NY to Boston or Toronto

d-redser

Hi all,

I am looking for some advice on where to go. My partner and I are looking into going to New York for a few days in August and then travelling to somewhere else.

I would love to go to Toronto and he would like to go to Boston.

Can people who have been to these places please tell me all the pros and cons? What there is to see and do int these places, where to stay and how to get there from New York??

tywy

Go to Boston and then up to Montreal! Montreal is such a cool city!

d-redser

Sorry I should of stated that we will be staying in NY for 2or 3 days then to either Boston or Toronto for 6/7 days and then back to NY for another 2 days and then flying home.

Tchocky

Boston -> New York travel can be as cheap as $15 one-way. that's on the Fung Wah Bus Line

Benedict XVI

Tchocky wrote:

Boston -> New York travel can be as cheap as $15 one-way. that's on the Fung Wah Bus Line

Yea but Fung Wah get bad press, Peter Pan may be more reliable.

You could also get the train to Boston it's dearer but you could try www.amtrak.com and they may have some deals.

If you are renting a car Boston is about 2.30min from NY.
Nice city, much smaller and compact than NY.

Montreal is 5 hrs drive from Boston. It's well worth a visit, really European city, the only reason you would think you are in North America is the cars.

d-redser

Just checked out the Amtrak prices.

For a round trip to Boston it costs $290
For a round trip to Toronto it costs $352 plus its a 12hr journey...

I would much prefer to go to Toronto though, any other links I can check out for travelling?

Edited to say just noticed your last sentence Benedict about hiring out a car. What documents would I need for that? What is driving over there like?

Benedict XVI

d-redser wrote:

Just checked out the Amtrak prices.

For a round trip to Boston it costs $290
For a round trip to Toronto it costs $352 plus its a 12hr journey...

I would much prefer to go to Toronto though, any other links I can check out for travelling?

Edited to say just noticed your last sentence Benedict about hiring out a car. What documents would I need for that? What is driving over there like?

You can hire a car with an Irish drivers license and a credit card, if you are under 25 you may have to pay a extra charge or may not be able to hire at all, rules differ between companies and from state to state, check the T&C on the websites.

If you are hiring see if the companies have neighborhood locations in Manhattan or wherever you are staying, it will save you having to go back to the airport to hire and return the car..

The drive from NY to Boston is fairly straight forward, motorway all the way. And getting out of NY is fairly easy. Driving around Boston can be a bit tough but not too bad. However parking is scarce in Boston so if you are going make sure your hotel has parking or can arrange parking.

The drive from Boston to Montreal is motorway until the border, it’s a nice drive through the forests and mountains of New Hampshire and Vermont.

Crossing the border is fairly straight forward. Bring your return airline tickets and passport to show both the American and Canadian authorities that you are returning to Ireland.

Once you are in Quebec the land gets very flat and the road is more like a main road between cities here and only becomes motorway outside Montreal. You pass through a few very French Quebec villages on the way. Brush up on your French if you want to stop to eat or buy petrol.

If you are going to a Canadian city I would pick Montreal over Toronto any day

Zaph

Although it's a very nice place, from past experience a week in Boston is too long, certainly if you don't have a car to get out and about. Been to Toronto a couple of times as I have family there and I like it a lot, but it's a fairly quiet city. I'd definitely agree with the recommendations for Montreal, best place of the three to visit. Really vibrant and interesting, and great people too.

spurious

The trains in America can be badly delayed at times. There are a number of well-priced shuttle flights to Boston and Toronto.

tippbhoy

If i was in your shoes i'd fly to either Montreal or Toronto, then rent a car and drive south back to NY via Boston. No point driving the same route twice, the key is to not do too much or too little travel. Montreal would be my choice, beautiful city and unique, a little bit of europe in north america.

If you're not as ambitious about the distance to cover then just go to Boston and have a look around Cape Cod for a few days as well. The Fung Wah never left me down, great speedy service but probably not best for a tourist couple hauling baggage around chinatown and not sure where they're going, a blatant target for gangsters. Avoid the train, it detours through conneticut and takes a few hours longer than the bus.

d-redser

Ok I need all of your advice.

It is a surprise for my bf. His sister lives in NYC and we can stay with her for free. My bf works for AerLingus so we can get stand-by flights.

The way I was thinking was to fly stand-by to NYC, stay with the sis for a couple of nights, travel somewhere different for around 4-6 days and then come back for 2 more nights and then fly home by stand-by all with AerLingus.

I got ony of my bf's workmates to price the tickets and they cost around €150 inc tax each so that is great but now I am totally confused as to where to go!! I have to check but I don't think AerLingus flies into Canada yet... (Will double check)

If you were in my shoes what would you do or where would you go (doesn't have to be the cities I mentioned)?

Benedict XVI

d-redser wrote:

If you were in my shoes what would you do or where would you go (doesn't have to be the cities I mentioned)?

Vegas baby !!!!


On a serious note, it really depends on what you are looking for.

If it’s something romantic then try Quebec City which is even more French than Montreal.
Another nice Canadian spot for a few days is Halifax, Nova Scotia. It is about the size of Galway and Nova Scotia has some really nice driving routes so you do not have to spend all your time in the city.

If you can’t make Vegas then you could travel to Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun casino’s in CT. Foxwoods is the biggest casino in the world.
You could also head up to Newport, RI, a really nice sea side town. Summer retreat of the rich and famous back in the early 1900s, and much much better than Cape Cod. It’s also the town that JFK got married in.

Finally you could pop down to New Orleans, 2 hour flight for NY and it is brilliant.

Check www.orbitz.com for best air fares, however I am not sure if they take non US cards.
And remember there are 3 main airports in New York, JKF, La Guardia and Newark, NJ.

d-redser

Benedict XVI wrote:

Vegas baby !!!!

:eek:

How much money would one need for 9 days in Vegas?!!?