help a student planning a road trip?

Parents Forum
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<p>I'm looking at a huge handful of schools on the East Coast, but as we're from CA it's a little expensive and time-consuming to get out there to see everything. My parents want to take a trip with me to the East Coast this spring break, and I've done pretty much all the research.</p>

<p>In fact, I know when all the schools I'm looking at are open for tours and class visits. But my parents want to tie the college mania in with something else-- a more relaxing trip to someplace new.</p>

<p>Does anyone have any recommendations for nice getaways around the NYC and Boston areas? We'll be going in late March/early April and I think Cape Cod would be maybe too cold to really enjoy. Then again, I've never been back east.</p>

<p>The school's I'm trying to negotiate in are Smith, Wesleyan, Brown, Yale, Barnard, and Columbia-- all of which I'd really like to see, so any help you can give me is huuuugely appreciated!!</p>

<p>Thanks, from an overwhelmed junior.</p>

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<p>You're not going to drive from CA are you???</p>

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<p>lol of course not! I'm not that masochistic!
I think we'll be flying into JFK.</p>

<p>Any suggestions, East-coasters?</p>

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<p>You're right, March/April is not the best time for a Cape Cod trip. It might be cold, and there's not much in bloom yet. Consider a city vacation--Boston or New York. Or a history-related one--Boston, Lexington & Concord, maybe Salem, something like that. Remember that even when the weather isn't great, the East has architecture and history that's interesting and unlike California.</p>

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<p>Sorry, "East coast", "college visits" and "relaxing" do not go together.</p>

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<p>holly, most of the colleges that you've chosen are in historically and culturally interesting areas. I'd just add a day or two to each and explore the area. Spring weather is usually wet and surprisingly chilly, but it's also gloriously invigorating -- good walking and exploring weather.</p>

<p>For example, I don't know how much time you've spent in New York City, but there's certainly no shortage of things to do and places to see there. Just spending some down time in Manhattan will help you get an idea of what it would be like to study there.</p>

<p>For a less urban environment the town of North Hampton and its environs is New England at its best. Charming communities, cozy bed and breakfasts, great country restaurants and many good museums. Not on your visit list, but Williamstown is especially appealing for B&B's, natural beauty, food, music and art.</p>

<p>My son was also interested in Brown, Wesleyan and Yale as well and we spent quite a lot of time in Connecticut and Rhode Island. Connecticut also has a lot of charm and New Haven though a little rough around the edges, the Yale campus itself is rich in architecture and museums. </p>

<p>Rhode Island and Providence are not my favorites, but I would strongly recommend a visit to Newport and a tour of The Breakers.</p>

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<p>You can't see it all, especially in one week. You have to use the week as a working vacation, spending your time at selected colleges and save the sightseeing for other trips. Son and H did the east coast college trip one spring, thank goodness I stayed home- how could they drive from Boston to New Jersey and skip seeing Yale???? Or skip a famous college blocks from another??? H and I did our own leisurely tour of several IVYs last fall, interesting. We had time to see some historical sights H missed when on the college hunt.</p>

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<p>We did an east coast tour spring break of 2004. You have 6 schools listed ... and can group Columbia / Barnard in a day .... so let's say 5. If you are able to have 7 days from when you fly in / fly out, you could reasonably call it a working vacation. Don't expect relaxation, though.</p>

<p>The end of March can be beautiful - or pretty raw and miserable. I agree with the other that doing cultural activities in cities might be the best bet. If you had a couple of extra days, Williamsburg would be a great break.</p>

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<p>You might enjoy a trip to Newport, RI which can be included with drives to & from Brown and Wesleyan. If you find the gilded age interesting, then you will enjoy this visit. I was in the area a few months ago and can recommend this inn Stonington</a> Connecticut Bed & Breakfast Inn Stonington CT Inn Stonington Borough Bed and Breakfast Inn Stonington Connecticut which is not in Newport but is in a historic town with one of the few remaining fishing fleets, and would be on the way. Other than that, city visits are not dependent on weather, and college towns are usually interesting. Enjoy your trip!</p>

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<p>If you can fly into NY and then fly out of Boston, you've got a much more reasonable trip. The schools you've mentioned are all within a few hours' drive of each other. </p>

<p>I'd suggest the following: Columbia/Barnard
Drive to CT and visit Wesleyan, then Yale.
From Yale, it's a straight shot up 95 to Providence & Brown
Then out west to Smith, and back into Boston (or down to NY if you have to do it that way).</p>

<p>I wouldn't try to get to Northampton - while a great town, it's another hour or so west of Smith, so it's in the wrong direction. If you drive from Smith to Boston, you can stop at Old Sturbridge Village, a wonderful recreation of an early Massachusetts town. The town of Amherst is also a lot of fun in itself, and while you have a full list already, Smith is a member of the Five College Consortium with Mt. Holyoke, UMass Amherst, Hampshire and Amherst College, all very close to each other.</p>

<p>In Boston, walk the Freedom Trail, go to the Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of Science, take a trolley or a "duck" tour (an amphibious vehicle that goes into the Charles River), visit Fenway (even without a ball game, it's a fun area). Lots to do. </p>

<p>If you do have the time while at Yale, I second the suggestion to go to Newport. The "cottages" (read: mansions) there are spectacular.</p>

<p>If you spend your down time in NY, I suggest taking one of the on/off bus tours. Rockefeller Center, Fifth Avenue, the Empire State Building, the WTC site, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Times Square, Lincoln Center (tours available), the Museum of Modern Art, the Museum of Natural History, the Guggenheim - touring NY would take a week in itself.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
I wouldn't try to get to Northampton - while a great town, it's another hour or so west of Smith, so it's in the wrong direction.

[/quote]

Chevda, I think you meant to say skip Williamstown. Smith's in Northampton, right? (Having a male, it wasn't on our visit list.)</p>

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<p>Gosh! Such a response! Thanks, everyone for your advice. I've never really heard of Newport RI but hey I'll mos. def. check it out.</p>

<p>Anything to break the hectic schedule (and to take up the time on the weekends, when there are no tours or classes) is on my to-do list.</p>

<p>And I understand that "East coast," "college tour," and "relaxation" do not belong together, especially in the same week; as long as I can call it a vacation.</p>

<p>Thanks again.</p>

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<p>Make sure you check out Weather.com 's 10 day forecast before you leave. I've live in CT all my life and the weather here can be tricky in March/April. We've had everything from snow storms to 75 degree weather. Good Luck with your trip--I'm exhausted just thinking about it. As Chedva pointed out flying into NYC and out of Boston might make your trip less stressful. Interstate 95 in CT can be a nightmare. :/</p>

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<p>Indeed I think we will be starting in NYC because Brown isn't in session until the end of our time frame...</p>

<p>Trying to work out how to get to both Brown <em>and</em> Smith because they're kind of difficult to connect... but I will prevail!</p>

<p>And I own a very dense, very warm coat that kept me toasty during a light snowstorm in a NYC February once, so I'm weather-ready, I think.</p>

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<p>Yes, I did mean Williamstown; I always get those two confused! Sorry about that!</p>

<p>From Brown to Smith: Take I-95 N. About 30 miles into Massachusetts (you'll pass an exit for Norwood), bear Left onto Rt. 128 North (may also say 95 North). Do NOT go to the right; that will take you into Boston proper, too far east. Once you've gotten onto 128 North, take it to Rt. 90 W, also known as the Mass Pike. From there, I'm sure that the Smith website has directions. </p>

<p>Depending on when you get onto 95, turn your radio to 1030 AM, WBZ, which has traffic reports on the 3's. Listen for road south and west of Boston - 95 N, 128 N, Mass Pike. That'll give you some hints.</p>

<p>Newport: That's where the mega millionaires of the railroad and oil industries in the early part of the 20th century built their summer homes, which they called "cottages". The Breakers, the most famous of those homes, is the Vanderbilt cottage. There are public tours through them.</p>