New England at Christmas

[Nomad86]

Family of four, children aged 3 and 5. They've never been long haul before so we've settled on the east coast USA for 7-10 days next Christmas. We were thinking of flying to Boston (or anywhere that's easy to fly to from the UK) and then getting the train to a small town to stay in an Airbnb.

Can anyone recommend a town on the railway line that would be a good place to spend Christmas? DH would like to be near the coast, but I think he could be persuaded for the right place. DC are well travelled on planes and trains but I'd prefer not to add to the journey too much so 2 hours max on the train if possible.

I'd love to find somewhere really friendly with lots to do for the children.

Cape Cod?

Brave parents!

Watching with interest

I thought of Danvers first. It's not near the coast, but the history is really interesting and it's handy enough to Boston etc.

We arrived in Boston a couple of days before Christmas one year and it was dead. Snow was waist high on the common and freezing. Drove around a few ski resorts and even they were not particularly busy. Don't think the coast would be worthwhile. Not sure I'd do it with small children tbh.

LIZS that's disappointing! I had this image of an amazing family Christmas but I think you're right and the coast might be a bit dead in the winter. Will have to do some more research and have a rethink perhaps.

I LOVE this part of the world, but they do get harsh winters, which could hinder you. If you're hardy types I'm sure you'll be fine, but another time of year would allow you to get the most out of the area and have more open for the kids to do. Is renting a car an option? There are so many lovely places to see, it's a shame to go that far and limit yourself to one. Not sure what's on the trainline, but Kennebunkport in Maine and Chatham on Cape God are picture perfect. Newport on Rhode Island also fab. Lots of smaller places also lovely. Everywhere we went in Vermont was also 'homey' and quaint. I'm very jealous!

New England and Massachusetts are lovely but winters indeed there are brutal. Think this could well become a costly error and not just financially.

Think you need a total rethink if destination, it’s going to be well below freezing in December and I would instead be looking further south i.e the state of Florida.

Thanks for the advice, I think we'll save New England for Autumn. We did think of Miami but the flight would be quite long for the children.

There is a website called discovernewengland.com which gives information about railway journeys.

The flight duration from Heathrow to Miami is about 8.5 to 9 hours. The return leg is shorter in duration, think it took just under 8 hours.

Hi @nomad86,
Boston and the surrounding areas are very cold in the winter and it often snows in December. You’ll need to pack your winter clothes for the trip with hats, scarves and gloves to help keep you warm when you’re out exploring the city.
The average temperature in December is around 4°C during the day with temperatures dropping below freezing at night with lows of -3°C. It’s likely to snow in the winter, which is great if you love the traditional Christmas atmosphere in December. However, if you’re not a fan of the cold it’s better to wait until late spring or the summer for a warmer climate.
The other options (if you really want to go to the USA) are Florida for Disney / Universal.
We travelled with toddlers and young children and had no problems with the long flights (c. 10 hours). They do need to be entertained, fed and watered but with a little imagination, lots of toys and stories they soon adapt.
Other options you may want to consider are:

1. The Mexican Maya Riviera coast south of Cancun (warm days)
2. St Lucia, Barbados and Antigua in the Caribbean
3. Aruba, one of the Dutch Islands in the Caribbean is further south and has lovely weather
4. Cuba (my favourite destination)

If you're looking at other warmer alternatives, here are a few suggestions:

1. The Canary Islands - warm and a little windy in the day, cool at night.
2. Madeira is also warmer and a shorter flight.

All have resorts, villas and accommodation with varying levels of interaction for the children.