AZS2KDancer

My +1 and I are visiting NE end of June for 2 weeks. The National Square Dance Convention is in Springfield, MA and we want to explore highlights of the region before and after the convention. What are your recommendations? From our arrival in Hartford and from RI, MA, VT, NH and Maine's Acadia National park. We'll be in a rental car, not the S.

IPB

Depends on what type of attractions you want to see. You could visit Newport RI, do the cliff walk and see all of the mansions, or you could trek to NH and drive the Kancamangus Hwy and see the White Mountains. Or from Springfield you could go to the Berkshires and see the Mohawk trail, or stay in Springfield and go to the Basketball Hall of Fame and then hang out downtown and get robbed. (I can say that because I'm from there )

There is a lot to do, if you narrowed it down to things that interest you we could give you more guidance.

AZS2KDancer

Listing interests would take a long time , but we're more interested in scenic drives than basketball for this trip. Some of the first ideas sound good. We will use up our days quickly, I'm sure. I think we'd like to see Newport as well as the White Mtns and the Mohawk trail.

Lainey

Even if not in the S, The Green Mountain State, VT and Route 100 is worth a trip.

Route 100

If you want to take a dip in cold water, or just check out Cape Cod, Cape Cod National Seashore should be on your list.

Cape Cod National Seashore

One of the things I hear from Patty/Kyras over in Vintage is that she likes how GREEN things are on our coast. Very different scenery than in your area.

Bar Harbor and Acadia is a favorite place of ours.
Bar Harbor/Acadia

If you don't have time to get all the way to Bar Harbor, other areas on the coast of ME are quite enjoyable as well.

AZS2KDancer

Thanks for the ideas. I like each one so far. I think we'll start in Hartford with the Mark Twain house then maybe go up the Empire State Building, visit the World Trade Center Memorial. Pick up some MAss. sites, such as Salem and either before or after the dance convention in Springfield travel up to the Mihawk trail, work into New Hampshire, take that Route 100, and get over to Maine. Looking forward to those stops, and I need to squeeze in RI, too. Wow, this should be a fun trip. We'd love to meet anyone in the area, too.

2000silvers2k

Drive the Kankamagus highway from Lincoln to Conway and then shoot up to North Conway for lunch and explore a bit . maybe even drive up to the top of mount Washington for an epic view. (that should be a full day of the white mountains for you) I would also recommend exploring the coast of Maine and maybe a day trip to Portland?

I personally wouldn't waste your time in Hartford or Western Mass other then passing through.

xxmass

Are you a beer nerd? The Alchemist and Hill Farmstead are in the Montpelier area of Vermont.

AZS2KDancer

We do want to see the Mark Twain House in Hartford, and maybe some highlights in NYC. These can be at either end of our trip as we fly in and out of Hartford.

Yes, I enjoy beer with flavor. My default is Guinniss, I like ales, as well. I just don't want to be driving after downing a few.

I think we'll spend some time in eastern MA, visit NH and spend a few days in Vermont. We definitely want some time at Acadia National Park.

CTMechE

Since I'm a Connecticut guy, I'll talk to what I know. Here are some ideas:

Lime Rock Park. It's in a rather remote part of CT, with lots of small scenic woodsy/hilly roads between there and Hartford. Other than the scenery, though, there's not a whole lot else to do in that area, and the small scenic roads mean that it will take a good bit of time to get to/from, so plan accordingly.

Event schedule is here: http://www.limerock.com/index.php?op...d=61&Itemid=74

Southeastern CT (opposite corner from Lime Rock) has Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun casinos - unlike most Indian reservation casinos in the US, these are pretty impressive places, and host a wide variety of events unrelated to gambling. Both places host many concerts & shows that might interest you, as well as some of the best restaurants between Boston and NYC, and just under an hour drive from Hartford. Both of these places have their own hotels and spas, too.

While it might not appeal to everyone, the USS Nautilus (SSN571), the world's first nuclear powered submarine, is a floating museum located in Groton, CT. The boat itself (which you can walk through) and the adjacent land-based Submarine Force Museum, is free to visit & tour. (Closed on Tuesdays). http://www.ussnautilus.org/

Since someone mentioned beer, I know that CT (along with most of New England) is in the midst of a craft brewery upsurge. There's a CT beer trail: http://www.ctvisit.com/dontmiss/details/220

But no matter where you are in New England, you won't be too far away from a place that serves beer with flavor. It might just be easier to plan your route first, and Google the nearest mircorbrewery from your destination.

On the southeastern CT Coast, Mystic (of Mystic Pizza fame) is well suited to visitors in the summer. (Just be aware that the restaurant inspired the movie, but isn't actually the one shown in the movie). The most unique highlight to that area is the Mystic Seaport and downtown waterfront, which are both scenic and historic, reminiscent of the colonial time period and whaling industry that followed. The Seaport runs a steamboat (SS. Sabino) tour of Mystic Harbor which is a pretty neat way to get out on the water.

www.mystic.org has a ton of information and schedules on pretty much everything in the southeastern CT area.

Lainey

Have you mapped this out? You'll be covering a lot of ground. FYI from Stowe VT to Acadia is 6 hour drive.

I don't know if you like to live on the edge and not make hotel reservations in advance, but hotel rooms in some of the more visited spots aren't always available when you want them. They are also no where as reasonably priced as hotels in the west. Have you done some shopping yet?