If the thought of a cheap weekend getaway has visions of Chevy Chase’s “Family Vacation” running through your head, think again. The northeast states provide many beach, mountain, lake and urban settings where a long weekend vacation will not break the bank, and where there are plenty of activities to keep mom, dad and the kids entertained.
Misquamicut is situated roughly one mile past the Connecticut border in Rhode Island. The Connecticut shoreline overlooks the calm waters of Long Island Sound, but Misquamicut offers unfettered access to the Atlantic Ocean. Its large, crashing waves, affordable lodging options and public beach make it a popular summer weekend getaway.
Several waterfront hotels and motels offer 2010 off-season rates of $50 to $75 and rates $100 to $125 from late June through early September including the Sea Shell Motel (seashellmotel.com) and the Sandy Shore Motel (sandyshore.com). Several area motels are pet-friendly, so you can save the cost of a kennel and bring Fido with you. For $20 per night, bring the camper or a tent and camp out at Burlingame State Park (riparks.com), located just seven miles from the Misquamicut beaches.
Non-residents can expect to spend less than $15 per car per day for entry into Misquamicut Beach State Park which comes complete with picnic tables, several concession stands, restrooms and plenty of lifeguards. The park is located on Atlantic Avenue which is filled with shops, restaurants and arcades that will keep the kids entertained after the sun goes down.
The Misquamicut Business Association
P.O. Box 1302
Westerly, RI 02891
401-322-1026
misquamicut.org
Rangeley is in the region of Maine that is bordered by Vermont on the west and Canada on the north. It is an all-season destination offering salmon and trout fishing in the spring, summer lake activities, hunting and foliage watching in the fall and skiing and snowmobiling in the winter. As of 2010, both the lakefront Town & Lake Motel (rangeleytownandlake.com) and the Rangeley Inn (rangeleyinn.com) offered rooms starting at less than $100 per night.
During the warmer months, try your hand at gold panning in one of the area’s stream beds, hunt for gemstones in one of the nearby state quarries or spend the day at Lakeside Park beach right in Rangeley Village free of charge.
In the winter months, take advantage of the many cross-country ski trails in the area, or take advantage of some free ice skating on Haley Pond. Saddleback Mountain is nearby for downhill ski enthusiasts.
Rangeley Lakes Chamber of Commerce
6 Park Road
Rangeley, ME 04970
207-864-5364
rangeleymaine.com
If done right, Boston can be a great budget getaway destination. In 2010, several hotels offered guest rooms or packages for less than $100 per night including The Midtown Hotel (midtownhotel.com) and the Constitution Inn (constitutioninn.org). Parking costs can eat up the vacation budget in Boston, so purchase an MBTA LinkPass (mbta.com) and enjoy unlimited transportation on the subway, city buses, Inner Harbor Ferry and commuter rail zone 1A for $9 per day or $15 per week (2010 rates).
There are plenty of free or low-cost things to do in Boston including browsing Faneuil Hall and Haymarket Square, walking the Freedom Trail (thefreedomtrail.org), climb to the top of the Bunker Hill Monument or tour the Sam Adams Brewery or the many historic monuments and buildings in the city. At end the end of the day, head to Best Cellars (bestcellars.com) for a free wine tasting before heading to 28 Degrees (28degrees-boston.com) for $1 Island Creek Oysters or Noir (noir-bar.com) for flatbreads, sandwiches and salads for $5 or less (Monday through Thursday only).
Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau
Two Copley Place, Suite 105
Boston, MA 02116
617-536-4100
bostonusa.com
