Last Piece in the Jigsaw

Hi All

Thanks for all the help you have given us so far planning this trip 鈥?it has been so helpful 鈥?we are nearly there now. For those that have been following we had planned to spend the first 10 days to 2 weeks driving around New England in the Fall (1st 3 weeks in October) and then the last week in Virginia driving the Skyline Drive. So we booked our flight into Boston and out of Washington.

However, after a lot of prompting from trip advisors we have decided to cut out the Skyline Drive and concentrate on New England.

However, this does mean that we still have to get to Washington DC to fly home. Our last stop in New England looks like it is going to be Northampton MA. We had always planned to spend two or three days in Washington but now we need to find a two or three day stop between Northampton MA and Washington DC.

I don鈥檛 want the holiday to fizzle out after New England and so it would be really nice to find somewhere on our way back to Washington that would give us that last wow before we reluctantly drag ourselves back home.

Has anyone got any suggestions of somewhere we could stop over for two or three days that would have something special for us to see 鈥?we plan on coming back to see New York at a later date and I think we have already planned in enough big cities 鈥?ideally it would be something quaint of alternatively something awesome or grand 鈥?maybe a different.

Any ideas

Thanks again

Ray

Last Piece in the Jigsaw

Hi Ray,

I haven%26#39;t had the chance to be in on the earlier discussion so I don%26#39;t know why everyone has said not to do Skyline Drive. I felt a little sad. And I don%26#39;t mean to bring up the issue again, but can%26#39;t help myself :-) I used to work there and it is one of my favorite places. I would never leave it out if I had the time to go. You don%26#39;t need to visit the whole thing, just down to Skyland and Big Meadows.

Maybe it isn%26#39;t what you are looking for this trip, but it sure holds a big part of my heart.

That said you have lots of options between Northhampton and DC. We have been looking and found some interesting B%26amp;B%26#39;s in the area outside of Philadelphia in Bucks County. You would also be passing through Catskill country and there are so many options there. You could spend some time in Amish country in PA, or the Delmarva Penninsula east of DC -(That would be my second choice after Skyline dr). Sorry I don%26#39;t have any specific little spot that would be the perfect place to wind down, but I know you%26#39;ll find it.

Last Piece in the Jigsaw

The Pennsylvania Dutch area of Lancaster County, home to the Amish, may be nice as the previous poster suggested. Try www.amishcountryinns.com FFI, I know The Inn and Spa at Intercourse Village (real name) has great rates for spa services, and their rooms/cottages are very reasonably priced. And the area is known for good food. Enjoy! Sandy

Thank you all once again for your kind help and support 鈥?as always it has been very helpful 鈥?all of your suggestions sound so wonderful as you describe them 鈥?we have narrowed your suggestion down to 3 and we will make a decision tonight 鈥?I feel that the map of the US could be making another appearance tonight. Please do not become frustrated with me but I am still trying to work in The Skyline Drive into the itinerary somehow!!! But maybe we could break the drive from Massachusetts to the Skyline Drive by staying over night in Chester and have a look around the Amish Community? It works as far as the driving is concerned 鈥?quite a long drive but we鈥檝e done worse.

We have already booked accommodation for 4 of our locations 鈥?goodness so much more expensive this year compared with last 鈥?there is a lot of accommodation outside of our budget but having said that with a little bit of determined research it is possible to find some really nice looking motels and speciality accommodations 鈥?Cabins etc.

I am already getting excited and it is soooo far away yet! We are looking at Thrifty for our car hire 鈥?they look quite reasonable and the do a pick up and drop off at different locations.

Still 6 months to go 鈥?must stop wishing my life away.

Thanks again

Ray

If from Northhampton you head south to about Danbury Ct and then west on I-84 to Scranton and then south on I-81 to Harrisburg you will miss the mess that is New York and Philadelphia and be closer to the Amish country than you would be in Chester.

Thanks Kbec now that is useful to know.

Take care

Ray