Holiday help - Boston (ish)

[Cerise]

Please can anyone make any suggestions for the area around Boston (and a bit beyond)? Cape Cod, Nigara (quite a bit beyond but willing to travel!).

We’ve kind of decided on that area for our summer holiday, probably 10-14 days. Nothing is booked yet so all suggestions are welcome. Two teenage boys (13 and 15) will be involved so activities that suit them too.

I hate booking holidays so please help me!

[Little My]

I don't know about Cape Cod, but I would certainly have Martha's Vineyard on my radar. That's on my bucket list. It's where they filmed Jaws.

Heading over towards Niagara, you have Rochester/Syracuse/Ithaca which I'm a little bit familiar with, but most of our activities were centred around smaller children at the time. If you do go to Niagara, you should absolutely plan on heading across the border to the Canadian side because it's much nicer - even further you can drive along Niagara-on-the-Lake which is very pretty and has lots of wineries to hop along. As I understand it, even taking a boat into the falls is significantly better on the Canadian side. The Maid of the Mist is brilliant!

[Kenickie]

Salem is interesting.

I wouldn't bother with Harvard/Cambridge, I thought there was nothing there at all really and the buildings are only impressive if you're American.

I've been to Niagara from the Canadian side and it was brilliant. I didn't think Niagara on the Lake was worth bothering with though but maybe the tour I was on just wasn't that great.

[Kenickie]

I'd also like to visit Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket as I've read loads of books set there, but no idea if they're actually any good or just full of loads of rich people. :lol:

[Mountain Goat]

Whale watching! I can't remember where we set off from, possibly Gloucester MA, but there are a few decent companies.

[Little My]

Good idea! And it will be the correct time of year for whale watching.

[Glint]

Oh! We drove through NOTL with our first bus tour and stopped at the ice winery. I thought it was very pretty but didn’t spend any actual time there. I love Niagara but have only been to the Canadian side. It has been about 15 years since we were there, so can’t really comment to what to do.

I am envious of your trip. I would try and see a baseball game (or other sporting event) if it’s in season.

[Mountain Goat]

Are you looking for somewhere to break up the drive between Boston and Niagara? If so, just a pit stop for a couple of hours, or somewhere to spend a night/couple of days? There's loads of different wilderness-y areas you could stop and do hiking/climbing/boating stuff along the way, or there's plenty of cute towns along the Hudson Valley (the sort with antique shops and craft brewers) that could work as a lunch/leg stretch type of stop or as an overnight in charming/quirky B&B plus a nice evening meal (but probably not a lot to thrill teenagers). I went parascending at Lake George a million years ago but I am sure you could find similar without turning off the main route. Finger Lakes?

[Cerise]

We basically have no real idea other than we want to do something a bit big and special to celebrate post GCSEs. All chat and suggestions are welcome.

Mr Sax sent me links to California and Zanzibar yesterday too so who knows where we’ll end up! :lol:

[Kenickie]

If you're not set on Boston, I found there's much more to do in Toronto, and much easier to do Niagara from there.

[Cerise]

If you're not set on Boston, I found there's much more to do in Toronto, and much easier to do Niagara from there.

Please tell me more about Toronto. :))

[Glint]

Toronto is wonderful :)) I want to go back. The train down to Niagara was huge and luxurious for not much money (eons ago).

You have the Rogers Center (baseball, tennis, music events), the islands, shopping. NHL museum, CN Tower, lovely neighbourhoods to wander about. Also Tim Hortons.

[Kenickie]

What glint said! Plus Casa Loma. I went for a week I think and it felt way too short whereas a week in Boston felt like plenty.

[Tabitha]

I went from Boston to Niagara, Toronto, then back to Boston via Salem. It was twelve years ago now and we were leaf peeping, so it's a bit hazy and probably not very relevant to your situation.

I do remember staying in some lovely places along the way though, particularly a log cabin on the bank of Lake Placid where we woke up to find a beaver on our lawn. If you pass Waterbury and like icecream I'd recommend the Ben & Jerry factory.

[Cerise]

So looks like it could be a Toronto to Quebec trip. I have a friend near Quebec that I met in Belgium so we’re probably going to spend a couple of days with her.

So forget Boston!

[Kenickie]

I think that's a good choice!

[Cerise]

Flights are booked. There’s no baseball on when we’ll be in Toronto. Itinerary to be created. All recommendations welcome!

[Pippedydeadeye]

You need a trip out to the Islands in Toronto definitely. It’s just a great city to hang out in.

[Luce]

If you're not set on Boston, I found there's much more to do in Toronto, and much easier to do Niagara from there.

Not sure how helpful but this is exactly what we’ve just booked - 2 weeks starting in Toronto, doing Niagara etc. Then driving down for a 5 night stay at some mountain lodge hotel thingy then another 4 night stay somewhere similar before flying back home again. We’ll have a 15 and 10 year old and I’m hoping we can do lots of outdoorsy stuff, basically like a Canadian Center Parcs!

We’re going to be in Toronto etc second half of August, in case you’re looking to avoid :))

[Luce]

You need a trip out to the Islands in Toronto definitely. It’s just a great city to hang out in.

I’ve just been told the exact same thing by a colleague so am very excited about this!