We intend traveling from New York City north east to the Boston and or Maine areas, probably along the coastal road. We will rent a car in NYC and driving long(ish) distances isn%26#39;t an issue. We have about a week and were hoping for some ideas. We are open to any suggestions. Thanks.
NYC to Boston / Maine
A few thoughts about the southern end of your itinerary...then more specific information about Maine if you decide to come this far...
New York City is a long single-day drive from Maine if you stick to the major, limited-access, divided highways we call Interstate%26#39;s -- designated in our route numbering system by the prefix ';I';.... for example, I-95 runs from Maine to Florida along the east coast of the United States, passing through the northern edges of New York City on its way between New Jersey and Connecticut, then taking you through COnnecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New Hampshire to get to Maine. That%26#39;s the long way though and probably would be better split into two days -- the natives tend to cut north from I-95 in Connecticut to pick up I-84 to I-90 (the Massachusetts Turnpike, to I-495, rejoining I-95 north of Boston -- avoiding the congested sections of I-95 along the Connecticut coastline, and around Providence, Rhode Island and Boston, Massachusetts.
For the most part, I-95 runs close to, but not actually along the coast, so if you%26#39;re looking for coastal views, you%26#39;ll need to get off the Interstate onto something more local.
A note of caution as you head north....Boston is an old, old city and the streets of the inner city follow no logical pattern. It can be very tough to drive in unless you have some very good maps and some sense of where you%26#39;re headed.... But it%26#39;s a great city to visit...my suggestion: if you want to see the sights of Boston, book a good hotel in or on the outskirts of the city and get assistance from the hotel staff on using public transportation to get around. Much easier on the nerves.
As far as Maine goes, you could spend your entire week here and not see it all.... It%26#39;s the largest state in the northeast and offers everything from ocean beaches to nearly mile-high mountains. The more congested parts of the state are in the south, nearest New Hampshire. The further north you go, the more rural it gets, with more forests, lakes, ponds and undeveloped areas.
Interstate 95 (also known as the Maine Turnpike (a toll higheay) for the southernmost 50 miles, is the major transportation spine of the state -- and the best way to get from one part of the state to another most quickly.
For the first sixty miles or so, it and US Route 1 are parallel to one another. I-95 carries the through traffic, with US Route 1 offering access to the businesses, beaches, and other attractions along the way. You don%26#39;t say what time of year you%26#39;re coming, but US Route 1 can get very congested in June, July and August -- our summer season months. On the other hand, many of the coastal businesses (restaurants, shops, and even motels) are seasonal and close for the winter months -- reopening in April and May in time for the summer tourist influx.
Maine has few long expanses of beach areas - with the coast getting more rocky in nature as you go north. In fact, the state is noted for our ';rockbound'; coast and some visitors prefer sitting on the rocks and watching the ocean to wading on sandy beaches.
South of Portland, major tourism concentrations occupy mose of the coastal area -- motels, hotels, restaurants, gift shops, etc. North of Portland, development becomes a bit more spread out....with increasing opportunities to get to coastal areas that haven%26#39;t been developed yet.
And as you get north of Portland, the nature of the geography changes a bit....instead of a contiguous, relatively straight coastline, the lay-of-the-land becomes more ragged -- with peninsulas jutting into the ocean. US Route 1 tends to connect the peninusulas without going down to the ocean at the end of each one. If you look at the palm of your hand, the points of land are like your fingers, with Route 1 running along the line of knuckles closest to your palm -- meaning to see some of the best coastal areas, you need to get off Route 1 and drive down onto some of the peninsulas.
With limited time to spend in the state, I%26#39;d suggest you pick one or two destinations to concentrate on and leave the rest for a later visit.
Portland is our largest city, with great restaurants, great shopping in a redeveloped commercial area called the Old Port (lots of smaller shops and botiques as opposed to the national chain stores), and opportunities to get to some sections of the Maine coast fairly quickly. If you get good weather, you can even take a short boat ride to one (or more) of the islands in Portland harbor... just ask your hotel about the Casco Bay Island mail boat...
Further north, the coastal towns of Boothbay Harbor, Rockland and Camden can give you an even better feel for Maine coastal living -- lots of opportunity to get to the ocean, feast on great seafood, and talk to the Maine ';natives'; that make our state unique. Plus, they offer fairly easy access back to I-95 when it%26#39;s time to head south at the end of your trip.
Lots more that could be said -- but it will be much easier to give you more detailed advice when you have a better idea of how long you want to spend in Maine and perhaps even what part of the state you%26#39;re most interested in seeing.
NYC to Boston / Maine
Thank you so much for the effort you have put into the reply. The information is just what we needed. I will discuss with the other half and come back to you with more questions most likely. By the way we are thinking of being there mid to late September. I believe Autumn (Fall) is supposed to be beautiful.
Thanks again.
Depending on the timing of the foliage (totally unpredictable from one year to the next), it could be a fantastic time to be here....my favorite time of year...
Lots of Maine ';TA Destination Experts'; ready to help once you get your trip a bit more refined.
Check out my travel list for Southern Maine coast area. I hilighted some of my favorite stops.
So much to do in this area. Enjoy your trip and the lobsters!
tripadvisor.com/GoListDetail-i19191-South_Co鈥?/a>
HI,
I%26#39;m also planning on driving from NYC to Maine early June for a few days with a couple of friends. We were thinking of staying in the Bar Harbor or Brass Harbor area, depending on the accommodation.
The plan for Maine is to eat a lot of good food and to of course enjoy the peacefulness of Acadia NP, maybe take the Cat to Nova Scotia for the day and get some hiking in.
There are so many harbors around the area - Bar, Brass, South, etc what areas would you guys recommend we stay in? We%26#39;re in our late 20%26#39;s so while we%26#39;re looking to relax we%26#39;re also interested in activities.
Please help!
Ogunquit, Kennebunkport, and York are very nice. Each has a different flavor. Definitely take Rt. 1 thru this area. I would recommend switching to the highway at Kennebunk and continuing to Portland. It depends on what you like. Biddeford is not much to see (a bit industrial). Old Orchard Beach is a love-it or hate-it kind of place...a bit like Coney Island plus lots of bikers. The further you get north in Maine, the more stunning the scenery. I hope that you love Maine as much as we do!
