Multi centre trip: Boston/NYC

SDMDAM

Hello everyone, looking for some advice.

We are looking to try to arrange a trip to Boston/Cape Cod and NYC in the summer.  I was wondering if anyone has organised a similar trip and has any tips on how to book.  I have looked online at places like Trailblazers and Barrhead Travel (Scottish company) but their holidays only seem to cover two locations (NYC/Boston).  I have also looked at booking everything separate but very expensive.  Complication is 3 going: me, wife and 16 year old daughter and also 20 year old son may join for part.

Any ideas on how to book/what to consider would be gratefully received.

Thanks

hyperfish

My wife and I have done similar many times over the years, the last 4 or 5 are documented in this section. Did Boston, Cod, New England a couple of years ago.

My wife books the in and out flights and a car, sometimes in one and out of another airport. Expedia usually I think.

Prepare a list of when you might want to see along the way and just drive.

Sorry if it looks like I've over simplified it, but that's it. No schedule, no stress.

AMc

FWIW we did this back in 2011 - booked everything ourselves.  

We flew into Boston stayed at the Lennox hotel (reasonable for downtown and very nice people booked via Travelbag) for a few days and did Boston - history trail, visit to the Harvard, duck tour etc.
Then collected a car from near the train station and drove to a holiday rental on Cape Cod.  Found via Vacation Rental by Owners. VRBO - The Most Popular Vacation Rental Site in the US.  The drive is long, slow and boring.  Try to avoid going on a Friday afternoon when Bostonians head that way and the traffic is horrible.
Had a lovely relaxed week there.
Then back to Boston and took the Amtrack to NYC.  Stayed at the Roger Smith in midtown (booked via travelbag) for 3 nights.
Did a bunch of sightseeing.  I recommend you look at the CityPass to save money on attractions.
Then train back to Boston for one night at the Taj (overpriced and very poor, avoid) and flew out the following day.

If I were doing it again I would do most of that again, I would have booked an "open jaw" return and flown back from NYC or reversed the trip - the flight costs can vary dramatically depending on which way around you do it.  There was no point in our last train ride or night in Boston - waste of money.

Last summer we did NYC again for a week - stayed at The Time hotel.  It was OK but they were refurbing one of their two lifts so it took ages to get in and out of the room!.  There is a lot to do in NYC if you can afford it, but it is VERY expensive.
Then we Amtracked to DC and stayed in an AirBnB. Flying out a week later from Dulles.

Be warned - last summer the £=$ rate had taken a kicking and Boston, NYC and DC are all very expensive cities to begin with - at least as much as London in our experience.  We got a call from the credit card company asking for a payment in the first week of two which is a first, glad I took my laptop and the bank card reader!

bransoj

Done the two main cities separately but when we went to Boston we basically booked flights in and out of Boston then booked a few nights in Boston for the back end of the holiday and then planned using google maps some places to go travelling to for the first. Booked a car to pick up at the airport and drop back in Boston near our Hotel then using a combination of Booking.com, Google Maps and a bit of searching around to book nights at places to travel between. Ended up doing Salem, Portland, Bar Harbor and Bath before into Boston the day before Thanksgiving.

Wasnt that expensive or difficult to do with all the review sites these days to make sure the places you are booking are ok and the Google Maps to ensure the daily driving isnt to much. Use the same process for our annual trips to France each year.

In terms of Boston we stopped at the Newbury Guest House on Newbury Street which is about 5 mins from Boston Common and we used a combination of walking and the hop on\off tour buses to get around. Went to NYC in November and stopped at the Affinia Shelburne on Lexington Avenue, about 10mins walk from Grand Central Station. Again a combination of walking and tour buses to get about in the main.