Arkansas to Maine! (then back through Canada)

[kmbrodie]

Hello Friends!

A buddy and I are looking forward to our trip up to Maine. Neither of us have driven northeast. We are curious what a realistic time stamp should be on our trip. We plan to old school it with an atlas and cooler of sandwiches. Sleep in the car…*What's a good time of year to make this trip. I know it gets pretty cold in the winter months so we're thinking spring (March, April) or in the fall (October). Any suggestions? Thanks!

[Mass Tim]

Welcome to the RoadTrip America Forum!

It can still be quite chilly in Maine (and the rest of New England, for that matter) in what those in warmer areas of the country consider spring.

Where in Maine are you considering? The North Woods is quite a bit different from the coastal areas. What types of things are you interested in doing while you're there? Are you hikers, seafaring folk, etc?

[kmbrodie]

Thanks!

We are not huge hikers but we're definitely going to Acadia National Park. We don't so much mind the cold, just not too much snow as we have a small car. We picked spring/fall because we thought the drive would be pretty. We love culture, markets, weird things. We have a good sense of humor. Were open to all sorts of things! We have only 9-10 days for this trip and we're trying to make the best out of the drive up!

Thanks for the reply!

[glc]

You need to rethink your plan to sleep in a small car. You can't get a good night's sleep, and it's not safe or legal in many places. If you are trying to save money, I'd plan on tent camping instead.

I ran your trip through a mapping program, and you are looking at about 3600 miles, which is at least 6 days right there. This doesn't give you a whole heck of a lot of time for diversions. Plan carefully and realistically.

Note - you will need passports if you plan on going through Canada. You will also need to research border regulations for both countries - there are food items that are not permitted to cross the border and your cooler will in all likelihood be inspected.

[kmbrodie]

I'm applying for my Passport as we speak! The food inspection didn't cross my mind, thanks! We were actually discussing taking a tent. Do you know if you have to have permits to camp?

Thanks for the feedback!

[glc]

Generally, yes. You can't just pitch a tent anywhere. Good places to camp are in state parks, there will be a fee. They generally will have shower blocks and basic amenities. If you have to shower in a truck stop, that's going to cost you about 10 bucks.

[Mass Tim]

Thanks!
We don't so much mind the cold, just not too much snow as we have a small car.

Having a small car shouldn't cause you any undue concerns with snow, unless it's very low to the ground and you're planning on being in a remote area where snowplowing is an afterthought.

I would second not sleeping in your small car because that could very well turn what would otherwise be a pleasant trip into a burdensome chore.

An alternate route you could take, should you decide that you're not going into Canada after all, would be to head through the mountains of New Hampshire and Vermont. You will not be disappointed, especially since you're looking for pretty roadside views.

[kmbrodie]

Thanks Tim! We will keep that in mind. =D