Stumped for vacation ideas in new england
July 27, 2011 3:28 PM Subscribe
Seeking: romantic weekend in a charming New England town.
My husband and I are looking for a lovely New England town to visit over labor day weekend. We'd need it to be within two hours of a major airport, so Nantucket (which would otherwise be perfect) won't work. We'd like it to have at least one very nice hotel or b&b, good restaurants, walkable neighborhoods, real New England character. Bonus points for being on the water, ideally the ocean. Thoughts?
My husband and I are looking for a lovely New England town to visit over labor day weekend. We'd need it to be within two hours of a major airport, so Nantucket (which would otherwise be perfect) won't work. We'd like it to have at least one very nice hotel or b&b, good restaurants, walkable neighborhoods, real New England character. Bonus points for being on the water, ideally the ocean. Thoughts?
I'm always going on about Stonington Borough, CT. It's two hrs from Logan (that's a major enough airport, right?) Here's their tourism website. This would be your nice hotel. Lots of restaurants, almost totally walkable, very Old New England-y, you can see the ocean in three states while standing on land. Memail me if you want me to send you an article I wrote about things to do there. I have no connection to it at all, I'm just fond of it.
posted by DestinationUnknown at 3:39 PM on July 27, 2011
posted by DestinationUnknown at 3:39 PM on July 27, 2011
I love Sandwich, Massachusetts. 49 miles from Logan. :)
posted by likeso at 3:43 PM on July 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by likeso at 3:43 PM on July 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
This is not a small, quaint fishing town, but we really like to visit the Old Port in Portland. There is a cute cobblestone shopping/bar district, nice hotels, very walkable, and it is VERY New England in my opinion. As icing, my favorite fine dining restaurant in the whole US is there.
It's on the ocean and has a nice walking path all along the bay, and other cute towns are nearby (Freeport for shopping, Harpswell for postcard-worthy photos and lobster, etc). There's an airport in South Portland too.
posted by ftm at 3:46 PM on July 27, 2011
It's on the ocean and has a nice walking path all along the bay, and other cute towns are nearby (Freeport for shopping, Harpswell for postcard-worthy photos and lobster, etc). There's an airport in South Portland too.
posted by ftm at 3:46 PM on July 27, 2011
Rockport, MA, about 35 miles northeast of Boston and accessible via the commuter rail system, meets your criteria.
posted by 5Q7 at 4:38 PM on July 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by 5Q7 at 4:38 PM on July 27, 2011 [1 favorite]
I second Sandwich, MA. We go at least twice a year and stay at the wonderful Dan'l Webster Inn. It is a quaint as a bed and breakfast, but has very nice hotel-like qualities (excellent restaurant, fancy rooms, comfy beds, room service, wi-fi). Sometimes we get massages at the in-house spa, sometimes we go shopping in town, sometimes we have dinner in Hyannis (which is nearby), and sometimes we stay in the room for 48 hours and cuddle. I recommend a Jarves Suite, which has a non-cheesy-looking tub in the room, and a gas fireplace.
We also get a kick out of how everything in the town is named "Sandwich (Something)" - Sandwich Pizza, Sandwich Gas, Sandwich Liquor, Sandwich Fire & Rescue, etc. There WAS a Sandwich's Sandwiches, which is now closed.
posted by elvissa at 6:33 PM on July 27, 2011
We also get a kick out of how everything in the town is named "Sandwich (Something)" - Sandwich Pizza, Sandwich Gas, Sandwich Liquor, Sandwich Fire & Rescue, etc. There WAS a Sandwich's Sandwiches, which is now closed.
posted by elvissa at 6:33 PM on July 27, 2011
Hotels, history and restaurants in nice neck of the woods between Providence and Newport, RI (the Ocean State!)
posted by maloon at 7:27 PM on July 27, 2011
posted by maloon at 7:27 PM on July 27, 2011
Concord Ma is quite close to Logan and has a nice inn and lots of quaint history stuff. Canoe rental is just outside the main street.
posted by sammyo at 8:01 PM on July 27, 2011
posted by sammyo at 8:01 PM on July 27, 2011
I second Stonington Borough CT. I like to stay at the Steamboat Inn sometimes. It's a nice area but it will be busy for labor day. Boothbay Harbor Maine perhaps?
posted by ibakecake at 8:09 PM on July 27, 2011
posted by ibakecake at 8:09 PM on July 27, 2011
Martha's Vineyard would work, especiall if you fly into Providence, or catch the short flight there from Logan. It has everything you want and more. MeMail me and I'Ll send you a passel of links when I'm not on my phone.
posted by Miko at 10:24 PM on July 27, 2011
posted by Miko at 10:24 PM on July 27, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by timsteil at 3:37 PM on July 27, 2011