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Travel Forum / Destinations / USA and Canada / November 2005Visiting NY or Quebec in winter
We are from Europe. Is it worth visiting NY and/or Quebec (Montreal etc) during February? Or is it better to wait until April? We would come for about 10-14 days and, besides visiting NY or Montreal, also would like to rent a car to discover the countryside. We also have not yet decided where exactly to go: NY (never visited) or (Eastern) Canada (also never visited) or somewhere else USA/Canada East (Boston, Quebec City etc). Any suggestions? > We are from Europe. Is it worth visiting NY and/or Quebec (Montreal > etc) during February? Or is it better to wait until April? We would [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > or (Eastern) Canada (also never visited) or somewhere else USA/Canada > East (Boston, Quebec City etc). Any suggestions? What do you mean by "NY"? NY City or NY State? It DOES make a difference. I live in NY State, about halfway between NY City and Montreal. The winter weather here can be BRUTAL, but that doesn't mean it always is. The problem is that no one can predict in advance what the weather is going to be like on any given days in February, or even in April. Most likely, you will find lots of snow on the ground in upstate NY and in Canada. NY City is more questionable. The roads between the two will be passable UNLESS you're in the middle of a snowstorm, or just after it ends. But there isn't going to be much chance to "discover the countryside". Moreover, some places you might want to see will be closed. The same applies to the Boston and Quebec areas. In addition, you're not going to have a very scenic drive from NY City to Boston and it's too far from NY City to Quebec (city), unless you want to spend around two days on the road. I'd suggest that you come in May. >What do you mean by "NY"? NY City or NY State? It DOES make a difference. > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > >I'd suggest that you come in May. Thanks - I mean NY City. I suppose you are correct it would be better to come in May. I guess that there won't be any/much snow left in May? Is it possible to visit NY City, Montreal and "the countryside" during 10-14 days, or is it better to focus just on NY City or Montreal and its surroundings during such a stay? "Is it possible to visit NY City, Montreal and "the countryside" during 10-14 days, or is it better to focus just on NY City or Montreal and its surroundings during such a stay?" I would recommend 5 days in New York City, 1 full day to get to Montreal, 3 days Montreal, 3 days Quebec City. If you want a short visit to "the countryside", add a day or two for either stopping by a lake in upstate New York on your way to Montreal, or for a day trip from Quebec City to rural Canadian sights. I've lived in New York City and Boston each for years, and I can say that New York City, Montreal, and Quebec City are FAR more interesting cities than Boston. I would only suggest going to Boston if you wanted to explore coastal or rural New England, and then you would only have time for one of New York or Montreal/Quebec. [snip] >I've lived in New York City and Boston each for years, and I can say >that New York City, Montreal, and Quebec City are FAR more interesting >cities than Boston. Not if you're interested in art. Boston has great museums, and the Montreal Museum of Art is small and disappointing for a city of that size. And my view is probably unpopular, but I didn't find Montreal that interesting at all, except for the beautiful cathedral there. Part of my disappointment was probably due to the fact that I visited Montreal after Quebec, so the old city of Montreal seemed like nothing. Quebec is a beautiful city. > I would only suggest going to Boston if you wanted >to explore coastal or rural New England, and then you would only have >time for one of New York or Montreal/Quebec. Depends. If instead of spending a week in New York (which is probably optimal for a first visit, 7-10 days), they spent 5 days and then stayed in Boston for 3, that would still leave 5 days (assuming one day that was partly travel from New York to Boston). They could spend two days driving up to Quebec from Boston...hmmm...this _is_ starting to sound too packed-in... Michael If you would like to send a private email to me, please take out the NOTRASH. Please do not email me something which you also posted. >> I've lived in New York City and Boston each for years, and I can say >> that New York City, Montreal, and Quebec City are FAR more interesting >> cities than Boston. > Not if you're interested in art. Boston has great museums, If you're really interested in art, spend extra days in New York exploring museums and galleries, and don't bother with Boston. Boston has one good museum (not plural), and it wouldn't really justify the trip. It's a good city to live in, but it doesn't offer much to a traveller who could be spending time elsewhere in the region. > and the Montreal Museum of Art is small and disappointing for a city of that > size. And my view is probably unpopular, but I didn't find Montreal that > interesting at all, except for the beautiful cathedral there. Part of my > disappointment was probably due to the fact that I visited Montreal > after Quebec, so the old city of Montreal seemed like nothing. Quebec > is a beautiful city. Montreal has a lot to offer in the way of restaurants, nightlife, and interesting neighborhoods rather than museums or sights. If your primary focus is art and history then you would probably want to spend two weeks doing something like New York - Philadelphia - Washington instead. >>> I've lived in New York City and Boston each for years, and I can say >>> that New York City, Montreal, and Quebec City are FAR more interesting [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >If you're really interested in art, spend extra days in New York >exploring museums and galleries, and don't bother with Boston. As a New Yorker and an art lover, I disagree. >Boston >has one good museum (not plural), The Boston Museum of Fine Arts is a great museum which by itself would make Boston worth a trip for an art lover. But as you know, it's not the only art museum in Boston. I would claim that New York has two great art museums: The Met, and in a distant second place, the Brooklyn Museum. The Modern used to be a great museum once upon a time, and still does have worthwhile things to see in its permanent collection. The same is true of the Whitney, and it's also worth visiting the Frick Collection. And one could go on. But only one museum in New York is better than the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. > and it wouldn't really justify the >trip. It would to an art lover. But the thing is, that's _not_ the only reason to visit Boston. It's a city with an ambiance all its own, and the colonial and Revolutionary War history it maintains is interesting for people who want to know something about how people lived in 18th-century Boston and so forth. I like to go to art museums, but that is not the only reason for me to visit a place. If it were, I wouldn't have enjoyed my trip to Malaysia in 2003. > It's a good city to live in, but it doesn't offer much to a >traveller who could be spending time elsewhere in the region. We simply disagree. >> and the Montreal Museum of Art is small and disappointing for a city of that >> size. And my view is probably unpopular, but I didn't find Montreal that [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] >two weeks doing something like New York - Philadelphia - Washington >instead. Agreed that Washington has more art to see than Boston. Maybe the Philadelphia area does, too. Michael If you would like to send a private email to me, please take out the NOTRASH. Please do not email me something which you also posted. > ... I guess that there won't be any/much snow left in May? > Is it possible to visit NY City, Montreal and "the countryside" during > 10-14 days, or is it better to focus just on NY City or Montreal and > its surroundings during such a stay? 10-14 days would be a lot of time to see NY City, Montreal and have a nice drive through the countryside. I also recommend May. You could even do The Gatineaus and Ottawa during the time. Something like this would be easy, nice drives, and relaxing visits: NYC - 4/5 days - (then rent the car): drive through NY state countryside, to Montreal - 3 days - drive through the Laurentians, Gatineau, to Ottawa - 2/3 days - back to NY City: (return car) and perhaps stay 2 more days. That would give you a lot of time in the countryside and in the cities.  SignatureSeinfeld Lists http://wave.prohosting.com/tnguym LOST - ScreenSnaps & Sawyer's Nicknames http://tinyurl.com/a2r2r > You could even do The Gatineaus and Ottawa during the time. Not if he wants to go to Quebec, I think! > > You could even do The Gatineaus and Ottawa during the time. > > Not if he wants to go to Quebec, I think! Ottawa is less than 2 hours from Montreal. It can easily be done in a day, except that there is a lot to see and do in Ottawa, so it would be a shame to make the trip and not do more there., >>>You could even do The Gatineaus and Ottawa during the time. >> [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > in a day, except that there is a lot to see and do in Ottawa, so > it would be a shame to make the trip and not do more there., I repeat, not if he wants to go to QUEBEC. The city of Quebec, that is, in which he expressed interest. That would be a hell of a lot of back-&-forth driving. sechumlib never really read the OP but wrote, anyway: > ... > I repeat, not if he wants to go to QUEBEC. The city of Quebec, that is, > in which he expressed interest. He SAID he had not yet decided and ASKED for suggestions. Please don't be so negative with your useless posts. Thanks And my view is that if he is from Europe then the "European" charm of Quebec city would be better experience IN Europe. BTW ... He said... "We also have not yet decided where exactly to go: NY (never visited) or (Eastern) Canada (also never visited) or somewhere else USA/Canada East (Boston, Quebec City etc). Any suggestions? " SignatureSeinfeld Lists http://wave.prohosting.com/tnguym LOST - ScreenSnaps & Sawyer's Nicknames http://tinyurl.com/a2r2r > And my view is that if he is from Europe then the "European" charm of > Quebec city would be better experience IN Europe. And there it is, 'European Charm'. What EuroCharm? There's a unique, interesting, pleasant, fun Quebecois charm in Quebec City for sure, but all that EuroCharm crapola is tourist-agent spin. You get very old houses close together and boom, it's EuroCharm. Outdoor cafes and it's instantly EuroCharmola. Night clubs and art gallerys and bam, it's so European! Get a life. Quebec City is neat but for itself, not for the wet dreams of an agency hack hoping to get more biz from the rubes in New Westminster and Pomona. Nex Alan Pollock a écrit : > > And my view is that if he is from Europe then the "European" charm of > > Quebec city would be better experience IN Europe. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > Quebec City is neat but for itself, not for the wet dreams of an agency hack > hoping to get more biz from the rubes in New Westminster and Pomona. Going kind of OT, but even if I agree regarding "tourist-agent" spin - part of Quebec-City is "Euro-Charm", partially even "Euro-Charm" you will not easily find in Europe any more. I was often in Quebec (first trip in 1980), and on a trip to St-Malo my impression was kind of visiting a "sister town" to Quebec-city: for most of the old city, the roofs are the same, the walls are the same ... . Regarding food, I found in Quebec (not only Quebec-city) the kind of food served in 18/19th century France - almost impossible to get in a restaurant in France now. So seen from Europe - I would not return to Quebec-city for something called "Euro-Charm", as a tourist I prefer Montreal or Quebec country-side, but return once in a while to Quebec-City for the old French cuisine I can not get here in Europe any more! > Regarding food, I found in Quebec (not only Quebec-city) the kind > of food served in 18/19th century France - almost impossible to > get in a restaurant in France now. Hmmm. "Vas you dere, Charlie?" I doubt it. I don't doubt that your analogy has some validity, but it seems to me that almost nobody knows, except possibly by reading, what was served in France at that time. > > Regarding food, I found in Quebec (not only Quebec-city) the kind > > of food served in 18/19th century France - almost impossible to > > get in a restaurant in France now. > Hmmm. "Vas you dere, Charlie?" > I doubt it. I don't doubt that your analogy has some validity, but it > seems to me that almost nobody knows, except possibly by reading, what > was served in France at that time. Except possibly by reading? No, you fool, in France they have 300 year-old people, some of whom are still employed in the secret kitchens of les grandes familles. In fact I can tell you with certainty that many French waiters are at *least* 300 years old, and that's only judging by their appearance! Seriously, reading is enough. I used to have a 17th century French book with descriptions of 'plats' that would make your mouth water. A recipe is a precise description of not only ingredients, but the manner in which they should be used, mixed, cooked and served. It's enough. Nex SignatureBill in Schenectady >>What do you mean by "NY"? NY City or NY State? It DOES make a difference. >> [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > 10-14 days, or is it better to focus just on NY City or Montreal and > its surroundings during such a stay? I would suggest that a good trip would be about 4-5 days in NYC, 3-4 days exploring the countryside, and a few days in Montreal. If you rent a car, make certain you can drive it over the border. No there won't be snow in NYC in May...nor will you find any upstate except in the mountains and perhaps during a rare freak storm. May is indeed a beautiful month (though watch out for black flies in NY State's North Country. Still, I wouldn't let winter scare you too much, especially if you enjoy winter sports. "No there won't be snow in NYC in May...nor will you find any upstate except in the mountains and perhaps during a rare freak storm. May is indeed a beautiful month (though watch out for black flies in NY State's North Country." Do the blackflies extend into Quebec? I've never checked at that time of year. The drive from NYC to Montreal in May would be beautiful...not sure about the snow up-state though. My friends in Rochester report that it does occasionally snow in the beginning of the month. Find a site that can give you info on scenic trips - the New York State Thruway can be pretty boring. Alternatively, would you want to fly to Montreal and rent a car there? We did that and it was a pleasant trip to Quebec. New York City is so easy to get around that you definitely do not need a car while you are there - if you want to rent a car hold off till before you are ready to leave and save some money. There are many car rental places in Manhattan (New York City) - no need to rent at the airports. Carol Editor - Lowfares.com http://www.lowfares.com > "No there won't be snow in NYC in May...nor will you find any upstate > except [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Do the blackflies extend into Quebec? I've never checked at that time of > year. I'm not a frequent visitor of Quebec, but yes, I'd say there would likely be black flies there in late spring. Some years back, I camped in the Saganay valley northeast of Quebec City during early August and found black flies there. Not a lot but enough to be annoying. >Thanks - I mean NY City. I suppose you are correct it would be better >to come in May. I guess that there won't be any/much snow left in May? >Is it possible to visit NY City, Montreal and "the countryside" during >10-14 days, or is it better to focus just on NY City or Montreal and >its surroundings during such a stay? It's possible, but you have to remember that Montreal is approximately 375 miles (600 kilometers) from New York City; it's not like going from London to Liverpool. New York State and Quebec province are also *each* the size of European countries, with Quebec being the bigger of the two. I don't want to turn you off or derail any once-in-a-lifetime plans you may have, but Europeans can undersestimate how big the United States is; Canada isn't exactly tiny either. One thing you may want to think about, if you plan to spend all yor NYC time in Manhattan, is NOT renting a car for that part of the trip. You won't need it. When you go up to Montreal, you could take the train ( http://www.amtrak.com ) and rent a car up there for the day when you go sight-seeing. Also remember to allow time to get back to city you are flying into and/or out of; if you are using a NYC area airport, for instance, you don't want to leave Montreal on the morning of the flight back; you'd want to get back to NY at least a day or two in advance of of your flight. Hope this helps. cc e-mailed to author >> We are from Europe. Is it worth visiting NY and/or Quebec (Montreal >> etc) during February? Or is it better to wait until April? We would [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > > I'd suggest that you come in May. If you like winter sports....downhill skiing, cross country skiing, snow shoeing, ice skating, sledding, etc., then mid winter in upstate NY can be FABULOUS. Lake Placid, for instance, is one of the great winter vacation spots in the U.S. And the upstate scenery can be beautiful in winter. As the other poster said, winter travel can be a problem, but only if you hit a storm. Otherwise, we know how to keep the roads open and usually dry. Plus there is good train service between NYC and Albany and daily service up to Montreal. NYC can be cold, windy and possibly snowy in mid winter....but the theaters are going, the museums are open, there's still lots to do. I don't know as much about Montreal. > We are from Europe. Is it worth visiting NY and/or Quebec (Montreal > etc) during February? Or is it better to wait until April? We would [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > or (Eastern) Canada (also never visited) or somewhere else USA/Canada > East (Boston, Quebec City etc). Any suggestions? Both tend to be bitterly cold in February. If you want to see snow and do some skiing, that would be a good time to come . Montreal is just starting to warm up in April and leaves start to appear on trees around the first week of May. >>We are from Europe. Is it worth visiting NY and/or Quebec (Montreal >>etc) during February? Or is it better to wait until April? We would [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > starting to warm up in April and leaves start to appear on trees around > the first week of May. The ice hotel in Quebec should still be open. Anyone been to it, who wants to report? sechumlib a écrit : > >>We are from Europe. Is it worth visiting NY and/or Quebec (Montreal > >>etc) during February? Or is it better to wait until April? We would [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > The ice hotel in Quebec should still be open. Anyone been to it, who > wants to report? According to http://www.hoteldeglace.qc.ca/en/index.en.php it should be open from January to early April 2006 The hotel is not in Quebec-City but Ste-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier (not really next door, at least to european standards) Have seen the 2005 edition - in terms of Michelin green guide good for one star (worth a detour, but not a journey) For what I heard kind of overcrowded the week-ends, no problem with crowds during the week. jjamon.nospam@gmail.com a écrit : > We are from Europe. Is it worth visiting NY and/or Quebec (Montreal > etc) during February? Or is it better to wait until April? We would [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > or (Eastern) Canada (also never visited) or somewhere else USA/Canada > East (Boston, Quebec City etc). Any suggestions? For having travelled most of the region between Niagara and New Brunswick over the last 25 years at almost all seasons, I would recommend May/June or September for a first visit from Europe. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the several winter-trips, even with temperatures below -20 and even once -35 degre Celsius. First its relatively dry when really cold (partially compensated by the wind blowing often enough directly from North Pole). Sure that outdoor activities are somehow limited, but I liked crosscountry skiing, skating on frozen canals, did (but did not like) a few tries on snowmobiles (prefer "real" motorbikes) and found downhill skiing kind of limited. On the other hand, interesting places to visit, such as the "underground world" in Montreal, the ice-hotel now in Sainte-Catherine de la Jacques-Cartier (neat Quebec-city), or simply watching old Quebec-city with Chateau-Frontenac on the "taversier" crossing ice-covered St.Lawrence to Levy and back. Niagara-Falls (kind of far from Montreal, but at one hour driving from Toronto) are special in winter! In addition, might be worth mentionning that a few years ago, temperatures in Southern Quebec were above freezing (10 degre Celsius and more!) during a vacation late February - no snowmobile tour, no crosscountry skiing! If I had to choose between February and early April for a trip to Southern Ontario and Southern Quebec, I would definitely opt for February.. Regarding possible tour: you might fly to NY-City or Boston (I prefer), use public transportation or taxi for visiting the city/cities, take a train to Montreal (worth the experience ? Have never used a train in North America), and rent a car there for touring Quebec-City and/or Ottawa (imho more interesting for visitors from Europe than Quebec-city) or even Toronto/Niagara This Winter, Quebec Carnaval is scheduled for Jan 27 to Feb 12 - might be worth considering it in your vacation plans. More at http://www.carnaval.qc.ca/fr/ (not that I am fond of that kind of activities - but probably worth visiting if you are not to far away ...) > For having travelled most of the region between Niagara > and New Brunswick over the last 25 years at almost all > seasons, I would recommend May/June or September for > a first visit from Europe. Good advice. We get some nice weather in May and June. July and August can get hot and sticky, and it is when most Canadians and Americans take their vacations so accommodation tends to be harder to find, and more expensive. We get some really nice weather in September and October, though it will be cool in the evening, and it can sometimes get quite cool during the day. > Nevertheless, I enjoyed the several winter-trips, even with > temperatures below -20 and even once -35 degre Celsius. -35 is damned cold. The southern parts of Ontario and Quebec tend to have high humidity. The air is dryer further north, so the cold temperatures don't seem as bad. > First its relatively dry when really cold (partially compensated > by the wind blowing often enough directly from North Pole). > Sure that outdoor activities are somehow limited, but > I liked crosscountry skiing, skating on frozen canals, did > (but did not like) a few tries on snowmobiles (prefer "real" > motorbikes) and found downhill skiing kind of limited. Limited how? The ski hills aren't as high as some of those in the Alps or the the western mountain ranges, but they can still be a lot of fun. > On the other hand, interesting places to visit, such as > the "underground world" in Montreal, the ice-hotel now in [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > to Levy and back. Niagara-Falls (kind of far from Montreal, > but at one hour driving from Toronto) are special in winter! I think that winter is the best time to see the falls. It looks exceptionally nice with a nice fresh blanket of snow and the branches covered with the ice mist glistening in the sun. > In addition, might be worth mentionning that a few years > ago, temperatures in Southern Quebec were above freezing > (10 degre Celsius and more!) during a vacation late > February - no snowmobile tour, no crosscountry skiing! In southern Ontario we often get a January thaw like that. You can't count on it happening every year or in any particular week. > If I had to choose between February and early April for > a trip to Southern Ontario and Southern Quebec, I would > definitely opt for February. Definitely. April is usually cool, damp and drab, not a great time for tourists. It's not cold enough for snow and winter outdoor activities, and not warm enough or dry enough for summer activities. Mid winter is great for outdoor sightseeing, but I have never been keen on walking around in cities in the cold. > Regarding possible tour: you might fly to NY-City or > Boston (I prefer), use public transportation or taxi for > visiting the city/cities, take a train to Montreal (worth the > experience ? Have never used a train in North America), You would be disappointed. Travel by rail is not our forte. Only the main corridors have train service, and trains do not run frequently enough to be a convenient option. It is a more comfortable way to travel than bus, but it just isn't very flexible. > and rent a car there for touring Quebec-City and/or Ottawa > (imho more interesting for visitors from Europe than > Quebec-city) or even Toronto/Niagara Ottawa is a great city to visit, but be prepared for cold weather in winter. Dave Smith a écrit : > > First its relatively dry when really cold (partially compensated > > by the wind blowing often enough directly from North Pole). [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Limited how? The ski hills aren't as high as some of those in the Alps or > the the western mountain ranges, but they can still be a lot of fun. Dont want to start a flame-war on winter-sports in Eeastern Canada, and I admit to be kind of spoiled for having spent close to all skiing-vacation since 1988 in Zermatt - the "mountains" around Montreal and Quebec-City can be fun for skiing too, but imho nothing really exiting. As a visitor from Central Europe, I am much more impressed by several of the great cross-country tracks in Quebec (dont know about other provinces). Some of my great souvenirs were early morning raids on tracks near Quebec-city. For two years I worked near Montreal, downhill skiing in Quebec was kind of "use this hills when no real mountains are around". Sure, the Rockies are great for skiing, but almost as far from Montreal as the Alps. Most of my collegues drove to resorts in NY or Vermont rather than "colline" St-Anne or Tremblant :-) > Dave Smith a écrit : > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > around Montreal and Quebec-City can be fun for skiing too, but > imho nothing really exiting. I can understand that. I took up downhill skiing late in life and my experiences are limited to the less spectacular hills in southern Ontario and northern NY. From my limited experience, I would think that those great ski hills are wasted on the average skier. The busiest hills are the least challenging. One nice thing about being a somewhat advanced skier is that you get a lot more room to manoeuvre of the more challenging hills, and shorter lift lines. > As a visitor from Central Europe, I am much more impressed > by several of the great cross-country tracks in Quebec (dont > know about other provinces). Some of my great souvenirs were > early morning raids on tracks near Quebec-city. There are no good cross country tracks in this part of southern Ontario. > For two years I worked near Montreal, downhill skiing in Quebec > was kind of "use this hills when no real mountains are around". > Sure, the Rockies are great for skiing, but almost as far from > Montreal as the Alps. Most of my collegues drove to resorts > in NY or Vermont rather than "colline" St-Anne or Tremblant :-) For me, it was a 3-4 hour drive to Collingwood, or two hours to Ellicottville. If I want better skiing than that I have to hop on a plane. Never the less, it is still fun. > We are from Europe. Is it worth visiting NY and/or Quebec (Montreal > etc) during February? Or is it better to wait until April? We would [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > or (Eastern) Canada (also never visited) or somewhere else USA/Canada > East (Boston, Quebec City etc). Any suggestions? Both cities are interesting to visit any time of year. What do you mean by "is it worth?" Is it worth what, exactly? Where and when to visit is entirely up to you. If you want some suggestions, you need to explain what your interests are. What activities do you prefer to do when you travel? What's your travel budget? > We are from Europe. Is it worth visiting NY and/or Quebec (Montreal > etc) during February? Or is it better to wait until April? We would [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > or (Eastern) Canada (also never visited) or somewhere else USA/Canada > East (Boston, Quebec City etc). Any suggestions? There is no countryside to visit in Canada in the winter - just warm buildings, events and festivals. If you insist on the winter - time it for the Quebec winter carnival. >We are from Europe. Is it worth visiting NY and/or Quebec (Montreal >etc) during February? Or is it better to wait until April? Yes, it's definitely better to wait until April if you can. > We would >come for about 10-14 days and, besides visiting NY or Montreal, also >would like to rent a car to discover the countryside. Driving conditions may be icy in February, and all the trees except evergreens will be bare. >We also have not yet decided where exactly to go: NY (never visited) >or (Eastern) Canada (also never visited) or somewhere else USA/Canada >East (Boston, Quebec City etc). Any suggestions? For two weeks, you could spend half the time in New York and then drive through New England to Quebec City and spend a few days there, or you could instead take a train or bus to Boston, stay there for a few days and rent a car and drive around New England. I think about 3 full days is adequate for a visit to Quebec, and you could also visit Boston for 3-4 days. Keep in mind that the distance between either New York of Boston and Quebec City is far enough that you'll want to break it in the middle, spending a night in northern New Hampshire or Maine. Michael If you would like to send a private email to me, please take out the NOTRASH. Please do not email me something which you also posted. On 11/20/2005 10:25 AM jjamon.nospam@gmail.com contemplated the inner meaning of Buffalo Wings then said: > We are from Europe. Is it worth visiting NY and/or Quebec (Montreal > etc) during February? Or is it better to wait until April? We would [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > East (Boston, Quebec City etc). Any suggestions? > If you don't mind cold weather visit New York City. With the exception of blizzard, streets and sidewalks are reasonably clear after snowfall. My choice would be to wait for either city and visit in the Spring or Fall. New York is best experienced both indoors and outdoors. Parts of the city such as Greenwich Village (the Village, West Village) have these really great restaurants and cafes with sidewalk seating. You can people watch while you dine or sip a cappuccino. While Central Park has an ice skating rink, the best parts of it are viewed in warmer weather. Maybe it's just me but walking in the Winter in New York City seems to take more time and effort than doing so during more moderate temperatures. It's up to you, but during Winter I would explore some of the USA's warmer destination points. Have you seen San Diego, Arizona, New Mexico or Texas? Signature________ To email me, Edit "blog" from my email address. Brian M. Kochera "Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once!" View My Web Page: http://home.earthlink.net/~brian1951 >We are from Europe. Is it worth visiting NY and/or Quebec (Montreal >etc) during February? Or is it better to wait until April? We would [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >or (Eastern) Canada (also never visited) or somewhere else USA/Canada >East (Boston, Quebec City etc). Any suggestions? I suppose it may depend on which part of Europe you are from and how you feel about winter weather. I'm from NY City, where due to the proximity to the ocean, it is somewhat warmer in the winter than areas further inland. Even so, it's all a matter of perspective. Several years ago a bunch of guys from London told me that their friends told them they would positively freeze in NY City in January. Once they got here they bought the warmest, thickest coats I have ever seen and still shivered whenever they went out. A typical NY City winter has many days in the 30s (-1 to +4 C), some days in the 20s (-7 to -2 C) and a handful of days in the teens (-12 C) and below. Some winters the whole scale shifts down a bit. Having said that, I'm not sure I would visit NY City in the winter. I wouldn't come in the summer either. Spring and fall would be best. I've been to Quebec city in the winter. It was quite cold, but I recommend it nonetheless. Go during the Winter Carnival. Stay inside the walled city area. You'll be within a ten minute walk of practically anyplace you want to go. Don't bother with a car. Even in the summer a car is just a hindrance in Quebec City. They have a great selection of events and the city is beautiful in winter. Greg Guarino How about Ottawa for Winterlude? It's the world's longest skating rink (Guiness approved). Terrific city, too. > We are from Europe. Is it worth visiting NY and/or Quebec (Montreal > etc) during February? Or is it better to wait until April? We would [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > or (Eastern) Canada (also never visited) or somewhere else USA/Canada > East (Boston, Quebec City etc). Any suggestions? >> We are from Europe. Is it worth visiting NY and/or Quebec (Montreal >> etc) during February? Or is it better to wait until April? We would [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >> or (Eastern) Canada (also never visited) or somewhere else USA/Canada >> East (Boston, Quebec City etc). Any suggestions? If you chose to go to Quebec City ( wonderful place) do so between January 27 to February 12 as that is the time of the Quebec Winter Carnival. If you chose to do so, make sure you have your accommodations now as the carnival is the largest winter carnival anywhere and I think the second or third largest carnival overall anywhere - perhaps Rio and New Orleans are larger. See http://www.carnaval.qc.ca/en/ cheers >>>We are from Europe. Is it worth visiting NY and/or Quebec (Montreal >>>etc) during February? Or is it better to wait until April? We would [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > > cheers Of course, this year, everyone but Rio moves up a notch. > >>>We are from Europe. Is it worth visiting NY and/or Quebec (Montreal > >>>etc) during February? Or is it better to wait until April? We would [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > > > > cheers > Of course, this year, everyone but Rio moves up a notch. Not necessarily. We'll know more in a month and a half. There will be a Mardi Gras in N'Awlinz, it just remains to be seen how big it will be and how long it will last. There are proposals, but everything's still in the air. Nex >>>>>We are from Europe. Is it worth visiting NY and/or Quebec (Montreal >>>>>etc) during February? Or is it better to wait until April? We would [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > Gras in N'Awlinz, it just remains to be seen how big it will be and how long > it will last. There are proposals, but everything's still in the air. Nex The fact that it is up in the air this close to the event means that it will be a shadow this year. It will certainly go on but only as a place holder. Kinda like the election to throw out Naglin will go on but it will simply be a shadow of a real election. > >>>>>We are from Europe. Is it worth visiting NY and/or Quebec (Montreal > >>>>>etc) during February? Or is it better to wait until April? We would [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > > Gras in N'Awlinz, it just remains to be seen how big it will be and how long > > it will last. There are proposals, but everything's still in the air. Nex > The fact that it is up in the air this close to the event means that it > will be a shadow this year. > It will certainly go on but only as a place holder. Kinda like the > election to throw out Naglin will go on but it will simply be a shadow > of a real election. Not necessarily. The 'krewes' that might be put in the lineup a month before the event would for the most part be ready enough to show at short notice. They're no amateurs. As for Nagin, well, the less said the better. Nex "If you chose to do so, make sure you have your accommodations now as the carnival is the largest winter carnival anywhere" Sapporo in Japan and Harbin in China also have large winter festivals, and both are famous for their ice sculptures. (Harbin was the site of the recent chemical spill tragedy.) http://images.google.com/images?q=sapporo+snow+festival&hl=en&btnG=Search+Images http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&lr=&q=harbin%20ice%20festival&btnG=Search& sa=N&tab=wi |
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