Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with newengland

Amphibian Identification Query

ktoad — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 20:38:19 -0800

Can anyone identify this little tan frog I found at my grandparents' house in New Hampshire? It was approximately 1"-2" long. Many thanks!

Given that it's a multi-gazillion dollar industry, you'd think some folks would have developed helpful websites along the way...

jasbet07 — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 13:39:12 -0800

Can any of you help us find unique, casual, interesting wedding venues in Maine, NH, VT, Mass, CT or NY? My partner and I have spent a great deal of time wading through various sites which claim to be the best way to find unique, casual, interesting wedding venues and so far it's been a bit like finding a needle in a haystack. For example, many recommend Indie Bride's chat but I cannot for the life of me figure out a helpful way to search that freaking site to find anything helpful.

We would love it if a site like this existed for the region I mentioned, but I have yet to locate it.

If not sites, then do you happen to know of cool locations? We'd love to hear about the off-the-beaten path places where you or those you know have had your receptions and/or maybe how you went about finding them without having to quit your day jobs.

What we're after:

someplace not too far from a (more or less major) airport (2 or so hours)
gay friendly

we've been considering unique spaces like:
barns/farms
wineries/breweries
lodges/camps
museums
private homes that people might rent for events

We'd like it to be comfortable and FUN - things we've thought about that might make that happen:
an outdoor fire pit
a clam or lobster bake or bbq
definitely much room for dancing
a place that doesn't shut us down at 11pm
maybe a place that would make a Friday-Sunday event possible with things to do nearby, etc.

We are, for the moment, ruling out NYC where we live - but if we wnd up having it here, I think I've discovered most of the interesting locations.

How to get from Newport, RI to JFK without driving?

jeb — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 20:11:48 -0800

Is there any practical way for an individual to get from Newport, Rhode Island to JFK airport for an 11:30am flight on Monday, September 2nd, 2008 without driving? Something like LimoLiner or a bus or something?

NYC -> BOS: Coastal Route?

AwkwardPause — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 17:47:49 -0800

NYC -> BOS via coastal route: where to stop on the way? I'll be driving from NYC to Boston this Saturday, and will have time to do some stops along the way. The plan, as of now, is to gun it to New Haven, and then try to take the coastal route to Boston (probably Rte 1 to 138 to 24) -- where are some good, quirky, or beautiful places to stop on the way? We're into seafood (doesn't need to be fancy) and greasy spoons, but non-food suggestions are welcome, too.

Where in Vermont should we go camping?

Andrea2880 — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:34:42 -0800

Where in New England should we go camping? We have a pop-up camper and are looking for decent hiking trails and maybe some area attractions. An alpine slide would be a big plus! I have a few Vermont ideas, (Killington, Gifford Woods, Bromley Mountain) and would like some feedback or new ideas. We are planning a three day midweek camping trip July 28th-31st and have been looking in Vermont.

We would like
-Drive in campsite
-Secluded area (woodsy prefered, not open fields with parking spaces!)
-Hiking trails (we're semi-experienced but up for a challenge)
-Water&Electric Hook ups - although it seems that most state parks only have water or no hook ups at all. Is this a good reason to go to a campground instead, or is a state park a better choice? (cheaper? more secluded?)
-Some area attractions. I have seen a few alpine slides, something I'd love to get to do, and also a couple places have gondolas and rent mountain bikes for a ride down the mountain.

Right now my idea is going to Killington Mountain and camping at Gifford Woods State Park.
I have also looked at White River Valley Campground. It's 15 miles from Killington, but would be nice to have hook ups. Is it worth it? Or is it better to stay in the state park, skip the hook ups and be more in the woods and have more trails to hike?
We have checked out Bromley Mountain also, but don't know where to camp around there.

Any suggestions, or any other areas that I haven't found yet?
I'm open to Central and Southern Vermont, and also Western Mass or New Hampshire.

The water feels better without that damn sweater!

not_on_display — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 15:55:30 -0800

It's so hot... so, so hot. So I'm looking for the best places in New England (specifically Boston-and-environs and Central Vermont) to go night-swimming and/or skinny-dipping. Natural bodies of water--rivers, ponds, lakes, ocean--preferred.

Please don't answer with places where trespassing would be involved. (I've had one close call, which is one too many; I don't need a record, thank you!) That means no parks or public places that "close" after a certain hour.

Gold star for GoogleMaps links or directions on where to park or walk.

Feel free to answer via MeFiMail if you feel that listing in a public place like this would compromise the sanctity of your favorite secret swimming-hole.

Take [Us] Back to Old New Brunswick

Pollomacho — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 05:47:09 -0800

Road Trip Filter: Help us plot our road trip to Canada! Difficulty: active toddler. Once again my wife and I head into the wilds of New Brunswick (Canada, not New Jersey). Normally, we’d fly or breeze on up, but this is our first trip back to her family farm since the birth of our wiggly and “busy” daughter. Ideally, we’ll take two days of driving from DC to near St. John. Please hive mind, help us plot a trip that involves minimal driving and traffic snarls but maximum beauty, interest, and spots to stop, change diapers, pump her full of food and allow her to run and scream for a bit. Bonus points for a great place to stop for the night where we’d all have a great time or any ideas for making a two day road trip with an active pre-terrible-two more pleasant! Thanks in advance!

Extra bonus: Daddy loves lobster rolls.

Honeymoon Roadtrip Advice!

HBWonderful — Thu, 15 May 2008 02:22:48 -0800

In order to avoid involvement in the general wedding preparations, I selflessly offered to book our entire honeymoon as a surprise. The plan is to spend 3 weeks in August touring the North-Eastern states. So far, however, I have only managed to book flights from England to New York and back. I now have 2 flights, 3 weeks apart, and a big void between them. After exhaustive research on this site, tripadvisor and others, I am just exhausted. I'm not much closer to finalizing plans, let alone getting anything booked. Perhaps you could help? This is the long-list of places I am considering visiting. Despite several visits to the US I haven't been to any of these previously. I don't suppose I can fit them all in in just 3 weeks though:

NYC
Boston
The White Mountains
The Green Mountains
Cape Cod
Rhode Island
Bar Harbor
Portland, ME
Stowe
Lake George or similar in the Adirondacks
Martha's Vineyard

As a rough driving guide I was thinking of heading up the Hudson into the Adirondacks, then across VT into Maine to Bar Harbor, then back down Route 1 along the coast towards Boston, then off to Cape Cod area, RI, CT and back to NYC.

Our likes:
Easy (for me) to moderate hiking and biking
Great scenery; lakes, mountains, forests, cityscapes etc.
Good food of all varieties, from world-class restaurants to Lobster rolls from roadside shacks.
Shopping, outlet malls etc.
Sunbathing, picnics and lazy adventures
Blagging our way into upmarket parties at yacht clubs, private resorts and the like.

Some problems:

How much of this can I realistically fit into 3 weeks? I don't want to be on the road every other day
If you were going to do this route, what would you cut out? What would be a must-see?
Am I too late to book some of these places in August?
I am hiring a car. We are staring in NYC for the first few days. I have no problem with driving in cities (even on the wrong side of the road) but will I need one in NYC?

Summer Rentals in New England/New York?

Biblio — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 22:07:23 -0800

We've decided to take a vacation this summer with another family. We've been looking at Lake George and the Acadia area, but it's hard to find something for 10 people. Does anyone have recommendation for a vacation spot that isn't as popular, maybe a "best kept secret" kind of place? We're looking for a place on the water (coastal or inland), with places to hike, maybe a funky little town nearby. We're in Central Mass and willing to travel 6 hours in any direction.

Where can I find a commercial for Dean's Home Furniture with the "I doubt it!" line?

laminarial — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 08:15:07 -0800

[Boston Filter] Where can I find a commercial for Dean's Home Furniture? The one with the (in)famous "I doubt it!" line. I lived in Boston for a while, and the Dean's Home Furniture commercials were ubiquitous. They are so annoying, but are amazingly memetic. Every time I hear someone say "I doubt it" I have to say "I daaudit!", but no one where I live now has any idea what I am talking about. More on Dean's commercials previously, but basicially, MasonDixon sums it up in that thread: "For those unfamiliar, "I doubt it" was delivered in an outrageous Boston accent by the completely wooden Dean in public access quality commercials." I have searched youtube, google, google video etc. and I can find the 1993 commercial, but this is pre-"I doubt it!" HELP!

Mt. Washington travel advice

TedW — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 15:51:25 -0800

Mt. Washington, NH, lodging: We are planning a family trip to the NE this fall, and one potential stop (at my request) is Mt. Washington, New Hampshire. A cursory search makes it appear that the upscale Bretton Woods resort is the only lodging in the immediate vicinity. While we are not averse to staying there, are there other, cheaper options in the area? We are veteran travelers who are equally comfortable in budget dives and overpriced resorts, so we are less concerned with amenities than having a convenient place to stay while we take a day trip to Mt. Washington while enroute between Niagara falls and Nova Scotia. we are also happy to hear any suggestion for other neat, quirky, and not well-known things in that part of the country; for example, we have gone out of our way to see the Belted Galloways in Rockport and the Owls Head Transportation Museum. As always, thanks in advance for your help.

Help me, Obi Lawn; you're my only hope

theredpen — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 08:26:44 -0800

How do I convert all-crabgrass and sand to grass, on a low budget? I live in central New England. Our back yard was filled in by the previous owner (post-septic installation) with cruddy, sandy soil. Or really, just sand. After years of neglect by me, it is now a lovely crabgrass haven. It's almost all crabgrass, plus a few assorted weeds. I've thought about just leaving it, but this year I'd like to put a little work into it and not end up with nicer crabgrass. I particularly hate the few bare patches. I don't have very much money to spend on it -- can't resod or cover with all new topsoil or hire landscapers, unfortunately. I know it will cost a little to buy the seed at a minimum, and perhaps some soil to improve what's there. It's a relatively small yard -- this part is perhaps 1/4 to 1/3 acre.

The yard is mostly sunny, with about 1/3 in shade toward the back that is less sandy, mostly moss-covered. I'm willing to ignore this part for now. I have one sprinkler but could get another. I'd like to avoid heavy chemical treatments if possible, but would resort to them if that's all that can be done.

So my questions are:

-- What's the cheapest best way to fix this? That is, should I kill the crabgrass with something like corn gluten meal (which will leave me with an even more horrendous and naked back yard) and then seed, or should I just lay down grass seed and rake and water? Or should I invest heavily in martinis and pretend that the crabgrass is regular grass like that of our neighbors? Or what would you do?

-- What kind of grass seed do you recommend? Ideally, there's something that grows in sandy soil and will eventually shade out the crabgrass, yet doesn't hurt my feet or eyes.

British Fish and Chip Shops around Boston area / New England?

fx3000 — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 05:56:41 -0800

British Fish and Chip Shops around Boston area / New England? Are there any authentic British style Fish and Chip Shops (Fish/Chips/Sauasges) like "Chip Shop" and "A Salt and Battery" in New York, in Boston or anywhere around New England?

( http://www.chipshopnyc.com , http://www.asaltandbattery.com )

Can you help us find a cabin next July in VT or NH?

sacre_bleu — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 07:51:51 -0800

Can you recommend a summer cabin in VT or NH for next July that could accomodate four adults and their five kids? We're two families, totaling four adults and five kids, including one toddler. We'd like to find something Montpelier-ish or south in VT, or within an hour of Concord in NH. But we'd go for something elsewhere in those states if it's a lovely situation. (We've enjoyed Burlington before, from a motel room.)

We'd like to keep the kids busy, so a swimmable lake or stream would be a plus, or other things that would interest kids 3-10.

Thanks for your suggestions.

New England road trip! Your insider tips needed.

timnyc — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 10:32:15 -0800

New England road trip! Your insider advice on local color, tasty food & drink, picturesque roads, historic spots and natural wonders -- anything we'd be silly to miss. Itinerary inside. We'll be there the 1st week of October. The plan's to spend time in, around and between Portsmouth, NH, Durham/Freeport, ME, Bristol/Burlington, VT, and Conway/North Adams, MA. We're already planning on stopping at the Portsmouth Brewery, doing a hike on the VT Long Trail, looking for a couple covered bridges and hitting the MassMoCA.

New England cabin

beccaj — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 09:15:51 -0800

Waterfront cabin in New England that is private but not expensive? I am expecting a baby in a couple of months and am interested in renting a cabin for next August. I figure we wont travel too far for a year or two and was thinking renting a cabin for a couple weeks before I have to go back to work fulll time might be a good option.
I was hoping for something with a little spot with a private beach so I can wade in with the baby.
Rustic is fine but with all the amenities I don't normally require- running water, fridge, and stove.
I am hoping for something within 2 or 3 hours of worcester, ma.
And- well I'd like to bring my dog too.

Someone suggested Sunset lodge in Maine which didnt look too off from what I was looking for-- but hoping for some other options to compare it to.

The more private feeling the better and no boat action needed-- pond or lake where no motor boats are allowed would be ideal.

Glassblowing studio to visit in New England.

sleevener — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 10:42:54 -0800

Please recommend a good glassblowing studio to visit during daytime hours in Massachusetts or New England, near Boston. We're hoping to take a daytrip to a glassblowing studio near Boston, and we found out the place we used to like to visit, North River Glass in Shelburne Falls, closed down. Western Mass is fine, but we don't want to be in the car for more than about two hours. We want to go sometime on the weekend. We don't want to feel pressured to buy anything. Bonus points for first-hand experience & good stories. Thanks.

How bad can an insect bite be?

godawful — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 13:06:23 -0800

I was thinking of hiking in New England for three weeks this May. Was that is, until everyone started pitching in with scare stories of blackflies and other insects. Am I going to die? I have three weeks to play with in May. My plan was to try some of the Appalachian trail through Massachusetts and Vermont, maybe taking in some of the Long Trail in Vermont.

Only now I'm encountering stories about plagues of insects. How bad will it be? Even if they're everywhere, are their attacks really that bad?

Can one make this a mere inconvenience with suitable precautions?

Thanks everyone!

Road Trip!

backseatpilot — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 07:50:33 -0800

[VacationFilter] I want to go on a whistlestop tour of the US Northeast. I moved to Boston about 8 months ago, and when I arrived here I promised myself a vacation to really familiarize myself with the area. Now that I have the money and vacation time stored up, I realize that I know a lot less about the area than I thought I did, and don't really know where any of the "holiday" spots are.

The plan thus far:
Drive up to Bar Harbor, take the Cat ferry to Nova Scotia. Spend a day or two in that area, and then make my way back to Boston by stopping every day at a different city/location and spending a night.

So... where do I stop? I've got about nine days for the whole trip. I'd ideally like to drive no more than 2 hours a day, stop at a city, wander around, get to my hotel (bed and breakfast?), repeat the next day. My goal really is to take in the local flavor, eat some good food, and take lots of pictures.

Where to go late season foliage hunting?

GreenTentacle — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 11:16:17 -0800

Where is the best place to take in the late-season fall foliage, in the tristate area ? I took a peak at the foliage maps and suggestions from the previous AskMes with the foliage tag, but none seemed to really cover this late in the season. I know a lot of the maps show most of the NorthEast US to be "past peak", and I've missed the best colors, but maybe there are some holdouts.

I'd be leaving from exit 10 on the NJ Turnpike, and can drive for a good radius, lets say 2-3 hours. Pennsylvania, New York State, Jersey, Long Island, and Connecticut are all game. The city is probably out since I'm here everyday, I want to travel outside my usual range as a weekend daytrip.

Bonus points if you live where you are suggesting I go, and tell me first-hand how good/bad the foliage is right now.

Thanks !

Tenting Tonight on the Old Campground....

Miko — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 09:29:58 -0800

Can you recommend a camping spot in Northern New England that meets several criteria? OK. For a special camping trip, I seek the following in a campground:

Fairly secluded
Pretty in fall
Next to (or just a very short walk from) a body of water; ocean preferred, but river or lake OK too)
Open on Columbus Day weekend
Allows open fires
Within two hours' drive of Portsmouth, NH.

My backup plan is Hermit Island, but I'd love to find something closer that I don't know about yet. Perhaps a tall order, but if anyone has answers, AskMe does!

Find me the hidden swimming holes of New England

justkevin — Mon, 21 Aug 2006 07:45:17 -0800

Looking for your favorite fresh water swimming holes within 50 miles of Boston. I cycle in the Greater Boston/Easter Mass. area and am looking for swimming holes (quarry, lake, pond, river) that could easily be incorporated into a bike ride. According to Google Earth, Massachusetts is infested with inland bodies of water, but apart from the ones listed on swimmingholes.org, I can't tell which ones are suitable for swimming.

The ideal swimming hole would be:

Within 50 miles of Boston

Scenic

Fresh water

Warm (for New England anyway)

Uncrowded

Near or accessible from a good bike route

Walden Pond is a good example of what I'm looking for, except for the uncrowded part. If you have hidden favorite that doesn't match all the criteria, feel free to mention it.

It doesn't have to be official (in fact unofficial might be preferable) but not somewhere a prohibition is actively enforced.

Where should I camp in New England?

TurkishGolds — Mon, 17 Jul 2006 08:57:57 -0800

I live in Western Massachusetts and I'd like to go camping for a few days in the middle of the week in the beginning of August, perhaps somewhere in Maine. Requirements include proximity to the beach, scenic biking, and ... I'm going to be traveling by myself. I'd love to be somewhere somewhat secluded, but I'm definitely a car camper. I'd love to be somewhere where I can bike along the oceanfront, have a campfire, and then go out at night to enjoy a restaurant and some bars.

I'm thinking that my best bet might be somewhere along the Maine coast. Looking at previous AskMe threads, I'm sure that Acadia National Park is going to come up over and over again. Considering that it's an 8 hour drive for me, I'm wondering if I could get myself somewhere else that could offer the kind of nightlife, fun, and relaxation that I'm looking for. I'm not opposed to going North into Vermont or Canada if there's a large enough lake that could satisfy my need to be near water and a town that can feed me and provide some social opportunity. However, I'm not interested in Burlington.

If Acadia really is my spot, then do you have any specific advice about where I should camp and imbibe? Idealy I'd like my tent to be an easy bike ride from the center of town. Also, looking at google maps I find it hard to believe that this is the best route. Can someone suggest something quicker?

(Bonus Question: if I keep my food in my car is it safe from bears?)

"She's a New Yorker, you know. Thinks New Englanders are a species of elves."

zadermatermorts — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 10:56:08 -0800

I'm going hiking on Cape Cod (around Wellfleet) and am looking for cool places to visit en route to/from Boston. Points for weirdness and local flavor. We'll probably have soaked up all the nature we can, so I'm looking for more culture-oriented destinations. We're interested in everything and we like things gritty more than fancy. My guest is visiting New England for the first time, and it would be cool to find some local/backwater/whatever places that give off a those-wacky-new-englanders! vibe. I've been to the area a few times, but my main memories are of kitschy town centers full of similar-looking candy and tchotchke purveyors. I do like that stuff, but I'm hoping someone will know about some spots that are special.

In particular, I seek a good place where an omnivore looking to experience the local cuisine (i.e., seafood) and his vegetarian host can both feed happily.

Help me get lost in new england

blindcarboncopy — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 12:18:39 -0800

I will be visiting Boston and than (somewhat) extended New England for a couple of weeks. I want to see the city, and I want to see some nature. Help me with some suggestions for my trip! Next week, I will be in Boston, attending a conference for work. I will be busy with that through early afternoon every day, with the rest of the day to myself to explore. I am a big fan of wandering through unfamiliar cities with not much of a plan so I think I can handle this part fine, but all suggestions for interesting, weird, quirky and perhaps temporal things to try to see are highly welcome. So far, the only must-visit destination I have in mind is the MIT museum. I know that there is a ton of US history sights in Boston, but that's not really my cup of tea.

After Friday next week, I have until next Wednesday all to myself (vacation time). I am going to spend at least one daty of it visiting a frined in Southern New Hampshire. After that, I was thinking of renting a car and going on a small roadtrip to see some of the countryside and wilderness around East coast, go on a day hike or two, maybe rent a bike for a half day for a scenic ride. A cursory look at the map revelaed the acadia national park to be too far of a drive from Boston to be any fun by myself. I was thinking of heading either to White Mountains or Cape Cod. I really don't want to do the tourist driver thing (arrive to viewpoint, take a photo, get in the car and drive off) - I would much rather be on my feet. I will be packing my hiking boots. People of East coast, what do you suggest for me?

Thanks!