Restaurant Ideas while traveling to the Lake
 

We travel up to the lake from CT, usually, both ways are around dinner time. We have girls (and others who tag along) that breakdown and get hungry during the trip (we try to prepare, but.........). More often than not, it is the quick fast food stop and I am always wondering, what else is near the highway that we are missing?

The only place we have found is a small chain Italian restaurant named Polcari's. It is off Exit 1 on I-93, it is good, reasonable and kid friendly.

I assume that there are other people on the forum that travel the I-290, I-495 and I-93 routes and thought I would ask if anyone has a favorite spot that we should try.

There's a Shorty's Mexican just off 93 at exit 9s that we go to often.

Poor Boys is right off 93 at exit 5.

Whippersnappers is in Londonderry at exit 4.

Restaurant ideas ...
 

My wife and I have enjoyed Crackerbarrel restaurants. If you google 'crackerbarrel' you can find state by state locations with route and exit numbers.

We have always found Crackerbarrel to be clean, friendly, good food, and fair price. Our only trouble is getting out of the gift shop without equalling or exceeding our restaurant bill !! Oh well, that's what grandparents do.

PS: I am not associated with Crackerbarrel in any capacity.

Several options on Rt 20 between Auburn, MA and Sturbridge wich is a ten mile stretch. Maybe it's not midway in the trip.

Lots choices off NH's Rt 3's exit 1, Spit Brook Road.

stops on 93
 

There is a Common Man off exit 3 on 93. Go right and then right and it is less than a mile.

Cracker Barrel on Exit 4 right at the exit. Exit 4 also has a Burger King, Wendys and McDonalds all < 1/2 mile from the exit ramp.

many choices...
 

There are actually countless options for you.
If exit 1 off 93 is a good fit for you, there are many many places that you actually drove by to get to Polcari's...as an aside, I've never had good luck with Polcaris, except for their pizza. Food seems very inconsistent. They are indeed struggling, and the rumor in Salem is that when their lease expires, they will not renew it. I believe this rumor will prove to be true.
Anyway...to get there, you drove by a 99,a Chinese restaurant, a Chili's, a McD, a BK, a TBones (highly recommend this place..kid friendly, great service). A bit further down RT 28, after Polcaris is a Chicago Uno, and then a Texas Road house, and a Fudruckers (great spot for a burger...but that is about all they have) .
Lastly, If you can hang on another 15 minutes, at exit 4 there is a couple a great family style, non-chain places. You can't miss at either Maryann's Diner, or Derry Pizza. Great places for pizza, or a sandwich, and cheaper than the other choices. They have full menu's....not your normal "pizza place". Exit 4, stay to the right, less than half a mile, both place are on the left.

That should fill out the summer of traveling. As always, a big thanks to my forum friends!

And the little princess' will thank you too.

second the cracker barrel
 

there is a cracker barrel right off 495 on rte 133 (last exit on 495 before rte 93 in Andover Ma) Mobil gas station there, Mcdoalds, 99 restaurant and some sort of steak house, can't remember which one. Very convenient location.

Rt. 3 option
 

Websattwinni, we go up Rt. 3 in Lowell and end up saving several miles vs. going all the way to I-93. Rt. 3 turns into I-293, and connects with 93 at the Hooksett tolls. Off Rt. 3 at exit 6 in Nashua or Hollis is Bugaboo Creek, which doesn't end up being much more expensive than cracker barrel, but a little different atmosphere with stuffed animals (the real kind) instead of old tools on the walls.

Also, at exit 3A off I-84 in Mass is another Cracker Barrel which we often use going to and from the lake.

Unos
 

The steak place is a Longhorn and comes recommended for a good steak at a good price. They're a chain owned by the people who do the Capitol Grille in Boston (a high end steak joint, also in Burlington MA) so good steak is in their DNA.

Off RT93 in Concord, exit 14 I think, is an Unos. While supposedly known for their deep dish pizza I can highly recommend them all (Nashua and MA as well) for their baby back ribs. For years now they've been meaty, tender and tasty beyond anything else you'll find here in the NE. A full rack is 2 meals for me and they reheat in the microwave very well.

Ummm!
 

Boy, these places all sound good! Now, if you're coming by plane from Alabama, you're going to get peanuts and water....maybe!

LOL! Can I identify with that!!!! We went recently and we spent 3 times more in the gift shop than we spent for our meal! As did our friends!

Webbsatwinni --here's one that no one would know about (unless it's where you live -- hint,hint) !!

As you come down 290, instead of taking 495N, go straight (towards Hudson/Marlboro), approximately 1 mile -- at the second set of traffic lites is a "99 Resturaunt" & a across the street is local Italian place called "Checkerboards". The later is VERY kid friendly, menu spans the gammit from Pizza, pasta, & full meals (sort of a Guisseppe's atmosphere and menu).

On a different note -- Why do you trudge up to Rte 93, when Rte 3/ Everett Tnpke is sooooo much easier (and faster) -- p.s..... we make the trip often and have compared both options!!

Just a word of warning, Texas Roadhouse (in Methuen actually, not Salem) is usually very VERY crowded at dinner time. Wait of an hour or more. It's a madhouse.

If you do decide to do the Uno or the Roadhouse, it's much faster to take the RT213 exit off 93N and then the next exit is RT28N. These are both right off RT213. It's a long trek down RT28 from exit 1 to there.

Maryann's in Derry is great but is only open for breakfast and lunch.

There's a nice little steakhouse just before it on the right, The Depot, that's very good as well.

If you need another 99 location, there is another one at exit 4. Take a left off the exit and it's about a 1/2 mi on the left. Whippersnappers is just before it on the right.

Thank you!
 

I too, find myself in the same situation....ending up settling for fast food. Nice to know of these restuarants, especially if they are located close to the highway.

Ok... so now I have to figure out how to print all of these posts! I want to have this list in my "glovie" so when someone asks "what we are going to eat"....we have options! So many good places have been mentioned. I am looking to try some of them soon.

Thank you all for your posts (I would do a "thank you" but have not figured out how to do that yet).:D

We have tried both 3 and 93 and now we make a game out of the choice. We put it up for a vote with the kids and have "quiet" games where the winner gets to pick the route. It sounds silly, but anything to trick them into being quiet in the car, at least for a short period of time. And now it has become something that they look forward to, ipods and dvd players work, but then we are wasting the one on one time with the kids.

And again, thanks to all for the ideas!

It is quicker, Phantom? Can you give any details because we can go both ways on that.

Tis -- We basicly live just off the intersection of 290/495 ...... with the completion of construction long finished on Rte 3, through the years, when traffic is figured in, we find shooting up the Everrett Tnpke to be somewhere around 10 min or more shorter (no great shakes --except it's all about getting up there) and I have to admit, getting off 495 as soon as possible is an added joy.

We use Rte 93 as our rarely used alternate, if we heard about any back-up or traffic issue (on the radio) or simply see the Rte 3 ramp "plugged" as we approach. It also serves as a nice alternate if Manchester has any issues as you can very easily (and time effectively) bail out on 293 and scoot across the few miles and grab 93N once again -- done that on a rare occassion too because of former construction in Manchester.

I liken it to folks who persist in thinking that staying on the Mass Pike (from CT) and running all the way to 495N instead of taking 290. The timings are close, yet the former is definately a longer run.

Takes us fairly consistantly an hour & 50 minutes from door to door.

Thanks for the input. We don't do it as often as you do, I am sure, we do it a couple of times a year and we are always wondering which we like---- going back and forth on which one to use. It seemed if we went to 93, we were going east, then heading back west, so it didn't make sense. You could also argue for going right through to 95 and up that way to the Spaulding since we are on the east side of the lake. That is what we always used to do. Also, we always used to go through Worcester and then decided if there was traffic , we lost a lot of time. So thanks.

Coming from NY we take 95 to exit 27A to Merrit Pkwy to 91 to 84 then to the pike for 1 exit then its the 290-405-everett tpke way. We dont like taking the Mass Pike more than 1 exit since its very crowded and same for 495 which also is very slow and hetic but moves at a nice pace. We rarely have issues of traffic since we leave Sunday ( in July) at 530am lol. We do not stop for food but do make 3 stops along the way rt 91, the Charlton Plaza on the Mass Pike and then right out of Manchester on 93 ( after 293 ends) this is my favorite stop since this means we are almost there.

PS we get off at exit 20

Boy Am I spoiled.This is 5 minutes from where I live.I'll never complain about a 1 hour ride again.

There is also a Comman Man right next to 93 in Concord.

Tons of places to stop at. Most have already been suggested. One that I have not seen is the Backroom/Puritan Restaurant in Manchester, just off of Exit 9S (I-93).

And I agree with the others regarding Rt 3/Everett Tpk. It is definately faster than I-93 when coming from the 495 area. We have family friends in Northboro, so we are down that way often. The 4 lanes on Rt 3 into Nashua makes it a much easier ride.

This is incorrect. I have tried both ways, many times. Here are the cold, hard stats:

Distance from I-495/rt 3 jct in Chelmsford to the I-93/I-293 jct in Manchester:

I-495 to I-93: 39.9 miles, or 39 min driving at the speed limit
rt-3 to Everett Tpk: 38.7 miles, or 43 minutes driving at the speed limit

So believe it or not, the Everett Tpk actually takes LONGER (if you obey speed limits) despite being about a mile shorter in distance. Plus you pay extra for a toll. I have no idea why anyone chooses this route when its longer AND more expensive.

One caveat- traffic on I-93 in the Salem stretch is tough during weekday PM commutes, which is about the only time I would consider taking the Nashua route.

More
 

if you are traveling north on Rt 3, theres Oliva Garden & Carabellas, Take exit 36,take right off exit, less than a mile. There's restaurant at exit 10 in Merrimack, name escapes me. There's also a Oliva Garden in Concord, Take Rt395,take exit 2,take left, go straight, take left at 2nd set of lights, on the left.

Dave M

I think that there are two big "IF"s there. IF one drives the speed limit. As you wrote, it is actually shorter mileage to go Rt 3/Everett tpk. IF there is no traffic on I-93 it may be less time, but doubtful. There are not many times 93 is not backed up in one area or another.
I commute to MA to work 5 days a week, and have been for the past 12 years, so I know what I am talking about as well.

However, as always...your mileage may vary. ;)

And to bring this back on topic, either way you go, there are a bunch of excellent dining options just off the highways.

This is the quickest and shortest way to go for those of us traveling up from the Boston area....as long as it isn't during rush hour!! We like to stop at NEWICK'S at Dover Point on the way home (near Pease). There's a nice view of Great Bay with lobster boats going by etc. We don't stop on the way up because we still haven't figured out how to get over there when going northbound!!

FYI.

290 through Worcester can be an extremely terrible experience.
With electronic toll collection, either direction, I stay on Ma Pike from 84 to 495, or 495/MA Pike to 84.
If radio, WBZ, says traffic exiting Pike at Sturbridge to 84, get on Rt 20 for that 10 mile section from Auburn.

Northbound, I might take Rt 3 out of MA, to 495, to 93 to avoid the 55 speeds through Nashua and the changes from three lanes to two lanes back & forth; really so close in distance, higher speed limits and no toll.
Drivers in Nashua section are so rude, passing on right, etc.

I take that as a clue that I am being rude by driving TOO SLOW in the left lane and I pull over so people don't have to pass me on the right (?)

In many states cops are now cracking down on drivers who are riding in the left lane but not passing. The Staties could make a LOT of money Friday afternoons on 93 North if they enforced this. Nothing is more frustrating as a driver...

Back to topic.


Many times we stop at the Red Arrow Diner in Manchester. Open 24 hours and always good!!

http://www.redarrowdiner.com/

Very true that traveling in left lane is illegal. In southern NH, on the northbound side, there used to be large billboard type green signs depicting travel on right and passing on left. I was taught that in driver's ed!

Police take it very serious in Europe; travel left, and you will soon have a faster vehicle flashing their headlights right behind you, or the police!
Keep an eye on your rear view mirror; they consider it a courtesy advisory message to flash headlights from way behind, if they are faster. There is a real reason auto engineers designed the headlight flasher in vehicles!

Three things:

Lots of great restaurants near the Pheasant Lane Mall on RT 3 at the Exit 36 just before the NH border. Also at Exit 6 in NH. My favorite is Shorty's.

Second, I use Rt 3 in Nashua all the time. I live in the area. Use I- 93 it's much better. Really it's better, it's not that I want you to leave the road less crowded for me, really.

Third, what law prohibits traveling in the left lane on a 6 or 8 lane divided highway? No such law in NH that applies to RT 3/Everett Turnpike or I- 93.

Laws do not apply to one highway and not another, or portions and then not all.

I had a group of MA state troopers tell me at a rest area where they were on break cleaning their windshields and such, that their mission that day was to enforce the drivers who "cruise" the left lane, since it's illegal.

Personally, I really do not know if it's law in NH. As I said, I was taught in drivers' ed to not cruise the left lane; it's defined as passing lane.

I am not trying to argue, but a left lane cruiser is an accident waiting to happen, and just not good common sense. It's irrelevant if road has two or any number of lanes!

Thank you! This is my biggest driving pet peeve - especially the vigilante drivers who think it is their personal mission to regulate highway speeds by slowing all traffic. That type of driving is very dangerous. However, as bad as it may be in NH, living here in CT is the worst because we have a lot of left exits, so many people immediately park themselves in the left lane miles in advance of having to make a left exit.

Sorry to take up space on this thread, but it really is one of the things that most causes my blood pressure to go up!

I agree, one of our biggest pet peeves too! So frustrating to be following them.

Just to clarify it is Route 393 not 395, you would be looking forever. Plus when you are done eating continue up the heights and take a left on 106 or stay straight merger on 4 and then take 28 north, only if you are on the south or east sides of the lake, better ride, without the "gas, gas, gas, BRAKE, BRAKE, BRAKE" of 93 north.

Plenty of resturants in this area, Pizza Hut, Longhorn, TGIFriday's, Applebees, Makris Lobster at the 106, 393 junction is a can't miss. Plus eating in Concord away from 93 by five minutes will allow the ride home traffic to die down.

If I understand correctly you are getting of 95 north to 16 north and heading past Pease, if so take exit 4 (before tolls) and a right off the exit then a left at the light and you are there.

It is not illegal in the state of NH to ride in the left hand lane, nor is it illegal to pass on the right. That does not mean you will not get pulled over for doing so. One of the worse things in my opinion is left lane cruisers. Passing is easy folks, even if you do not want to maintain a faster speed than the vehicle in front, the gas still goes down even with cruise control on, that is what I was taught, get out there and get it done, who wants to ride with a vehicle at your quarter panel anyway, talk about no way out if something starts to go down.

Here is the problem with this.... people need to be carefull what they ask for... well I agree people should not be out in the left lane unless they are passing.... you also have those that pass to the right on a three lane road..... You can't have your cake and eat it too.....
So if people are going to get pulled over for not passing and just ridding in the left lane be ready for those that pass in the right hand lanes to get tickets too....

IMHO the bigger problem is the lack of regard for Posted speed limits that has developed in this country...... and just because you in the left lane doesn't mean you have the permission to go any faster then the posted speed limit.

True, but everyone has a different comfort zone for speed while traveling on the highway. Granted the folks that are going eighty and above are really putting themselves at risk as well as everyone they pass. But my thought is this, being that I tend to be 10 to 13 (and yes that is a magic number) over when traveling on four lane highways, when conditions apply. I do not force anyone else to travel at my comfortable speed, but by not letting anyone pass I am being forced to travel at someone elses comfortable speed. "Live Free or Die, thats the NH way" Does not seem to mean the same thing as it did when I was a kid. I am not saying that you are wrong regarding the over the speed limit thing, but to each his own. Paying attention, both in front and behind while traveling on the highway will keep you out of trouble for the most part.

State police do not travel the speed limit for a reason, it creates congestion on the highway. Traveling in the passing lane at a speed within 5 mph of the car you are passing also creates a back-up and bunches up the cars that are all now in a big yank to get by the slower traffic.

Speed limit and passing lane stuff removed by jrc: way off topic

On the Everett Turnpike, in Merrimack NH. Take exit 11 go left under the highway. In the shopping plaza is Pizzico, a really good Italian restuarant. It will cost you an extra $50 in tolls but it's worth it.