What do you guys think of this for Fall Foliage?

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

My little group that was going to San Francisco has now decided that fall foliage would be better and that we can do San Francisco anytime, so I put together a little itinerary.

What do you guys think?

I haven't stayed at any of these resorts so don't know if they're good or if you guys think I should avoid any of these. I checked Tripadvisor but the reviews are going both ways with everything.

I took what I could get in my VRI discounts so here goes:

Flying into Boston and picking up a car and heading straight for 3 nights at Innseasons Pollard Brook, NH. I booked a deluxe 2 bedroom since they said that those were newly remodeled and a little bigger than the regular 2 bedrooms. Is 3 nights too long in this area?

One night at Innseasons Falls at Qgunquit, ME. Had to get 3 rooms since they didn't have any 2 bedrooms available. No one wants to sleep on the couch bed.

Then we go to Boston for Friday and Saturday night at the Residence Inn Boston Harbor on the Wharf. I'll probably just park the car and do the subway/trolley in Boston.

Then we go to Mashpee at Cape Cod Holiday Estates for 4 nights. My friends have never been to Cape cod. I know it's off season there but I called the resort and they said most things stay open til Columbus Day. Is this true?
I'd hate to get there and find a ghost town. I don't want crowds but I don't want everything to be closed either.

So any opinions? Am I staying too long in any one area?

We really wanted to do a caravan tour but they are all booked up so I'm sorta following their itinerary. I'm just skipping the Berkshires and Vermont.

Am I gonna hit any snow? I don't do snow driving.

Will it be real cold this time of year?

Do you guys know if these resorts have washer and dryers?

Thanks for any help.

[Remy Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Remy]

When are you traveling?

[mdurette Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mdurette]

I guess my first question is when are you starting this trip? I'm going to assume early October since you mentioned Columbus day.

If you are only looking for fall foliage - then the New Hampshire/Maine portion will give you your best shot. The week of Oct 3rd is when this area should peak. It will be a bit too early for Boston/Cape Cod area. Yankee Foliage - Your Source for New England Fall Foliage

I have stayed at Inn Season Pollard Brook before. Have always been happy with my stay there. They have a laundry room in a basement in one building. Not very conveinant - but it is there. BUT, just my opinion... the Inn Season South Mountain is a better resort and my first choice. It is just down the road. But, it has a better location that you can walk to area restaurants, shops, etc. It also has an indoor pool that you don't have to walk outside to get to like Pollard Brook. BUT, last I was there, no laundry. They will allow you to use all Pollard Brook ammenities including the laundry. There are some rough reviews about South Mountain - but they are all old. This place just went through a complete rehab. Actually heading there in a couple weeks!! Check out This Week in Lincoln Woodstock - Lincoln Woodstock NH Chamber of Commerce

You shouldn't catch any snow for driving.....but if you take one of the train tours to the top of a mountain there might be some up there!

Residence Inn Boston Harbor is great location - trolly or walking can get you to just about all sightseeing there is. I believe it is on the trolly tour bus route also. Boston Tours | Boston Attractions | Old Town Trolley Tours® covering Beacon Hill, Fenway Park, Boston Tea Party, New England Aquarium

Length of time:
3 night new hampshire. If you just plan on driving around to look at leaves - this might be too much. But, if you plan some other activities and visit some of the local attractions then you are fine. Heck, I'll be going for a week and will be busy just about every day!

1 night Maine - just my opinion - 1 night is a bit short for anyplace you want to explore.

2 night Boston - there will still be more to see - but enough time to get a feel.

4 nights Cape Cod - other's will chime in with more knowledge - but I live only 45 minutes from that resort and without beach weather...I'm not sure what I would do to fill those days.

If you decide to break away from 4 nights at the cape. I would add Newport for a night or 2.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

When are you traveling?

I'm going Sept. 27 to Oct. 6th or 7th.

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

I would add a night or two in Boston and spend less time on the Cape that time of year. I'm not an expert on that area, but I think of it as "beach," and it won't be ideal beach weather. Not freezing, but could be chilly.

Ogunquit is a cute town, I think one night in October is enough unless you want to spend more time exploring the Maine coast (and it's great lighthouses!). But between Ogunquit and the Cape, you're getting enough "coast" for that time of year, imo. Here's a good site for Maine Business Search - Maine Office of Tourism

The NH mountains should give you great fall colors. I've only been to that area once in winter and it's beautiful. I think you'd be getting the same "colorwise" as you would in Vermont, but I don't know how much there to do there (we were there for skiing). There are some lakes if I recall correctly, and undoubtedly hiking.

I think TonyG is familiar with the NH area, hopefully he will come along soon.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

Thanks Mdurette.

The reason I chose Pollard Brook is because the reviews were better but it's so hard sometimes to know because I've seen horrendous reviews at places that I've been perfectly content with so it does get a bit confusing.
Which resort is South Mountain? I only see Village of Loon Mountain condos and Village of Loon Mountain lodges. Is there a big difference in the two or are they connected? Is this the same place as South Mountain?

I'm trying to travel light so want access to a W/D just to not have to lug around a bunch of stuff.

I don't mind snow just don't want to drive in it so snow on the mountain I would expect.

I was planning on driving to Newport but staying on the Cape. Should I stay in Newport instead and cancel a night or two on the Cape? I went to the cape last year and found plenty to do without going to the beach for a week, but my friends haven't been, so I'm sure I'll be donig alot of repeat stuff. I figured we'd probably spend a whole day at either Nantucket or Martha's vineyard, one day going to Newport and back and then one day going to Provincetown and a few of the little villages. I figured we'd see Plymouth on our way back to Boston on the last day. Probably will skip the railroad if the foliage isn't turning yet.

My friends now don't want to stay at the Residence Inn in Boston as we all want our own rooms and it gets pretty pricey to do that so am looking at staying at the Airport Courtyard or Hampton Inn. I'm not crazy about the idea but the parking is free. They have a shuttle to the airport so you can catch the subway but this seems like it might be a waste of time commuting. Is it far? They told me that it's only 2 stops on the subway to Quincy Market area. My only reference in Boston is Custom House which is where I've stayed before but it's crazy expensive this time of year so need to find somwhere else. They also told me that the public garages are $20 a day so I could drive into the Wharf area and leave the car there all day and just pick it up at the end of the night when we are done downtown. Does this sound like it's doable or a dumb idea?

Thanks again for your help.

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

It sounds like you don't mind doing a fair bit of driving. If you are thinking about a day trip to Newport and exploring as far out as PTown plus doing Nantucket and/or Martha's Vineyard, then you shouldn't have trouble filling the four days.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

Thanks Glitter.

I'd love to do more Boston time but it's very expensive because we would need 3 rooms and the rooms in the area I want to stay are $300 to $500 a night. For those prices, I might as well come back in another season.

I did see that the weekends are a little cheaper than weekdays in that area so that's why we are just doing 2 nights on the weekend.
We'll have our car so paying $40+ for parking also adds to the expenses.
At least at the airport hotels we don't pay for parking in case we want to ditch the car for a few days.

I looked into just renting the car and returning it and picking it up after our trip but it is actually twice as expensive to do that than to just keep it for the whole week. I'll never understand this stuff. I guess it's like TS's, the longer you stay the cheaper it is per night.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

It sounds like you don't mind doing a fair bit of driving. If you are thinking about a day trip to Newport and exploring as far out as PTown plus doing Nantucket and/or Martha's Vineyard, then you shouldn't have trouble filling the four days.

I don't mind driving. What I hate is packing and unpacking and checking in and out of places, so trying to find a base to do some regional exploring.

[BWolf Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BWolf]

South Mountain was developed by Dennis Ducharme and his cabal. Dennis owns and runs Pollard Brook, as well. You may be better off at Pollard Brook, it is definitely timeshare oriented while South Mountain was a split timeshare/hotel arrangement. When Dennis ran into financial trouble and charged us PB owners a hefty special assessment, he made arrangements with BlueGreen to run South Mountain. Perhaps South Mountain is now more Timeshare oriented. You can't go wrong with Pollard Brook, especially with all the improvements they are making to the bedding, furnishings, etc.

Despite what Yankee Foliage says, the week you are traveling may be too early for peak foliage in the Lincoln area. Peak foliage might be in Vermont - Stowe, for example. You may want to do a bit of research starting with Yankee Foliage but check other sources. That said, we've had such a strange summer you might just hit peak at that time in Lincoln. It is always a bit different.

I'd suggest flying into Manchester, NH, if that is at all possible. Shorter drive to Lincoln, or Stowe, VT, while avoiding some of the Boston area traffic hassle.

HTH

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

Thanks B Wolf.

I'll check out the airfares. The only problem would be that we'd have to drive back up there from the Cape when we are done with our touring so I thought driving back and forth from Boston might be a better idea but I'll see if I can fly into one city and out without having to pay a drop off fee for the car.

So South Mountain is a different resort than the Loon mountain resorts?
I own a VRI so was using the 25% discount to book this stuff and don't see South Mountain on the list of VRI, that's why I went with Pollard Brook.
South Mountain looks like it's in the middle of a neighborhood. I guess that would be convenient but not sure that it would give us the resort feel that we are looking for. Maybe I'm looking for the wrong thing for that area.

[BWolf Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BWolf]

You would want to avoid such a dropoff fee. Airport rentals tend to be better for avoiding the fee than other types. Can't hurt to ask. If not, you are correct to go in and out of Boston.

Stick with PB. South Mountain is a great resort, but your VRI discount takes precedence.

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

I agree with Bruce about PB, So. Mountain is in a commercial neighborhood. Don't miss a trip to Clark's trading post for the bear show---they have shorter hours in the autumn, so get there early and do most of the park:Clark's Trading Post - Calendar & Schedule
Even that late in the year there is plenty to see and do in the area to keep one busy for the whole week.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

Thanks Tony.

I'm sure I'll love the area even if the leaves are not quite perfect yet. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they will be beautiful by then.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

Stick with PB. South Mountain is a great resort, but your VRI discount takes precedence.

Yes this year any discount I can get I need. Just got a 10% pay cut.
Oh well, at least I'm still working.