Planning a Trip for 09 HELP

My husband and I just returned from a week in Englewood, FL. We go there every year and love the Old Florida quiet/privateness of it. After we returned, we decided as much as we love it, it%26#39;s time for a change. We%26#39;d like to try a similar location but in New England.

I have been scouring google looking for a old fashioned seaside New England town and came up with Brewster. Can anyone tell me if this is accurate, and if not (or even so) does anyone have any other suggestions? I%26#39;d like to look around at 2 or 3 more towns.

We are budget travelers who will have 2 children under the age of 3. We are looking for a quiet week or long weekend at a beach cottage, some good seafood, and some fun digging in the sand. That%26#39;s all. Nothing fancy, we don%26#39;t even eat out very often just 2-3 times during a week.

Thanks!

Michele

Planning a Trip for 09 HELP

Brewster is an ideal spot for your family. The bayside beaches and fresh-water ponds are perfect for small children. You can go to the Brewster Store, get penny candy and sit on the benches out front and watch the world come and go. In the early evening, ice cream and a walk to the beach to watch the sunset. A wide range of restaurants, from roadside ';clam shacks'; to fancy and everything in between. If you are going in the summer, a week-long cottage rental is fairly standard. A nice place, centrally located with a few family suites for a shorter stay is the The Sea Pines Inn.

Planning a Trip for 09 HELP

Also in Brewster: visit the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History (plenty of things for the little ones to see and enjoy) and the herring run at the old fulling mill.

Are you planning the trip to the Cape in April of next year? If so, you should know that it is not exactly beach weather. Will probably be colder than Pittsburgh at that time. You might also like Orleans where we have been staying for nearly 40 years. We like the Englewood area too. We stay on Manasota Key.

If you want a more laid back and traditional NE town, try Orleans or Eastham. They%26#39;re a bit farther north, but very pretty and less touristy.

Brewster is a great little town. People return to Brewster year after year and love it there. April on the Cape still has the potential to be very chilly..it certainly won%26#39;t be warm enough to wade in the water, but you might enjoy some uncrowded walks on the beach on the nicest days.

Another option: check out Chatham. Quick overview: Nice downtown with a charming Main Street, really great restaurants and an old Cape Cod atmosphere. Oyster Pond is ';waveless'; (perfect for toddlers) and has a great little guarded beach with a new bathhouse and sufficient free parking.

The Squire Restaurant on Main Street is where the locals (and tourists) go for good fresh seafood and kids are always welcome there.

For rental properties, check out these sites:

www.pineacresrealty.com

www.websterrealestate.com

www.kinlingrover.com

www.marthamurray.com

This is terrific! Just what I was hoping to learn. Thanks so much to everyone for your help. We were thinking of taking a long weekend in August or even late July. Does anyone know of daily rentals? Or are weekly our only options?

Any tips on the weather in late summer?

I am off to check out the towns you have all mentioned. I really appreciate your help!

The weather is perfect for the beach in July/August - probably low 80%26#39;s most days. The water is still chilly compared to Florida, but it%26#39;s as warm as it%26#39;s going to get!

A note on Chatham... I spent a week there last summer and loved it... however, based on your description, I would not call it an ';old fashioned seaside town.'; It%26#39;s very touristy, pricey, and crowded during the summer with long waits anywhere for dinner without a reservation.

It%26#39;s definitely a town you will want to visit for dinner and shopping one night, but it%26#39;s not necessary to stay right in town. You will have to travel out of town for a good (non-harbor type) beach anyways. If we go again, we will probably stay in Orleans.

Good luck!

Hi, I stand by my original response - Brewster is a perfect location for your family. The weather in August is awesome. Some inns %26amp; motels may have a 3-night minimum, but other than that, only the private cottage rentals will have a one-week requirement. If you really want to to splurge, look into the Ocean Edge Resoprt, otherwise the Sea Pines is a great option.

Brewster is a quiet town that would meet your needs...but it%26#39;s not the only one. Wellfleet and Eastham are known for their bay and ocean beaches with many small cottages for summer tourists. Take a look at the chamber of commerce sites for more information and some good leads on seaside cottages. www.easthamchamber.com www.wellfleetchamber.com

Eastham is conveniently located between Chatham and Provincetown and it is just 5 minutes from Orleans and 10 minutes from Brewster and Wellfleet. It is known as the ';Gateway to the Cape Cod National Seashore'; because it is the southern most town that was included in the original park. In Eastham you will find the Salt Pond Visitor%26#39;s Center with free activities for adults and children, fresh water ponds, calm bay-side beaches and pristine ocean beaches.

Hi There, You mentioned having children and that you are budget travelers. Long ago we selected Dennisport because Chatham, the Outer Cape, even Harwich, just the next town over, are a lot more expensive for accommodations. And yet Dennis has 16 beautiful beaches with Dennisport located all along the warm waters of Nantucket Sound. Our guests at our summer home regularly tells us that they have heard that Dennisport is the best for families. Not only for the safe beaches (no stones or deep drop offs for example)but for the genuine family friendly atmosphere, casual restaurants and activities. If you decide to leave the area to explore then you are well located at Mid Cape making for easy touring.

What month are you considering?