It looks now as if a trip to New York in late April/early May for 10 days is on the cards and I would like to take a round rail trip covering, say,6 of those days and showing my wife and me some beautiful eastern USA scenery. We would prefer to avoid cities, if we could, stopping overnight at smaller places. Any suggestions please? Thanking you in advance.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
Will you wish to rent autos at any of your destinations? This could well affect your respondent's advice.
Posted by smitty195 (Member # 5102) on :
Beautiful east coast scenery....well, the options are endless. I'll just throw one out there that I've never seen anyone talk about before (I did this last summer, and it was GREAT!):
Take Acela (high speed Amtrak train that runs from Boston to Washington DC) to Philadelphia. There are 4 or 5 rental car companies located within the train station. Rent a car, walk downstairs and pick up your car, then drive up to The Poconos. Visit Lake Wallenpaupack. The drive up there is gorgeous, and the lake and surrounding area is absolutely beautiful. The town of Hawley (PA) is very cool. If you want to see the beautiful east coast, you can't lose by going here.
Here is one of many links available to the Lake Wallenpaupack area:
The drive from Philadelphia to Hawley is a bit less than 3 hours, but it's well worth it.
Posted by dnsommer (Member # 2825) on :
I suggest riding the Vermonter from NYC and The Adirondack back. You'll get to take the ferry across Lake Champlain from New York to Vermont or vice-versa. There are many rural stops along both routes. Suggestions? Amherst, MA; Claremont, NH; Brattleboro, VT; Bellows Falls, VT; White River Jct., VT; Montpelier Jct., VT; Westport, NY; Whitehall, NY; Saratoga Springs, NY. Find a good directory of Bed & Breakfast places. You should consider renting a car to tour the scenic countryide and mountains.
Another consideration is The Ethan Allen, a train which runs from NYC via Albany to Fairhaven and Rutland, VT.
Dave S.
Posted by City of Miami (Member # 2922) on :
I think Dave's suggestion of the Adirondack/Vermonter loop works better the other way around, schedule-wise, i.e. the Adirondack to Port Kent, ferry to Burlingame, Vermonter back to NYP any morning thereafter. I did it in October and it was great. For my next own next trip I plant to be in Charlottesville VA (having taken the Crescent up from Charlotte) around Halloween and I'm going to take the Cardinal to Charleston WV, stay over 2 nights and take the Cardinal back - purely for the experience of it. I also think the eastern portion of the Capital route is very scenic.
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
quote:Originally posted by City of Miami: I think Dave's suggestion of the Adirondack/Vermonter loop works better the other way around, schedule-wise, i.e. the Adirondack to Port Kent, ferry to Burlingame, Vermonter back to NYP any morning thereafter. I did it in October and it was great.
City, what type of ground transportation is available coming off the ferry at Burlingame to a station for the 'Vermonter'? This is a loop I would be interested in.
Posted by heatherite (Member # 6059) on :
Thanks for the ideas so far. What's the North East regional train like for scenery and where would make good overnight stops? We're really looking for some places where we can walk around, visit a few local diners/shops/museums/parks and take in "America as She was" (sorry if this sounds naiive!)! We're not really modern people which is why we live in a very quiet part of England away from hustle and bustle. We feel we will get enough excitement in New York but will need a little tranquility to balance the Big Apple too.
Posted by MDRR (Member # 2992) on :
NOTELVIS, I think they meant to say Burlington not Burlingame in regards to the ferry arrival location. This, of course, would correspond to the Essex Jct. stop on 56/55.
Posted by dnsommer (Member # 2825) on :
The Lake Champlain ferry goes to Burlington, Vermont, not Burlingame. Burlingame is a CalTrain stop between San Francisco and San Jose, CA!
You could take a taxi from the ferry dock to a Burlington hotel or B&B, as the train would leave in the morning. The train station is at Essex Jct., a few miles east of downtown. The hotel shuttle took me to the station. Board the train and travel to some small rural stop in Vermont, New Hampshire, or Massachusetts. After a few days, return to NYC on the train.
Northeast Corridor trains travel along the beaches of Long Island Sound between New Haven, CT and Westerly, RI. It is a scenic area. You could check out Mystic, Old Saybrook, or New London. At Kingston, RI there is a connecting van service to Newport, with its scenic harbor and tidy town surrounded by historic mansions from the days of the robber-barons. Advance reservations are required for the van. At New London there is a connecting bus to the Mohegan Sun casino.
Keep in mind that NYC also is served by many commuter railroad lines, and they reach some memorable, picturesque destinations too. You could ride Metro-North Railroad to places like Cold Spring and Garrison on the Hudson River Line (very beautiful), or tidy Connecticut villages like Ridgefield and New Canaan, CT, for example. I'm sure there also are lines into New Jersey where you'll find old-timey destinations to explore.
Another loop to consider includes the Long Island Railroad, an ocean-going ferry across Long Island sound, and Amtrak back to NYC. You travel by rail to the northern tip of Long Island at Greenport/Orient Point, catch the ferry to New London, CT, and then ride the Regional service back to NYC, breaking up the journey with overnights as you see fit.
One last idea is to ride a Northeast Regional train to Boston-South Station. Then take a MBTA commuter train from Boston-North Station to Rockport or Newburyport, MA. These historic New England fishing villages just might be what you're looking for!
-Dave S.
Posted by notelvis (Member # 3071) on :
Ahhh....Burlington. Taxi to hotel. Shuttle to Essex Junction. Got it.
Thanks.
Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
One of the problems at Mystic is that the station lies on a sharpish curve. The west side rail of the southbound track is superelevated quite a bit, making stepping off the train a bit hairy. Anybody over middle age ought to ask the conductor for assistance alighting.
Northbound, there's no problem.
Actually the tracks run more east-west than they do north-south, but you get the picture.
Posted by City of Miami (Member # 2922) on :
Yes, Burlington. Being a low-budge type, I took the local bus which was fine as usual. Last spring I took the LIRR to Port Jefferson (nice little town), ferry across the sound to Bridgeport (not so nice) and then Metronorth back to GCS. I didn't research it far enough to find about the longer ride out to Green Port/New London.......maybe next time. I found the ride out LI (through Stoney Brook) very pleasant.
It is a short walk from trackside to the ferry landing at Port Kent. But the train doesn't stop there all the time, only seasonal. Check the website.
Posted by Ocala Mike (Member # 4657) on :
The ride out to Greenport on the LIRR will someday be "rare mileage" if the LIRR has its way. What once was the main line now sees only two trains a day, with an extra one on Fridays, and involves changing trains to the "Greenport Scoot" at Ronkonkoma, the end of the electrified line.
Posted by Judy McFarland (Member # 4435) on :
If you're looking for slow pace & quiet, NY north of Albany in the early spring will definitely fit your plans. If you're looking for historic things, try leaving the Adirondack at Saratoga & renting a car there. Check out the springs & the big old houses there. Visit the Saratoga Battlefield near Schuylerville. Head north in your car on route 9 (the route 66 of northern NY). See the beautiful Lake George in the off season. Beautiful parks there, but probably too early for a boat ride. If you've got the $$$, consider a stop at the Sagamore in Bolton Landing, a grand old hotel where the rich & famous came (and still come in August for the Saratoga races & the gorgeous lake views). Backtrack to Saratoga via I-87 (only about 25-30 miles) to leave the rental car & hop back on the Adirondack. Continue as described by others to make the loop through Vermont. Required viewing before you come: watch the 90's movie of "The Last of The Mohicans". Daniel Day-Lewis can chase me though the woods any time!
If you pass through my home town of Hudson Falls, you can see the highest falls on the Hudson River. (don't even think Niagara, more like a cataract). And that reminds me, Cooper's Cave in Glens Falls is open again - check locally. If you've seen the movie, this is supposedly where Hawkeye, etc hid from Magwa after the massacre at Bloody Pond. There is a huge painting of that scene in the Queensbury Hotel in Glens Falls. If you want to continue the adventure, check out the restored Fort William Henry in Lake George. Lots of history in that area, but not always complimentary to our friends from the UK! At least in the French & Indian War of Cooper's novel, the Brits & the colonies were on the same side.
Posted by Ocala Mike (Member # 4657) on :
Judy, I used to stay in Bolton Landing (albeit not at the Sagamore) during the 80's when I worked at Saratoga Race Track every August. Lots of good times in Warren County then, including minor league ball games in Glens Falls. Wouldn't the fall be just as nice up there as the early spring? Also, I understand there is now a casino at the Saratoga Harness Track that we didn't have back in the 80's.
Posted by heatherite (Member # 6059) on :
Thank you everyone so very much for all the suggestions to date. There are so many places to think about and research further. Ideally, I should prefer that our stay was for a month or more but we are stuck with 8 days to meet with our ship's voyages to and from New York.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
Mr. Heatherite, are you X-ing on the Queen?
Posted by heatherite (Member # 6059) on :
Yes, we are planning on coming on the Queen Mary 2.
Posted by dnsommer (Member # 2825) on :
It's the only way to cross!
BTW, all the suggestions so far are doable in as little as one day to five days or more. You'd easily make it back to NYC on time.
-David S.
Posted by Judy McFarland (Member # 4435) on :
Ocala Mike: If you haven't seen the Lake George area in the fall, plan now to jump on the train next year. The boats on the lake run through Columbus Day, and the spectacular colors reflected on the beautiful blue lake is a sight not to be missed. Columbus Day is a holiday in New England & the "leaf peepers" are out in force, so accommodations tend to be very expensive that weekend, but during the week in September, things can be very quiet.
If you do decide to come to the southern Adirondacks on the train, I do recommend getting off in Saratoga to get a car because most stations north of there are unmanned & lack services. The Fort Edward/Glens Falls station is charming, but its primary travelers service is a pay phone. Fort Edward is a VERY small town.
Posted by sojourner (Member # 3134) on :
Here is another possibility: Take a train North from New York's Penn Station, sitting on the left side facing forward (get a red cap, i.e., porter, to put you on early to ensure the view; you will have to tip him). If you are not planning on renting a car, get off at the Rhinecliff Station (official name, Kingston-Rhinecliff) and stay at the hotel The Rhinecliff. This is new (heavily restored from something old), posh, with a fine restaurant; and walking distance from the train station. You can explore the tiny hamlet of Rhinecliff, going down to the dock (you can either cross the steps by the hotel or go toward the train station and take a left to cross the ramp over the tracks) for a lovely view, walking up to the tiny Catholic church on the cliff. You should visit the somewhat larger town of Rhinebeck, attractive, with many shops and restaurants; you can walk there from Rhinecliff if you are a REAL walker (it's around 2, 2.5 miles) but the road has more traffic; I'd take a taxi (under $10) unless the hotel can provide you with some kind of free transportation. You can also walk from Rhinecliff in the other direction through the hamlet on Morton Road all the way to Wilderstein, a nice little country walk; Wilderstein (Roosevelt's cousin's home) won't be open in April, I don't think, but you can see it from the outside (inside is grim Victorian, not so interesting anyways).
If you are planing on renting a car, you can (a) stay someplace cheaper, like a motel in Hyde Park, south of Rhinebeck on Route 9; or the Hampton Inn in Kingston, across the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge from Rhinecliff; and (b) explore much more of the Upper Hudson Valley, including Franklin Roosevelt's home and the Vanderbilt Mansion (lovely grounds) in Hyde Park, or Clermont (the Livingstone home, north of Rhinebeck) in Tivoli (I think it's open in April, but maybe just weekends? you'd have to check; grounds are pretty nice here too.
Note that to rent a car from Rhinecliff station, you will need to arrange well in advance. I believe there is one car rental company in Kingston that would meet you at the station (National? I'm not sure); or you can check with Ruge's Oldsmobile in Rhinebeck (likely higher prices than Kingston); or check with your hotel. You don't want to be taking a taxi from Rhinecliff station to a car rental place in Kingston; it will probably cost you way too much. Indeed, if the car renting here is becoming problematic, I'd recommend going all the way to Albany on the Amtrak (it's a lovely ride all the way) and renting from Hertz there (I'm pretty sure they have a Hertz booth at the station, but you should arrange things in advance; also the booth may not be open on Saturday afternnons or Sundays). You'll have a lovely train ride all the way. Then you can drive back south from Albany. Other things you might see include (on the west side of the Hudson River)Thomas Coles house outside Catskill (he was founder of Hudson River School); the village of Saugerties (some lovely old homes just N of town and a lighthouse S on the river, if it's open; it's accessible on a causeway only in low tide); the famous town of Woodstock, NY (although the concert was never held here), loaded with shops, also a small art gallery etc, and a small music venue in nearby Bearsville; and (on the East Side of the Hudson River), in addition to FDR home & Vanderbilt Mansion in Hyde Park, the village of Rhinebeck, Clermont State Park in Tivoli, and Olana (the artist Frederic Church's home, quite mideastern, not sure if open in April, perhaps only weekends).
Other advice above re the Adirondack etc is also good but I'm not sure if April is best time to visit the Adirondacks; depends on weather. Also, that ferry may not be operating yet, it's seasonal, be sure to check. If it's not running, remember, the train ride on the Adirondack from NY to Montreal is really gorgeous N of Saratoga too--IMO the nicest ride east of the Mississippi. For that part, you need to be on the RIGHT facing forward northbound (when you get on in NYC use a red cap/porter, who will put you on the train early so you can get the proper seat, choose a window with lots of viewing area too . . . you will need to give him a tip, of course). I don't see the point in getting off in Saratoga and missing the gorgeous part of the ride; but if you do want to rent a car, again, consider getting off in Albany to rent it, since there are many more trains a day between NYC and Albany (but remember, for that part of the ride, the good views are on the left facing forward northbound, the right facing forward southbound).
I am not familiar with Plattsburgh, but if you really don't want to visit any cities (I don't know why not, they are very nice!), you might get off the train THERE (instead of going all the way to Montreal, which btw would also involve a visit to Canada of course, ot sure about what you might need documentwise in that regard, as you are British you may need a second visa or whatever) and see about a car rental there, then you'd have the most beautiful part of the ride on the Adirondack. You would then head south to various ADirondack places (Lake Placid is supposed to be nice). I am not such a big fan of the Adirondacks, they are pretty (when no black flies, when are those?) but would not be my first choice for a foreign visitor!
On a completely different tack (track): If you take the LIRR to Greenport, you can overnight there (it's supposed to be quite nice) and then I believe get to Orient Point (by taxi? check with your hotel) and take a ferry to New London, CT. From there you can catch a train right by the ferry stop (it also looks like a nice place to walk around on boardwalks or such on the Sound). Mystic is not too far; but I did not know that trains stopped there! East beyond CT is Rhode Island; you can get off in Providence, which is a city, but not too big (very nice to walk around the area by Brown University, College Hill; also eat in Little Italy, great pastry shop there Delicise, something like that!), and from there you can catch a short bus ride (or boat in season, I believe, probably not yet in April, but you can check) to Newport, RI, which is quite lovely. Some of the stately homes may not be open yet in April but plenty will be, and you can walk along the Cliff Walk and by the beach; also go downtown and see the shops, there is also the famous old Touro Synagogue etc. You could make your return trip by catching a bus from Newport to Boston South Station and then catch a train there. Boston is a great city, really worth seeing. You don't have to stay in the city, you can visit Concord, very historic; also the Adams stuff in Quincy; and there are lots of ferries, like to Salem, even Provincetown on Cape Cod, but you know, I don't think they are up and running yet in April.
Or you can again rent a car for all of this, getting it even in Greenport, then you don't have to worry about getting to Orient Point--it's a car ferry!
Posted by heatherite (Member # 6059) on :
I am really grateful for all the time and trouble put in by various members, however there is now a fly in the ointment. Due to worries about their financial future, not helped by the decision yesterday by the House of Representatives, the buyers of our flat in London have pulled out (very much at the last minute but before the sale became legally enforceable) so unless we find another buyer soon it looks as if our transatlantic trip is off for the foreseeable future. People here are very concerned about the property market and falling values and worried lest they fall into negative equity. This is pretty depressing news for us, as you can imagine, but not the end of the world - at least I hope not.