northeast coast usa into canada

[leggo100]

I am in the process of planning a 3 weeks trip starting in raleigh north carolina and going to maryland, mass, maine, pei, new brunswick, nova scotia quebec and ontario..which is where I live what is the most scenic route from NC and has anyone out there done this type of trip who has some recommendations for accommodations, restaurants. I am looking for 4 or 5 star hotels.

thanks

[Mass Tim]

Welcome to the RoadTrip America Forum!

Do you have any specific stops in mind in Maryland, Massachusetts, etc? Do you prefer mountain driving, coastal driving, or a mixture of the two?

In this post (http://www.roadtripamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?p=38433#post38433), AZBuck points out some interesting sites along the New England coastline.


I am looking for 4 or 5 star hotels.


Nothing wrong with that - though I must admit that my hotel experiences haven't been in that range. I think your most likely to find these type of places in the Boston area when in Massachusetts, indeed closer to the more popular cities than away from them.

[leggo100]

we prefer coastal driving unless you recommend otherwise

[Mass Tim]

One thing about the East Coast is our population density, which can make coastal driving a chore for much of the Summer. That is not to say that it cannot be done, but these routes can be a parking lot in most places. The places of most concern would be in the New York City metropolitan area - from New Jersey into the Southwestern part of Connecticut.

Have you had the chance to explore any of the mountain roads that will be on your general route, such as the Blue Ridge Parkway (http://www.nps.gov/blri/), or Skyline Drive (http://www.nps.gov/shen/)?

The coastal option includes going over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel (http://www.cbbt.com/) - I would recommend this, especially if you have not been over it. It can be a little disquieting, seeing the road disappear into the water in the distance (like the rightmost picture on the page linked to), but it is definitely memorable!

You can then travel up the DelMarVa peninsula, which is pancake flat, very much different from the mountains a few hours to the West. Then, onto the Cape May - Lewes Ferry (http://www.capemaylewesferry.com/) and into New Jersey. I haven't driven this area, so I'll leave suggestions as to the best roads in the area to others (I really need to get out there more).

[AZBuck]

Given your own parameters of having 3 weeks (lots of time, but you want to cove an awful lot of ground), and wanting a scenic, coastal drive, I'd start by heading directly for the coast from Raleigh on US-64. That will bring you to Manteo at the very northern end of the Outer Banks of North Carolina. This is some unspoiled coast which includes both pristine seashore, wildlife refuges, and the first English settlement in the New World. Then as Tim suggested come up the Delmarva Peninsula, see Chincoteague and Assateague Islands and then continue on north up either the Ocean side or the Chesapeake Bay side. The New Jersey coast is quite built up for the most part, but Cape May at the southern tip does have a Victorian charm, and you can take some back roads from there through the Pine Barrens of central New Jersey to see a part of the state that most tourists miss. Continuing on a north-northwest course will bring you to the Delaware river which forms the western boundary of the state and the Delaware Water Gap. Michael has also given you some ideas of scenic routes and things to see along the southern New England coast. You can't go wrong on the coast of Maine. Just be sure to take some time and poke your nose down some of the 'rock-ribbed' peninsulas that poke out into the Atlantic to see its true beauty, and by all means see Acadia National Park. Spend some time at the head of the Bay of Fundy, at least enough time to experience a couple of high and low tides and the 35-40 foot difference between them. By all means, if you can spare the time, drive the Cabot Trail around the northern tip of Nova Scotia. There is now a bridge over to Price Edward Island, but I think the ferry is still operating and I must say I really enjoyed the trip over on it. Try using the bridge and ferry each for one passage. Finally, the Gaspé Peninsula is worth the drive and the tip up the St. Lawrence, and Québec, and Montréal... Use the Search function (advanced) and look for Gen's tips on these later locations.

AZBuck