Family Vacation: Connecticut and New Hampshire

After a disastrous attempt at a short road trip to Cape May last summer we scrapped any travel plans indefinitely.  The drive wasn't the problem; it was the foreign accommodations.  Iris, not quite 2 at the time, literally slept on top of me after refusing her pack 'n play. I couldn't survive three nights of no sleep so that was that. A year later, we worked up the courage to attempt another road trip, not nearly as ambitious as what we were hoping to do - drive cross-country to Colorado (what the hell were we thinking?!) - but something a little simpler and in the same time zone.  

We hadn't seen my brother and his family for a while and their new home in Connecticut made for a nice midway point in a drive to New England, specifically New Hampshire, so that's what we did.  In addition to being a cost savings for us since staying with family is complimentary, we got the kids together - all girls under 6.  It was really special to have the cousins laugh and play and spend that quality time together.  We hope we get to do that again next summer when we aspire to take a similar trip but perhaps with the ultimate destination being Maine.  

Iris had already started dropping naps before the trip.  The upside to that is that it wasn't an impediment to our schedule and we could go about as we pleased without pause.  When my niece took her three hour nap (I miss those days!) the four of us ventured to Little Italy in New Haven, CT and had some delicious Neapolitan-style pizza from Frank Pepe, highly recommended by my brother.  Iris did drop off to nap during the drive there but that worked out well as the girls, myself included, stayed in the car while Evan got in line for the pizza.  After he ordered and got back to the car, Iris was still asleep so Aura and I snuck out for a bathroom break and then walked a couple blocks away to a park and playground. We did that for a bit and then when we got back to the car Iris was awake and the pizza was ready for pickup.  We got the pizza and went back to the park, ate, and then both kids played for a while.  Then we walked back toward the pizza place and crossed the street to get gelato.  Could a kid possibly ask for a better outing?  

We spent two nights and one day at my brother's and then we were off to New Hampshire!  Along the way we made a couple of stops.  Our first stop was in New Haven, again, but this time we stopped at Evan's great-grandfather's grave.  It was actually a really beautiful moment for all of us (maybe not so much Iris because she couldn't understand the gravity of it).  Barely two months prior we missed my grandmother's funeral because Aura came down with a fever.  For me, it felt almost like a do-over.  Not because we were going to a funeral but because I finally got to place a stone on top of a grave (this is a Jewish tradition).  Aura is always inquiring about family and so for her, it was a glimpse into her family history. Finally, it meant a lot to Evan's dad and by extension, it meant a lot to us to do that for him.  

Next up was Dinosaur State Park.

It's a shame we didn't have more time to explore the hiking trails or do a scavenger hunt but it was still neat to see the dinosaur tracks.  The central building was more appropriate for Aura's age group but even then, it was too much information.  Iris was bored out of her mind.  The one activity they both enjoyed was a sand pit.  Why do kids live for mess?  Luckily it wasn't as messy as going to the beach since the sand was completely dry and easy to brush off.

Because of all the stopping and starting, we didn't arrive at our Airbnb in New Hampshire until close to 7pm. Our immediate impression wasn't the best. The view was spectacular, as advertised, but the house was hot when we entered and it took some time to figure out the a/c and cool it off. After being in the car for much of the day the kids were really looking forward to using the on-site playground. It was also one of the main reasons I selected the house. Unfortunately, it was very dirty, not just regular dirty but like it hadn't been used or cleaned in a long time.  Ultimately, once we got the house cooled down we were able to appreciate how cozy and clean the house was and as we got to delve into the activities that NH had to offer, we quickly forgot about the playground because we didn't have time for it anyway.  

      

Our Airbnb was in a pretty rural part of NH. I guess that's not saying much? My point being, we had to drive no less than 30 minutes at least one way every day to get somewhere. Often, we spent upwards of three hours in the car on any given day. So that we could take advantage of the beautiful weather, not knowing what might come up later in our trip, we went to Mt. Washington on day one. The drive there was about an hour and then it was 30 minutes up, 30 minutes down, and then another hour back home.

Iris slept through the entire ascent while I got in/out of the car to take pictures and Evan got increasingly nervous.  After mile four the trees start to fall away and you get closer to the edge of the mountain so that makes for some hair-raising moments.  Aura seemed a little scared on the ride up but we all persevered and I'm glad we did.  The magnificent scenery and view from the summit made it worth it.  

There's a cog rail that goes up the mountain but I thought the kids (particularly Iris) were too young and wiggly to do a three-hour roundtrip ride.  We also could've taken a guided drive in a van but ultimately decided that would be too complicated with moving carseats, etc.  Needless to say, we opted for the auto-road in our own car.  There was a flurry of motorcycles that day.  There must've been an event.  It wasn't just a dozen bikes or one or two motorcycle clubs - they numbered in the hundreds.  

From the Visitor Center before our ascent:

The view from the top, and then the bottom:

Once we reached the bottom we figured the kids deserved to do something more geared toward their interests.  We remembered passing a playground in Gorham so we stopped there and let the kids get their energy out.  It was a fantastic playground.  I mean, not only was it extensive but it had some really interesting, atypical equipment too.

Day two was all about the kids.  We had another of our many long drives.  All the driving was fun for the adults because the environs were so beautiful and when the kids weren't on their tablets, it gave them both an opportunity to squeeze in a nap every day.  With late bedtimes every night, naps became essential and there is nothing more calming than a long, relaxing drive.  

We spent roughly four hours at Story Land.  The kids, Aura especially, had a ball.  They loved exploring and then riding the carousel.  Aura and I rode her first rollercoaster with some real twists, turns, and high speed.  So fun.  And all the girls rode the tea cups to cap it off.  We also got to meet Cinderella.  The girls couldn't be more different in this particular way. Iris will run up to anyone dressed in an animal suit - Chuck E. Cheese, whatever.  Aura hates that!  Well, it was the opposite with Cinderella.  Aura couldn't wait to get her picture with her but Iris was terrified.    

 

It wasn't inexpensive - about $150 for three of us, Iris was free.  But totally worth it.  What a surprising gem in the middle of rural NH!

  

Day three we drove through the magnificent Franconia Notch State Park.  We started out with plans to do one hike but determined that it might be too many stairs for our family.  Instead, we opted to take a "family-friendly" hike.  I don't know how they define family-friendly in NH but it was far more challenging than anything we could've anticipated.  When I think family-friendly I picture a flat, paved path.  This hike, Artists' Bluff, was 1.5 miles roundtrip that was 75% either steep uphill climbing or steep downhill descending.  And that's not all.  We had to scramble over large rocks, often boulders, or tree roots.  It was crazy hard with a toddler.  Aura held her own and only needed help here and there, but Iris refused to walk the majority of the hike so was mostly carried by Evan, partially carried by me.  

It took us three hours to complete the hike and we did it all to Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off" on repeat.  We kept asking people how close we were to the summit and the answer was always the same "you're almost there" but it felt like almost there was out of reach every time.  We started to joke that it was more like Tourists' Bluff because it felt like this "family-friendly" hike was a colossal joke on unsuspecting out-of-towners!

All that to say, it was truly magnificent and even though incredibly hard, a massive accomplishment.  Despite the adversity, we all managed to stay in one piece.  No falls, no skinned knees, though I did get eaten alive by the gnats.  And then as soon as we got to the parking lot I almost wiped out on the gravel.  That made me laugh pretty hard.  And just as Iris got out of the ascent to Mt. Washington, she also put in minimal effort on our hike and then had the nerve to huff and puff at the end.  She's got quite the sense of humor.  

The view of Echo Lake from Artists' Bluff

Iris slept on the drive back to the house where we took a very quick bathroom break and then got on the road again to attend the Quechee Balloon Festival in Vermont.  We lucked out and got parking steps away from the entrance.  It was a beautiful evening.  The downside?  It was too windy.  The one thing that will stop a balloon ride in its tracks is the wind.  I suspected early on that we might not get to see lift-off and I was right.  Mentally preparing for the disappointment made it sting a lot less.  The kids got to use the playground on-site, got some cheaply made stuffies that they've already mostly forgotten, ate cotton candy, and danced on a stage.  They had a ball and we still got to see the balloon glow, which was lovely. 

Our last full day in NH Evan and I woke up before the girls and got to watch a sauntering juvenile black bear get spooked and then jump up into a tree.  We also had the privilege to see wild turkeys picking at the vegetation every day.  No moose sightings though, despite many signs warning of their presence and the potential for collision.  

It was Father's Day so we brought in a ho-hum breakfast from a local-ish (it was actually right over the border in Vermont) diner.  Then we took an actual family-friendly "hike" because it wasn't really a hike but a flat, short stroll to the Basin.  The water was cool and clear and the kids had fun dipping their hands in and messing with the sand.  

From there we took a scenic drive along the famous Kancamagus Highway which runs from Lincoln to Conway.

The kids napped on our way to the far end of the highway and when we arrived Aura needed to go to the bathroom. Conway is a really small town and because it was Sunday, most things were closed.  We lucked out and saw a woman cleaning up outside a cafe.  We dared to knock on the locked door and they opened it, very friendly, and allowed us to use their facilities.  Talk about small town nice.  Traffic also stopped immediately as we approached the crosswalk.  That definitely doesn't happen where we're from.  

After our pit stop, the kids got out their energy at a playground and then we headed back to the house to pack up and get ready for the beginning of our two-day journey home the next day.

Our last sunset from the house:

On our last morning we finally tried to make it to Polly's Pancake Parlor.  My parents recommended it from a previous trip they took to New England and it was obvious when we arrived that it's locally famous too.  There was a 45 minute wait and with a 4+ hour drive ahead of us we couldn't stick around.  We got some baked goods from the gift shop (yummy) and a basket of pancake batter and syrup for my parents.

From there we made our way to Woodstock, NY to break for the night.  It's a very nice place with a bohemian/hippie-vibe that I'm sure we'd enjoy exploring with more time. We stayed at Hotel Dylan which is a cute, boutique hotel.  The kids were ill-behaved for a place with such thin walls but the upside is that it set the precedent of the kids sharing a bed.  We had two queen beds side by side and they shared one, while Evan and I shared the other.  A couple nights after we got home we were able to seamlessly transition the girls to sleeping in their own room together. This is quite a milestone as Aura has been sleeping with me in the big bed for the past three years.  And Iris went straight from her crib to a big girl bed, no toddler bed in between.

Overall, we had a great trip.  The best part is that the experience affirmed that we're back in business.  Iris was a bit difficult initially with sleeping and having BMs in strange places, but she did settle down and roll with the changes. Everyone went to bed late every night, but the kids also napped in the car every day.  And we discovered a parenting hack - find a playground and your kids will be happy.  It was both the best of times and the worst of times.  Some of the kids' behavior was out-of-control awful, but we also had a lot of great moments, often with Taylor Swift as the soundtrack to our adventures. (Aura sparked an interest in her prior to our trip because her kindergarten bestie is a fan.)  

I can't wait for our next adventure!