Summer Vacation on the East Coast
This past summer my family and I took a trip out to the East coast for a week of vacation. It had been on our bucket list for quite awhile, but we could never seem to fit it in. Rather than give you the entire itinerary of our trip, I’m going to share some of the most important parts that made our trip memorable…where to stay, where to eat, and what to do.
Boston
Where to stay:
Downtown—The Ames Boston Hotel
For us, we didn’t really even consider staying outside of the city because we wanted to be close to all the action so we found a nice hotel in the heart of downtown called the Ames Hotel. All of the rooms were clean and updated, the service was great, and the location was unbeatable. The rooms were somewhat small but we got upgraded to a larger room on the last night of our stay.
What to do:
See the history—Freedom Trail
The Freedom Trail in Boston is a 2.5 mile trail made up of 16 spots that made up our history. Rather than participating in a walking tour with a costume dressed tour guide we chose to do the audio tour which we were able to do at our own pace. This way, we could stop for lunch or shopping along the way and pick back up right where we left off. This image is of the Old State House in which the Boston Massacre took place in front of.
Shop—Copley Place
We stumbled upon Copley place on our walk back from Fenway Park and we were sure glad we did! If you’re interested in shopping for designer brands in the city, this is definitely the place to do it. The beautiful upscale mall is a must see, even if you’re just window shopping.
Catch a ballgame—Fenway Park
Watching the Redsox play at Fenway Park was one of our main reasons for wanting to visit Boston so of course that was at the top of our list. Buy tickets before you go to ensure you can get seats in your price range. There were so many good food options at Fenway and plenty to drink. For me, a brat is a must when at a baseball game!
Where to eat:
Dinner in Little Italy—Trattoria il Panino
During our trip we wanted to get dressed up and go out to at least one fancier dinner than what we’re used to so we made reservations at Trattoria il Panino. It was an Italian restaurant with the friendliest staff, romantic atmosphere, and the most amazing authentic Italian food. The street was lined with Italian restaurants but we didn’t second guess our dinner choice for a second! Mom’s lasagna of the day is probably the best thing on the menu…
Authentic Pizza—Regina’s Pizzeria
The only way to sum up Regina’s pizza is BEST pizza ever! You can just tell they’ve been around since 1926 because they have perfected everything about their pizza…the crust, the sauce, the cheese, and the sausage!
Maine
Where to stay:
Off the Beaten Path—Cape Elizabeth
Originally we looked at staying in downtown Portland but the options were pretty picked over and very spendy. So we decided to look a little outside of the city and found a stylish affordable Airbnb in Cape Elizabeth. We were only about 15 minutes outside of Portland. Our Airbnb was actually the loft above the Bird Dog Roadhouse which made for a very unique experience!
What to do:
Hike—Acadia National Park
Okay Acadia National Park has been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember so you bet we set aside a whole day to make the 3 hour drive from Cape Elizabeth. We left around 5am on Friday morning and got one of the very last spots in the parking lot around 8:30, which just goes to show how early the lots fill up. This was definitely the highlight of the trip for me. The coastal and mountain views were unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. Anyone who is ever remotely close to Acadia National Park should definitely make the drive to visit one of the country’s most beautiful national parks.
Visit a lighthouse—Portland head lighthouse
Maine has many historic lighthouses on its coast. We visited the Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse and the Portland Head Lighthouse which weren’t more than 15 minutes apart. The lighthouses on the ocean’s coast are views that we don’t get in Minnesota. The Portland Head Lighthouse looked like something you see on a screensaver…it was breathtaking.
Where to eat:
Seafood—The Lobster Shack
Another thing to do while on the coast of Maine is to eat seafood…duh. The Lobster Shack has been featured on both Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives and Man vs. Food. Don’t let the long lines scare you…it is worth the wait! It is very popular among both tourists and locals because of its spot right on the water, fresh seafood, and quick service. We spent some time exploring on the giant rocks on the water before finding a picnic table to enjoy our fried seafood.
Ocean View—Jackie Too’s
This was our first meal of the trip and it made us excited for all of the meals ahead! It was a beautiful spot right on the water in Ogunquit, MA. I was worried that the mussels wouldn’t fill me up because they were technically an appetizer but as you can see in the picture, I had more than enough to eat! Our whole table was impressed with their meals and the view.