@MaineLonghorn, none of this is as important as that cute little pup! Finally, we see a picture. Thanks!
Thanks to all for the suggestions. We may do a bike ride that goes by 5 lighthouses.
I’m also thinking about a sunset tour of the Casco Islands.
I’m thinking we will save whale watching for Bar Harbor, since we have a full week there.
Ha, thanks, 1214mom. It’s tricky getting a photo of the little guy. I tasked my daughter, a photography major, to do the job, and she finally sent me one!
we take our rest stops very seriously here in NJ - check this out - http://nownj.org/njNews/2003/0206%20Howard%20Stern%20rest%20stop%20closed.htm
We’ve stopped at Lombardi too many times usually because we’re coasting on fumes by that point since CT gas is too expensive! (although it does seem like the price difference between CT and NJ is less than it used to be - tax changes?)
Yep they added 23 cents a gallon a couple of years ago. New NJ governor is looking to add even more.
I looked on Trip Advisor to see if there would be less traffic by going through PA, the following was posted:
- Re: Need Scenic Route from Baltimore to Bar Harbor (over 2 days) May 14, 2018, 10:50 PM We’ve used the following route on numerous occasions, finding it much less stressful, much easier driving and more scenic than using I-95 thru New York City and Connecticut. It also offers the added benefit of generally easy access to rest areas for pit stops or just to stretch your legs.
From Baltimore, take I-83 to I-81 North, just northwest of Harrisburg, PA…Then take I-81 North to I-84 East near Scranton, PA…Then I-84 East to I-87 North just west of Newburgh, NY….Then I-87 North to I-90 East just south of Albany, NY…Then I-90 East to I-495 North just west of Boston…Then I-495 North to I-95 North just north of Boston…Then I-95 North thru New Hampshire to Maine Rt 3 East at Exit 113…Then ME Rt 3 East to Bar Harbor.
This route avoids major congestion points and heavy traffic on the New Jersey Turnpike, around New York City, along coastal Connecticut, congestion around Hartford, CT and Boston, MA and weekend congestion along US Rt 1 in southern and mid-coastal Maine. It also offers a variety of scenery, from the coal country of Pennsylvania to the Hudson River Valley to the Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts to glimpses of coastal Maine east of Belfast. While we have driven, and liked, the route above that includes the Delaware Water Gap, we’ve also found that it can get congested and slow on weekends.
If you wanted to use the route outlined above, you could overnight in the Lenox-Sturbridge area of western Massachusetts amid the beauty of the Berkshires.
This route may have more Interstate-highway travel than you were looking for, but we’ve found it a good, relaxing route on numerous occasions.
- Re: Need Scenic Route from Baltimore to Bar Harbor (over 2 days) May 14, 2018, 7:25 PM Our preferred way to drive from Baltimore to Boston is 83 N to 81 to 84 E. Depending on where you are leaving from in the Baltimore area, this is about 7.5 hours from 83N and 695 to Boston.
This summer we are planning to drive to the Poconos, and then after spending a few nights at a resort in the Poconos drive to Portland. We will then spend a couple of night there and work our way up route 1 to Bar Harbor. We will come by via North Conway New Hampshire, overnights in Boston and NYC. (the last two are staying with friends and relatives).
- Re: Need Scenic Route from Baltimore to Bar Harbor (over 2 days) May 13, 2018, 3:35 PM You could head directly north from Baltimore, angle over toward East Stroudsburg, drive the Delaware Water Gap, and then up to the Hudson River Valley, staying the first night in Poughkeepsie, where you can do the Walk Over the Hudson after dinner.
Next day you can head over to the nearby Taconic Parkway and head north into Massachusetts. You can avoid the Mass Turnpike by running directly north on Highway 22 from the Taconi. 22 parallels the New York/Massachusetts and then New York/Vermont state borders. Turn due East to travel through Bennington on Highway 9 to Brattleboro, Vermont. Then North on I-91, which is a remarkably scenic and little traveled section of interstate highway. Start heading east around Haverhill so that you are crossing the lovely White Mountains of New Hampshire. Spend the night in North Conway or nearby Jackson.
Third day take highway 2 across the great state of Maine to Bangor and then on to Bar Harbor.
@ECmotherx2, thanks for the info. - I will share it with our designated route decider (aka the husband). He is very familiar with the 83/81 route, so that may be the choice. But, our reservation for 2 nights is in Portland, so I need to see if both work.
I’ve taken the first route several times since we go to PA to take our daughter to and from school. I also agree that taking Route 3 is a good idea.
I don’t like the 81 piece because it has so many tandem trucks, at least back when I drove it all too often to get to my parents in Lexington, VA. (It may have been the VA piece that was particularly hairy.) I do like that section of 87 - wineries! Route 90 to 495 is not scenic, but it always has less traffic than routes further east. We recently did the piece of 495/95 from the Cape to Portland and it was fine.
Lots of people prefer that PA route when heading from Boston down to Phila. Frankly, I always just take 95.
It’s true 90 to 495 usually misses the Boston traffic problem, but going up to Maine, one could also pick up 495 just north of Providence.
From either CT or western Mass, Mass Pike to Worcester exit, 90 (or whatever the highway is that goes through Worcester) to 495 on the other side of Worcester to 95 in NH. That’s the way to go when driving from Portland to southern areas that aren’t Boston.
^Agree, 100%. I’ve tried other ways, but this one is the best.
And stop at Rein’s in CT for a pastrami reuben and rugelach.
Wow, just wow, that no one has mentioned Rhode Island! Stop in Newport for history, scenery, and incredible food.
Rhode Island is great. We visit frequently but it really isn’t on the way to Maine, especially Newport, without making a sizable detour. Traveling ahead of a holiday weekend, I’d focus on getting to ME as soon as possible, as the OP has planned, and saving RI for a different trip.
Lol, don’t get stuck in any more traffic than you have to. OP is leaving Thursday or Friday of a holiday weekend. Go to Newport off-season. (Easy for us New Englanders to say, eh?)
OP here. It was a MISERABLE trip from Maryland to Portland. We left early, but the fun started with the tire pressure light coming on not 10 minutes from our house. Initially we thought it was just because it was a little cooler than it has been last night. But nope - There was a nail in our tire, which took about 2 hours to fix. So we were behind schedule to start, and traffic was terrible at a couple of points. It was about 12 hours from when we left til when we pulled into the hotel.
But now we’ve had wine,lobster, and ice cream, so things are looking up.
Which route did you end up taking?
Relax…and then enjoy Portland tomorrow…I forget…are you staying there Friday night too?
It’s all good from here, @1214mom. Eat more lobster and ice cream, drink more wine. Hope you have a wonderful time!
Yes, we will be here through whenever we head to Acadia on Saturday. We did not take a scenic route. After the 2 hour delay, we just took what was supposed to be the quickest route, which sent us over the George wash8 from Bridge and through some white knuckle driving sports with lots of big trips and little room. My husband even commented towards the end of our drive that taking one of the routes that appeared longer would have likely been shorter. I didn’t complain,since He did almost all of the driving.
ETA - we only stopped to go to the bathroom while on our way. We brought a little food, so we just kept driving.