We left Home at 8 am and stopped at McDonald’s for breakfast $6.27 and drove through Missouri, and we drove through Illinois, and we drove through Indiana, and we drove through Ohio. We stopped for the night and stayed in room 403 at Hampton Inn Wheeling West Virginia after driving for 11 hours. (Which we booked on points) We walked across the parking lot to Bob Evans and were pleasantly surprised to see they served alcoholic beverages. $43.60 We do not like eating this late, but we were hungry. We just made it before they closed. I had the roast beef and steve had chicken. The food was mediocre.
We left the next morning at 7:30 and drove through Pennsylvania. We drove through New Jersey where the only rest stops were for trucks, and we never saw a welcome to New Jersey sign. We have not been to New Jersey since we lived here 50 years ago. Then we drove through New York. We stopped for the night at Hampton Inn room 415 in Stamford Connecticut. (Which we booked on points) The staff was inept, and the hotel was very tired, and the restaurant was closed. We had dinner at Divina Modern Italian Restaurant. $90.14 We shared oysters and each of us had cannelloni. It was exceptionally good. This was our first-time visiting Connecticut.
We left the next morning about 7:30 and came to the first welcome center in Connecticut. We drove through Connecticut, New York and stopped for the night at the Marriot in Newport Rhode Island room 412. This hotel is genuinely nice and has a lovely bar with amazing views. (Which we booked on points however parking and the bar tab was $192.42) The bellman at the hotel recommended we have dinner at the mooring. It had a lovely view of the water. We shared mussels and shared a tuna sandwich and fries. $95.92 It poured down rain. This was our first-time visiting Rhode Island.
We drove to Wareham Massachusetts to Candy and Russ’s house. We drove around and took pictures of nearby places. We drove another hour to the Captain David Kelley house in Centerville Cape Cod. $501.28 We had the patience room. We drove to Spanky's clam shack for dinner. Steve had the broiled seafood combo, and I had the fried seafood combo. Both were particularly good. We at outside on the water. It was quite chilly. $135.33 This was our first time to Massachusetts.
We got up the next morning, had a lovely breakfast at the B&B and then drove to Chatham to see the lighthouse. We then drove to Provincetown and had lunch at Tin Pan Alley on the water. We shared a lobster roll and fries. $78.91 We drove to Sandwich to have dinner at Daniel Webster Inn with Russ and Candy. Steve had Lobster crusted cod and I had scallops. Both were good but not great and were lukewarm. $342.64 for the four of us.
We had breakfast at 8:30 and then packed up the car to drive to Boston. We arrived at the Fairmont Copley Plaza. $715.77 Our room...427...was not ready so we stored the luggage and walked about two miles through town. We decided to ride the city view trolley for a guided tour. It was very enjoyable. $40 We came back to the hotel at 3:00. Our room was still not ready, so we had dinner at the Oak long bar. We both had clam chowder and lobster roll and fries. It was delicious. $183.34
We got up and had breakfast at the hotel since I had booked the bed and breakfast package. We both had Eggs benedict, but I had ham and steve had lobster. We then drove to Salem. We paid $30 to park. We took the red trolley and did a wonderful tour. $40 It was unbelievably crowded. They told us that for the next month 100,000 people a day will visit Salem.
We drove through New Hampshire and arrived in Brunswick Maine room 323 to a little rain about 3:30. When we pulled into the parking lot of the Brunswick Hotel and Tavern. $315.01 We had dinner at the Noble Kitchen & Bar. I had fish soup and scallops, Steve had souped du jour and Salmon. Both were mediocre. $172.72 An aside…There is no ice bucket in the room. Steve went to the front desk and asked for ice. They gave it to him in a plastic bag.
We got up, grabbed breakfast at McDonalds $8.72 and took a beautiful drive to New Hampshire. We made many stops along the way to take pictures. We stopped at Crawford Notch state park and shopped in a quaint little store for souvenirs for the kids. We arrived in Bretton Woods New Hampshire and checked into the Mount Washington Omni room 118. $409.89 We walked around taking pictures and had a glass of wine in the Stickney bar. Then we had 5:30 reservations for dinner at Stickney steak house. We got a bottle of Caymus cab…we had wonderful calamari for an appetizer and we both had the 8-ounce filet for dinner and shared cheesecake for dessert. The view was amazing, the service was amazing, the food was outstanding. This place wins easily. Best meal of the trip! $455.42
We left the omni at 7:30 am and crossed the state line to Vermont…. our 50th state! We did it!!! Vermont was not as colorful as New Hampshire had been…it seemed as if the leaves were already falling. We arrived in Stowe and went directly to the Von Trapp family lodge at the recommendation of a friend. We bought a few souvenirs and went to breakfast. It was a buffet…which is always disappointing. $60.60 It was a misty cloudy day, so the views were not as beautiful as I am sure they are on a clear sunny day. We left the lodge and went to ride the Stowe Gondolas…which had zero visibility at the top of Mount Mansfield. It was disappointing but still a fun ride. $67.84 We left there and checked into our hotel…the Stoweflake Mountain resort and spa room 508. $256.80. I expected beautiful views and a luxury resort. What we got is a very tired and dirty run-down resort in the middle of town. The restaurant is closed. This place looks almost blighted. There is truly NOTHING to do here in Stowe unless you like bike riding and hiking. It is Monday and we have a choice of two restaurants that are open on Monday…along with the five thousand other visitors here today. Coming here was a mistake. I have no one to blame but myself…I booked it. We had dinner at Idletyme Brewing. We both had a burger and onions rings. It was very good. $72.12
We got up and went to our prepaid full breakfast at the hotel…which was a very poor continental breakfast, so we left and started the drive toward Cleveland. We stopped at Ben and jerry’s but the tours were closed. We stopped at a McDonalds. $16.02 We drove through Vermont to New York to Pennsylvania to Ohio. We stopped for the night at the doubletree room 1616 in Cleveland. (Which we booked on points) We had dinner at the hotel…club sandwiches which were excellent. $64.16
We got up and had breakfast at the hotel…it was excellent. Then we went to the Rock n Roll Hall of fame. $60 It was wonderful! We walked down to the waterfront to take some photos. It was just beautiful Cleveland is a beautiful city! I wish we could stay longer.
My favorites moments of this trip were Having a glass of wine overlooking the water in Rhode Island, the drive through New Hampshire and seeing the beautiful silver cascade waterfall and the views from the omni hotel, seeing the beautiful lighthouse in Chatham and the view of Lake Erie in Cleveland. The best meal by far was at the omni in New Hampshire and the worst meal was in Brunswick Maine. It was wonderful seeing old friends…Candy, and making new ones…Tom, Rick, Alex, and Otis. We drove about 3000 miles on this trip…most of it with a nail in the right back tire…we think we got the nail in Newport Rhode Island when the valet at the hotel also scraped my car door. The car told us the tire was a couple of pounds low and when we stopped to air it up, I saw the nail. It must have sealed itself because we never got the message again…. And we left the nail right where it was.
It was a wonderful feeling of accomplishment to see our 50th state in 50 years.
you can view photos here
https://www.sandcvacations.com/
