New England DUers, you live in a beautiful place

[1gobluedem]

Just got back from an eight day swing through New England; from New Haven and Mystic, CT, through Rhode Island (never got off the expressway) to Newburyport, MA -- how gorgeous -- to two days in Portsmouth, NH up to Freeport and Bailey's Island, ME (and through Kennebunkport but I couldn't find any Bushes to run over), then over to Hanover, NH for a night then back to Lake Winnipesaukee to see friends, then over to Burlington, VT....a ferry ride across Lake Champlain, a visit to Fort Ticonderoga then it was though upstate NY, across to Canada and home to Michigan.

So beautiful plus great shopping and great food; not a lobster fan but I had my fill of clams, clam chowder, cod, and haddock. It was great!

A tip if you go to Portsmouth -- at the Holiday Inn their bar features free drinks for hotel guests between 6 and 7 p.m....

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. Next time try to come further up the Maine coast, and check out our inland mountains too. :^)

[1gobluedem]

3. Definitely a plan

I'd hoped to go to Camden, Rockport, and Bar Harbor this trip too but ran out of time... I love Maine; I smiled the whole time I was there.

[GreenPartyVoter]

7. Shoot for Castine and Deer Isle Stonington next time. That's where I grew up and

it's a beautiful place: http://deerisle.com/

[1gobluedem]

9. Looks gorgeous

Will check it out on my next trip!

[GreenPartyVoter]

16. You do that. :^D

[WritingIsMyReligion]

22. Bah Hahbah is fun even for locals.

A touristo place to be sure, but lovely all the same. Definitely put it and Acadia on your to-do list next time you're in the area.

[Chemical Bill]

54. I prefer the Camden/Rockport area to Bar Harbor...

but I'm a Wyeth fan from way back.

Bill

[Maine-ah]

56. woo-hoo

thats my area!

I live in the same town that the Wyeth's are from.

:hi:

[Chemical Bill]

59. Beautiful baby.

Hi yourself. :hi:

I saw Christina's World at the Farnsworth, with nobody else looking at it. Try doing that in NYC.

Bill

[TK421]

5. I really wish I could go there...but money is a problem right now

As far as transportation goes...I haven't driven in over a year, since I sent my old car to the junkyard. I would have to look into Greyhound or something along those lines; always wanted to see New England.

[Gormy Cuss]

10. Greyhound has a coastal route in Maine

and there are Greyhound and Trailways buses to many cities. You could see quite a bit of New England without a car. Maybe someday.

[TK421]

12. I've set vacation time aside ( at least two weeks worth ) It will be on my itinerary

:thumbsup: thank you

[MassLiberal]

2. Thanks!

You hit a lot of the hotspots. What was your favorite place? Did you spend any time in New Haven, CT (where I live)?

[1gobluedem]

4. We hit New Haven at a bad time, unfortunately

We were on a timetable to meet friends in Mystic for dinner (Seamens Inne; highly recommend it) but hoped to detour through New Haven to see Yale but we got tangled up in post parade traffic and barely saw anything (what we saw was beautiful, though) but the street in and the street out. I guess you have your Memorial Day parade the weekend before on Sunday?

[MassLiberal]

6. I never go to the parade

Sorry you missed your chance. New Haven is a great town with fabulous restaurants. Hope you get to see it again sometime. But it sounds like you had a wonderful trip overall!

[1gobluedem]

8. We did

And I will be back. Love, love, LOVE New England.

But...props to my home state too; Michigan is a beautiful state.

[sarge43]

20. Michigan is New England without the mountains.

:hi: from a fellow Michigander.

[1gobluedem]

25. Yes, it is.

Where are you from? Ann Arborite here although I grew up just outside of East Lansing...

[sarge43]

33. Bay City

Yeah, yeah, I know. It could have been worse - Saginaw or Frankenmuth.

[Midlodemocrat]

58. I LOVE that place. The food is fabulous and the atmosphere is so nice.

I miss Mystic. The lobster rolls are the best!

[sarge43]

11. It's lovely, isn't it.

The next time you're up this way, spend a day at Franconia Notch, NH's principal state park. and the next day take the Cog Train up Mt Washington - that's some scenery you won't soon forget. Then, for some shopping - the main drag through Conway.

[1gobluedem]

14. I've heard the shops at Conway are great

We usually hit Kittery and Freeport. Lake Winnipesaukee is my favorite spot (although Newburyport could give it a run for its money); I'd love to spend a week there and do the Franconia Notch and Mt. Washington. Or....just sit on the beach. Our motel in Center Harbor had its own beach -- so peaceful.

[matcom]

13. heh, Bailey Island ME?

you passed my inlaw's place if you went to Cooks. they are on the road leading to the restaurant.

:hi:

[1gobluedem]

15. We didn't go to Cooks...

But went to the FANTASTIC gift shop at Lands End (with the incredible $20 sweatshirts). The last time we went was the spring nor'easter of 2005; the weather was MUCH better this time.

I'll give a :hi: to your in-laws the next time we go.

[matcom]

17. Mrs Matcom almost married into that family

thank GAWD she didn't ;)

but she worked that gift shop for something like 10 years :D

Land's End sweatshirts are expensive but they last forevah!

[Mrs.Matcom]

18. OMG!!

you went to MY island!!! I used to work at Land's End! Wow, they must have gotten in some good inventory finally! When the parents were running the shop, they would buy Champion sweatshirts and have their logo embroidered on the shirts. The older son took over and started buy the cheap shit. I was actually engaged to their youngest son back in the early 80's. Long story short, didn't work out and we broke up. Thank goodness or I never would have met matcom! :D
How did you know about/find Bailey Island?? I have been going there since I was born...some 40+ years. Man do I miss it. Summered there with my grandparents. Would go up the day after school let out and come home 2 days before it started. I know that place like the back of my hand, supposed to be going up there next Saturday to see the 'Rents. Sigh...the good ole days! :hi:

[1gobluedem]

24. We just saw the sign on Route One

And decided to check it out. It was SO amazing during the nor'easter with waves crashing over the rocks; wild and wonderful. Two months later I was looking at the manicured beach at Santa Monica, so perfect it looked like a movie set, and missed the powerful energy at Lands End. I'll take the East Coast any day.

Two years ago I bought some gorgeous sueded sweatshirts at that gift shop with their lobster logo; it was buy one for $19.99 and get the other half price. Those are still our favorite sweatshirts to this day and they seem barely worn (well, mine, he manages to get his pretty filthy. But he wears it all the time). I had gotten the kids t-shirts too -- for around $8/ea and restocked this trip since they insist on contining to grow. I also got some ocean scented shea butter (nothing better for dry skin), magnets, and even an addition for my tacky souvenir collection; a lighthouse with a bottle opener built in.

So fun to know there is a DU connection now!

[YankeyMCC]

19. Thanks

It is fantastic isn't it. You definitely saw some of the highlights.

[1gobluedem]

28. Every time I visit I love it more

But I feel like there is still so much to see. Just means we will have to come back!

[WritingIsMyReligion]

21. Hell yes, we do. Glad to hear you made it to Maine.

You can only run over Bushies and Bushbots in the 'Port in the summertime--if you don't murder about 20 tourists before hand.

You made it to Freeport? Did you shop at L.L. Bean's? Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year! :D

[1gobluedem]

26. Well, of course we did!

My second trip to Mecca, oops, I mean LL Bean and I did some serious damage to the old bank account. We just swung around Portland this trip but last time we had lunch in the old section -- is it called Old Town? -- and it was great.

[WritingIsMyReligion]

34. It's the Old Port--real original of us.

:D

Glad to hear you enjoyed it.

[Joey Liberal]

23. Next time get off the bus in Newport, R.I.

You missed the very best part of New England - Newport!

[1gobluedem]

27. We thought about Newport

We were in a car and could have gone except we had a timetable to get to NH to meet some friends. It's on the itinerary for next time though; my college roommate has been to Newport a few times and highly recommends it.

[Joey Liberal]

29. I was born there

You'll love it.

[DS1]

30. Newburyport is a nice place, yes

I agree

[1gobluedem]

31. It's a lot bigger than I first thought

We went before but somehow missed the downtown...:shrug: It's beautiful...and so old. That's what I love about New England; you live in and use your old buildings. In Michigan if a building or house manages to make it past 150 years it's turned into a museum or moved to a 'living history' park or area. We knock things down WAY too much and WAY too fast around here. In New England, people live in 200 year old houses and think nothing of it. I think that's so cool.

[DS1]

32. Yes

Newburyport is all brick because it once burned down almost entirely, I think that was a few hundred years ago. Anyway, it was degreed that no new building would be made from anything but brick. Anyway, I'm off to check out the local music festival :)

[Mrs.Matcom]

36. Our house was built in 1877...

and if I ever win the lottery I am calling the boys from "this old house" to come out and make the damned floors level! :rofl:

[Chemical Bill]

55. If you like old...

go see the Fairbanks House, outside of Boston. It was built about 1637, IIRC.

http://www.fairbankshouse.org/

Bill

[graywarrior]

35. Exactly. Which is why I am moving back.

[RiffRandell]

37. I miss it so much and can't wait to move back.

I want my Friday night fish fry!

[Redstone]

38. Then why the hell didn't you stop to see us? We're halfway between New Haven and Mystic.

(You'd have had free drinks here, too.)

Redstone

[1gobluedem]

40. Well, NOW you tell me...

Don't worry, we'll be back...often! :hi:

[Redstone]

42. We'll be here. And we're only a mile off I-95; almost as convenient as a rest area is!

Except that unlike rest areas, we have free adult beverages and clean bathrooms.

Redstone

[1gobluedem]

43. My kind of place...

You will hear from us....I hope next spring. I think I need to come back every year.

[Redstone]

44. If we're not here next spring, we'll be in Lancaster, NH. The invitation will still be open.

Redstone

[grasswire]

39. and you missed my favorite Connecticut town

Essex Connecticut.

And you missed this place, Sugar Hill New Hampshire:






And you missed this place, Old Historic Deerfield:

[1gobluedem]

41. You can only cram so much into 8 days

Especially when you have to spend two of them driving to and from...(through Ohio on the way and Ontario on the way back). But your photos just make me want to return soon.

[Chemical Bill]

45. You didn't get off the freeway in RI?

And you expect me to be civil to you?

Bill

[1gobluedem]

47. No time, please don't hate me

We plan to spend a lot of time in RI next time....promise. :hi:

[Chemical Bill]

53. Eat at Al Forno,

see the Herreshoff Museum if you like boats, or the Newport Mansions if you need decorating ideas. Take the fast ferry from Providence to Newport and back. Don't go swimming in the bay, swim at the south county beaches (everybody from CT does). I like Narragansett Pier beach myself. Go to Little Compton and be astonished at how beautiful it is (you might run into Stellanoir).

Bill

[Forkboy]

46. I love living in in N.E.

Glad you enjoyed yourself.You covered some beautiful areas.

[1gobluedem]

50. We sure did

The Lake Winnipesaukee area is one of my favorite places ever.

[sniffa]

48. i agree with you

and not just because i'm here. :P

as much as i hate the winters and our fucked up weather, it's hard for me to imagine Living anywhere eLse.

[1gobluedem]

49. We drove up the shoreline from Newburyport to Portsmouth

It must be something during the summer. The resort towns are so different from the Great Lakes shoreline towns but they are all interesting and the beaches are beautiful.

[meegbear]

51. Darn tootin'!

Glad you enjoyed it! :hi:

[NewJeffCT]

52. Y'all come back now, ya here?

just kidding.

I'm glad you liked our neck of the woods.

[bigwillq]

57. You were in New Haven

and didn't come visit me?

[MissMillie]

60. thanks, I think so too

I hope I never leave New England.