RV Parks in CT. And Maine

[Kevin Erion]

Again with the new title, with help from JPJ. Thanks for all the info on the North Rim side of the Grand Canyon, I am now working on stage two of our Summer Drive. We will be visiting CT. Maine and the Boston area and I would appreciate any help with RV Resort Parks.
Thanks again,

[Kevin Erion]

Do I get in trouble for replying to my own post just to get it back on the home page?

[Kevin Erion]

JPJ, looks like around August 12-13 and 14. I am not sure how much time we will have, what should we try to see? 7,8 and 9 year old girls and I would like to make it as educational as possible and still be fun.
Thanks,

[rmboies]

JPJ, looks like around August 12-13 and 14. I am not sure how much time we will have, what should we try to see? 7,8 and 9 year old girls and I would like to make it as educational as possible and still be fun.Thanks,

Kevin, if the girls are at all horse crazy, you might consider visiting the University of Vermont Morgan Horse farm in Weybridge, Vermont. I don't know what route you will be taking to Maine but it is definitely worth a visit. It is part of the University of Vermont. They will have new foals at that time of year as well:D Just a thought and something educational your girls might enjoy. Here is a link: http://www.uvm.edu/morgan/

[Kevin Erion]

Debi, You have no idea how much my 7 year old loves Horses. They have all taken riding lessons but she is the only one still with it. Thanks for the idea, I will look into it.

[Just Plain Jeff]

There is a lot to see in the area! If you only have a few days as you suggest, I'd suggest looking into some of these campgrounds http://www.campmass.com/sturbridge.html ("http://www.campmass.com/sturbridge.html") and see Old Sturbridge Village, which is life the way it was in the 1800's. Getting your camper into Boston is not an option (unless you do a Bayley). So, then off to Boston (you can Google some of these). I'm a patriotic nut, so the historical attractions of Old North Church, the Freedom Trail, Paul Revere House, Faneuil Hall Marketplace http://www.faneuilhallmarketplace.com/ ("http://www.faneuilhallmarketplace.com/") and a ton of other historical and important sights for kids to learn how our great Nation came from a colony to what it is today.

Then there is the Boston Aquarium, Museum of Science, Museum of Fine Arts and maybe catch a concert in Boston Commons. The Bullfinch Pub, the idea for the show Cheers is right there.

In the North End of Boston, you'll find lots of great places to eat and snoop around.

I'd advise putting the camper at Sturbridge Village and driving into Fresh Pond T Station, then taking the T into town. Wear good shoes.

For a longer trip, it's up to Maine (about 3 hours north to the border from Sturbridge). That's at least a week or two to take it in. Things in Maine happen mighty s-l-o-w, and that's a good thing.

Sounds like a great opportunity to give your children a good first-hand view of history and education they can reach out and touch!

What a good dad you are!

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Kevin, You have chosen an area that offers so much that one doesn't know where to begin, and the restricting criteria of the children adds difficulty. I wonder do you fit a toad into the 75' rig. I can't think of anywhere that you would peel your top. Winding roads some narrow is all. The lack of a toad will surely restrict you. I would stay clear of Boston, too crowded and the girls are too young. Head up the coastal road north of Boston on 1A Hampton Beach NH is good to see for about 30 min. extremely crowded. towards Rockport Maine very beautiful drive with good food (lobster etc. ) all around. Then back track and head across to Mt. Washington, NH. or if you don't get as far as Rockport go there directly, this is a must. Take the Cog Railway to the summit. After that head south to Lake Winnipesaukee and look up Castle in the Clouds, the 1914 home of a shoe tycoon who when he got tired of his wife left her a million dollar check on the table one morning and she new to take a hike. This is also the site of I think some of the best spring water found anywhere. You can tour the facility. Around the lake there is much biking kids & adult kind with art festivals and the like. Then if you are looking for more head up and over to Vermint Icelandic Horse Farm for a trail ride on the best little horses in the world. On the way back head south to Manchester ,Vt. Mom will like that. All the best outlet shops in the quintessential New England town, and for Dad the Orvis store with fishing. A little south on the edge of town you and the family can experience hands on Falconry. Head south to Bennington,Vt and go up in the stone tower monument for the Battle of Bennington ( more great views)
Just typing as things come to mind. Be ever mindfull of the potential for Moose in Maine and northern NH & VT. Not good on the front of the Bus! Probadly make someone mad with this, but Northern and Central Maine not worth it especially with the girls, too much nothing and all the same. Come back for that when you drive through up to Nova Scotia! By comparison to East and West travel in VT & NH is easy North and South, the other way is, you can't get there from here. Oh yes, close to the Icelandic's is Ben & Jerry's icecream factory ( child oriented tours with free samples). Look for the old type Diners for good eating and the experience mostly in VT very cool all stainless steel, with good original food! I dont know where you are starting and where you are heading after, but if it fits from Bennington go west to Albany, NY heading to rt 17 / 86 visit Lew in Elmira. Stay away from I 90, tolls & heavy traffic. Just down the road is Corning, NY. Corning Glass factory and museum tours for all ages. Corning also has a toy museum. Heading west to Jamestown, NY and Lucile Ball Museum. Enough already your on your own. Google the places I mentioned if they are of interest. Hope you can allot enough time. If you want more just ask. :p ;) :D JIM

[Kevin Erion]

WOW, and I thought there is a lot to do in California! Thanks to JPJ and Jim for all the good ideas. I have about 10 days, we will be racing at Mid-Ohio the first weekend of August so the following is our short idea;

Need to go to Buffalo to visit Family and also Business-Monday
off to Boston Tuesday, stay at Normandy Farms Family Camp Resort(all opinions welcome)base camp for Boston.
leave Boston area for NH(again family) they have a house on Lake Sunapee on the sandy beach, 1 of about 3 on that lake. I think the kids will enjoy this, so will Mom and Dad.
Leave NH for Booth Bay Maine and ck into Ponderosa RV Resort, call that camp for 2 days
Leave NH for Philadelphia for a day
Leave Philly to VIR Raceway for another Race(hate the work thing) We only get the 1 weekend off between races so we do the slam dunk trip.
I guess some day we will redo this with so additional time but for now the kids get the quick snap shots of the areas they will study about in the upcoming years.
Wears me out just trying to figure it out.
Again, any and all opinions are welcome.
Thanks for all the input.

[Jerry Winchester]

Kevin,

You might be well advised to haircut anything JPJ tells you since he described Maine as "a really big state with a ton of campgrounds". I'm sure California has counties as large as Maine. But I guess if he was comparing it to Vermont or Rhode Island, then maybe it is a BIG state.