Family Vacation!! (NE content)

It's that time of year again. Tomorrow morning I'm loading the 7 (!) of us up in the freshly shod Suburban for our annual vacation. Money is tight this year so we are staying at my uncles pond house in southeast Massachusetts.

The original plan had been to go via Niagra Falls and do the tourist thing Friday afternoon but passports for SWMBO and my brother are expired so we wouldn't be able to go across the Canadian side (the way better side for tourists).

Any other suggestions for a mid trip expedition? Also in Mass the plan is to go out to the cape one day and maybe a day trip up to Mt. Washington. Any other grassroots/frugal ideas for the NE?

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Where we'll be staying.

Where is said pond? I'm in South eastern Massachusetts. Swing by if you are close by carver Massachusetts 02330.

Pm me for an address. I'll let you drive the Delica if such a thing interests you.

Mt. Greylock is pretty cool if you go out that way. Stop by MassMoca in North Adams for some weirdo, but fun art.

Ohh... Swing down to Newport RI and walk around the big mansions and do the Cliff walk.. Totally free and cool. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60978-d104612-Reviews-Cliff_Walk-Newport_Rhode_Island.html

Check out the "Free, Fun, Fridays" list for some free options:

free options

You may want to detour and check out Battleship Cove tomorrow since its on the free list for tomorrow.

There's also a few Cape Cod places on the list for next Friday.

On edit: I just saw you'd be leaving KY tomorrow, so Battle ship cove probably won't work. But you can always walk the freedom trail in Boston of the family is up for some history.

If you and the kids are interested: - you can bicycle or walk along the Cape Cod Canal

-there's a fish hatchery in Sandwich (at least used to be)

-check out Rock Harbor in Orleans. At low tide (you can walk across the channel used by the charter boats during high tide.

Cape Cod potato chip factory tour. Free. Map on back of bag.

If you get the chance Portland Maine is a bit of a hike from Boston area but an awesome city to visit.

If you're in southeastern MA then you'll be close to Cape Cod and Newport, RI. But try to hit them on a weekday to avoid heavy traffic. Also, southern Maine is nice (Ogunquit, Wells, Kennebunkport). You won't be too far from Thompson Speedway Motorsport Park in northeastern CT, so you might want to check their schedule. Cruising around the country roads of northeastern CT is also nice, places like Pomfret, Woodstock, Thompson, etc. good scenery and driving roads. Have fun!

You mentioned Mt. Washington. Great to see if you drive up the mountain. But it's a bit of a trek from southeastern MA. Around 3-3.5 hours.

IMSA Tudor is racing at Lime Rock Park this Saturday

Hiking some of the Long Trail in Vermont is pretty awesome.

And the city of Boston has a lot to offer for tourists.

Oh yeah, there's also Seekonk speedway.

In reply to Mazdax605: I can't PM, the system doesn't like yahoo email addresses for some reason.

But if you write me at armstrong390 in that email thing I'll get it.

The pond is White Island in Plymouth.

(taking notes, also doing the Niagara / New England thing in a couple weeks)

To the original poster. The pond you are staying at is about 30 minutes from my place. If the state forest wasn't there it would be even quicker. You can email me at cdirado 837 4t Gmail dot com. The Cape cod canal is fun for biking, walking, roller blading along. Park on the main land side at the railroad bridge and have fun.

I'm right around the corner from Mazdax605 if a garage full of triumph TR8s interest you. The state forest is situated right between where you are staying and where Chris and I live. Its a great place for bike rides, and hikes around the ponds. The swimming where you will be is better than in the forest. Newport cliff walks and Newport beaches should be a must on your to do list. Cheap day out if you pack a lunch. If you plan on a day out on the cape, there are tons of touristy spots. Ptown is nice, but if you have young kids, you will need to do some explaining about why Bob and Steve are walking down the street in speedos holding hands. Hyannis is a nice family walk around. Has a killer candy/ice cream place. Falmouth is fun and close. It has one of the best kid jungle gym playgrounds you have ever seen. Stay off the Plymouth beaches. Any beach inside Cape Cod bay is going to be cold. The warm beaches are on the outside of the Cape or on the South Shore of Mass and RI. There is lots of free stuff to do around Plymouth. If you do hit Niagra, take a picture of the statue of Nikola Tesla. My oldest daughter is named after him.

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions. It isn't an entirely foreign environment, I spent my summers on the cape since way way back. If you go back even further my family is among the original Mayflower settlers making me 17th generation colonist.

And yeah, p-town is a trip. Went there once and discovered it was "take a drag queen to lunch" day. NOT something one forgets easily! But fun to see what turns up.

If you take the bus tour at Niagara do you still need a passport ?

Been a long time since I was there.

If you go to Mt Washington duck on over to Castle in the Clouds. Who builds a mansion with 7-sided rocks?

If you are driving up though CT the submarine museum in Groton and the Mystic aquarium were both great stops back when I was stationed there.

Cedar point