NE Roadtrip options (LAC)

[Kent McLean]

Ben Swann wrote:
> My wife, daughter and I are looking into making a late 
> spring/early summer roadtrip up North

Here's my buck-and-a-half:

First, decide if you want to see "the big city" -- New York.
A 4-5 y.o. daughter might not be impressed, but you can see
the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, and a lot
of big bridges (Verrazano Narrows, George Warshington :-).

If not, you'd best want to go *way* around it. If she plays
T-ball or Little League, head NW and stop in Williamsport PA
to see the where LL World Series is played; if it's late
July, they should be playing. Free entry to the games.

Keep going NW to hit Niagara Falls.

Then head East -- avoid NY State Throughway (I-90), it's
just another highway.  Take Rte 20 and enjoy the back roads.
(Alternate route would be head up into Canada to head East.
My young kinds were thrilled when we crossed the border.
It was a big deal pre-9/11; it may not be so much fun now.)
When you hit the Finger Lakes, find a winery and to a winery
tour. Stop by Cooperstown, Baseball Hall of Fame.

When you get to Albany, head NE into VT and take VT Rte 100.
Very scenic, nice driving roads. Somewhere near Montpelier,
head due East and find NH Rte 302 (if you're in a hurry) or
the "Kank", Rte 112 Kancamagus Highway. That will take you
to Conway, where the girl's can enjoy all the outlet stores.

Pick up Rte 302 (again?) and head to Portland ME. Portland
is a nice, clean, small city with some old buildings and
revived waterfront. Have lunch at J's Oyster, on the water.
Steamers and Guinness. Can't beat it.

Heading home, go through Boston to admire the Big Dig.
It's almost done, and you can see what $14 Billion will
buy you.  When you get there, let us know and I'm sure a
bunch of us will meet your for dinner at John Harvard's
Brew House in Framingham; you might be headed that way
anyway.  Boston also has a nice Children's Museum, and
a Science Museum and the Museum of Fina Art. More
baseball: catch a Red Sox game at the venerable Fenway
Park. This could be *the* year.

 From there, you need to decide if you want to avoid NYC
(again). If so, take Rte 90 Mass Pike to Rte 84 W thru
CT, to 684 and the Tappan Zee Bridge.  If you have to
see NYC, follow 95; just don't expect a fun or scenic
drive.

You can swing wide around NYC and NJ, but if you have
time, follow the NJ Garden State Parkway along the cost.
Drop a bundle at the casinos in Atlantic City. Take the
ferry at Cape May (I've never done it. It may be painful,
but the ones in NC are a treat.)  Continue along the
ocean to Virginia Beach VA.  Stop by AudiConnection in
Suffolk; say Hello to Bruce; admire the V8s.

Turn North and head for home.

HTH,
Kent