Chit Chat

Vacation home!!

My parents just informed me that they are looking to purchase a vacation home in PA, VT or NH.  They are looking for a place that is within about 2 hours or so of NYC, near swimming and skiing.  Does anyone have any recommendations for them?  Is there a place that you live that fits the bill, or a place you vacationed and loved?  Thoughts, ideas, stuff to look for in a vacation home?

Also, DH likes to hunt, while that isn't a factor in location since he and I are not paying for the house. . . . . anyone have any info on hunting in those areas?


Thanks!!

Re: Vacation home!!

  • If they're looking to be 2 hours from NYC then I'd rule out NH and VT.   The bottom of NH is a 2 hr drive from me and I'm in SE CT.    

    What is most important?   Mountains?   Swimming?  Skiing?   Proximity to NYC? 
  • kaos16kaos16 member
    First Answer First Anniversary 5 Love Its First Comment

    banana468 said:

    If they're looking to be 2 hours from NYC then I'd rule out NH and VT.   The bottom of NH is a 2 hr drive from me and I'm in SE CT.    

    What is most important?   Mountains?   Swimming?  Skiing?   Proximity to NYC? 



    skiing and swimming, moreso just relaxing fun stuff to do.
  • We had family friends who had a place on Racket Lake in the Adirondacks.  Loved it there.

    There are a lot of places in the Poconos to look also.






    What differentiates an average host and a great host is anticipating unexpressed needs and wants of their guests.  Just because the want/need is not expressed, doesn't mean it wouldn't be appreciated. 
  • The catskills seem like the obvious choice to me. Hunter mountain is great and super beautiful, and I believe there's a few mountainside lakes.
  • The northeastern corner of PA (aka the Poconos) has a lot of those "things to do" and is about 2 hours or so from NYC.  I have heard that there is a way to mass transit commute but have never really looked into it.  There is skiing, and hiking, and I'm sure some lakeside swimming.  I know they just built a huge indoor water park up that way as well.  Plus it is a great day trips length from many other interesting things to do.

    I cannot speak to much for VT or NH, but I do think they may be more economically doable in comparison to PA (at least from what I have seen and been told).  My sister in law lives outside of Bethlehem, NH, a beautiful town up in the white mountains, near Mt. Washington and the ski resorts.  The prices to own aren't terrible because there is little work, but that wouldn't be a concern with a vacation home.  Of course her area is a good 4.5-5 hours from NYC.

    At the end of the day it comes down to priorities.  If their biggest priority is skiing, than they could anywhere, if they need to be within about 2 hours of NYC, then they are much more limited.  Ditto if they want to go swimming at a "real beach" and not just lakeside.

  • The Adirondacks are one of my "happy places."  It kind of depends on what their definition is of swimming (beach? lake?). Also it can get super cold there in winter.  


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