I need some help!

[NJGIRL]

We are going to Italy for 2 weeks in Oct but I wanted to take a long weekend trip in Aug and have been picking my brain but just can't come up with anything.

This has to fit into:
Will leave after work Thursday at 5:00. Don't want to drive for more than 4 hours. That will get us to the hotel by 9:30 with no stops or 10:00 with one stop. We live in South Jersey in the middle bewteen Philly and AC about 45 mins from both places.

No beaches. We have beaches in our "backyard".

Already have vacationed in Hershey, Philly, Wildwood, OC, Cape May, Lancaster, Poconos,Baltimore, DC, Cape Cod, Newport RI, Salem, & upstate NY, Great Wolfe Lodges.

New York City too hot and crowded for a short summer trip.

Very interested in Boston but driving is about 6 hours so that will get us there too late.

Must drive because I don't want to spend the money to fly for such a short trip. Only 2 whole days to do things coming home on Sunday.

Can anyone come up with something? What am I overlooking.

[merlinmagic4]

Mystic, Connecticut? They have the aquarium and the Seaport....not sure what else but quite a few of my friends do quick trips there every once in a while. It's on my list!

Other than that, you might reconsider Boston. If you join Fairmont's President's Club they will release great rates (149.00 night) for the Fairmont Battery Wharf which is on the harbor in the North End. You could do Faneuil Hall, the Freedom Trail, Aquarium, Science Museum, etc. It might be worth the extra hour and the Italian food in the North End is amazing!

Oh, it doesn't cost anything to join the President's Club and they seem to release rates at the beginning of the month. Right now the rates are out for June and July, but not August. Beautiful place!

[NJGIRL]

Thanks for the suggestion. I don't know much about it but Iam going to see what there is to do there.

I would love to do Boston, in fact that was were we were going until I realized the trip is a little over 6 hours. That's 2 hour more than we wanted to drive and would put us at the hotel after 12:00 midnight. If it was a longer trip I wouldn't mind the late hour but I think that long driving will wipe us out for the rest of the weekend.

By the way we have stayed at the Vistana many times and really like it.

[merlinmagic4]

Do you like casinos? The Mystic area has Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun, two casino/resorts. I have never been but know many people who have!

[DeniseMB]

I agree. Drive the extra miles and go to Boston. The Duck Tours are an amazing tour of the city. So much to do. The restaurants in the North End are also a must-do. You may also be there for the feast of St. Anthony. Follow the red brick road of the freedom trail. There are free outdoor concerts and movies on the Esplanade at The Hatch Shell. Take a walk down Newbury St. Take a ride on a swan boat.
Visit the Childrens Museum, about $1.00 or $2.00 on Friday night. Museum of Science or Museum of Fine Arts. Go to Bostix & get 1/2 price tickets to a play. Visit faneuil hall. Go to a Red Sox game & tour Fenway Park. Have a picnic at the Waterfront. Have lunch at Cheers.
have lunch at Liberty Hotel, the former Charles St Prison. Visit Beacon Hill.

[Scar]

Gettysburg. I reccomend the Travelodge.

[5 Mousekteers]

Remember you always have the option of flying out of Atlantic City to Boston. The flight (Spirit) is a little over an hour long and fares are aroud $48.00. This makes that type of trip pretty cheap and appealing.

[princessesmom]

Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, NY is a fabulous place to go for a long weekend if price isn't an issue. It is all-inclusive, with an indoor pool/spa, lots of hiking, a lake w/beach & boating, tons of hiking, golfing. It is a beautiful place and the food is terrific including afternoon tea. They have a website if you want to check it out. It is quite expensive, though.

[NJGIRL]

Do you like casinos? The Mystic area has Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun, two casino/resorts. I have never been but know many people who have!

We have the casino's in AC and we have been to Las Vegas a couple of time and plus we have an 11 year old so casino's aren't a draw for us.

[NJGIRL]

Gettysburg. I reccomend the Travelodge.

My sister was just in Gettysburg and her kids enjoyed it so that is a possibility. Thanks

[NJGIRL]

Remember you always have the option of flying out of Atlantic City to Boston. The flight (Spirit) is a little over an hour long and fares are aroud $48.00. This makes that type of trip pretty cheap and appealing.

Boston is definately out because the drive will get us there at midnight. I checked US air rates and it would cost us over $800 for a 3 day vacation. I can't fly out of AC because that's were boss leaves from (he has a home in Boca) and I never know when he is leaving to go down. I am planning on calling out sick that Friday

[NJGIRL]

Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, NY is a fabulous place to go for a long weekend if price isn't an issue. It is all-inclusive, with an indoor pool/spa, lots of hiking, a lake w/beach & boating, tons of hiking, golfing. It is a beautiful place and the food is terrific including afternoon tea. They have a website if you want to check it out. It is quite expensive, though.

I have never heard of it but will take a look at the website. I didn't want to spend over a $1000 for the weekend (that's why we are trying to drive) because of our up coming Italy trip.

[NJGIRL]

Just checked Mohonk Mountain House and it looks wonderful but boy is it expensive. The cheapest room they have is $600 per night. Can't do that this time around but the place really looks cool.

[Katarch]

What about Williamsburg, VA? It's about a 5 hour drive from Bergen County so it would be less for you.

[NJGIRL]

What about Williamsburg, VA? It's about a 5 hour drive from Bergen County so it would be less for you.

Great idea but we have been there at least 4 times and are looking for something different.

[dnickels]

What about a place like Shenandoah National Park? It'd be in the mountains so hopefully a little cooler in August, and those hiking / picnic type vacations usually end up costing less than visits to cities and shopping.

[mouseketeer mom]

A second vote for Mystic, Connecticut. Its a whole different feel from NJ..the seaport is cool, lots of different unique shops and restaurants in town. Bed and Breakfast place would be great here. Its a very relaxed., old, pretty town.

[princessesmom]

How about Lake George? I'm not sure how far it is from you, but I imagine it meets your criteria. It is very different than the Jersey Shore. The lake is beautiful, there is a lot of shopping, an amusement park nearby, lots of touristy things including boating on the lake. We went there many years ago for a long weekend. It was nice and not too pricey.