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Where would be the best place to drop off the car when approaching Boston as we don't really want to drive into there as we hear the traffic is quite bad. Also, is Amtrak the best way to get from Boston to New York City without a car? Thanks for your help.
Well, you are going to have to drop the car off where the rental company has an office - probably on or near Logan Airport. I-90 goes right into the airport now through the Ted Williams Tunnel. It's not difficult except during rush hour, you don't have to take city streets any more. There's a MBTA station at the airport to go downtown.
To go from Boston to NYC, you can fly, take the train, or take the bus.
Thanks glc, that is useful information. I didn't know about the tunnel. Which would be the quickest, most convenient and most cost effective to get from Boston to New York in your opinion?
Cheapest is the bus - this is a popular company as is this one. Flying is probably the fastest, but not by that much. The most comfortable (in my opinion because you avoid getting stuck in traffic and don't have to deal with airport stress) is probably the train. I'm not sure how the prices compare between the two.
The bus is an especially good option considering the number of people. Both companies pick up and drop off in downtown areas.
This "reverse trip" is almost identical to what we are trying to plan. If we'd like only 1 night on the road from the Falls (Canadian side) to Boston, what would the ideal stop be? Would if be worthwhile to plan for a stop at the last "finger"?Quote:
Originally Posted by AZBuck
And: we plan on spending 4-5 days at and around Boston. We have 2 kids, both pre-kindergarten ages. Which attractions would be ideal? Our plan was to hit the malls (Wrentham) for a day - most likely the last day, a beach for a day (Wingaersheek? Cape Ann?), and museums / attractions for the rest (am thinking New England Aquarium, Harvard Museum of Natural History, Children's Museum, Museum of Science),
Suggestion for places to stay at / around Boston would be appreciated -- should we try to splurge on a downtown Boston hotel, or stay outside and take the T/drive in? The kids are the main concern -- taking the T or getting stuck in traffic may not be the most pleasant. But neither is paying $300+ a night! Which would be the lesser of the two "evils"?
thanks!
Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!
Note that the trip you're going to do the 'reverse' of actually had a major option involved, and you're going to have to decide on that before we can recommend an overnight stopping point. The more direct route, but still on 'back' roads which you have time to enjoy rather than the toll I-90 would be US-20 parallel to the Erie Canal in New York, and MA-2, the Mohawk Trail through Massachusetts. The alternative in New York would be to go south early, by way of Letchworth State Park and then across the southern tips of the Finger Lakes through Watkins Glen another great state park), Ithaca (Cornell and Taughannock Falls), to NY-23 to pick up I-88 into the Albany area. If you go over the northern ends of the lakes, then halfway would be around Herkimer,if you took the southern route around the lake, then you'd be looking at somewhere in the vicinity of Oneonta.
Boston can be very expensive to stay in and is a real pain to drive around if you are unfamiliar with it. On the other hand it is very compact once you're in town. So. I'd recommend staying outside downtown where you can find affordable lodgings and then take a cab or the T into the city, hitting a set of sites that are within easy walking distance of each other before returning 'home' in the evening.
As for keeping two very young children amused in Boston, take a look at the Swan Boats in the Public Gardens, the 'duck' tours, maybe a harbor cruise, as well as the sites you listed. Outside of town of course there's the Cape Cod National Seashore. Cape Ann is lovely, but there's not mush there to appeal to toddlers, although there is a house made entirely (furniture included) of paper and that Cape is a whole lot less crowded than Cape Cod and (in my opinion) every bit as scenic.
AZBuck