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My wife and I are planning a road trip from New York City up to Maine. We want to end up in Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. Any suggestions on where we must stop at on the way to Bar Harbor? I do not need to stop in Boston for any length in time as we are going there in February. Thanks!
Welcome to the RTA Forums Smitty5!
You don't give us a lot to start from. Tell us about your interests, hobbies, sports, food preferences, ...Quote:
Any suggestions on where we must stop at on the way to Bar Harbor?
You can start by looking at a couple of these posts to see if you find anything interesting : 1 2 3 4.
Just keep in mind that a lot of places won't be open during the winter.
Gen
we are traveling in April from New York to Maine. My wife has never been to New England before so I would like to show her different sights including colonial buildings, light houses, the cape, etc. We are pretty much open to anything and everything. We would like to stay in some nice (not too expensive) bed and breakfast stops. Thanks.
we both love seafood and enjoy hiking and being outdoors. My wife loves old homes and gardens. We just love exploring both the popular sights and the ones off the beaten path
Although it can be a bit more difficult to find bed & breakfasts open pre-season, when you do, the rates are generally quite reasonable. We have stayed at Dunscroft By The Sea a couple of times off-season, and we have found it to be nice and relaxing - not only because of the atmosphere of the place, but because many tourists won't venture out until after Memorial Day.
That time of year can be iffy vegetation wise - generally the green is just starting to show around the Patriot's Day holiday - April 16th this year.
About how much time do you have for this trip?
We have one week to travel. I have a voucher for flights into New York so that i why we are starting our travels from there. Plus my wife has never been to this area.
Smitty - I was wondering where it is that you are flying in from?
The Northern New England states all have excellent hiking opportunities, as does Massachusetts, from the fairly easy hikes all the way to Mt. Washington in New Hampshire - which is not for the unprepared!
Some of the favorite rides and attractions in the area include -
-The tree-lined, architecturally significant Merritt Parkway in CT
-MA-9 from Pittsfield to Ware or Belchertown (just outside of town on MA-181 are several restored Victorian homes), with a stop at the Quabbin.
-Driving MA-127/MA-127A around Cape Ann (Gloucester, Rockport area).
-The Kancamagus Highway in NH
-VT-100
-Hildene in Manchester, VT
Driving through the stone village in Chester, VT
-Stopping at the Delorme Map store in Maine - a haven for road geeks!
we are flying into JFK.
Thanks for all the information!
I'm a bit surprised that with your stated objectives, no one has suggested the following, but...
I think you'd do well to follow the coast up to Maine and then cut cross country back to New York at the end. You can get back to New York from Acadia in one full day of driving. So, as you're heading north, some of the places to consider:
Mystic, CT: particularly Mystic Seaport. There is also a great museum north of town devoted to the Pequot Indians and the initial encounter with Europeans.
Newport, RI: particularly the "cottages", many of which have exquisite formal gardens as well as great views of the Bay and Ocean. For a nice lunch try the restaurant that shares the building with the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Their outdoor seating is courtside.
Offshore Islands: Take a ferry ride out to Block Island, RI or Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket, MA (1 2 3 4 5 6). Leave the car on the mainland and just enjoy the 'cruise' and a walk.
Cape Cod: Be sure to visit the Cape Cod National Seashore and Provincetown.
Portsmouth, NH: has restored its old original seaport district, Strawbery Banke, and just up the road in York, ME, the Nubble is one of the most historic and picturesque lighthouses on the New England Shore.
Portland, ME: has a great downtown and the Cape Elizabeth/Portland Head Light, and not too much farther down the coast is Colonial Pemaquid.
All on your way to Acadia National Park.
AZBuck
That must have been too obvious -- we must have been waiting for your post...Quote:
Originally Posted by AZBuck
Any suggestions on where to stop after heading back to New York from Acadia. I don't want to travel back down the coast, but more inland. Thanks
Here are some of my favorite attractions on the 'inland' road back from Maine to New York. Note that everything that follows are direct quotes from previous posts that I found using the Search Function above.
As you head out through Massachusetts, there's Old Sturbridge Village a 'living history' recreation of a 19th century town. You can then head on north a bit and use the Mohawk Trail through the Berkshires.
I have toured the Mark Twain House that Mass Tim suggested and found it quite fascinating. Two smaller scale (and lesser known) things you might also consider, depending on your predilections are Dinosaur State Park where you can make plaster casts of real dino foot prints (Buy your own plaster of paris at a local hardware store. Be on the lookout for this sign) and the historic Rocky Hill-Glastonbury ferry. Both of these sites are just southeast of Hartford.
AZBuck
I have made the trip to Maine many times. It is a beautiful area and I am sure that you will have a wonderful time. Since I am making my comments rather late in the conversation, most of the "must see gems" are already mentioned, but at least one is not. Try East Haddam's (CT), Gillette Castle. It was built at the turn of the Century, by an actor by the name Gillette. The castle was built for his wife, who actually never occupied the property. You will get a great tour of the stone castle, with a lot of little surprises (the castle was built by an eccentric millionaire) who added a lot of little quirks to the castle. As an added bonus, by the coast there are many fine seafood restaurants.
If on your return inland trip, if you find yourself in the area of Wethersfield CT, and you like seafood, you must try the Old Saybrook restaurant. The best seafood that I ever had (at the end of the meal everyone is given a bowl of fresh fruit, really hits the spot). It is right by exit 24 on RT 91. Right next door there is a great steak place, Chucks steak house, the menus is printed on a big wine bottle and they, also, have a great salad bar.
Have a great time
I have heard of this place but never received a field report from anyone I knew -- so thanks. The Old Saybrook sounds like a place we must investigate further sometime!Quote:
Originally Posted by richc46
Mark
I am planning a 9-day roadtrip from Washington DC area to Mass, Maine, NH, Vermont, and Upstate New York in June.
After a lot of internet research, (ie. roadfood.com) I discovered that you may wish to eat breakfast at Polly's Pancake Parlor in Sugar Hill, New Hampshire (In Western New Hampshire just before Littleton). I can't vouch for it yet, but it sounds good to me!
Harry
I can give you some tips for the Midcoast Maine area. Bath, Me is home to Bath Iron Works(my employer) and there is a very nice museum there, Maine Maritime Museum. Bath has many B&Bs. Freeport, home to LL Bean is about 20 minutes south of us. There are many good resturaunts along the Route 1 corridor and getting through Wiscasset at this time of year will be easy, it can be a nightmare in the summer. Boothbay Harbor is about a 15 minute drive off Route 1 just North of Wiscasset and is a mecca to summer tourists and boaters and there are many sights to see down there. Damriscotta is just off Route 1 and is the home of Renys, a discount retailer and a Maine tradition and is also the gateway to the Pemiquid area previously mentioned. The Camden/Rockport area is also very nice and the Owls Head Transportation Museum is down that way. They have just built a beautiful new bridge just south of Bucksport and there is an observation tower at the top and you can stop and visit Fort Knox and have a nice picnic lunch overlooking the town of Bucksport and the Penobscot River. We did it 2 summers ago with the kids and it was a very nice day. On your way back you can take either Route 1A into Bangor and come back on 95 or go south on Route 1 and take Route 17 to Augusta (our capitol) and visit the Maine State Museum. Then take 95 south. The Route 1 corridor south of Portland has alot of beach property like Old Orchard Beach, Kennebunkport, Arundel but most of this area doesnt get that busy until summer. In Kittery there is the Kittery Trading Post and a huge selection of retailers spread out over a couple of miles of outlets and strip mall type buildings. Have a great trip and enjoy your visit to our great state.
Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America forum.
Thanks, wdwforus, for the local intel on the central coast of Maine. It is a popular destination and topic on these forums and we hope you'll continue to impart your knowledge to people visiting Down East.
AZBuck
Hi Mass Tim.... The Haz here again (Toronto, NY, New England and back to Toronto)
I found this posting you did, wow in 2005 and it listed Dunscroft By The Sea in Harwich Port, MA....it is lovely and I wonder if we incorporated a stop here say on around June 17 what would be a nice route to go from there still through New England/NY and to Toronto??
Haz