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PS--- As someone who hails from the Finger Lakes, I contend there is no other area in the Eastern United States that qualifies as "wine country" other than the Finger Lakes. Neither Boston nor Philly are within a two hours drive, but Philadelphia is closer.
Great list! And you're definitely right regarding wine country. NY State is tops in the East.
Another point I wanted to make in the context of recent thread discussion: New England is much better at marketing and reputation for its natural destinations. That's decades worth of cultivated "image" versus the Mid-Atlantic, which tends to be more well-known for its highly-dense cities.
But in my actual experience living now extensively in both regions, I honestly believe the uniqueness and appeal of the Mid-Atlantic natural environment is just as beatiful and inspiring as anything in New England. They just present differently, but that's what makes the Northeast special.
PS--- As someone who hails from the Finger Lakes, I contend there is no other area in the Eastern United States that qualifies as "wine country" other than the Finger Lakes. Neither Boston nor Philly are within a two hours drive, but Philadelphia is closer.
I grew up in the finger lakes too; not only amazing for wine, but beautiful as well. living in center city Philadelphia now for about 20 years and the drive up has always seemed pretty fast.
Also great list; SEPA is pretty great countryside and doesn't seem to get as much attention as the Poconos or Jersey shore.
There are vineyards and wineries on the north fork of Long Island, eastern coastal Rhode Island, and the Massachusetts coast next to the RI state line. It’s not like the Finger Lakes have a monopoly on bad wine.
There are vineyards and wineries on the north fork of Long Island, eastern coastal Rhode Island, and the Massachusetts coast next to the RI state line. It’s not like the Finger Lakes have a monopoly on bad wine.
Haha +1
Yes, I don’t know that many people actively seeking out wines from the NE/Mid-Atlantic. It’s more of just something to do for an afternoon like going to a craft brewery.
Yes, I will always stump for the rolling hills and greenery of Philadelphia's country side.
Love those pics. The Piedmont setting is definitely unlike anything around Boston, doubly so because of the open vistas that you just don't see very often in Eastern Massachusetts, as it's just so heavily forested here (away from the coast, of course).
There are vineyards and wineries on the north fork of Long Island, eastern coastal Rhode Island, and the Massachusetts coast next to the RI state line. It’s not like the Finger Lakes have a monopoly on bad wine.
Well yeah, we have vineyards and wineries in the Philadelphia metro too. It does not make Philadelphia wine country. If your experience of the Finger Lakes is limited to Hazlitt and Fulkerson, you can DM me for suggestions for your next visit. The Finger Lakes has some exceptional wines for the US, especially rieslings and gewurztraminers.
Quote:
Originally Posted by thedirtypirate
Haha +1
Yes, I don’t know that many people actively seeking out wines from the NE/Mid-Atlantic. It’s more of just something to do for an afternoon like going to a craft brewery.
The US has long been behind in the wine department, but we are catching up. There are a lot of people who seek out the Finger Lakes.
If you love a downtown on a waterfront, only Milwaukee and Boston qualify. Boston is on an ocean, Milwaukee on Lake Michigan. Well, Cleveland does too, but Milwaukee's is beautiful.
Of course Boston does have greater ocean access amongst a much larger share of its metro area; that's certainly a plus for people who care about having that at your front door (I, personally, am just fine with being within an hour or two; it's nice to take a hot summer's day and trek to the beach, but I'm generally much more of hills/mountains/forests person--point being that everyone is different).
I'm not seeing how anything is being "weaponized." I really love visiting New England beaches. No one can question they're beautiful and lovely settings.
But as some who grew up going "down the shore" in NJ or MD, it's just a personal point of view that they have always seemed more functional and approachable compared to New England.
But if you want better naturally preserved seclusion, then a place like Nantucket of course is going to win out. It's not a knock, in my book. Just a different "vibe" that comes down to preference.
No lie--I'd personally never live in a coastal town, even if it was in my budget.
Way too much liability in my mind, and as noted above, I'm just not as obsessed by a large body of water and sand to justify the cost to see it every day.
To each their own, as they say.
I can walk to the beach and to my boat slip in the harbor. My house is at 50 feet MSL. What liability are you talking about?
In my town, none of the beaches have public access other than one not-so-great state park. It’s invisible as a tourist destination but it has some great beaches. The boating is also really good. As an adult, I always had a sailboat on a mooring in the harbor. There are a dozen places to go for the weekend.
My part of Massachusetts has similar climate to Cape May NJ. The ocean temperature is typically a couple of degrees cooler. Almost no snow in the winter. A sea breeze all summer so it doesn’t get hot. Boston is an hour and there’s commuter rail. Providence is 30 minutes.
I had a girlfriend for a bunch o’ years with a beach condo in Brigantine. I have ski friends around Point Pleasant Beach. Aunt/uncle/cousins in Red Bank but they’re long gone. I’m familiar with the Jersey Shore. I prefer the combination of beach & boating and skiing as a winter activity is a heck of a lot closer. I did a ton of business at Comcast in Philly so I’ve done rental car or the Atlantic City train to Brigantine lots of times. It’s fine. Cape May is nice.
My mom was from Pennsylvania Dutch country. My parents both went to Penn. I’ve spent a ridiculous amount of time working in Philly. I like center city. Salt water is a bit far but not ridiculous. I got roped into night skiing at the mighty Blue Mountain a few times. That’s pathetic compared to what I’m used to.
I can walk to the beach and to my boat slip in the harbor. My house is at 50 feet MSL. What liability are you talking about?
Climate change/flooding/hurricanes. The increasing risks are really self-explanatory.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GeoffD
Salt water is a bit far but not ridiculous. I got roped into night skiing at the mighty Blue Mountain a few times. That’s pathetic compared to what I’m used to.
Philadelphia proper is approximately one hour from ocean, if not less during off-peak traffic times. That's not "far" by the vast majority of the population's understanding of that word.
Skiing is irrelevant to about 98% of the American population, myself included. It's really a niche activity limited to the very affluent.
Never put a pair of skis on in my life and don't really care if I ever do.
Last edited by Duderino; 01-22-2023 at 09:52 AM..
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