Planning our 1st trip to visit the Northeast. We will fly into Boston and then the "fun" begins. Want to see Boston and then amble on up the coast and enjoy the beautiful coastline, charming villages.... and eats lots of lobster. Any hints or advice ya'all can give will be really appreciated. Thanks so much. Happy trails, Marydallas
How long will your trip be, and when? If you search this forum, you'll find many past threads on Boston, Maine, or New Hampshire which should give you a good start.
Without knowing the length of your entire stay, how much you may wanna pack/unpack/pack, how much driving you're willing to do and a few more details, check out a Mapquest map and trace some of these routes as a starter kit and amend to your liking. Each of these towns has its appeal and all of the ones on the first two lists would have good seafood of all kinds. Inland NH would be different altogether, but may be worth one LONG day, if you're up to it.
These three lists exclude RI, CT and VT, which may interest you, too, but are slightly further afield from Boston. In any case, ENJOY!
Option One - Starting in Boston and headed North, in order, a short list of towns using Rte. 1 (the old road) and/or Rte 95 (the interstate): - in MA: Marblehead, Salem, Gloucester, Newburyport; - in NH: Portsmouth; - in ME: the Yorks (York, York Harbor, York Beach), Ogunquit, Kennebunk/Kennebunkport, Portland, Rockland, Bar Harbor, Mount Desert Island.
Option Two - Starting in Boston and headed South, in order (all in MA)using Rte 3 and others: Plymouth Cape Cod towns: Falmouth Hyannis Chatham Wellfleet Provincetown
Option Three - Starting in Boston and headed inland (mountains and lakes and forest), in order (all in NH)using Interstate 93 and others: Canterbury Shaker Village; Lake Winnipesaukee area - Weirs Beach/Meredith; Lincoln, then onto (West to East) the Kancamagus Highway; Conway/North Conway
Posts: 488 | Location: New Hampshire | Registered: 12 September 2006
How long will your trip be, and when? If you search this forum, you'll find many past threads on Boston, Maine, or New Hampshire which should give you a good start.
Hi Amy Appreciate your advice about looking up past blogs. We're planning on a 2-week trip..hopefully driving up the coast to Vermont, or to the top of Maine. Might venture into Nova Scotia???? Would like to spend 2 or 3 days in each "stop". Also, would like 2 or 3 days in Boston either on the front end or back of the trip. Thanks again,Amy. Happy trails, Marydallas
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This message has been edited. Last edited by: Colleen,
Really thank you for your excellent itinerary suggestions.Would like to spend 2 or 3 days in the Boston area, either on the front end or back of the trip. We are planning on a two-week "tour". Want to drive up the coastline to the top of Maine, and maybe take a "peek" at Nova Scotia, Dying to visit Bal Haror. also LLBeans place. Our son-in-law is an Amherst almni, so that could be of some interest. Anxious for the wonderful lobster....and all seafood that you all are noted for. Also, visit your many charming town and villages. Any help you need on Texas....just "call". Thanks again, Marydallas
Just to clarify (don't want you to get lost in the New England woods!): Vermont isn't "up the coast" from Boston - it's West of Boston about 90 miles to Springfield, MA on I-90, then North maybe 50 miles on I-91 into Vermont. It doesn't have a coastline like all the other New England states and I can say with some certainty that it doesn't have much by way of seafood, either.
Nova Scotia is a hike from Boston by car (probably close to 12 hours to Amherst), but from Bar Harbor, Maine (where you could spend some time at Mount Desert Island), it's a high speed ferry ride across the Bay of Fundy to Yarmouth in about 3 hours, then another 5 hour drive up to Amherst from Yarmouth.
From LL Beane in Rockport to Amherst it'd be more like a 7 hour drive...but the ferry ride from Bar Harbor is neat because you're not driving, just enjoying the open ocean, some food and maybe a chat with fellow passengers...nice...
Posts: 488 | Location: New Hampshire | Registered: 12 September 2006
Originally posted by marydallas: spend 2 or 3 days in the Boston area, either on the front end or back of the trip. We are planning on a two-week "tour". Want to drive up the coastline to the top of Maine,
If your SIL is an alum of Amherst College, that is in Amherst, Massachusetts, fifteen or so miles north of Springfield. It would be about an 1.5 to 2 hr drive west from Boston.
That area is called the Pioneer Valley, with several college campuses and attractive small towns of Amherst, Northampton, etc. You can go north from there on Rt 91 to VT.
Posts: 66 | Location: Delaware | Registered: 20 November 2005
Hi Mary, If you have not yet made your trip, here is a bit more advice:
I'd head north from Boston, stopping in Gloucester, Salem or Newburyport, MA for a few days. The coastline here is beautiful. Plus, you'll find charming town centers and fascinating history -- especially in Salem.
The LL Bean flagship store is in Freeport, Maine, about 2 hours north from Gloucester (shorter from the other two). From here, Rockport, as someone mentioned above, is another 1.5 hours. This is a lovely small coastal town, quite near to Camden and Belfast (to the north), which are also lovely.
Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park are about 2 hours further north along the coast -- a pretty drive.
From Bar Harbor, it is still a long drive to Nova Scotia (6 hours to Amherst, 8 to Halifax). If you are keen to visit the Canadian coastline, you might consider St. John, New Brunswick on the Bay of Fundy, about 4 hours from Bar Harbor.
