It sounds a marvelous holiday, specially with healthy parents in that age group. May it be a everlasting memory, enjoy every moment and give them a dear hug. Wish I could see those falls!

Yes. While in Plymouth, try to get out on a whale watch ! you will love it. You can get the boat right there near Plymouth Rock. I'd skip VT and go to Cape Cod, take the fast ferry out to Nantucket Island ans walk around, or take the bus around the island for as little as $1.50 pp.
Cape Cod is beautiful, and if you do take a whale watch, you can look over to the entire "back side" of the Cape from Provincetown all along the shore if it is a nice clear day. I think it is Bill's Whale Watch servie we've taken many times. Bring a camera !

Edit: Are you going 4th of July? .... ut oh .... you will be in mega traffic all along the shoreline of the northeast coast at that time. If you can go after the 4th, you will like it a lot better.

I see that you already have Niagara Falls on your list. I would suggest the Frank Lloyd Wright house in Buffalo. Buffalo has some of the best historic architecture in the state. Ellicott Square Building, Guarantee Buildng, St Paul's and St Joseph's and Our Lady of Victory Basilicas. The Kodak Mesuem in Rochester and Abbey of the Genesee just south of Rochester, Thousand Islands and the Castle, St Laurence Seaway Locks. Guess you can tell that i think that New York State has a lot to offer tourists. Have a safe trip.

Come to Bar Harbor, ME. Acadia National Park is here and it is gorgeous! Pink granite mtns., blue lakes, green pines. So much to see and do! Best LOBSTAH! Your Mom can go on Ollie's Trolley to tour the island, see a lot and not be tired. You all can go on a Whale watching cruise and/or a cruise on an old Schooner. There are two great quilt shops here plus a huge Marden's with a very large fabric dept., also a Super Walmart which may have fabric by that time. The Mardens and Walmart are on your way in to Mt. Desert Island.
The town and other villages on the island have some very nice shops and places to eat.
There are many bed & breakfasts here as well as hotels, campgrounds. Make reservations in advance. Google.
If you do decide you are going to be here, PM me! I will give you my phone number.
YOU WILL NEVER BE SORRY YOU CAME TO BAR HARBOR, ACADIA NATIONAL PARK, MDI IN GENERAL!

You have got to do the Maid of the Mist and Cave of the Winds Tour at Niagara Falls. Cave of the Winds Tour is the best - you are up close and personal to the Bridal Falls...the mist is all over you. I loved it. Also, I am just outside of Washington DC. The Smithsonian Musems are the best and they are free. The Spy Museum is great also but there is a charge. Check with your Congressional Rep and see if you can get tickets for a White House Tour - free. All of the great sites in DC are free - The Capital Tour, The Washington Monument, Vietnam Memorial, Arlington Cemetary (burial place of the Kennedys). Washngton DC is a great place and so much to see. Enjoy your vacation.

Before you get to Washington DC, do make a detour through the Lancaster area, fabric here is cheap, cheap, cheap for the best, best fabric out there. There is also a quilt museum in Bird in Hand.

If you are into US history, when you come out of PA stop in Gettysburg. Purchase the car tour CD at the gift shop and you can drive through the park, stopping, or not, at all the sights. We have gone with the kids and stopped so they could climb on things and then gone as far as they could pay attention.

When in DC try to hit the Supreme Court and the Library of Congress and take their tours. They are right next to each other and across the street from the Capital. Amazing architecture!

Check out the www.Kennedy-center.org for tickets. *I think* Wicked is playing around the time you are here :-D

Have a fantastic time. It sounds amazing!

If you can, go over to the Canadian side at Niagara Falls. The entire side along the river road and around the Falls is a provincial park and is the site of the Ontario Gardening College so the students have lots of area to practice on. The rose garden is beautiful and in the spring thousands of daffodils and tulips are on display. There is a tunnel that takes you under the Falls and opens up to the water flow. You can easily spend a day there, either spending a little or a small fortune. I grew up close to there and spent many Sunday afternoons in the park. Don't forget your passport if you plan to cross.

My DH and I visited Plymouth Mass last summer and I agree it is a great place to see.

Also, if Rick Steves has a guide book for that part of the country, I recommend it. We are planning a trip to the UK using his very helpful advice. He has all kinds of info I didn't expect - like how long the bus/train rides are, where the laundromats are (cuz he recommends only 5 outfits per person - saying [in effect] to pack light and wash often) as well as info on "out-of-the-way" tourist attractions.

Enjoy!

Oh, Carolaug, you just made me so homesick watching the slideshow of the White Mountains. That is where I was born and raised. In fact, the picture of the Swift River Bridge is less than a minute from my house up there.
You are right about the drive through the White Mountains. Truly awesome. Mount Washington is a must see.

I believe you will need a passport ID to get in the White House, no?

Besides Keepsake Quilting there is Quilted Threads in Henniker, NH and The Bunkhouse Quilt Shop in Lyndeborough, NH. Both worth the trip.

No, you need to give your SS# when you get tickets through your congressional rep or senator.

Plymouth Village, I think that is the name of it, is well worth the visit in Mass. Best lobster I have had was at Newport Tennis Club in Newport R I. They play croquet at the "tennis club". The tour of the mansions in Newport is nice too. If you doit be sure to take one that has the Vanderbuilt "summer cottage" in it. Jackie O's is the least impressive. I have never been to Boston but I am sure there is plenty to see there. I grew up in D C so can suggest any place is good to see. I would take a bus tour of any of the cities as it is less hassle and you do not have to worry about getting lost, finding a parking place etc. And the guides on the buses are full of info. Also you might consider taking a walker that has a seat for your mother. I always take mine when I know I will do a lot of walking. Have a fun and safe trip. Take care.
Linda

[quote=PABerard]If you are into US history, when you come out of PA stop in Gettysburg. Purchase the car tour CD at the gift shop and you can drive through the park, stopping, or not, at all the sights. We have gone with the kids and stopped so they could climb on things and then gone as far as they could pay attention.


I forgot about Gettysburg and I live 5 min from battlefields LOL. There is so much to see in the northeast, you need a couple months LOL. I met a lady on a trip to Yosemite Nat'l Park who was on a tour from Endland to see the USA in 2 weeks. My friend and I sat there openmouthed as she told her itinerary. Whenever I travel I always take a bustrip of the city and then go back next day to places I misght want to see closer. Take care.
Linda

What a beautiful place.I hope I can get there one day

If you get a chance, drive out on Cape Cod, randomly pick a few small towns to peruse and just relax and enjoy....you can't go wrong with your choices.

This has been one of the most interesting threads...I live in driving distance of all...many of these places I have been to but some I have never heard of...but will have to go see!!!

Here is one of my favorite places to go...not alot of people know about this place and its a walk to get to the ocean. Once there, many large flat rocks to sit on....no swimming, We love to go and read a book and my husband and grown boys fish off the rocks. http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/northeast/halb.htm
while reading on the rocks you will see many sail boats and fishing boats go by....so pretty and relaxing. We drive 1 1/2 hours to get there and spend the day...we love it..not like the beach with 1000 people in bathing suits just laying around. I just do not see that fun in that.

If your Dad wants to hear the Pops on the Esplanade, you really need to get there early. It gets jammed, but, what a fantastic show

The request has to go through our Congressman's office. SS# but no request for passport. We'll have those along though so we can go to the Canadian side of Niagara Falls.

We found a website about it. We have to go early in the morning to get a wristband to gain entrance to the Half Shell that evening to hear the Pops. We want to check to see if DD and I can get wristbands for M&D or if they have to go early also. This one is pretty much a "gotta do" on the list since it's a request by Dad.

White House tour is request by DD, so working on that one also!

There's a great lobster place in Ogunquit, ME called the Lobster Pound and a wonderful seaside cliff walk called the Marginal Way. Plymouth harbor has the Mayflower II and Plimoth Plantation nearby is great too but it is built on a hill so the older folks may have a problem walking down to see the village and back up the hill to leave.
If you have time Cape Cod is nice to see also. To see things like the National Seashore Park and Provincetown however it is a lengthly ride. About 45 min from the Cape Cod Canal to the Seashore Park visitors center and another 1/2 hour to P-town.
Wherever you decide to visit, have a great trip and welcome to New England. :)

Oh, I meant to add - if you really want to see the Pops on 7/4 you need to get there veeerrry early. They don't let people go there as early as they used to do but people go and sit as early as possible until the show starts about 8 pm. (that's why I've never gone-years ago people camped out all night).

Be sure to bring along lots of water for them to drink. and I think many people bring a small tent to get awy from the sun.

You are right...the walkway is so pretty also I have taken the lobster boat ride. The price was great and the scenery incredible...the shores are all cliffs and so pretty.

If you are going to southern maine, the most beautiful place I have ever been to is Arcadia Nat'l Park. I would go back in a second if I could

Did anybody mention Franconia Notch? Even though the "Old Man of the Mountain "fell off of his!", there is still "Echo Lake" and the incredibly beautiful "Flume" and "Lost River" and you are still about 100% guarenteed to see wild Moose up that highway north of Berlin NH, and also up that way and over east into Maine is "Screw Auger Falls" which is a huge naturally watercarved corkscrew in the stone..., and is one of the best kept secrets up in that country! along with some magnificent lakes and hotels!

I haven't read all of the suggestions, but we loved Concord-Thoueau's cabin contents, the Alcott family home, old cemetary with the 4 foot slate headstones ( Shady Hollow?) Do check on dates as we were not able to go to Emerson's house because many of the museums,etc. were closed on Monday.Enjoy!

depending on what day your going to be at Keepsake Quilting, the others can board the M/S Mount Washington for a tour of the Lake. http://www.cruisenh.com/

bush compound in kennibunk maine it is breathtaking close to oqonquit great places to eat i just moved to ohio from boston and also if you want the best seafood ipswitch mass
the clam box i have meet people from as far away as ireland hawaii new zealand little hole in the wall seats about 60 privately owned and most of the time a very long wait very good luck and be safe

Great lobster in Noank, CT at Abbott's Lobster in the Rough. There are also the casinos in Uncasville, CT-Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun. Don't forget Baltimore's Inner Harbor and Ft. McHenry in MD. For the BEST crabcakes in MD go to the Timbuktu Restaurant in Hanover. It's just a hop, skip and a jump from the Inner Harbor. Enjoy your trip!

mystic seaport in ct is great providence is also a great city to see they have waterfire at night which is awesome. there are fires on the water with concerts and dancing it is so cool. mystic seaport is a reenactent of an old seaport with wood carving, singing, boat rides it is cool.

oh and in boston fennial hall is super for people watching. its a big market place with people doing all kinds of things for money lots to do and see and great food....

Yes!!! Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market. We used to make this a day trip destination and graze our way down the aisles. Mmmmm... frozen blueberry yogurt on a stick.

this may become an ordeal to accomplish this request. But we'll have to try. Going to try to find a decent hotel not too far away. Then travel by subway or taxi as close as we can get. Also thought of driving to the handicapped parking area and using the shuttle. This will definitely be a practice in patience just to get there in the morning! Sitting around all day and getting back will be the easy part!

Everyone is bringing up so many great ideas. We will only be able to fit a few in this short trip. I'm going to print this all off and put it in a file for my retirement trips! My husband wants to take a very long road trip.

Booklady, The Pops trek may be a real difficult and long day but it's possible that it may be the experience of a lifetime. I know I get chills watching it on TV. What would it be like to be there in person. If that is your Dad's request you might want to make that your top priority and forgo the other stuff to save your energy for the big one.

My thoughts too. My mom could probably get a Handicapped placard (due to trouble walking) from her Dr. (if she'll do that). We could park at the Mass Eye & Ear lot, then take a shuttle. The sitting all day waiting part won't be bad. Dad and DD will walk around and sight see. I know it will be long and really need the patience level to be high. Hopefully worth the time and trouble. They are both (M&D) big music lovers. They still play (Dad directs) in a community band.

Canada Day is July 1 and they have a ton of fireworks over Niagara Falls. Of course the US side probably has them on the 4th too.

Stop at the Cathedral of the Pines in New Hampshire. Beautiful place.