The Master Plan is Underway

New England in the Fall

I have to admit that trip planning is not my favorite thing to do. I love to go but the actual planning is difficult. I want to be able to read a book that just says, "Go here and do this, you"ll love it. This is the very best fun for your time and money this place has to offer." I know I am living in Fantasy Land but it is what I want when it is time to do the planning.

Jim and I both hate the idea of being someplace and spending all our time trying to find places of interest. So we love to have a major plan in place, with the idea that deviation from it is OK. By the same token, we love to explore the back roads of places and factor that in. But we don't want to be wandering around wondering what to do. Does that make any sense at all? We have learned over time that planning two things per day is best with lots of free time in between.

But between guide books and the Internet it can get pretty confusing. There is just too darn much information to digest. We like to see things in a narrative form not just tables of places to see and prices and hours operation, etc. We like to read other people's opinions of the places. We both like Rick Steves' books and videos. Too bad he does Europe and not the USA (unless someone knows something I don't??)

Add to all of that, that Laura and Robert have planned two amazingly comprehensive trips for us to Italy in the past few years and I am feeling very inadequate at this juncture. But today I began my search. I am feeling very excited about the things I have read and researched so far. Newport, Rhode Island looks fantastic all by itself! And the fact that that general area is our home base makes it all very exciting.

Rose Island Light House, Rhode Island
(flickr)

We have been to the east coast but not in the autumn. And not to New England which has always been someplace we have wanted to go. I have visions of Vermont after spending just one afternoon there once and Connecticut and Massachusetts must be incredible as well. And we want to see New Hampshire and Maine too. We have a little goal of seeing something of all the states in our life time. I think we are around 32 right now.

Skipping NY (been there) would be fine with me but I wouldn't mind seeing The Hamptons and we'd love to hear our nephew play his base in NYC at one of the many clubs where he performs in Manhattan. So we will see.

Scott

So...so many decisions yet to be made. We leave at the end of September so I am cutting it pretty close but until now there hasn't been time.

So I am on it finally...any suggestion would be so greatly appreciated. I have put a little box at the top of my sidebar with specific questions for anyone who knows that area. You can just add your answers to any blog post comment section and I will see it. I'll probably have new questions everyday for awhile now. Thanks in advance for any clarity you can give us.