Help with sightseeing in the Boston to Bar Harbor area

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Ric in Richmond
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Help with sightseeing in the Boston to Bar Harbor area

Post by Ric in Richmond »

My family and I are going to fly into Boston then rent a car and drive to Bar Harbor. Stay a couple of days then come back down towards Boston, Newport, Mystic. etc and explore then fly back to Virginia. Of course we won't be there the weekend of the newport wooden boat show....grrr!!!

My family had NEVER been further north than New York City, not once. The two youngest, 10 and 12, have never flown commercial. I have been to Bar Harbor/ new england when I was a teen with my family and loved it!!

I am looking for the must see's, the must avoid's and the little out of the way local places that the tourists miss.

If someone wanted to go for a day sail I would love to reciprocate on Andiamo one day on the Chesapeake or be happy to play tour guide in the Richmond, Charlottesville, Yorktown, Williamsburg, Norfolk area.

So all you New Englanders...help me hit a home run on this family vacation!!! What to see? There is sooooo much to see!!!!!!!.
Ric Bergstrom

http://andiamoadventures.blogspot.com/

Archived old blog:

http://andiamo35.blogspot.com/

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jlroberts280
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Re: Help with sightseeing in the Boston to Bar Harbor area

Post by jlroberts280 »

Hi Ric,

I am always up for a daysail. I am in South Portland on Casco Bay. You didn't mention when you will be coming through, but let me know.
Jon Roberts
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Ric in Richmond
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Re: Help with sightseeing in the Boston to Bar Harbor area

Post by Ric in Richmond »

I will you PM you our schedule. Maybe we can go for a sail!

Thanks!

Have you got any favorite must see Maine places???
Ric Bergstrom

http://andiamoadventures.blogspot.com/

Archived old blog:

http://andiamo35.blogspot.com/

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LazyGuy
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Re: Help with sightseeing in the Boston to Bar Harbor area

Post by LazyGuy »

Ric,

A few of my New England favorites....

In Kittery, everyone goes to the Weahtervane right near the off ramp when passing through. In my opinion, a lot of mediocre food for reasonable money. I much prefer the clam hut just north of the Kittery Trading post on the same side. Real New England fried clams/scallops etc...

In Waldoboro Maine, right on Rt 1 is Moody's Diner (or Dinah) It is an old club car diner right out of the 50's that has been expanded in true Downeast fashion. While the food is very good, the atmosphere of the old club car is beyond words and the desserts are the main attraction. In particular the pies. They have the best Strawberry Rhubarb pie and Blueberry pie I have EVER eaten.

When you get to Mystic, PM me. I keep my boat (that I will be launching next week) right on the river. Also, when you get here, it is a bit of a tourist trap but everyone should do it once is "Abbots - Lobster in the rough." Boiled lobster right on the Mystic River. Great boat watching spot.

Cheers
Dennis
Cheers

Dennis
Luders 33 "Paper Moon" Hull No 16

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Hirilondë
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Re: Help with sightseeing in the Boston to Bar Harbor area

Post by Hirilondë »

Well, in Rhode Island & near vicinity you have:

Herreshoff Museum & America's Cup Hall of Fame

Museum of Yachting

Mystic Seaport

New Bedford Whaling Museum

My guess is that you may have to visit some non-boating places to keep the whole family happy. While in Newport consider:

Cliff Walk

Newport Mansions

Sounds like a great trip, have fun.
Dave Finnegan
builder of Spindrift 9N #521 'Wingë'
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Command_1
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Re: Help with sightseeing in the Boston to Bar Harbor area

Post by Command_1 »

Newport Mansions, very expensive but worth it, if you want to see how our earlier royalty lived.
Its absolutely amazing how the rich live.
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Re: Help with sightseeing in the Boston to Bar Harbor area

Post by Triton 53 »

If you do get to the Providence area, Water Fire is nice but you will have to check the dates.
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Re: Help with sightseeing in the Boston to Bar Harbor area

Post by gregphillips »

Ric,

I'm in Brooklin, ME and can help guide you a bit in this area. If you are able to walk after a meal at Moody's Diner, per Dennis, budget time for a good look around Brooklin. Wooden Boat is facinating and visitors are welcome. Brooklin Boat Yard is just one of many in a town that is affectionately called, by us, "the boatbuilding capital of the world". Often a "classic plastic" is undergoing anything from repairs to complete rebuilding. All the boatyards are friendly if you ask for a look around.

Center Harbor has an amazing display of beautiful boats for such a small town. My house is next to the Brooklin General store, name is on mailbox. Stop by if you wish, I may be able to get you out on the water.

Greg Phillips
SS34 SARAH
Brooklin, ME
danielguiod
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Re: Help with sightseeing in the Boston to Bar Harbor area

Post by danielguiod »

In Portsmouth NH there is a submarine floating in a pond just off the interstate. As I recall it is a self -guided tour for a donation. In Bath visit Maine Maritime Museum just south of Bath Iron Works shipyard. In Searsport there is Penobscot Marine Museum. And visit Captain Tinkhams Emporium nextdoor. Before Bucksport go to the observatory at the top of the new Penobscot Narrows Bridge. Visit Castine, home of Maine Maritime Academy, and drive around Cape Rosier and the area around Blue Hill to Brooklin. Visit Acadia, forget about Bar Harbor! Summer Is Fair Time in Maine. Don't miss that. Good luck!
Ric in Richmond
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Re: Help with sightseeing in the Boston to Bar Harbor area

Post by Ric in Richmond »

So much to see!

Here is the plan so far.

Tuesday..arrive at 10 am Boston...get car and drive to bar harbor. Stay in bar harbor Tuesday, wed, Thursday.

Friday wander south to Salem and stay in Salem Friday and Saturday as home base for Boston area sightseeing.

Sunday head down to west Warwick as base for Mystic, Newport area. Stay there Sunday and Monday night.

Tuesday wander around until late and fly home.

Thoughts?

We have had to seriously scale back the goals as there is SO MUCH TO SEE. Probably end up being recon for trip some other time!!

Once I get the itinerary nailed down I am going to try to see if I can meet up with some of you guys. The outpouring of advice both on the forum and PM has been truly amazing and very helpful.

THANKS!!!!!
Ric Bergstrom

http://andiamoadventures.blogspot.com/

Archived old blog:

http://andiamo35.blogspot.com/

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Ric in Richmond
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Re: Help with sightseeing in the Boston to Bar Harbor area

Post by Ric in Richmond »

Here is a link to the map I created that has all the tips I have gotten from the forum along with other places we may go check out.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&m ... 8c1ea593f7
Ric Bergstrom

http://andiamoadventures.blogspot.com/

Archived old blog:

http://andiamo35.blogspot.com/

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tikvah59
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Re: Help with sightseeing in the Boston to Bar Harbor area

Post by tikvah59 »

Hi Ric,

You may already be on the road, but in case you're not:

I've got a Triton in Boston Harbor, and would be happy to take you folks for a sail if the timing works out.

There's obviously lots you could do in Boston, but when I go to a bigger city with my family and have limited time, we like to do a bus tour. You can ride around the city for an hour or two and get a look at what you might like to go back and see. Plus, some of the tour companies allow you to get on and off all day, maybe even for two days. If you haven't done a "duck" tour before, they are fun: you get in amphibious bus for the usual driving tour, and then the bus splashes into the Charles River and becomes a boat. http://www.bostonducktours.com/.

Some of the standard tourist sites in Boston: Faneuil Hall marketplace, the nearby Old State House, Harborfront Park (also nearby), a short walk to the North End (great Italian food) with Old North Church and Paul Revere's house. The Freedom Trail walks you by many of these sites. Harvard Square in Cambridge is a fun place to shop or people watch, and you can easily get there via mass transit.

Speaking of transportation, consider taking the commuter rail from Salem to Boston. The city is a challenging place to drive even for residents, and it can be expensive to park. The Government Center garage is one of the more reasonable places to park near the sites I mentioned above, and the Boston Common garage is probably even a little cheaper but a little farther away. And if you want to there's plenty to do in Salem: the House of Seven Gables and The Peabody-Essex Museum are both interesting.

If it's hot and you want to get on the water, the Boston Harbor Islands are one of those "hidden gems" that are quite easy to get to via ferry/water taxi. You could also get on a harbor tour boat to see the city from the harbor - I like the Liberty Fleet of tall ships: http://www.libertyfleet.com. Or you could go on a whale watch tour from Boston or from Salem.

If there are specific interests in your family I'd be glad to tell you if I'm aware of any related activities. One thing my family does on road trips: we let everybody pick one thing they REALLY want to do, and everyone else goes along with that one request. Helps reduce disagreements about itinerary! You're covering a whole lot of ground in a short period of time, so don't try to do too much!

Have a great time.

Mark
Emily Hope
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Ric in Richmond
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Re: Help with sightseeing in the Boston to Bar Harbor area

Post by Ric in Richmond »

Thanks Mark...great advice!!

We are going in August so we can use the tips!


Right now I am so glad we made all of our reservations for Bar Harbor before Obama put it back on the map!!!!

This is going to be fun!!
Ric Bergstrom

http://andiamoadventures.blogspot.com/

Archived old blog:

http://andiamo35.blogspot.com/

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Ric in Richmond
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Re: Help with sightseeing in the Boston to Bar Harbor area

Post by Ric in Richmond »

Anyone have a good Striper Fishing guide they can recommend???
Ric Bergstrom

http://andiamoadventures.blogspot.com/

Archived old blog:

http://andiamo35.blogspot.com/

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Hirilondë
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Re: Help with sightseeing in the Boston to Bar Harbor area

Post by Hirilondë »

Ric in Richmond wrote: Sunday head down to west Warwick as base for Mystic, Newport area. Stay there Sunday and Monday night.
What brings you to West Warwick as a base? It is near the Providence Airport (T. F. Green), which isn't in Providence by the way, but Warwick. I still don't understand this, but no one consulted me. This base will put you just under an hour drive from Mystic and a little less from Newport.

You can easily spend a full day at the Mystic Seaport, but can also spend part of that day touring the south coast of the SE Connecticut/Rhode Island area. Spending a full day in Newport is very easy to do.
Dave Finnegan
builder of Spindrift 9N #521 'Wingë'
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Gresham’s Law of information: Bad information drives out good. No matter how long ago a correction for a particular error may have appeared in print or online, it never seems to catch up with the ever-widening distribution of the error.
Ric in Richmond
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Re: Help with sightseeing in the Boston to Bar Harbor area

Post by Ric in Richmond »

Hirilondë wrote:
Ric in Richmond wrote: Sunday head down to west Warwick as base for Mystic, Newport area. Stay there Sunday and Monday night.
What brings you to West Warwick as a base? .... This base will put you just under an hour drive from Mystic and a little less from Newport.
That is EXACTLY the reason!!!! It is about midway between boston, newport and mystic. Gives us the flexibility to see all of those areas....with no urge to hang around west warwick!! (sorry west warwick)

We will sleep there and that is about it...
Ric Bergstrom

http://andiamoadventures.blogspot.com/

Archived old blog:

http://andiamo35.blogspot.com/

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Hirilondë
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Re: Help with sightseeing in the Boston to Bar Harbor area

Post by Hirilondë »

Ric in Richmond wrote:....with no urge to hang around west warwick!!
Ok, if you had said you had an urge to hang around there I would have wondered about you :)
Dave Finnegan
builder of Spindrift 9N #521 'Wingë'
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gresham’s Law of information: Bad information drives out good. No matter how long ago a correction for a particular error may have appeared in print or online, it never seems to catch up with the ever-widening distribution of the error.
Ric in Richmond
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Re: Help with sightseeing in the Boston to Bar Harbor area

Post by Ric in Richmond »

I'll write up my full report in the next couple of days since we just got back at about 1 am last night. Needless to say we all had a great time and saw many of the spots mentioned above. Got to meet and thank Tim for all his forum hospitality and wisdom too!

I had to share my Classic Plastic Synchronicity moment I had yesterday.

Yesterday we were roaming the Bristol area and we stopped by the Herreshoff Museum. It is an amazing place and surely worth a visit to see where J boats, PT boats, 12.5s, and other forms of floating art were built. There collection is nice and you can go aboard 3 of the vessels. Of course it is sort of sad to see them warehoused in a rather large boat a shop that looks like it was built in the 50's

I knew that Pearson had built in the Providence/ Bristol area and knew that Carl Alberg had worked in that area as well. I figured the docent at the museum would be able to point me in the right direction. He said that Carl was the Bristol town manager, but that he had never met him. When I asked him where Pearson had built boats he asked when. I replied 1962....he said HERE!!!! IN THE BUILDING YOU ARE STANDING IN!!! Turns out Pearson bought the place in the late 50's to produce their new fiberglass boats

Could have knocked me over with a feather!!!

Pretty damn cool to know you are standing where your boat came off the line 48 years ago AND it was in the same building Capt Nat built his floating art!!!
Ric Bergstrom

http://andiamoadventures.blogspot.com/

Archived old blog:

http://andiamo35.blogspot.com/

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