Danvers MA 2011 meet, must see things

[Barney Eaton]

I am starting my long range travel plans for Danvers. We were there in 1998 and did not do a lot of planning.

Looks like Salem, Gloucester are very close.

How about starting a list of must do/see things............

Also food, must have sea food but not at Red Lobster.

I am thinking about taking a city tour in Boston, any recomendations? I saw a program recently about city tours done on the old military DUCKS, anyone done that?

[38Buick 80C]

We walked the Freedom Trail when we went there for a weekend and that takes you past pretty much everything historic in Boston. The Italian restaurants in the North End are great too.

[Guest my3buicks]

I thoroughly enjoyed that meet. After the meet we toured for a few days with Salem and Gloucester being our favorites. The whale watching tour was and still is one of the most awesome things I have done/seen.

[jscheib]

Barney,

I have to check, but I think someone in MA told me the Reatta group was planning a drive to Lexington/Concord for the history there. In organizing the Pre-War after Tour, I am finding way to many things to do in the few days. You can find more about that on the Pre-War Forum as things develop. Our first stop is Lowell, the start of the industrial revolution, with the textile mills. Many different things to see there, depending on your interests. The BDE will also be with us for that first day, Sunday, at least to mid-afternoon.

The people in MA should be able to fill you in more, as they are much closer. But, my recommendation for seafood is Glouester. Rockport is nice also, but my memeory seems to tell me parking is a bit difficult and a factor with these cars. I do not think you will find a Red Lobster within miles. In fact, there are limited "chain restaurants" near Danvers. The Meet is having the clambake Friday evening for a good lobster and clams fix. For other fish, there should be plenty of choices.

Duck Boats are fun, as long as you recall the accident in Philadelphia this past summer, when they stuck a barge. I think if you take the bus trip to Boston, you will have free time for the Duck Boats, but the committee should be able to answer that one.

John

[jscheib]

Some other thoughts if you are passing through western MA or Connecticut on your way back west.

Yankee Candle flagship store, South Deerfield (just off I-91)

Old Deerfield Village

Mohawk Trail (western MA - Route 2)

Hemmings, Bennington, VT (also Bennington Memorial)

Sturbridge Village

Springfield - Springfiield Armory

Springfield - Wood Museum - Rolls Royce and Indian Motorcycles

Norman Rockwell Museum

Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome

West Point - USMA

Connecticut

Mark Twain House - Hartford (just off I-84)

Noah Webster House - West Hartford (just off I-84)

Old Mystic Seaport Village - Old Mystic (off I -95)

Time Museum - Waterbury (right off I-84)

I am sure we can come up with a bunch more.

John

[TxBuicks]

Boston is famous for their many Independence Day celebrations and fireworks shows. You must plan on seeing some of those. I don't recall exactly which Bugle it was, but Pete Philips, who used to live in New England, wrote about the must see sights around Boston before and after the show. I believe it was in the President's message area of the Bugle.

[Pete Phillips]

The Clambox on Rte. 133 in Ipswich is wonderful for fried clams and other fried fresh seafood. The building is shaped like a take-out cardboard box and has been there since the 1930s or 1940s. It is a wonderful piece of roadside mimetic architecture. Just north of that, there is a homemade ice cream stand that has ice cream to die for--I can't recall the name--White Lilly or something like that. In Essex, the place to go is Woodman's which is world famous for fresh fried seafood, especially clams, but you can also get lobster or scallops. It has outdoor picnic tables as well as indoor tables. There are a couple of other fancier seafood restaurants in Essex, all on Rte. 133 near the center of town. You will not have a bad meal at any of these.

Rockport is wonderful, but they do have a parking problem in the summer especially on weekends. They do have a parking lot along Rte. 127 at the Gloucester/Rockport line, and they run free shuttle buses from there to the downtown. Don't miss the shops on Bearskin Neck in downtown Rockport. In Gloucester, drive to the end of Eastern Point where the lighthouse is that guards the opening of the harbor. There is a small parking lot and you can park you car and walk out to the end of the breakwater. Don't miss the drive around the "Back Shore" of Gloucester, where you will see spectacular surf crashing on the rocks as you drive along the edge of the ocean. I used to be the Community Development Director for the City of Gloucester, so I know the area pretty well. Feel free to email me if you need more help.

John is right about Rte. 2, which is the Mohawk Trail across the northern part of Massachusetts. You pick it up in Troy, New York, and it is wonderful if you have the time and want a leisurely, scenic drive through the Berkshire Hills of western Mass.. It comes out near Lexington and Concord in eastern Mass.

Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

Leonard, TX.

[jscheib]

Pete,

It is nice to see that the "transplant" to Texas has not yet been fully implemented. Hope Danvers can give you a proper "Welcome Home"

John

[John_Maine]

At the risk of offending the folks in Massachusetts, the Maine border is less than an hour from Boston if you don't come east that often and have some time to head north. The Portsmouth area also has a lot to offer.

[Pete Phillips]

John_Maine:

You won't offend me--I'm a U.N.H. grad.

If you head northeast from Danvers, your first stop should be Newburyport, Mass. where the downtown has wonderful antique stores and many of the buildings are from the early 1800s/late 1700s. North from Newburyport, take Rte. 1-A along the New Hampshire coast. Do NOT take Rte. 1 or the Turnpike--you see very little from those roads. The N.H. coast has two or three state parks (beaches) and a couple of lighthouses. Hampton Beach has an auditorium right across from the beach which books big name entertainment all summer long, for shows and concerts. There are lots of arcades, cotton candy places, cabins and motels of all types, and the beautiful saltmarshes & beaches for the 24-mile N. H. Seacoast. In New Castle, right next to Portsmouth, stop and see the wonderful 1870s, recently restored Wentworth Hotel which is right across from the beach. In Portsmouth, there are lots of 18th century homes and buildlings, including Strawberry Bank, which is a collection of them that are open to the public. If you want to stock up on bargain-priced liquor, the State Liquor Store at the Portsmouth Traffic Circle is one of the largest liquor stores you will ever see anywhere, just don't drink & drive! Cross the Piscataqua River, and you are in Maine. The Wedding Cake House at Kittery, Maine is one of the most marvelous gothic style homes you will ever find. Follow Rte. 1 along the Maine seacoast, and you are in a wonderland of antique stores and flea markets, with stopping places every mile or so. If you like shopping for antiques, it can take you ALL DAY to drive the 60 miles from Portsmouth to Portland! If you have the time, take every Rte. 1-A turn-off that you can take, for glimpses of the Maine seacoast. The Maine Lobster Pond (or is it Pound) is on Rte. 1 near Old Orchard Beach, and it is a fine place to have lobster cooked to order and eaten under their canopy. In Portland, don't miss the working waterfront and the antique shops and wonderful architecture of the Old Port Harbor area. I could go on and on, but I'll stop. Yes, I miss New England, but not this time of year. A friend in Danvers told me this morning that they had 18" of snow on the ground.

Pete Phillips

[Guest sintid58]

Our plans include driving up through part of Vermont New Hampshire and Maine on the way out and then down to Rhode Island while we are there or on the way home. Those are the only states of the lower 48 I haven't been in and it looks like a good time to add them. One this I really want to see while in Boston is Old Ironside, AKA the USS Constitution. I have wanted to see that for years.

[Thriller]

Well, yesterday on the 450 mile drive home from my brother's, Suzanne decided we are going...after hemming and hawing, we are pretty sure that we will fly out, then on to Halifax where her brother's family is, then home. So, we will likely be there without car. We were kind of hoping not to bother with a rental, since we tend to hang out at the meet a lot, so a rental could be a waste. Aside from the stuff planned for the meet, what might options look like for those without wheels?

[Barney Eaton]

If you do a Google map, you can see the layout of the hotel. It has changed some since we were there in '98 but it is pretty isolated. You cannot walk down the street to McDonalds or IHOP. Even with a car you enter a limited access street and must take an exit to get to anything.

Depending on the size of your family and you hitch-hiking skills......a car may be mandantory.

[jscheib]

Derek,

Barney is right. It is not a pedestrian friendly area, but I think I recall the hotel will provide a shuttle to the train which will get you into Boston and other public transportation. If you can hitch a ride from Logan Airport, perhaps (and I will look into that for you), is maybe rent a car for some selective days during the event. I am not sure if there will be a shuttle from the airport to Danvers.

Sid,

If you want info on anything in particular in VT and NH along the way in, or NH on the way back, let me know and I will try to help out any way I can.

John

[Booreatta]

Barney,

I have to check, but I think someone in MA told me the Reatta group was planning a drive to Lexington/Concord for the history there. In organizing the Pre-War after Tour, I am finding way to many things to do in the few days. You can find more about that on the Pre-War Forum as things develop. Our first stop is Lowell, the start of the industrial revolution, with the textile mills. Many different things to see there, depending on your interests. The BDE will also be with us for that first day, Sunday, at least to mid-afternoon.

The people in MA should be able to fill you in more, as they are much closer. But, my recommendation for seafood is Glouester. Rockport is nice also, but my memeory seems to tell me parking is a bit difficult and a factor with these cars. I do not think you will find a Red Lobster within miles. In fact, there are limited "chain restaurants" near Danvers. The Meet is having the clambake Friday evening for a good lobster and clams fix. For other fish, there should be plenty of choices.

Duck Boats are fun, as long as you recall the accident in Philadelphia this past summer, when they stuck a barge. I think if you take the bus trip to Boston, you will have free time for the Duck Boats, but the committee should be able to answer that one.

John

As of right now the Reatta Division has not made any plans to go any where. We are looking for a place to Rendezvous to but we are still looking

Chuck Kerls

[John_Maine]

Hey Pete! I wasn't worried about offending you, I was thinking of the Minuteman Chapter folks. I'd still like to have a National in Maine someday, maybe when I retire. By then, it will be time to have another National in New England.

We had 10" of snow Sunday night / Monday but that was our first real snow fall of the season. Right now it's 23° with a steady 25-30 mph wind, a bit chilly. We dropped the Mariner off at the Ford dealer tonight for some service and warranty work and the pen I was using to write my info at the night drop almost froze up on me.

[bhclark]

Aside from the stuff planned for the meet, what might options look like for those without wheels?

I can't imagine you would have too much trouble finding a ride somewhere if necessary, although the kids might have to ride in the trunk!

The hotel shuttle sounds like a pretty good option to me. Some are more lenient than others as to where they will pick up and drop off at.

Is the area TAXI friendly or is it too far out? Most taxis these days seem to be minivans or town cars. I know last time I was in NYC, we took a Taxi to the hotel, but we used a town car for our return trip. Much more comfortable and actually cheaper, because it was a flat rate.

[Mark Shaw]

Derek,

I am sure you can bum a ride with one of The Buick Rascals.... I am still looking for a Buick to use at the meet and PWD AfterTour. If anybody needs a driver to bring another Buick to the meet, please get in touch... It would be a shame to leave one home just because you couldn't get it to the meet.

[jscheib]

Mark,

Depending on how things work out, I believe I will be able to provide you with a ride, including the after tour, but not sure about getting back to Boston airport if that is your need. I will be sorting things out and writing you directly. I have to see who is is going and might have room.

John

[Guest sintid58]

We do not really have any specific plans other than to get throught those states. If there is anything that should be seen let us know and we will try to get to it. Just looking forward to hopefully a relaxed drive with time to stop and see things.

[Jack Welch]

Wow this forum has more info about our meet and the things to do than I could ever imagine. For those of you with extra time to spend, Maine and seacoast NH are great takes as well as Newburyport MA, the Maine border is only 45 minutes away straight up I95. Pete the wedding cake house is in Kennebunkport maine, and the ice cream stand is Whites Dairy on route 133. Another great ice cream stand for members deciding to drive to Lexington or Concord is Kimball Farms on rte 225 in Carlisle. Jack Welch Meet CoChair:)

[Jack Welch]

The hotel , like a lot of hotels has a shuttle van on an (as available basis) that members especially small groups could take advantage of for excursions to local Malls, Restaurants, etc. Shuttle transportation is available on a cost basis from Logan airport to the hotel. There are several transportation companies in the area. A quick call to the hotel will get you that info. Again I urge all to get their room soon, the hotel is filling fast.

[Guest Ct. Ken V]

Hi, everyone,

I am brand new to this site/chat room & even though it sounds like the intro from a spammer, I assure you I am NOT. I was just visiting here to find out some info about the upcoming national show in Danvers. Is there a "host" hotel (name please) & is the show on their grounds (just like the regional one we used to have in Vernon, CT---my back yard, almost) or is the show at another location? I'm going to look around some more for more info, but I was wondering if I only have a choice of attending on either Sat or Sun (I'm leaning towards Sat), which one should I choose (what's the schedule of events for both days?) or is enough happening on Sunday to get a hotel room for Saturday overnight?

Unfortunately, I won't be bringing my '50 Buick Roadmaster sedan 130 (model 50-72 built in Flint---longest wheelbase & with the Riviera sweep-spear side trim), but will be driving my '05 Toyota Prius hybrid instead (wish it could be different).

Just want to mention here that some of the suggested side trips in post #5 by jscheib on Dec 27th, 2010 are worthy of note : specifically Old Mystic Seaport Village (a leisurely cruise on the hand-fired, coal steamer Sabino is highly recommended), also shopping & eating there as well as at Yankee Candle flagship store in Deerfield MA (you can easily spend a whole afternoon there---it's so big).

But my favorite recommendation for you aviation buffs is Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome just north of Rhinebeck,NY in the sleepy town of Red Hook,NY. On each Sat & Sun afternoon in the summer, the skies come alive at 2:30 (until 4:00) with the smell of burnt castor oil & the drone of some original ROTARY (not just radial or inline) engines, as restored planes from WW1 & the pioneer era & the Lindberg era take to the skies for some nice aerial demonstrations. Saturday is primarily pioneer & Lindberg era planes & Sunday includes a mock WW1 aerial dogfight. There's plenty to see in the 4 large sheet metal hangars up on top of the hill (as well as the flying stock on the flight line) & rides (4 people at a time) sell out sometimes as early as 11:00 AM (the field opens at 10:00 AM), so sign up early or as soon as you get there if you really would like to have a nice scenic OPEN-COCKPIT ride out over the countryside along side the Hudson River.

Anyways, that's all for now & I should be checking back here in a day or 2. Now I will sign off manually because I'm not sure if this site automatically places a signature at the end of the post like my Prius chat rooms do.

Ct. Ken V

[38Buick 80C]

CT Ken V

Host hotel is:

As of May 4, 2011, the Crowne Plaza Boston North Shore and CoCo Key Water Resort will now be known as the “CoCo Key Hotel & Water Resort- Boston” 978-750-7990 and referencing the event you will be attending.

Yes the show is at the host hotel

Get their Saturday...only after tours happening Sunday and most everyone is gone.

More info here

2011 Buick Club of America National Meet

Registration form here

2011 registration

As a courtesy to the host chapter you should register if you plan to attend even without your Buick. Registration gets you various things that the host chapter can confirm but generally speaking goody bag, name badges, program, access to hospitality room, etc.

See you there!

[Bhigdog]

Do the aquarium. World class...............Bob

[jscheib]

Ken,

From your questions and comments, it seems you are not a BCA member. I urge you to consider membership, so you can more fully enjoy your Buick. You may not wish to join just to viist the one day, but by all means you can still visit the National. I would suggest you come for Saturday which will be the judged show and the prime day to see all the cars that are there. You might also like to visit Friday to get more time to chat with other owners, vendors, etc. Saturday night is the banquet and then the owners and cars are gone Sunday morning.

If you have any questions, I would be glad to talk to you. Use my cell 860.558.6764 or e-mail at j.scheib@comcast.net. You can learn more about the National, joining the BCA and the local Yankee Chapter by checking the main page of the BCA. Not sure how you got into the forum, but you can go to Buick Club of America - BCA - Welcome.

John

[jscheib]

Bob,

Are you talking about the Mystic Aquarium or the Boston Aquarium. Both are quite impressive, but we here in CT are kind of partial to Mystic where you can also visit the Seaport. Easy a better part of the day each.

As we are taxed more then MA and NY, anyone attending will want to consider no fuel stops in CT. Jusat a warning, even though it may cost me more tax, I do not want to take advantage of other BCA members.

John

[Bhigdog]

I was referring to the Boston aquarium, John. I've never visited the Mystic one but I'll take your word that it's also first class. Now, referring to the Boston aquarium. Have you ever heard of a seal named Hoover?.............Bob

[Guest Ct. Ken V]

To Brian DePouli & John Scheib,

Thanks for answering my questions so quickly. I can't attend Friday (prior commitments), but will plan to get there as early as possible on Saturday.

How I got into this forum is I just did a Google search for : 2011 Buick national show, Danvers, MA and clicked on some of the results. This one looked promising. Now with your suggestions, I will visit the BCA site & other links you have given me. Again, many thanks to the 2 of you.

(I have just edited my profile to try to make my location appear.)

Ct. Ken V

Edited May 17, 2011 by Ct. Ken V (see edit history)

[MrEarl]

Must see things in Danvers, for me.....Buicks and friends.

[bhclark]

Must see things in Danvers, for me.....Buicks and friends.

:D:D