Any Suggestions.....

Suzie

5-Year Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2010
Messages
159
My son has been accepted to AIM:shake: We are driving up and my family (My DH, DS 14, DS 12 and myself) would like tour the area/adjoining states....vacation while he is at AIM....any suggestions...I know I definitely want some lobster!! We are a nature loving family....game for anything...

Thank you ,
Suzie
 
Hello,

My son will attend the second session AIM (July 11-17). We are from Greensboro, NC.
We plan to drive to USCGA to drop him off then take a New England tour before driving home.

Need same advice.

THANKS
 
My son has been accepted to AIM:shake: We are driving up and my family (My DH, DS 14, DS 12 and myself) would like tour the area/adjoining states....vacation while he is at AIM....any suggestions...I know I definitely want some lobster!! We are a nature loving family....game for anything...

Thank you ,
Suzie
For breakfast, try "Oh Boy 24-Hour Diner" at 143 Gold Star Highway across the river in Groton, CT 06340 (across from the Hilton Garden Inn -- nice place to stay). Outstanding classic "old school" breakfasts.
For lunch, try "Capt. Scott's Lobster Dock" and get the "lobster roll" with drawn butter. Expect a line and it is outdoor seating. It's downtown on the water but hard to find unless you have a GPS: 80 Hamilton St, New London, CT 06320, phone: 860-439-1741
For dinner we like "Tony D's" never had a bad meal (or cocktail there yet) it's downtown at 92 Huntington Street, phone: 860-443-9900.
Visit the Submarine Force Museum, again across the river in Groton at #1 Crystal Lake Road, rignt next to the Groton Navy Yard. Phone: (860) 694-3174 (closed Mondays).
Visit the Mystic Seaport Museum and then Old Mystic and the "sea world-like" show, and then drive into down town Mystic and buy a slice of pizza at "Mystic Pizza" -- yup, right from the movie of the same name. Be sure to get a picture standing under the sign.
Take the ferry to Block Island and explore the beach. Pick it up in New London at 107 State Street, but do call for reservations: (860) 444-4624
 
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You must go to BOSTON! We had so much fun while son was at AIM last summer, when we picked son up, we carried him back for the day before going back home.

History, food and great pubs everywhere. Also, go to Pizza Regiana (hope I spelled it correctly) while in Boston. Boston newspapers seemed to rate it best in Boston for many years. I can't confirm, as I didn't eat all the pizza in town, but best I've ever had, bar none.

In CT, the sub museum across river in Groton is very good. Gillette Castle State Park in East Haddam is a great stop as well. We'll carry son to it on way to R-day this year. Be careful driving up there, every town is either a Old/New/East/West/North/South Something. :bang:We had lots of fun with that. As far as right in/around New London, we didnt' see much of that, we though if he goes to USCGA, we'll have 4 years to see it. So, we kept our fingers crossed and seems we'll be going back.

Also, no matter how much you want to, DO NOT DRIVE INTO NYC. Take the train. I learn the hard way. 5 hours of hard driving in the city and only covered 8 miles. :yikes:

Also, for folks from NC. Fayetteville was a 14 hour drive in March when we did the beansprout visit. BUT seems they were getting ready for tons of construction projects, so may be longer now. Good thing is you do not have to get off 95, it carries you right there. Stop in Philly for a cheesestake. Tony Lukes is almost under BUS 95, easy off and back on and great cheesestakes.
 
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My son has been accepted to AIM:shake: We are driving up and my family (My DH, DS 14, DS 12 and myself) would like tour the area/adjoining states....vacation while he is at AIM....any suggestions...I know I definitely want some lobster!! We are a nature loving family....game for anything...

Thank you ,
Suzie

Mystic Seaport is a quaint little touristy stop....for those old enough to remember the old Julia Roberts flick "Mystic Pizza", stop in for a slice. It's pretty good.

The cadets all love Rita's for gelati and frozen custard. It's on Colman St. in New London...a must have everytime we visit.

We fly in and out of Boston, so we've spent some time there, but driving around and finding parking make it a drag, imho. Certainly no shortage of historical sites and such....the Duck tours looked like fun, and get good reviews.
 
My son has been accepted to AIM:shake: We are driving up and my family (My DH, DS 14, DS 12 and myself) would like tour the area/adjoining states....vacation while he is at AIM....any suggestions...I know I definitely want some lobster!! We are a nature loving family....game for anything...

Thank you ,
Suzie

The #1 answer, of course, is the craps tables at Mohegan Sun.

#2 - New York City.
 
For folks driving to New London from NC or other points south (or west), as a New Jerseyan I recommend that you get off the New Jersey Turnpike at Exit 11 and get on the Garden State Parkway north (from the west you can get on the GSP from US 80 east). Take the GSP all the way to the end, which is the New York Thruway, and get on the Thruway east toward New York City. When you cross over the Tappan Zee Bridge take US 287 east and keep going until you meet up with US 95 in Rye, NY.

Following these directions will avoid any traffic at the George Washington Bridge or the Cross Bronx Expressway, as you will avoid The Bronx altogether.

For all drivers coming from the south or west, once you enter New Jersey keep your radio tuned to WINS 1010AM or WCBS 880AM. Both have the traffic for the metro NYC area every ten minutes. In fact, switch between the channels, because sometimes one will focus on a different area (say, Long Island) than the other. The sooner you know about any traffic issues the sooner you can move to an alternate route. Backups at the George Washington Bridge can happen any time of day any day. NB: the Yankees have afternoon home games on July 3 and 4 and July 17 and 18, so avoid the GWB and the Cross Bronx Expressway if at all possible.

Coming back from CT you should (emphasis on should) have less problems staying on US 95 through the Bronx since there is no toll at the GWB leaving New York. I always come back the way I came, across the Tappan Zee.
 
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For breakfast, try "Oh Boy 24-Hour Diner" at 143 Gold Star Highway across the river in Groton, CT 06340 (across from the Hilton Garden Inn -- nice place to stay). Outstanding classic "old school" breakfasts.

Drive about 9 miles farther down Gold Star Highway to the Somewhere In Time Cafe for a better breakfast. I frequently stay at HGI and will gladly drive past the diner across the street to get to SITC.

Or you could try their sister restaurant in Waterford, the When Pigs Fly Cafe.
 
When you cross over the Tappan Zee Bridge take US 287 east and keep going until you meet up with US 95 in Rye, NY.

Or exit at the Merritt Parkway for a much more relaxing drive on a tree-lined shaded two-lane road through the beautiful CT scenery.
 
My son has been accepted to AIM:shake: We are driving up and my family (My DH, DS 14, DS 12 and myself) would like tour the area/adjoining states....vacation while he is at AIM....any suggestions...I know I definitely want some lobster!! We are a nature loving family....game for anything...

Thank you ,
Suzie

Living here in CT I can suggest some fun activites, especially for the kids. There is Groton and the Sub Base (that's good for an afternoon) and Mystic Seaport (a couple of hours)...
Travelling north into Massachusetts you can hit Sturbridge Village; lots to do, shaded and they have a lot of activities during the summer (Sturbridge is home to Country Curtains ~ my wife's favorite store and some nice shops).
Along the coast of MA you have Salem that is fun to go to and then you must go to Boston. Take a Duck Tour, go to the Science Museum, walk the Freedom Trail and find Mother Goose's grave, eat in Faneuil Hall, buy some treat's at Mike's Pastry shop, sing a song in an Irish restaurant, visit the Constitution and the Coast Guard Station. Travel north to Ogunquit, Maine and go to Perkins Cove and walk along the coast line; best lobster you'll ever have and fresh off the boats. In northern Maine is some of the best white water rafting or just lazy river tubing. The beaches in the area are very nice, traffic on weekends (especially Friday night and Sunday afternoon can be challenging) and there are great restaurants and hotels all along the sea coast.
Not being biased (well, go Sox) but New England has so much to do in the summer. There's always Vermont and New Hampshire (go visit the White Mountains and take the coal train up Mt. Washington or hike through the Flume); nothing is too far, we make it from New London to the White Mountains of NH in a little more than 3 hours). I'd forgo NYC.
PM me and I'll have my wife send you any info of hotels we frequently visit.
 
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If you're staying in CT and want to make it a CT vacation then I recommend the following:

1. Visit Harkness State Park in Waterford - It's right on the water and has beautiful gardens and on weekends often hosts many wedding. It's a wonderful old estate.

2. Take a cruise through the Thimble Islands located off Stoney Creek in Branford and make your way back to the Academy by driving Route 146 and Route 1. It's a chance to experience the shoreline.

4. In Haddam, have a picnic at Gillette Castle, take in a play at the Goodspeed Opera House, or cruise the CT River.

5. A stop in Essex is worth the trip. A quaint little river town with some great restaurants, the Essex River Museum and perhaps a chance to see a play at the little Ivoryton Playhouse.

6. Just driving Route 1 from Branford north will give any visitor a taste of the CT shoreline.

There's lots to do and there are some really terrific restaurants on the shoreline. If you find yourself in Westbrook, stop at Bill's Seafood next to the singing bridge for lunch and have an Ashley's Ice Cream for dessert ---Yum!!!
 
Thank you soooooo much for the suggestions......there's a lot of cool things to do, and eat!!! I can't wait to get there.....New England always looks so pretty in pictures.... Our family's 1st trip there!
We are from Kentucky so thank you for the directions around NYC....don't even want to get in that traffic if all possible!
 
We toured lighthouses, went to the beach, Statue of Liberty and did The Freedom Trail in Boston while son was at AIM. We also went to Plymouth and Salem for the historical stuff they offer. The only thing we missed was Ground Zero and Pat's and Gino's (Philly Steaks). We'll make sure to do those next time.

But honestly, the least stress free time was just leaving the car at the hotel and taking the subway everywhere while in NYC. We also went to Carnegie Deli.
 
Living here in CT I can suggest some fun activites, especially for the kids. There is Groton and the Sub Base (that's good for an afternoon) and Mystic Seaport (a couple of hours)...
Travelling north into Massachusetts you can hit Sturbridge Village; lots to do, shaded and they have a lot of activities during the summer (Sturbridge is home to Country Curtains ~ my wife's favorite store and some nice shops).
Along the coast of MA you have Salem that is fun to go to and then you must go to Boston. Take a Duck Tour, go to the Science Museum, walk the Freedom Trail and find Mother Goose's grave, eat in Faneuil Hall, buy some treat's at Mike's Pastry shop, sing a song in an Irish restaurant, visit the Constitution and the Coast Guard Station. Travel north to Ogunquit, Maine and go to Perkins Cove and walk along the coast line; best lobster you'll ever have and fresh off the boats. In northern Maine is some of the best white water rafting or just lazy river tubing. The beaches in the area are very nice, traffic on weekends (especially Friday night and Sunday afternoon can be challenging) and there are great restaurants and hotels all along the sea coast.
Not being biased (well, go Sox) but New England has so much to do in the summer. There's always Vermont and New Hampshire (go visit the White Mountains and take the coal train up Mt. Washington or hike through the Flume); nothing is too far, we make it from New London to the White Mountains of NH in a little more than 3 hours). I'd forgo NYC.
PM me and I'll have my wife send you any info of hotels we frequently visit.

Dave forgot to mention Quebec and the Canadian Maritimes including Newfoundland.:biggrin:
 
If you've never been there, you must go to New York. It is the center of the universe.

I recommend anyone take US 95 south into The Bronx and get on the Bruckner Expressway/US 278 west. Take the Bruckner to the Triboro Bridge and cross the bridge into Manhattan (don't go to Queens, take the Manhattan exit) and onto the FDR Drive south. Get off at the exit for 49th Street, take 49th Street across town to Seventh Avenue and then park (in a garage). From 49th Street and Seventh Avenue you can easily walk to Times Square, Broadway theatres, Rockefeller Center, Central Park, Trump Tower, Fifth, Madison and Park Avenues, Columbus Circle, FAO Schwarz, Macy's, Madison Square Garden, and, of course, the American Girls store on 50th and 5th.
 
If you've never been there, you must go to New York. It is the center of the universe....
.

Hmmm. Not sure everyone hear would agree about 'center of the universe' :yllol: but we did take advantage of D attending school in Northeast and enjoyed a visit NYC during Thanksgiving break last year.

Boston is still on our 'places to travel to' list before D graduates!

So far our family has enjoyed local excursions in Connecticut including the casinos, New Haven, Mystic CT, and some inland sites. Also as we didn't want to drive up to the academy (and we have family in Baltimore) we have on occasion driven from NC to Baltimore and taken Amtrak from BWI airport station to New London (and then rented a car at New London's local Enterprise dealer). That was more relaxing than driving.
 
Go on to Boston

If you've never been to Boston, you must go there!!!!

Historic, culturally interesting, some free venues like Boston Commons. Try to get some tickets to go see the Red Sox.....quaint ballpark and surroundings, ride the "T", Faneuil Hall, Seaport

Eat Yankee cooking at DURGIN PARK!!!!!!!! You'll get your lobsta there, it's family style good for kids, not fancy...gets crowded-go early.http://www.arkrestaurants.com/durgin_park.html

You're 1 1/2 hr from the Acadamy------have some fun. You can go to the Mystic attractions if you end up at the Academy :thumb::shake:
 
Cape Cod

Cape Cod is busy, but not all that far away. We enjoyed the shore, the bike trails and attending Cape Cod league baseball games.
 
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