New England with Mom!!

[Lucy Day]

My mom and I are planning a spur of the moment trip up to New England. I'm so excited to get to spend some alone time with her. Im always down in Texas going to school, so we dont spend much time together anymore. Anyways, we want to start off in Boston, rent a car, make a loop up through NH and Maine and back down through VT and back to Boston.
I have been put in charge of the planning but I have no idea where to start or what to do. We want to make Hotel reservations b/c it will be 4th of July Weekend. However, we dont really know specific towns we want to hit up. I know I want to go through some valley villages and she wants to see some beaches in Maine. Our "maine" goal is to experience New England! (sorry that was corny) Does anyone have the perfect New England roadtrip planned out or maybe some suggestions??
Thank you

[AZBuck]

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America forum.

As a longtime resident of New Hampshire and Maine, I take umbrage at your request for "the perfect New England road trip". There are many, each more perfect than the last (if there is such a thing as 'more perfect').Just a few of the many previous posts that have recommended places in New England include:

A drive across the mountains of the three northern New England States
Some ideas for southern New England
A highlight or two down east of Boston
A list of links to many other posts with things to do.

Those should at least get you started, but there are many, many more. Be sure to try out the search function and just look for threads on Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, etc. What, in particular, are you interested in? How long do you have for the RoadTrip portion? How energetic are you and your mom? In general, I'd recommend a trip up along the coast of Main from Boston, maybe to Portland or a little farther, then inland to the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and down through the center of Vermont and across Massachusetts back to Boston. That can take from a couple of days to more than a week (way more) depending on what you do along the way.

AZBuck

[Mark Sedenquist]

My mom and I are planning a spur of the moment trip up to New England.

Welcome to the Great American RoadTrip Forum!

Anyways, we want to start off in Boston, rent a car, make a loop up through NH and Maine and back down through VT and back to Boston.

How many days will you be on the road?

...and she wants to see some beaches in Maine.

In New Hampshire, I would stop at the Sand Point boardwalk near Portsmouth and then make your way to Portland and take the Casco Bay Ferry from Portland over to Long Island and Peaks Island -- great places for walking along the beach. I have not stayed in Bar Harbor, but I have heard that Hearthside is pretty neat and not too expensive an inn near everything.

Happy Planning!

Mark

[Lucy Day]

We will only have 4 full days. We are really gonna have to pack it in!

[AZBuck]

With only four days to 'work' with, you're going to have to pick and choose your destinations with care and keep your circuit as compact as possible, but I belive it can be done. So the question is: Is there a 'representative sample' that will let you sample the best that you can in that time frame? There are probably a few, but here's one possibility:

Day 1 - Some Coastline
Head north from Boston to Portsmouth, NH. Take a stroll around Strawbery Banke and along the harbor. Portsmouth is also a good place to fuel the body with many good restaurants, but it's been a while since I lived there, so "inquire locally". Then head up the coast to York, ME. Take a stroll on the beach at Long Sands (Alt US-1 through town). Drive out to the end of Cape Neddick to see the Nubble Light. Finish up with a bit more beach at Old Orchard Beach to make sure that your Mom has gotten her fill. For a unique place to stay for the night, one of our other moderators, Gen, has in the past recommended Bay View Villa in Saco (207-286-8762), a retreat run by nuns that is on the waterfront, has a semi-private beach and lots of benches and chairs to sit around and relax.

Day 2 - Mountains and Notches
Assuming you end up spending your first night in the Saco-Portland area, you'll want to start your second day heading inland, basically along ME-25. This will take you through picturesque towns like Cornish. Shortly after entering New Hampshire, you will take NH-153 north. This is the pretty back road into Conway, NH. At Conway take a short jog south on NH-16 to NH-112 west, the Kancamagus Highway. This is as pretty a road as your going to find anywhere in New England with stream side pull-offs, short hikes, and spectacular views. At its western end, depending on your time and progress, head north on US-3 into Franconia Notch State Park. If you have the time, hike the Flume Gorge. Your goal for the evening is to get to the Woodsville, NH - Norwich, VT area. There are dozens of bed and breakfasts in this neck of the woods, but I'd line one up before arriving as many of them are off the 'main' roads and may require directions to find.

Day 3 - Connecticut Valley
Today's objective is to enjoy the river valley and a bit of Vermont and Massachusetts. Set off southbound on US-5 and just enjoy the views of the river and the quaint cute along the way. At White River Junction switch over to US-4 westbound take the time to see Quechee Gorge, it's just a very short hike. Continue westward to VT-100 southbound to the town of Plymouth and the Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site. The town has been preserved as it was in Silent Cal's day and besides, VT-100 is just a very pretty road. But time's a wastin'. It would probably be a good idea at this point to use VT-103 from Ludlow to Rockingham to head back to the Connecticut River and I-91. While there is some very nice scenery in Central Massachusetts and northern Connecticut, I'm going to recommend the you boogie a bit at this point and aim to get to the Hartford area to spend the night. Tomorrow will be a busy day.

Day 4 - Seaside Heritage
Your goal for today is to see two of the best locations on the southern New England coast, Mystic and Newport, before returning to Boston in the evening. From Hartford, the fastest way to Mystic is to use CT-2, I-395 and I-95. Not as tranquil as the roads you'll have been travelling to this point, but these are jam-packed days. Anyway, your goal is to see Mystic Seaport and learn some of the history of the sailing vessels that made the fortunes of the Yankee Traders. When you've had your fill, get directions (It is a bit hard to find) to Abbott's in Noank. This is by no means fancy, but at some point you do have to have a lobster while overlooking a harbor. Then it's back onto I-95 east into Rhode Island. Take RI-138 across a pair of spectacular bridges into Newport and if nothing else take a stroll around a couple of the 'cottages' built by the Vanderbilts and others in the gilded age. From Newport continue up RI-138, RI-24 and MA-24 into Boston.

This is an ambitious itinerary, but I believe it can be done in 4 days and will let you see a lot of the best of New England. Best of luck to you and your Mom.

AZBuck

[AZBuck]

The posts covering a fall trip to New England by another Forum member "sheilahathi" have been moved to a new thread "Fall in Northern New England" under the Planning Fall and Winter RoadTips forum.

AZBuck