My L.A. born and raised son is finishing his 2nd year at Syracuse (Newhouse). Inererstingly, while t

We are taking fodor travel books a college tour in mid April: Syracuse, Univ of Vermont (Burlington) and possibly Rochester fodor travel books NY. We may also throw in a few day trip to Quebec. Our current plan is to fly San Francisco to Burlington. I know that Burlington fodor travel books to Rochester is about 1.5 hrs. We can rent a car and drive that, but Syracuse is 4 hrs away. Should we fly, take a train, drive?? From Vermont, should we drive to Quebec (about 75 miles away) or is a train better? Do we need a car in Quebec? Also, if it is snowing, fodor travel books I am a wimp about driving in the snow. Hate it!! But I can do it if I must. Thanks!
Don't know where you got Burlington to Rochester being 1.5 hours-maybe by plane. Fly into Rochester (connect in Chicago). See the college in Rochester then take 1 of 5 different fodor travel books Amtrak trains to Syracuse to see the college there. Take Amtrak to Albany-Rensselaer which is also a great college (Rensselaer).
Rent a car there and drive north about 4 to 5 hours to Burlington. From Burlington cross the border and drive to Montreal. Drive from Montreal to Quebec City. I hope your french is good. Make sure you both have valid Passports.
These transportation arrangements should make you consider them for a student as well. Several fine colleges in upstate NY, (aware Burlington is not in NY) but flights in/out for visits to/from home can be a bit more challenging than other places, especially in the winter. And rental cars are not an option for students.
Certainly not a deal-killer, but one thing parents and prospective students often forget about is how long, how difficult, and how much it takes for transportation. Few non-stop flights from any of these places to any distant place, and cost is sometimes high. We live in Boston and it took my kids half the time to get home from colleges in NC and GA than it did for many of their friends at much closer fodor travel books in mileage schools fodor travel books in NY state.
It is then 5 hours from Syracuse to Burlington(with Ferry) and 2.5 Hours from Burlington to Montreal and 3 Hours from Montreal to Quebec City... then you have to get back to whatever airport you choose... lots of driving
Thanks for the replies. Sorry, I got my cities and geography confused - I looked at the distances awhile ago and obviously the old memory is faulty. What I meant was driving (not flying time) between Rochester and Syracuse was about 1.5 hrs. I didn't even know about the ferry. And I was thinking of Burlington to Montreal, not Quebec City. Wow. Next time I'll post before I have a glass of wine!
We are actually going to admitted students days which include Syracuse and Burlington at this point...we are still waiting to hear from Rochester...any day now.... so I am potentially fodor travel books factoring them in if that is a go....
Thanks for the college transportation advice. fodor travel books I am not the biggest fan of a back east school with no direct air route home, but I have agreed to take him where he is admitted and check it out. He is very interested in Burlington, so as long as we are there, we will check out the other 'nearby' options.
Thanks for the replies. Sorry, I got my cities and geography confused - I looked fodor travel books at the distances awhile ago and obviously the old memory is faulty. What I meant was driving (not flying time) between Rochester and Syracuse was about 1.5 hrs. I didn't even know about the ferry. And I was thinking of Burlington to Montreal, not Quebec City. Wow. Next time I'll post before I have a glass of wine!
We are actually going to admitted fodor travel books students days which include Syracuse and Burlington at this point...we are still waiting to hear from Rochester...any day now.... so I am potentially factoring them in if that is a go....
Thanks for the college transportation advice. I am not the biggest fan of a back east school with no direct air route home, but I have agreed to take him where he is admitted and check it out. He is very interested in Burlington, so as long as we are there, we will check out the other 'nearby' options.
Ellenbw - Just fly into Rochester and rent a car and drive the whole thing. Make sure it's OK to take the rental into Canada. I live in Rochester, and believe me, you do not want to screw around fodor travel books with the train. It's bad. Even if it snows here you'll be fine driving. It's so late in the season at this point the roads will be fine.
Don;t underestimate what the winter can be like in those areas. My first year in school I had a roommate who live in Rochester - and she couldn;t get home for thanksgiving (too much snow - planes grounded one day and backed up the rest). She also had trouble on 2 other trips home during the winter (either plane or car). She ended up transferring to UorR after her first year so she could see her family and boyfriend. And this was from Long Island.
nytraveler, the winter on the eastern seaboard has been much worse this year than the winter in the Rochester/Buffalo fodor travel books area. You can't base the weather on your one year with a Rochester roommate many years ago.
KathyK -- Not to disagree with your weather assessment, but to give you some idea, Syracuse has had 178.6" of snow this year, Rochester has had 126.8", Boston has had 78.8". We just deal with it better.
The problem is that when there are snow storms in NYC, Atlanta, etc, there are no planes so flights EVERYWHERE get cancelled fodor travel books or delayed. Given the bad winter fodor travel books many places had this year it was tough for college fodor travel books kids (as well as everyone else) to get just about anyplace. So that was just a given.
College students do get creative though, spending Thanksgiving with local friends is a popular option. Usually Xmas break is long enough that they manage to get home. It all works out, but sometimes it's not cheap!
My son has STILL have not heard from Rochester... I think this means it is a no.... but I am holding off on air reservations until I know. Being a lifelong Calif resident, I cannot even wrap my head around 125" of snow. Cannot fathom it. I think 20 degrees in the winter in Tahoe is really, really cold. But I told him that if he gets accepted, we will check out the eastern schools...thanks for the tips on getting travel home arranged early.
Consider flying to Chicago and renting a car there and drive I-90 through Rochester to Syracuse. Following I-90 you will drive through Erie Pennsylvania where my DD spent a semester at Behrend which is a Penn State campus.
My L.A. born and raised son is finishing his 2nd year at Syracuse (Newhouse). Inererstingly, while there has always been some hitch in getting him to or home from school...a delayed flight fodor travel books here or there, the hitch NEVER originated in SYR. In fact, there has never even been a delay leaving SYR in the dead of winter.
The problem with our weather in Rochester isn't even the snow (although fodor travel books I HATE it)...it's the constant cloudy fodor travel books skies. But if you're only here 4 years it's no big deal. College kids seem to be quite happy here.