Two Weeks by the Sea

Spend your first week in New Hampshire and Maine, then head south. The water off Massachusetts and Rhode Island is warmer than the northern New England surf (though it's all relative), but the attractions and distractions are just as enjoyable.

Days 1 & 2: Portland

Portland is a joy for families. The Children's Museum of Maine is almost exactly in the center of town, making it a good jumping-off point for a city tour. The excellent Portland Museum of Art, right next door, provides teens and college-age family members with something different to do.

In the historic Old Port, Exchange Street is the key shopping address. Kids will enjoy the ice-cream shops, boats, and quirky gift stores. The city tourist office is on Commercial Street.

The Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Co. & Museum combines a short train ride to the foot of the cliffs framing Portland's east end with a museum.

Another great experience is a cruise on the Casco Bay Ferry lines. You can take anything from a 20-minute run to a half-day "mail boat" cruise. Two good destinations are Peaks Island

A favorite among parents pushing strollers, with easy-to-cruise streets and Portland views -- and Long Island, which has an excellent beach.

For baseball fans, an outing to Hadlock Field to watch the Portland Sea Dogs can't be beat; it's one of my favorite minor-league parks.

Finally, young and old alike enjoy the sunrises, sunsets, picnics, sailboat views, and swing sets of the park along the Eastern Promenade.

Day 3: Cape Elizabeth

Plan to spend at least one afternoon hitting the string of beaches and lighthouses off Route 77 in the quiet town of Cape Elizabeth and surroundings, just 15 minutes from Portland.

Kids will especially enjoy the Portland Head Light and romping around in the sand and surf on Crescent, Scarborough, and Willard beaches.

Day 4: Old Orchard Beach

Drive 20 minutes south of Portland and you come to Old Orchard Beach. This place may strike you as corny at first, but it rarely fails to entertain. On the pier out over the water, you can find cotton candy, french fries, and arcade games. There's also a long beach to stroll along.

Day 5: Ogunquit

About 40 minutes south of Old Orchard is Ogunquit, which offers enough distractions for a few days. In addition to a main street full of shops, restaurants, and cafes, it has a main beach that's a vast stretch of powdery sand at low tide and has some of Maine's warmest ocean water (which isn't saying much!). Perkins Cove has sea views, ice-cream and candy shops, an excellent small bookstore, and lots of souvenirs for sale.

Day 6: York and Kittery

Only a 10-minute drive south, these twin towns offer a lot for families. York has a dynamite lighthouse (with homemade ice cream nearby), an amusement arcade, several excellent beaches, and the Goldenrod, a candy store where kids can watch taffy being pulled. You can buy boxes to take home -- half the fun is deciding which candies to buy. Kittery is more for adults, but its extensive set of outlet stores also appeals to teen shopaholics.

Day 7: Portsmouth

Portsmouth is a good base for exploring local parks and beaches. Be sure to visit New Castle Island for its historic streets; the outstanding collection of oceanside state parks lining Route 1A in Rye; and the Strawbery Banke by the downtown Portsmouth waterfront, with its historic buildings and restorations. Nearby is the lively Children's Museum of Portsmouth, with hands-on exhibits of arts and science. In town, there are plenty of shops and restaurants.

Days 8 & 9: Cape Ann

Use your first day to explore this lovely peninsula. Visit downtown Rockport for souvenirs and fudge. Push on to Halibut Point State Park, at the tip of Cape Ann, where there's plenty of room to run around and the views are spectacular. Walk the waterfront boulevard that extends north from Stage Fort Park in Gloucester. Before or after blowing off some steam by running around Stage Fort Park, head west on Route 133 for fried clams at the legendary Woodman's of Essex.

On Day 2, head to the beach early, before the parking lots fill. The rocky coast yields to welcoming strips of sand at several inviting spots. A good destination for families is Gloucester's Wingaersheek Beach, where kids will happily while away the day. Plan on an early dinner, because you have a long drive ahead of you tomorrow.

Days 10, 11 & 12: Cape Cod

Base yourselves in Brewster or Dennis; they're convenient but not in the heart of the tourist frenzy. On your first day, stick close to your home base and the child-friendly beaches that front Cape Cod Bay. On Day 4, venture to Falmouth by way of Sandwich. Be at the Heritage Museums and Gardens in Sandwich at 9am, and don't expect to get away without a carousel ride. Push on to the Woods Hole Aquarium. Mix and match your routes in each direction, combining the speed and boredom of Route 6 with the pokey pace and abundant distractions of routes 6A and 28 to accommodate the level of interest in the back seat. Day 5 may just be another local beach day, but a fun option is Eastham's Cape Cod National Seashore followed by a stroll around lovely downtown Chatham.

Depend on the family energy level to dictate how you fill out your days. This area abounds with options for outdoor fun; depending on your kids' ages and level of interest, you might try biking, kayaking, or fishing. Just be sure to allow for some quality beach time and that timeless Cape combo, miniature golf and soft-serve ice cream. If it's the right time of year, sports fans will want to take in a Cape Cod Baseball League game. Starting times are in the afternoon as well as the evening, a boon for parents who are working around naps.

Days 13 & 14: South County & Mystic

Work your way west from Cape Cod along the Rhode Island coast, taking advantage of a good excuse to experience relatively undiscovered South County. You'll reach Connecticut in time to explore the Mystic Aquarium. That leaves a full day for a visit to Mystic Seaport; fuel up first with a hearty breakfast at Kitchen Little.