Road Trip break

June 26, 2024 1:41 PM

I have to drive from Boston to Port Jervis, PA on a Tuesday. I'd like to break up the trip with something fun--a museum? A cute town? anything? My research is showing that nothing interesting is open on Tuesdays. This thing is ideally not TOO far from 84. Help?
posted by papergirl to Travel & Transportation around United States (10 answers total)

Connecticut Science Center in Hartford?
Pizza lunch in New Haven?
posted by box at 1:49 PM on June 26

if you do go to New Haven, Beinecke is open
posted by HearHere at 2:08 PM on June 26

in Hartford the Mark Twain museum is open
posted by HearHere at 2:16 PM on June 26 [3 favorites]

Old Sturbridge Village!
posted by Melismata at 2:34 PM on June 26

Your midpoint is Hartford, which is unfortunately not really full of exciting things. The Mark Twain museum is great, as is the Atheneum. I do also like Sturbridge, but it takes quite a bit of time to see it properly.
posted by anastasiav at 2:45 PM on June 26

Best answer: (Just FYI, Port Jervis is in New York, not PA. It's across the Delaware from Matamoras, PA though. Milford, PA is also just a few minutes nearby, and if you check my comment history, you'll see that I suggested Milford as a weekend getaway in another AskMe, so be sure you get out there!)

I have two places I'd recommend you stop along your trip. Both are very close to 84:

1. Beacon, NY.
This is a very sweet, artsy town on the Hudson River. Lots of places to eat, a few excellent sights, including museums, but the town itself is really charming.

2. Winding Hills County Park in Montgomery, NY.
It's a gorgeous park with tons of water. I've spent many sunny afternoons on one of the lakes, in a rented paddle boat or canoe.
posted by yellowcandy at 3:26 PM on June 26 [2 favorites]

I don’t know if a really good lunch would count as “something fun” — but any really long drive on I84 that should be broken up somewhere in the middle of Connecticut should definitely incorporate a meal at Rein’s Deli, mere feet from I84’s exit 65 in Vernon CT. This is the best Jewish deli I’ve been to outside of New York, bar none. It’s been ages since I’ve been there so I don’t have any particular recommendations, but the Yelp reviews continue to be really strong.
posted by sesquipedalia at 3:29 PM on June 26 [2 favorites]

I've driven the Connecticut portion many times, and I don't have any super good suggestions. I will say that there are a ton of shoppng options, including restaurants and malls, off 84 in West Hartford.

There is a map of CT state parks here. There are several fairly near rt 84 between Waterbury and Danbury. You want the yellow dots, not the green squares. I've not been to any of them, so I can't advise but probably most any one would be a place for pause in your travel.
posted by SemiSalt at 4:42 AM on June 27

Doogies and/or the Merritt Canteen
posted by whuppy at 6:23 AM on June 27

Best answer: If you don't mind adding a bit of time to your driving:

• 15 minutes of extra driving (via I-95) will get you to Essex, CT, which has a cute downtown and an interesting museum about the history of the Connecticut River.
• 30 minutes of extra driving (again mostly via I-95, plus some smaller roads) will get you to Gillette Castle State Park, which is a must-see for anyone who enjoys deeply idiosyncratic architecture.

From both of these locations, it's relatively straightforward to pick up I-84 by driving up CT-9 to Middletown, getting to Meriden via small roads or I-91, and then taking I-691 over to its junction with I-84.

Finally, if you ever do this drive on a summer weekend, I highly recommend Hogpen Hill Farms near Waterbury, the sculpture garden of Edward Tufte. (Though it'd be a little pricey for only one person in a car.)
posted by Johnny Assay at 2:46 PM on June 27 [1 favorite]