The missing link: Washington to Boston off piste

[bluebird79]

Hi all

We're a couple of girls from Oz planning a month long roadtrip in the US in November. We've pretty much figured out most of the route (thanks to this wonderful website) but have a spare 3 days to spend between Washington and Boston (ignoring NY, which we're covering later on in the trip). Should we simply head up the US1 freeway on day 1 and then spend the next 2 days travelling around New England, or is there a more scenic route from Washington that will allow us to see some of the scenery?

I've seen a thread that suggests the route from Washington to Harrisburg is a nice alternative. Is it too ambitious to plan a 3 day route that heads up this way and then takes in the Catskills, Green Mountains and White Mountains before hooking back down to Boston?

If you had only 3 days to take in some of the countryside in this area, what 3 towns wouldn't you miss? We're keen outdoorsy types and don't want to spend all day each day in the car (if possible). I'm conscious that it could be snowing at that time. Please help.

[AZBuck]

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

Actually, your plan to take 3 days from Washington to Boston by an inland route that avoids New York is an excellent alternative to just heading up the main highway, I-95. As a general route, take a look at this. Leave Washington on I-270 west to Frederick, MD and then take US-15 north. While American History probably doesn't interest you all that much, a walk around the Gettysburg Battlefield is enjoyable in its own right. I-81 from Harrisburg north is a scenic road that will let you cover some miles, but around Tremont take the less traveled US-209 up through the Delaware Water Gap and on to Kingston, NY. There switch over to the Taconic Parkway and NY-22 with a goal of getting on NY-2/MA-2, the Mohawk Trail, and follow that into Boston. Those are not towns, but three places to spend some quality time out of the car nevertheless.

AZBuck

[bluebird79]

Thanks so much for your help AZ Buck. That's exactly what we were after. Do you have any feel for what the total driving time would be on that route?

[AZBuck]

I think you're looking at something like 15 hours of driving time, so 5± hours a day, which still leaves a lot of time for exploring on foot.

AZBuck

[Foy]

Hello bluebird(s),

As usual, AZBuck has come up with a great route. Here's an addition to consider: From the intersection of US 209 and NY 17, around 35 miles south of Kingston and near Monticello, NY, you're but 20 miles from Bethel, NY, the actual site of the Woodstock Music Festival held in August 1969. There you'll find the recently opened interactive museum at the Bethel Woods Performing Arts Center, atop the hill above the festival's stage, and one can wander around the stage area from a small park just up the hill from it.

My wife and I took it in (absent the museum, which wasn't yet opened) in May 2007, on a drizzly Sunday morning. It was a spur-of-the-moment side trip enroute from Kingston, NY to Baltimore, MD that we are very happy we took.

Foy