Help - 3 weeks, Boston to New York, with 3 month old child
Jun 22, 2018, 3:26 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: UK
Programs: BD Gold, BAEC Gold, Hilton HHonors
Posts: 869
Help - 3 weeks, Boston to New York, with 3 month old child
I''d appreciate constructive help in planning a forthcoming trip to the US (from UK) - wife and I and our 3 month old baby son have flights to Boston (arriving end July) and departing New York JFK 3 weeks later. Taking advantage of maternity leave etc I foolishly booked a long trip, and now don't know where to begin with an itinerary. We plan to hire a car and do a bit of moving around, but probably finding 2 or 3 bases max to stay and going on day trips with quite a few days lazing around our base / short walks with baby etc. With mini-so3003 we are acutely aware that we're likely to spend a lot of time in our accommodation rather than our pre-children approach of charging around seeing just about anything there was to see / exquisite dining out etc.
Can anyone make some helpful suggestions for our itinerary? We have booked airport hotel at BOS for the evening we arrive, but otherwise nothing booked. No particular budget constraints, but really struggling to see "value" in most of the accommodation options currently available on expedia / tripadvisor etc, ie upwards of £250 GBP/ night for a grubby looking 2* hotel room. Ideally looking for ideas of smaller places / accommodations we might not find on the standard websites (expedia, tripadvisor etc), and routes we could drive with a small child in tow.
All help gratefully appreciated - usually at this point we have everything booked, but a combination of new baby, sleep deprivation, work issues etc have meant that we are seriously behind with planning, and there's a serious risk we will end up having to cancel the trip through not having managed to plan anything!
Can anyone make some helpful suggestions for our itinerary? We have booked airport hotel at BOS for the evening we arrive, but otherwise nothing booked. No particular budget constraints, but really struggling to see "value" in most of the accommodation options currently available on expedia / tripadvisor etc, ie upwards of £250 GBP/ night for a grubby looking 2* hotel room. Ideally looking for ideas of smaller places / accommodations we might not find on the standard websites (expedia, tripadvisor etc), and routes we could drive with a small child in tow.
All help gratefully appreciated - usually at this point we have everything booked, but a combination of new baby, sleep deprivation, work issues etc have meant that we are seriously behind with planning, and there's a serious risk we will end up having to cancel the trip through not having managed to plan anything!
Jun 22, 2018, 4:07 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Massachusetts, USA; AA Plat, DL GM and Flying Colonel; Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 24,233
Personal opinions:
1. You'll probably want to spend most of your time at the two ends of the trip: Boston and New York.
2. Boston hotels are expensive. (Have you priced rooms large enough for 2 1/2 people at good hotels in London lately?) The only way around that is to stay some distance from the city. You can reach the city easily by public transportation, but depending on your interests and what you want to see, that may take more time than the savings are worth.
3. Many sights in the Boston area are outside the city itself. In contrast to many other cities, the city itself is relatively small. (Not quite as small as the City of London, but much smaller than what people generally think of when they hear London.) Harvard University, for example, is in the city of Cambridge, but if Boston were structured like most cities, it would be in Boston. I'd suggest seeing what you want to see in the central Boston area first, then getting your car - no need to have it for Boston and immediate environs; public transport there is reasonably decent - and doing the day trips.
4. Possible day trips from Boston include Lexington/Concord (where the fighting started when we kicked your ancestors out), the North Shore (attractive cities, waterfronts, etc.) and more. See any guidebook.
5. On your way to New York, I recommend a stop in New Bedford. It's slightly off the direct route but it makes sense to do it while you're driving in that direction. It's the biggest fishing port in the U.S. in terms of landed seafood value, has a real gritty waterfront - not a tourist attraction. While you're there, visit the Whaling Museum. It does a great job of balancing the contribution of whaling to the regional economy 100+ years ago with the more recent recognition of whales' intelligence and their need for protection. If you want to spend a night there, there's a reasonably-priced Fairfield Inn within easy walking distance of the docks.
6. You might consider New Haven, Connecticut, as an intermediate stop. Very historic town, home of Yale University.
7. You probably want to ditch the car as soon as you get to NYC, or if you will need it for day trips in the area, schedule those for the first few days after you get there and ditch it as soon as they're done.
Now let's see what others have to say!
1. You'll probably want to spend most of your time at the two ends of the trip: Boston and New York.
2. Boston hotels are expensive. (Have you priced rooms large enough for 2 1/2 people at good hotels in London lately?) The only way around that is to stay some distance from the city. You can reach the city easily by public transportation, but depending on your interests and what you want to see, that may take more time than the savings are worth.
3. Many sights in the Boston area are outside the city itself. In contrast to many other cities, the city itself is relatively small. (Not quite as small as the City of London, but much smaller than what people generally think of when they hear London.) Harvard University, for example, is in the city of Cambridge, but if Boston were structured like most cities, it would be in Boston. I'd suggest seeing what you want to see in the central Boston area first, then getting your car - no need to have it for Boston and immediate environs; public transport there is reasonably decent - and doing the day trips.
4. Possible day trips from Boston include Lexington/Concord (where the fighting started when we kicked your ancestors out), the North Shore (attractive cities, waterfronts, etc.) and more. See any guidebook.
5. On your way to New York, I recommend a stop in New Bedford. It's slightly off the direct route but it makes sense to do it while you're driving in that direction. It's the biggest fishing port in the U.S. in terms of landed seafood value, has a real gritty waterfront - not a tourist attraction. While you're there, visit the Whaling Museum. It does a great job of balancing the contribution of whaling to the regional economy 100+ years ago with the more recent recognition of whales' intelligence and their need for protection. If you want to spend a night there, there's a reasonably-priced Fairfield Inn within easy walking distance of the docks.
6. You might consider New Haven, Connecticut, as an intermediate stop. Very historic town, home of Yale University.
7. You probably want to ditch the car as soon as you get to NYC, or if you will need it for day trips in the area, schedule those for the first few days after you get there and ditch it as soon as they're done.
Now let's see what others have to say!
Jun 23, 2018, 11:58 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: MSY (finally); previously NYC, BOS, AUH
Programs: AA EXP, 6MM; BA GLD
Posts: 17,248
Boston hotels are expensive. (Have you priced rooms large enough for 2 1/2 people at good hotels in London lately?) The only way around that is to stay some distance from the city. You can reach the city easily by public transportation, but depending on your interests and what you want to see, that may take more time than the savings are worth.
On your way to New York, I recommend a stop in New Bedford. It's slightly off the direct route but it makes sense to do it while you're driving in that direction. It's the biggest fishing port in the U.S. in terms of landed seafood value, has a real gritty waterfront - not a tourist attraction. While you're there, visit the Whaling Museum. It does a great job of balancing the contribution of whaling to the regional economy 100+ years ago with the more recent recognition of whales' intelligence and their need for protection. If you want to spend a night there, there's a reasonably-priced Fairfield Inn within easy walking distance of the docks.
Like New Bedford, a nice place to spend a few hours, but I'm not sure it'd be at the top of my list.
Last edited by Blumie; Jun 23, 2018 at 12:22 pm
Jun 23, 2018, 1:01 pm
#5
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 508
We did a similar trip in 2016 although LAX - SFO Over two weeks. It was with our then 3 month old (travelled from U.K.) and we made a few mistakes - although still had an awesome trip.
I totally agree with your thoughts on only having two or three locations. We found we moved around too much and was stressful for everyone.
Secondly, and this may not be relevant to yourself. But, our little one was already in her own room and we found sharing a standard hotel room with her was difficult for her as she wasn’t used to the noise of us being around her which resulted in us often going to bed not long after her.
Finally, and again, in may or may not apply to you, but we found our time out of the cities more enjoyable than in them. Fortunately, we had both visited LA and SF so didn’t stay there other than 1 night either end. Our little one loves the outdoors and our time at Yosemite and in and around Monterey were the best and most enjoyable parts.
You will make mistakes - assuming it’s your first - but you’ll have a great time!!!
enjoy.
I totally agree with your thoughts on only having two or three locations. We found we moved around too much and was stressful for everyone.
Secondly, and this may not be relevant to yourself. But, our little one was already in her own room and we found sharing a standard hotel room with her was difficult for her as she wasn’t used to the noise of us being around her which resulted in us often going to bed not long after her.
Finally, and again, in may or may not apply to you, but we found our time out of the cities more enjoyable than in them. Fortunately, we had both visited LA and SF so didn’t stay there other than 1 night either end. Our little one loves the outdoors and our time at Yosemite and in and around Monterey were the best and most enjoyable parts.
You will make mistakes - assuming it’s your first - but you’ll have a great time!!!
enjoy.
Jun 23, 2018, 3:22 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Massachusetts, USA; AA Plat, DL GM and Flying Colonel; Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 24,233
Can't argue with either of those as destinations. My honeymoon (admittedly just three days) was in Portsmouth, and we'll visit friends who live just outside Portland the week after next (over July 4th). It's a question of how much driving you want to do on your day trips. There are lots of good lobster places in that direction but still within Massachusetts.
Jun 26, 2018, 9:33 am
#7
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 55,189
If your trip to NYC is to catch your flight from JFK, I would do as Blumie suggested and take the train. Amtrak is comfortable and the water views are beautiful; find seats on the left side of the train for coastal views.
You will not need a car if you stay overnight in Manhattan or if you fly out of JFK same day.
You will not need a car if you stay overnight in Manhattan or if you fly out of JFK same day.
Jun 26, 2018, 9:40 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: MSY (finally); previously NYC, BOS, AUH
Programs: AA EXP, 6MM; BA GLD
Posts: 17,248
If your trip to NYC is to catch your flight from JFK, I would do as Blumie suggested and take the train. Amtrak is comfortable and the water views are beautiful; find seats on the left side of the train for coastal views.
You will not need a car if you stay overnight in Manhattan or if you fly out of JFK same day.
You will not need a car if you stay overnight in Manhattan or if you fly out of JFK same day.
By the way, if you do take the train, note that there are two Amtrak stations in Boston: South Station and Back Bay Station. All NYC-bound trains stop at both. I recommend, however, boarding at South Station rather than Back Bay, even if Back Bay is more convenient. In addition to being a much (MUCH) nicer station, Sourh Station is where the train originates, so you’ll have a better choice of seats and will be able to get one of the sets of four seats (two sets of two facing each other), which will be more comfortable for the three of you.
Jun 26, 2018, 2:36 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: ORD
Posts: 14,231
If you stay in Portland, there are many things to do - visit islands (easy ferry rides), drive to cute little towns, easy family-friendly hiking trails in and around POrtland, Mt Desert Island, etc.
Three weeks is a lot - you can spend three days in Boston and see just about everything. NYC is a different animal, too, but if you've got a baby and will be in the hotel room most of the time it's probably better to be in more laid-back places.
Three weeks is a lot - you can spend three days in Boston and see just about everything. NYC is a different animal, too, but if you've got a baby and will be in the hotel room most of the time it's probably better to be in more laid-back places.