1. Drive the scenic Kancamagus Pass Highway(112) south from Jackson on rt.16,then turn rt./ west from N. Conway onto 112. Pack a picnic and easy-walk the Arethusa Falls trail (or more connected ones) and take a brisk swim/splash. Go on-line to White MountainsTrails, AMC trails, etc. to purchase map before travel, or buy from outdoor store in N.Conway.

2. Drive North 15 min. on 16 to Glen Ellis Scenic Area and easy-hike trails there as well.

Remember to wear layers of clothing in NE due to weather changes and rapid cooling... invest in some high-tech wicking first-layer shirts and polar fleece outerwear pieces if you don%26#39;t already have. Pack plenty of water for any day trips(stores are far between)

Note: we were wary of driving beyond town-areas after dark...especially NOT Bear Notch Road!! Roads are not lit, moose,bear,etc...in remote areas hard to assess bearings sometimes.

Boston will be fun. You%26#39;ll enjoy the Red Sox. Go to Quincy Market and Fanueil Hall. Try to book a duck tour (do it on line).

Jackson is one of my favorite towns in NH. So picturesque. Nice hiking trails and restaurants. You could try mountain biking if you are adventuresome (Black Mtn./Attitash Mt.), or take the gondola up Wildcat Mtn. for the views.

Drive your car up Mt. Washington - do not take the cog. Waste of money, and the drive is nice (steep!). Bring a jacket for the top.

Wolfeboro is not too far from Lake Winnepesaukee.

I don%26#39;t know anything about Cape Neddick - BUT, if you look at a map, a bit further north in Maine is Acadia National Park. Absolutely beautiful, and usually overlooked. My family spend 8 days there, and could have stayed longer. Rugged coastline, canoeing, hiking, beach, biking. Very, very pretty.

Whale watching is a must. We even took a lobster boat cruise from Bangor.

Good luck!

No need to be wary of driving beyond town areas after dark. True, the roads are not lit, but they are safe. Much of NH is rural. On the other hand, do be watchful for moose, deer and bear. It is not uncommon to see them at dusk and at night, too. Be alert. It is also common to see them in the daytime. As you drive, use your peripheral vision to scan the road in front of you and into the edge of the woods. That said, many people come to NH, and many come from southern NH to the White Mountains in hopes of seeing moose. There are even moose tours, where a driver will take you on a small bus to areas where mosse are very common.

These are large animals, but deer will usually run. If they freeze in your headlights, flip them off and on and the deer will run off. Bear mostly want nothing to do with you. These are not grizzly bears, and generally not aggressive unless you get between a mother and her cub. Moose will stand by placidly if they are grazing on the side of the road, and will even stand up in the middle of the road expecting you to run away from them. They are large animals. But, even if they are looking pretty placid, do not approach them too closely.

By the way, the NH Tourist information stops have excellent maps of the state that show more roads than the usual AAA or Rand McNally. They also sell an excellent White Mountain map that shows all the major roads as well as a lot of lesser roadds and unpaved roads. They also show all the hiking trails, and have descriptions of each of the trails on the back, rating them for level of difficulty. I think it is actually called a White Mountain Trail Map, and probably sells for about $5. This is also available at outdoor stores, as noted, and probably at souvenir stores, too. It is a great map for local touring of the Whites, whether by car, bicycle, foot, or whatever.

Thanks for all the great suggestions!