My evised plans for Gem to new england in a few weeks- input?

[camasidaho]

I received great feedback when I posted something like this a few weeks ago. I took out a bunch of stuff to slow this trip down. I am sort of a bucket list traveler and will have 2 teenage boys with short attention spans and HCCW with me (hot cruise critic wife= hccw)

 

friday Sept 26 5 am leave home. 2 suitcases, 4 shoulder bags

Fly into lga about 4 pm

Take Cab to Marriott Marquis 1535 Broadway NY NY (Check in 4pm) (thanks marriot credit card points- we could never spend $500 a night if we had to really pay for this room). Eat at Street Vendor Empire State Building $29 8 am to 2 am (watch sunset about 8 pm) Walk back and take in Times Square and watch from hotel room.

 

Saturday 27 Check out of hotel 10am, take cab to Port of NY 711 12th Ave, look for ship signs there. (we paid about 20% more than a balcony room for a 2 bedroom suite- hope it is worth the cost) 12pm board ship, 4pm sail. Sail away- Great outdoors in back, spinnakers in middle, deck above pool, or front. At guest services sign up to eat with one of the officers. Eat in room (lobster and steak from mdr) as we watch sail away. May spend the evening out on room balcony watching coney island, etc as we go out to sea.

 

Sunday at SEA- sleep in, relax, religious observance

 

Monday Halifax- 8-5 Get off ship, take a private cab at the dock (mostly for the narration)($50 per hour)-brief city tour, then Peggy’s Cov- check out lighthouse and cliffs, and Swiss air memorial, then Titanic Cemetery, then back to town- drop off at Citadel ($7.80 each), Lobster Lunch in town, then Maritime Museum 930-530 ($8.75), then boardwalk (harbor walk) back to ship.

Tuesday Saint John. 7-10 am watch ship pull into Bay of Fundy In port: 10-6pm Take the free enclosed walkways (pedway system- see map) to New Brunswick Museum (about $8 per) walk around Brunswick square and city market. pm. Lunch back on ship. Walk 15 minutes to Forte Howe Lookout . The fort, perched high on a rocky cliff, is reached from Main Street via Metcalfe Street and Magazine Street. Then walk 30 minutes to Reversing rapids at Fallsview walk to viewpoint lookout (on the map) (You can walk from the ship all the way along a paved walkway to the Reversing Falls Info Center, where there is plenty of opportunity to take, watch boats rise/sink with tides.

Wednesday Bar Harbor 8-6 Tender in (after ships tours tender) 900 am or so Walk to Bar island low tied, walk around short “shore path” other side, Free bus tour- walk 3 steep blocks to Village green- Take the Free “Down East” Island Shuttle bus- Rt1 up to visitor center- then Route 3 or 4.. check winter route times- if you get off at a stop to look around, you add about a half hour to your time since the bus doesn't wait, but just continues on its route. http://www.exploreacadia.com/ See Thunder Hole, Jordan Lake, Cadillac mountain all in arcadia- perhaps take a hike.

Thursday Boston October 2nd 8 am to 6 pm. 8 am take cab to Enterprise they reimburse up to $10. $64 with all taxes and fees. Lexington (26 minutes) Then Concord (10 minutes) Start at Lexington Visitor Center- get map, movie, etc. Stop at Minute Man National Historical Park Visitor Center and see “road to revolution movie” Free. Then North Bridge Visitor Center, then Concord Visitor Center and possibly Concord Museum. Possible guided walking tour

11:30 am (about 40 minutes to) The Salem Witch Museum $9.50/6.50 Salem was the wealthiest city in the United States At the museum, using stage sets, life-size figures, lighting and narration, you’ll learn about the Witch Trials of 1692 and have time to visit the witch exhibit. You'll also see the Witch Memorial and the Point Burying Ground.

230 pm drive to old north church and pay for parking nearby. Do church ($3) and photo of Paul revere statue there , Walk to Boston Massacre site (a bronze plaque next to old state house), 1st Public School Site, Boston Common, then Cheers then Faneuil Hall, return to car, return car, and then cab back to ship by 540 pm

Friday- Newport- tender in-its maybe 15 mins, walk left a block or 2- buy ticket to the Breakers ($20), and take bus/trolley #67 for $2 each way pp exact cash to driver. Get off at stop 3 by the Breakers.. do tour, then walk left 2 blocks and up to join the cliff walk at about the “40 step” location. Then do the cliff walk back around past the breakers to the end, then walk to bus stop and take trolley/bus #67 back to town.. look around- try a bowl of local clam chowder, back to ship.

 

Saturday-Disembark 8-9 am Walk off, take cab to hotel in Long Island City, drop off bags. Take subway train into city. Intrepid museum, then late lunch/ dinner in central park. Museum of the City of New York. If nothing else, just watch Timescapes - 1220 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10029 subway:#6 Lexington Avenue train to 103rd Street, walk three blocks west, or #2 or #3 train to Central Park North/110th Street, walk one block east to Fifth Avenue, then south to 103rd Street $20 per family… open 10 am to 6 pm. Back to hotel.

Sunday OCT 5 Breakfast- Check out of hotel, leave bags, take subway into city…Trinity Church, 79 Broadway (Wall Street) 8,9 and 1115- Eucharist. Admission is free to the 9/11 Memorial, wall street, Leave NYC about 115- Get luggage about 2pm, be at airport 230, Download conference talks for plane! Sunday fly out at 430 pm... get home around 11 pm local time!

[brucelegs]

I think you need to scale back on what you plan to get see to on your Boston port stop - traffic will add mucho time to where you are planning to go. Lexington and Concord will be almost an hour getting there out of Boston - throw out those 26 and 10 minute estimates and double them. Getting back from Salem to Boston will realistically take you an hour. Don't try to do so much and just stay in Boston proper - there is enough historical stuff to fill your day in the city comfortably in port and skip the car. Parking is not easy in the city either (for example you do not just park near the North Church there is not a lot of parking nearby- get a day pass on the MBTA - the stops will be near all the good history stuff to see and more.

[triptolemus]

Looks more like work than a vacation...

[rvsullivan]

Agree, the Boston part of this trip is impossible with these time frames. Better to skip the traveling around and spend the day in the city. You're going to spend the day driving and frustrated. Enjoy!

[buckirj1]

I agree. Driving is a big mistake. You can get to both Concord and Salem via MBTA rail in much less time. Still, I think you could easily skip them and concentrate on activities in the city.

[LAatl]

Firstly...you won't regret the 2-bedroom suite. We LOVED it! Loved the service...loved the perks...loved the room. Was worth the cost...now they've raised the price.

 

As for your itinerary...I think you're trying to pack in so much that it's going to take away from the purpose of the trip...being with your family and enjoying yourself. We did the trolley and a lot of walking in Boston. Did we fit in everything we wanted to see???...No. But, you'd have to spend a week there to do that. But we saw highlights that we decided on.

 

If you try to pack in everything you've listed...I think you're going to drive yourself crazy trying to stay on schedule. I'd suggest cutting your itinerary in half or by a third and decide what's most important to you guys. You're also going to be exhausted everyday just by being outside and walking so much.

 

Just my opinion...but I believe in quality time together...not adding more pressure to a vacation.

[HarpHarp]

I'm just going to echo what everyone said about the day in Boston. You really don't want to drive. I think the hoho bus, Boston Old Town Trolley, picks people up very near Black Falcon & stops at many historic sights. Do that or get an MTA pass.

 

Skip the Salem witch Museum. As another HCCW :D, I wanted to stop there on one of our driving trips to Boston. It is really just about as kitschy as you can imagine. Not worth the time IMHO.

 

Do the Boston Common, part or all of the Freedom Trail, Paul Revere's house, the Bull & Finch (Cheers), & with 2 teenage boys, Fenway Park. The tour of Fenway was the highlight of Boston day on our NE cruise.

[bedfordmom]

I'm just going to echo what everyone said about the day in Boston. You really don't want to drive. I think the hoho bus, Boston Old Town Trolley, picks people up very near Black Falcon & stops at many historic sights. Do that or get an MTA pass.

 

Skip the Salem witch Museum. As another HCCW :D, I wanted to stop there on one of our driving trips to Boston. It is really just about as kitschy as you can imagine. Not worth the time IMHO.

 

Do the Boston Common, part or all of the Freedom Trail, Paul Revere's house, the Bull & Finch (Cheers), & with 2 teenage boys, Fenway Park. The tour of Fenway was the highlight of Boston day on our NE cruise.

 

agree with all of above. If you must, I would pick either Boston or Concord or Salem. I live in between Lexington and Concord and it takes me 20 plus minutes to get to either town. plus Salem is crazy the closer you get to Halloween. it is very kitschy. Hope that you stick to Boston proper

[Educators2]

The Intrepid is next door to the pier where you board the Gem. Perhaps, after you check your suitcases with a porter, you can visit the Intrepid(if you don't have too heavy a carry-on.) I don't know if you can check bags at the Intrepid.

 

Salem is an interesting city but not possible in same day as Boston. The Freedom Trail is great and the National Park Service does free tours. The JFK Library is also a great place to visit.

 

You have a lot planned for Halifax. Right inside the port there is a wonderful immigration museum that gives you a great understanding of a multi-cultural Canada. You can't see all the attractions in one day. Choose two or three must sees and enjoy.

Have a great cruise.

[camasidaho]

Thanks for the input.. found 3 places to park by old north church.. 2 on their website and 1 you can prebook and pre pay on line for $14 for half a day 5 minute walk to old north church.

Ya I am a crammer... took a seasoned college professor with me a few months ago on a mid America history tour. He had done it 10 times before as a guide... I wore the guy out with my itinerary but we saw EVERYTHING on my bucket list. I will tweek this and report in a few weeks.

[lolavix]

Ya I am a crammer... took a seasoned college professor with me a few months ago on a mid America history tour. He had done it 10 times before as a guide... I wore the guy out with my itinerary but we saw EVERYTHING on my bucket list. I will tweek this and report in a few weeks.

 

I tend to want to see a lot on vacation as well, but you cannot discount what everyone is telling you about the Boston day. Websites NEVER give the correct estimations on time in the Boston area, because the traffic can change suddenly and everywhere you go there is never-ending road construction--I'd add at least 50% to all of the times you have listed. I drive 19 miles to work in Boston from a suburb a little further west than Concord and my commute can vary from 50 minutes to an hour and 20 or so.

 

If you have never been to Boston, I'd just go with the city itself. You can also go visit the Boston Gardens, which are lovely, and take a swan boat ride.

[searoses]

And don't forget the duck boats! Quack,quack!! They will take you on a narrated ride to the hot spots and a nice swim in the charles to see the skyline of boston and cambridge.....fun and educational...

[DaisyGoldberg]

As a Bostonian I agree- way too ambitious. Do a guided tour that includes Lexington/concord or Salem but not both. Salem is a lovely city especially for Maritime history and the real witch history but the witch museum is kind of embarrassing. Salem Village changed its name to Danvers and most of the genuine sites are there.

 

Stay away from renting a car and driving in Boston - there's so much to do just in Boston that you can have a fun, informative day and take in many more interesting sites than your current plan would permit.

 

As others have pointed out, the traffic situation getting to/from Lexington/Concord can easily swallow hours of your time depending on factors beyond your control.

[Big Al B.]

Another thing about driving in Boston if you're not familiar with it is that sometimes road signs are lacking and the streets are not exactly a grid :P. We wasted a lot of time driving in circles looking for things and decided we'd never rent a car there again.

[mizLORInj]

Sail away- Great outdoors in back YES, spinnakers in middle, deck above pool, or front. . .

Spinnaker Lounge is forward on deck 13 -- good place to watch if the weather isn't good

 

. . .

 

Monday Halifax- 8-5 Get off ship, take a private cab at the dock (mostly for the narration)($50 per hour)-brief city tour, then Peggy’s Cov- check out lighthouse and cliffs, and Swiss air memorial, then Titanic Cemetery, then back to town- drop off at Citadel ($7.80 each), Lobster Lunch in town, then Maritime Museum 930-530 ($8.75), then boardwalk (harbor walk) back to ship. I like this plan but it is a lot for one day

Tuesday Saint John. . . . Then walk 30 minutes to Reversing rapids at Fallsview walk to viewpoint lookout (on the map) (You can walk from the ship all the way along a paved walkway to the Reversing Falls Info Center, where there is plenty of opportunity to take, watch boats rise/sink with tides. This took us longer than 30 minutes last week though we did stop to take photos a few times along the way. We walked over the big bridge and had lunch at a new restaurant just past the Reversing Falls welcome center.

 

. . .

 

I would have a lobster lunch in both Canadian ports! :) Have fun!

Edited September 15, 2014 by mizlorinj