The Sausage King of Chicago ([info]banshee) wrote,
@ 2009-05-17 11:45:00
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I've been trying to find a place along the coast for a small beachy getaway this summer, but after hours of googling, I'm stuck.

Basically, the requirements are:

- Under 7 hour drive from Rochester, NY
- Nice seaside town with a nearby beach
- Walkable town area with restaurants that aren't TGIAppleChiliBees
- Hotels available, not just B&Bs (I'm finding most don't take small children and I don't want to be nervous about disturbing others).

So....where? We've done Ogunquit, ME before, which is really just the kind of thing we're looking for, only a different experience. Cape Cod is too far, I think. I'm only coming up with Mystic, CT and Salem, MA, and are they bordering on the hokey? I'm not in it for the pizza or the witches.
Ideas? Suggestions?

Edit: Whoa, you guys are good. Ok, looking up all this great stuff...

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[info]bellajenni
2009-05-17 04:18 pm UTC (link)
The Weirs Beach/Lake Winnipesaukee area in NH is always fun in the summertime. Great boardwalk (old photobooths/arcades/shops), small water park, mini golf, etc.

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[info]indiefilmpage
2009-05-17 04:29 pm UTC (link)
Second this. I've been going to the Lakes Region since I was a kid. Weirs is great especially for kids. Funspot is a must in the area. There's a beach at the Lake. Nearby is Lake Winnisquam which is another pretty lake in the Lakes Region. Around 30-40 minutes away is Jefferson NH and Lincoln NH in the White Mountains which has fun things like Santa's Village Amusement Park and Clark's Trading Post.
http://www.lakesregion.org/

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[info]bellajenni
2009-05-17 04:50 pm UTC (link)
I went to camp up in NH, and I absolutely loved this area! We also used to go to the annual Craftsmen's Fair... which caters very well to children (lots of little booths to make things, etc.) - takes place Aug. 1-9, 2009 at the Mount Sunapee Resort (www.nhcrafts.org/documents/2009FairHighlights.pdf).

The beach area at Weirs is great; picnic tables, a great relaxation spot after walking the boardwalk, clear fresh water...

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[info]pivovision
2009-05-17 04:19 pm UTC (link)
i stayed in mystic maybe 10 years ago and i did feel like it was a bit hokey. but it was a rather poorly planned vacation......

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Portsmouth, NH
[info]indiefilmpage
2009-05-17 04:19 pm UTC (link)
Haven't been since I was a kid but it doesn't appear to have changed much.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g46209-Portsmouth_New_Hampshire-Vacations.html

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[info]vomitola
2009-05-17 04:22 pm UTC (link)
Salem is not very beachy IMO. You'd probably like being near Portsmouth, NH for the boutiques and restaurants and walkability. Hampton Beach is near there, but it's somewhat cheesy although fun. There are other options close to Portsmouth. Newburyport, MA is very similar to Portsmouth, and there's a state park at Plum Island. Crane Beach in Ipswich is very nice (but there are admission fees and you want to avoid July for the greenhead flies). Hmm what else...Newport and Block Island in RI. We do Peaks Island, ME, every year, but that just might be too far for you (Portland).

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[info]banshee
2009-05-18 02:30 am UTC (link)
We decided to see how cheap we could get a room in Portsmouth through Priceline, and suddenly found ourselves booking a $160/night room for $100, so we took it. Not the best hotel location (gotta drive to get to the center of everything), but hey - beggars can't be choosers, ha. Thanks for all your recommendations!

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[info]hellnation
2009-05-17 04:23 pm UTC (link)
rockaway beach!
:D

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[info]lunesse
2009-05-17 04:37 pm UTC (link)
Mystic might be a tad hokey, I went to college right up the road, but O. would LOVE it with all the things to see. Hokey kinda gets nullified for kids, you know?

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[info]lapsedmodernist
2009-05-17 05:42 pm UTC (link)
Newburyport, MA, just up the coast from Salem.

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[info]helloflamingo
2009-05-17 05:50 pm UTC (link)
I'm a big fan of Gloucester, Rockport, and Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA. Cute little towns to walk around in, nice beaches, teeny restaurants on the water.

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[info]bostonista
2009-05-17 09:04 pm UTC (link)
Yeah, I second this. Cape Ann in general is very nice.

Cape Cod is insane in the summer. Avoid.

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[info]tukativa
2009-05-17 07:30 pm UTC (link)
This might not work, because it's just about 7 hours away, but Cape May, NJ is just lovely, and has the beaches and the kid-friendliness. Quite a drive, though. Some nice restaurants as well.

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[info]sayvandalay
2009-05-17 10:03 pm UTC (link)
Cape May has no hotels though.

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[info]sayvandalay
2009-05-17 10:03 pm UTC (link)
Or at least very few.

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[info]blackhellkat
2009-05-17 07:30 pm UTC (link)
I was going to suggest Chincoteague and Assateague but I think they are about 8 hours away. If you ever consider going to Baltimore or DC in a holiday check out our little town---North Beach/ Chesapeake Beach, MD. It is a bay beach but we have wonderful fossil hunting and fishing---kinda non-traditional but fun!

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[info]banshee
2009-05-18 02:25 am UTC (link)
You know, I was looking at North Beach when we thought we'd be going to a Red Sox game in Baltimore later in the summer (seems like that won't pan out). It does sound nice there!

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[info]blackhellkat
2009-05-18 02:55 pm UTC (link)
If you guys ever head down to this area (DC, Baltimore, MD Western Shore) let me know and I'll get together some resources for you and send you a list of places to go that might not be in the guide books :D

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[info]vernacular_life
2009-05-17 10:23 pm UTC (link)
we spent a week last early summer in Newport and did a day trip to Mystic. Loved it! Also recommend any of the RI beaches (Matunuck sticks out in my mind - think there were a couple of smaller hotels there) - there weren't many beaches in Newport, but drove around a bit east and west of it and found some cute spots, all excellent for day trips.

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[info]grass_water
2009-05-17 11:56 pm UTC (link)
here's a suggestion! nova scotia! all kinds of awesome things to see. and i live here, which is probably the best part.

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[info]banshee
2009-05-18 02:22 am UTC (link)
Ah, problem being that we don't all have passports yet and they're starting to require them! I'd love to go sometime, though!

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[info]radiosilents
2009-05-17 11:59 pm UTC (link)
I second the NH suggestions. My dad lives not too far away from Portsmouth, and it is a cool little town, and there are beaches! They took me to Lake W. once too and that seemed really nice. NH all around is GREAT.

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[info]banshee
2009-05-18 02:23 am UTC (link)
Looks like Portsmouth won out! :D

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