Maine/New Hampshire Itinerary Help

Hello. My husband and I are planning a vacation for the first week of August this year (Friday to the following Saturday). We actually live in VT so we wanted to take advantage of the area and tour ME and NH. We want to visit both White Mountain (NH) and the Acadia (ME) areas plus noticed that Kancamagus Highway was highly recommended and we planned on stopping for a few hours at LL Bean and shopping in the area. I am having a difficult time trying to come up with a reasonable itinerary that allows us all these things while still enjoying some hiking and sight-seeing, trying to come up with a good driving loop. One thing I should mention is that we plan on bringing our dog and wanted some recommendations for pet friendly places. Thanks everyone!

Maine/New Hampshire Itinerary Help

We are going in early Oct. and have found hotels and inns already booked. Many of the inns in the White Mts. of NH and the Bar Harbor and Ogunquit areas of Maine do not allow pets. You may want to check with some of the chain hotels or if there is a website that lists pet friendly inns then you may be able to find one.

Maine/New Hampshire Itinerary Help

Oh my. Then I need to get a move on. Can someone help with the itinerary? This is what we have so far. I%26#39;d like to space out the driving a bit so we don%26#39;t have such a long haul coming back home. Do we need this much in Bar Harbor? I%26#39;ve seen a lot about Booth Harbor too? Should we plan for this area as well?

Day 1: Drive to North Woodstock, NH (tour around)

Day 2: Drive to White Mountain, NH (hike and tour around)

Day 3: White Mountain, NH (hike and tour around)

Day 4: Drive to Freeport, ME (LL Bean and shop)

Day 5: Drive to Bar Harbor, ME (hike Acadia/Cadillac Mt)

Day 6: Bar Harbor, ME (hike Acadia/Thunder Hole)

Day 7: Bar Harbor, ME (Whale Watching and Biels Lobster Pier)

Day 8: Bar Harbor, ME (Carriage Path and Jordan Pond)

Day 9: Drive back to VT

Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks!

First, I would agree that if you can schedule for September right after Labor Day, you are likely to enjoy the trip more: fewer people in places like Bar Harbor, a bit easier to get accommodations, and somewhat less traffic.

After you leave Freeport, consider driving Rte 1 (especially if you switch to early September). I-295 will be in the throes of repair/reconstruction much of the summer. (The url for the Maine DOT road condition report is: %26lt;http://67.106.3.239/%26gt;.) Moreover, the stretch of Rte 1 from Belfast further east includes the Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory---well worth a stop. You %26lt;can%26gt; access Rte 1 by using Rte 3 from Augusta to Belfast.

Acadia has about 45 miles of carriage roads that are great for walking (no motor vehicles) as well as many miles of trails that would be dog-friendly. There are a few trails and areas in which dogs are prohibited; these are prominently signed. Thunder Hole is right on the Ocean Path, which is a great walk.

Unless you are dead-set on seeing a whale, there are two tours from Bar Harbor---Diver Ed%26#39;s Dive In Theater: %26lt;http://www.divered.com%26gt; and Lulu Lobster Boat: %26lt;http://www.lululobsterboat.com%26gt; that give you great views of the island and the bay. Both are entertaining; both get great reviews each year.

Happy planning.

Thanks everyone for your help with this. Unfortunately, we won%26#39;t be able to change our vacation plans so I%26#39;ll try to start booking hotels NOW, with or w/out the pooch. Looking forward to the trip!