Summer Vacation 2008

I know I am a bit early but I am trying to organize a family holiday for 2008 and all help would be greatly appreciated. There will be grandad aged 70, 2 couple%26#39;s in there early 40 and 3 kids aged 16,12 and 10 travelling from Ireland to Boston.

We are hoping to rent a 5 bedroom house for 2 week%26#39;s near a beach the trouble is we don%26#39;t know where. We are looking to spend about $1000 to $1500 a week for the house. We have been told to look at Cape Cod but when I looked it up on the web there is upper, lower and middle Cape Code. Wells has also been mentioned.

What I badly need from you is direction. Where would be the best place to holiday in Cape Cod? Would I get a house near a beach for that money in Cape Cod? Is Wells worth looking at?

My holiday happiness is now in your hands........

Summer Vacation 2008

Hi Farron!

There%26#39;s never too early when it comes to planning a vacation - especially one where you%26#39;ve got some many players in the mix.

While summer house rentals on the Cape have dropped over the past couple of years, they%26#39;re still rather expensive by my estimation.

I am attaching some links to different places on the Cape for rentals.

The upper cape would be the area around Sandwich, Barnstable and Mashpee, maybe even Falmouth and Woods Hole. The middle cape would take in the towns of Hyannis, Yarmouth Harwich and Dennis. The lower or outer Cape would be towns like Chatham, Orleans and then all the way out to Provincetown. Getting to the Cape can take an hour or so or up to three hours depending on traffic and where you%26#39;re looking to go.

I personally love the outer cape. It%26#39;s a little more rugged in terms of the land, and there%26#39;s space to spread out. However, the Cape in summer is busy; there%26#39;s no getting around it. It sometimes feels like the entire population of Boston transplanted itself down there, with all the traffic and commotion included. Hyannis is really the hub town on the Cape, followed by Falmouth. There%26#39;s shopping and antiquing, miniature golf and bike riding. It all depends on what your group likes to do. You can rent bikes in Provincetown and troll around on the bike trails. The beaches at Wellfleet like Coast Guard and Head of the Meadows has the gorgeous tall dunes you see in pictures.

Wells, Maine is about an hour to an hour and a half north of Boston. I am not as familiar with that end of the world but I%26#39;%26#39;m sure others here are. I have added links for Wells, too. With Ogunquit and Kennebunk so close, you%26#39;ll have quite a bit to do.

Be forewarned: the water is cold in both places!

http://www.capecodcottagerentals.com/

http://www.eastharbour.com/

www.thomasdbrown.com/rentals/index.php?town=t

http://www.yorkbeachcottages.com/

http://yorkbeachcottage.com/

http://www.yorkharbormotel.com/

http://www.wellsmaine.com/

Summer Vacation 2008

For your price range, I%26#39;d also suggest Narragansett, Misquamicutt, Bonnett Shores, and other areas in southern RI. There are some beautiful beaches there and the rental houses are a lot less expensive than the Cape. Plus, the water will be warmer than Wells or the more northern areas. For ideas, check out

http://www.vrbo.com

Click on RI and peruse the beach towns. Newport, Middletown, and Jamestown are also great, but might be a little pricier.

For the record, I have nothing against the Cape. Only with your price range, RI might be a better option.

Thank you for all the information so far....... Will keep me busy this weekend.

We just had a relaxing family and friends gathering in Cape Cod. We rented a house at West Yarmouth (mid cape). The property is clean and has everything we need – from high speed internet to kitchen utensils. Seagull Beach is within walking distance and there are bicycles in the house. I think the location is good for you and the price is in your range. Here is the link: …weneedavacation.com/PropertyDetail.aspx…

Hi,

Personally, I%26#39;m not a huge fan of the Cape, although it%26#39;s pretty and it%26#39;s very popular. Maybe too popular in my opinion.

So, I%26#39;m going to throw another idea at you. Block Island, RI. It%26#39;s a small, peaceful resort island, about 1 hour%26#39;s ferry ride off the RI coast. It%26#39;s got a beautiful beach, and it%26#39;s very serene and peaceful. There%26#39;s one small town on island, with some beautiful old Victorian-style summer resort hotels...the kind with the big front porches where everyone sits outside on Adirondack Chairs in the evenings. They do have house rentals and condos for rent as well, so you can still go that route if you want.

If you are looking for lots of things to keep busy, such as movies, golf courses, shopping, etc., then it%26#39;s not for you. However, if you just want to relax and enjoy beautiful scenery, it%26#39;s perfect.

Here%26#39;s some information for you:

http://www.blockisland.com

http://www.blockislandinfo.com/

You didn%26#39;t say exactly when you are planning a vacation here. If in July or August it will be more difficult to find a place on Cape Cod in your price range. If you are planning June or September, it will be much easier. In this part of the country, September has glorious weather. Especially along the coast, June can sometimes be unsettled.