? for the Well Traveled

[Momtwo]

My DIL and I are in need of some fun and unstressful R&R. We would like to go for a week to a town or city that you can either get around in easily with public transportation or using a car rental. We don't mind driving in small towns but driving in congested cities would be too stressful for us. The town or city would have to be easily accessible from the airport. This would be in September so we are looking for someplace with nice Fall temps. I am in Phoenix and she is in Tampa so tired of the heat. We want a place, maybe in New England where it would be cool in the evenings and 60's or 70's during the daytime. We want to relax, enjoy nice dinners and possibly do some great shopping. I am sure also that there are probably other nice Northern cities or towns that would fit the bill besides New England. Neither one of us have been to many places in the US, so we would like to stay Continental US. Most of you seem to have traveled extensively! Where have you been that might fit what we are looking for? We would love to stay in an area where there are B&B's but a hotel or motel would be fine too.

Thanks!
Momtwo

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Montreal and Quebec City are wonderful and both a bit exotic. English is widely understood, if not encouraged.

 

[retire@40]

Try Bar Harbor, Maine and enjoy Acadia National Park while you are at it.  I've gone there a few times and I've enjoyed it every time.

http://www.barharborinfo.com/

 

[astromeria]

Great suggestions so far. Also...

Boston--perhaps Concord and/or Cape Cod. No car necessary if you stay within Boston/Cambridge.
San Francisco--no car needed unless you want to drive up Mt Tam or to Muir Woods.
Central CA--Santa Cruz/Monterey/Carmel, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obisbo.

Charleston, SC would fit your bill in October, but not September. You'd need a car to get to plantation gardens and the beach, but not to get around the city.

 

[Momtwo]

Montreal and Quebec City are wonderful and both a bit exotic. English is widely understood, if not encouraged.

Rich,

Do you need a passport to go to Canada? Is public transportation easy? I will have to go take a look at both of these places on the web. Thanks.

Momtwo

 

[Momtwo]

Try Bar Harbor, Maine and enjoy Acadia National Park while you are at it.  I've gone there a few times and I've enjoyed it every time.

http://www.barharborinfo.com/

This area looks wonderful! Thanks. It looks like it would be easy to drive around!

Momtwo

 

[Momtwo]

Great suggestions so far. Also...

Boston--perhaps Concord and/or Cape Cod. No car necessary if you stay within Boston/Cambridge.
San Francisco--no car needed unless you want to drive up Mt Tam or to Muir Woods.
Central CA--Santa Cruz/Monterey/Carmel, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obisbo.

Charleston, SC would fit your bill in October, but not September. You'd need a car to get to plantation gardens and the beach, but not to get around the city.

I am loving everyone's suggestions! I am off to take a look at temps in these areas too!

Momtwo

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

A bunch of great suggestions. Boston and SF fit the big city bill. Central CA for the small coastal town feel. If all y'all are food and wine types, napa/sonoma is a great fall spot.

Whichever one you pick, check back in. I've lived in or spent considerable time in all of those areas and can offer lots of touristy things to do.

 

[yakers]

Rich,

Do you need a passport to go to Canada?
Momtwo

Not from our Canadian friends, its our Homeland (in)Security that requires a passport to get back into the US.

As to other places in Canada look at Vancouver & Victoria. Maybe Calgary & Edmonton & the Rockies in the area.

In the US SF is cool in the summer, also Portlant & Seattle.

 

[mosaic]

victoria bc( my home). Beautiful this time of yr. Exellent public transpo, good exchange rate for you, amazing walks, very safe. Not trying to blow horn....

 

[eridanus]

Not from our Canadian friends, its our Homeland (in)Security that requires a passport to get back into the US.

Not until 12/31/06 (sea, air) and 12/31/07 (land) is a passport required to get back into the US. You currently need a certified birth certificate and a driver's license.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html

http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/brochures/brochures_1229.html#c

http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/regional/regional_1170.html

 

[sgeeeee]

My first two thoughts were Bar Harbor, Maine and Montreal. I see others suggested them already. They offer two very different experiences . . . depends on what you are in the mood for.

 

[Donzo]

Don't forget to consider Portland OR, Seattle WA or N.CA/SanFran.  All have alot to do and great fall weather

 

[shiny]

I'll put my plug in for Seattle as well. September can be lovely. (And has good shopping if its rainy!)

But, if you are going to New England why not push the trip off a couple of weeks and see the most awesome display of nature - the turning leaves!

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I thought of bar harbor too, but having to heah bahh hahhbahh three hundred times a day might send some people ovah the edge.

 

[donheff]

Great suggestions. This year I was in SF, Seattle and Vancouver and loved them all. I took a passport to Canada but I understand it isn't too difficulty to get back in without one if you don't mind a bit of a wait at the border.

But for September city walking you can't leave out good old New York. I go up there four of five times a year and am never bored. I usually drive up but dump the car in a garage for my stay.

 

[Scrooge]

September and May are the two months when NYC is actually nice. Be advised that a half-decent hotel in Mahnattan can be VERY expensive during these two months and you will want to book a room well in advance.

Alternatively, consider staying accross the creek in NJ. There are some good and much more affordable hotels there within walking distance of the subway/rail system.

 

[Momtwo]

Here is something from an area of the county no one has mentioned (I think) - The Door Peninsula of Wisconsin. About an hour away from the Green Bay airport and no congestion. You'd have to rent a car. My wife and I just got back last weekend. It's our favorite place in the Midwest. Sept temps are glorious. Lots of Lakeshore, Parks etc.

I am going again tomorrow for fishing. Great Resturants, shops etc. - Often called the Cape Cod of the Midwest. You could meet halfway.

Here is the link.

http://www.doorcounty.com/

Check out this link with one of the many towns and villages of Door County.

http://www.ephraim-doorcounty.com/

I am loving the Bar Harbor Sites, but this looks excellent also. We are looking to relax, shop, eat and sightsee. Cut Throat: What ariport would we fly into for this area? How far would the airport it be say from Ephraim?

Thanks.
Momtwo

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Here is something from an area of the county no one has mentioned (I think) - The Door Peninsula of Wisconsin. About an hour away from the Green Bay airport and no congestion. You'd have to rent a car. My wife and I just got back last weekend. It's our favorite place in the Midwest. Sept temps are glorious. Lots of Lakeshore, Parks etc.

Been there many times in the past. Like most places it ain't what it used to be, but I'm glad to hear it still has its charm.

Do they still have goats on the roof of Johnson's restaurant? Did you do Peninsula State Park? Lots of condos now? Pictures?

 

[Cut-Throat]

I am loving the Bar Harbor Sites, but this looks excellent also. We are looking to relax, shop, eat and sightsee. Cut Throat: What ariport would we fly into for this area? How far would the airport it be say from Ephraim?

Thanks.
Momtwo

You would fly into the Green Bay Wisconsin Airport. From Green Bay to any of the Towns and Villages is about 60 miles or about 1 hour. I'm driving there in the morning.

 

[Daneboy]

I have been going to Door County for 30 years now. It is better than ever. The resturants are a much higher quality than they used to be. Yes the goats are still on the roof and that resturant is the worst one in Door County. That is the worst tourist trap on the Penisula. I try not to even look at any more.

Yes my wife and I visted Penisula Park last week. Climbed the tower. Also took the ferry to Washington Island - That is remote. Not many folks out there.

The area is getting more built up, but is nothing as congested as New England. I think it's better now than it's ever been. I may post a few Pics this weekend.

Door is great - I have done the fish boil at the White Gull Inn - quite the do there.

If you pass Ellison Bay please give an update on what happened and what the town looks like now.

 

[Cut-Throat]

Door is great - I have done the fish boil at the White Gull Inn - quite the do there.

If you pass Ellison Bay please give an update on what happened and what the town looks like now.

I ate breakfast at Ellison Bay last Thursday. The town is fine. The old Pioneer Store is gone, and another building that was the resort is also gone. Just 2 buildings gone. - I ate at the resturant next door - The Viking Grill.

It was a Propane Explosion from the resort. The Store did not even have propane but it leaked underground in the limestone rock beneath the store. I think they are going to rebuild

 

[AltaRed]

RE: Canadian locations: September is too late for Alberta.. I would support Victoria as first choice (English/Brit flavour and somewhat quaint), followed by Quebec City for a combination European/North American flavour, followed by Halifax which would have similarities to Bar Harbor. Easy enough to drive in too.

I have not mentioned the big cities (e.g. Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver) since the OP didn't seem that keen on big urban areas, but all three have very good public transit systems (including subways and rapid transit). Don't think you would need, or want, rental cars in any of those 3.

No passports yet needed as already mentioned (birth certificate and driver's license with a photo).

All said and done... many wonderful places in America too as already mentioned (Bar Harbor, etc...) although I don't much like the big cities for R and R.

 

[haha]

RE: Canadian locations:  September is too late for Alberta..

I remember camping up in north central BC around August 15. Got up one morning and fall had arrived. I was used to that in the mountains in the US, but near sea level it was a surprise. I got in my car and headed back to Washington!

Ha

 

[haha]

Alternatively, consider staying accross the creek in NJ. There are some good and much more affordable hotels there within walking distance of the subway/rail system.

Do you know which cities have subway service? Do these systems hook up with the NY MTA? Do you by any chance have a link to their schedules, so I can get an idea of how late they run?

Thanks for any info you might have--

Ha