RATING: ♦♦♦♦♦+
As we planned our fall route, we didn’t think we’d have time to visit states east of New York before we’d have to head south for the winter. But then we decided to park the moho at a centrally located campground and just take the car throughout New England. Much faster and more nimble. We may not come up this way again, so this was our chance, and we’re so glad we took it! New England is everything we thought it would be. Our preferred methods of sightseeing are trolley and boat tours, and we took many. We saw historic fishing ports and the lively city of Boston. We wish we had taken more photos of the wonderful seafood we ate day after day. We also wish we would have had more time to explore. We loved this part of the country. This is a summary of our trip with links to the posts we wrote for each city we visited.
Portland Maine
Portland is crowded down to the waterfront; the old brick streets are narrow and go every which way and are full of cars and pedestrians. It is a working port, with container ships and cruise ships side by side. We had a lunch of fish tacos on the waterfront before taking a trolley tour out to the Portland Head Lighthouse, and then returned to the city for some shopping and dinner. Portland
Kennebunkport Maine
Who would have ever heard of Kennebunkport if it hadn’t been for President George H W Bush? This is his summer home, and it’s no wonder a person who could have anywhere for a summer home would choose this place. It is very compact, very cute, very upscale, and is now very crowded with tourists. We had the best lobster bisque and lobster rolls for lunch before taking a short trolley tour of the city. Kennebunkport
Portsmouth new hampshire
If there was one town we could go back to, it would be Portsmouth. We definitely didn’t plan enough time for this city. There are so many unique shops and restaurants along the narrow city streets. We had heard that Strawbery Banke was the place to visit while in town, so we spent a few hours there after our lunch of crab chowder and fish and chips on the waterfront. Portsmouth
boston massachusetts
Boston was amazing. Like all large cities, it was busy, crowded, and noisy. In order to see it all in one day, we took an Old Town Trolley Tour. We had taken Old Town Trolley in San Diego and Nashville, so we knew what to expect. The drivers are good tour guides. It’s a great way to learn about a city’s history, it’s architecture, it’s people, and it’s special places to visit. We can get off and on the trolleys throughout the day, visiting the places we want to see. This particular tour included a cruise of the harbor. We had lunch at Joe’s American Bar and Grill at the harbor. Boston
mystic connecticut
Becky’s sister Judy said we had to visit Mystic Connecticut, so we fit it into our plan. It was absolutely our favorite place! The small town is on the Mystic River, and is the site of the Mystic Seaport, the nation’s largest maritime museum. Most of the museum is outdoors, and is notable for its collection of historic sailing ships and boats. An entire 19th-century seafaring village has been re-created along the shoreline. We especially enjoyed a presentation of what it would have been like to work aboard a whaling vessel in the 1800’s. Lunch? We ate at the S&P Oyster Co Restaurant where the Seafood White Bean Chili and the Wood Grilled Ground Steak Burger with Vermont White Cheddar Cheese were delicious. Mystic
newport rhode island
We arrived in Newport in the late morning. It was foggy, but we booked a trolley tour hoping it would clear up. Except for about an hour in the early afternoon, it stayed foggy all day. We took a walk behind the mansions that line the ocean cliffs. There were high waves in the ocean due to the remnants of Hurricane Jose. It was a nice walk that would have been spectacular if the sky had been clear. One interesting note to those of us who are familiar with Commodore Perry: He was born in Newport and is buried here. There is a monument to him in a downtown park. Newport
