Maine/New England vacation????

Considering a trip up that way this fall. What to see? What to avoid? Best time to avoid crowds and winter weather. Prime fall colors not mandatory....

Thinking about driving up thru the Smokey’s and Blue Ridge mountains on the way up. Across upstate NY then across northern Vermont and New Hampshire to northern Maine.

Then returning along the coast to DC.

Any thoughts, opinions, and advice is appreciated. No plans to cross into Canada. Did that a couple years ago and it wasn’t a good experience....no desire to repeat it.

Lobsta

Not seeing but eating. Main lobster fresh off the boat. Thank me later.

Kennebunkport is a nice area. And you can drive by and see George W Sr's compound.
Freeport has LL Bean and other shops

I’ve done that. Flew up to Portsmouth for work several years ago but didn’t have a chance to go exploring.

Timing is after school starts back and before winter...best time for avoiding crowds...?????

Upstate New York is Beautiful. Cooperstown, Albany, Oneonta, are all nice.


we visited a town on the shores of lake Ontario named Oswego, it was like a postcard town out of a hallmark movie or something. Clean as could be, just a picture perfect town.


Went thru Syracuse, down to Hartford CT. Visited the Mansion of Mark Twain and saw the desk he wrote "Tom Sawyer" and "Huck Finn". Went to Boston and caught a redsox game at Fenway. Visited Providence RI, and had a delicious Lobster Dinner


I thoroughly enjoyed New England

I drove that route on my 24 hour straight run from Nashville. It is a beautiful two lane road, but you go slow and watch for game. A black bear made me stop and wait on him to pass.

My advice buddy, take the freeway all the way. You will get plenty of two lane scenery in New England. One trip I recommend is the loop from Merrimack straight north to where the old man in the mountain lived, then turn right on the Kangamangus (sp?) Trail. It is breathtaking. The other side is Conway. Stop there to look at the fly shops and the streams. Then head straight south down the other side of the state. Look for the Brown Pig near the Maine border and stop for a sammich.

When we lived there in the late ‘80s, that place saved us. The closest thing to BBQ in three states.

Avoid Boston and the harbor. They hate Texans in particular there. The western parts of Mass are much friendlier. NH and Mainers are great folks, hang with them. Connecticut is just New Yorkers, avoid. The cape might be worth a visit, but extremely, extremely liberal. Flooded with gays too. Great scenery though. Keep your attitude in check and you will have a great time and really good seafood.

You will find places tucked away into remote forested areas that range from spectacular seafood all the way down to a local dive that looks horrible but will serve you all the lobster you want for 8 bucks at that time. Eat lobster at least three times a day. Save your beef craving for when you get back home.

Chat with locals about the hidden gems in the forest.

Take a run up the Maine coast to visit LL Bean. Just a nice place to stop for awhile. The scenery up and back is great.

Have fun guys!

My brother has made that drive several times, having a son in Boston. He and the mob would drive into the areas mentioned. But...he loves to drive, whereas I’m less of a fan of long distance driving. So when the wife and I wanted to see that area, we took a cruise. Had a great time. Caught the ship in Boston, and the cruise went up the coast to old ports and cities.

The Lake Champlain area is definitely worth doing, pay attention to your route in planning, going east west can be difficult. Going up I81 to I84 then I87 is a good way to go avoid I95.

Thanks 603....we’re road warriors so driving is not a problem at all....

Thanks Cast....I avoid all major cities every chance I get....cities are just not our thing...

When does winter hit? Don’t mind the cooler temps but don’t care for snow....I spent seven years with lake effect snow from Lake Erie.

As we were moving back to Texas I was asked if I was going to miss the show...my reply was, “The next time I see snow I want it arse deep, blowing sideways, and on TV!”

Awesome, thanks!

If you are going through the Blue Ridge....spend at least some time on The Blue Ridge Parkway.....for me the prettiest part is north from Asheville through Blowing Rock/Boone...speed limit is generally 35 but boy, is it pretty. Especially in the fall.

Take one of the bus tours. They know the routes that have the best color, and you get to see it without looking out for all of the other crazy tourists.

When does winter arrive? It practically never leaves. We lived in Merrimack for three years. May 31 is my birthday. Every year we still had snow piled along the roads on my birthday. We usually had White Halloween too. The autumn foliage is without equal. I hope y’all get to see it.

I think that the last two weeks of Oct would be best to avoid both crowds and snow. It will be past peak foliage and before the snow starts in most years. That far north all bets are off but the first snow usually holds off until November.

The Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive are on the list...

I'm thinking September...the earlier the better.

Perfect....that helps a lot...mucho thanks everyone...

Keep it coming....

Do not run outta gas up there. Something will eat you. No gas, no nothing on both roads. Very few turn off to towns below too. I had two full 20 gallon saddle tanks when I started the trail. I was very glad I had that much fuel when I figured out where I was. Wilderness for sure.

You are right about that....it's what makes the Parkway so cool.....and the Linn Cove Viaduct is spectacular, and an engineering marvel.

I’ve driven both several times... a few of those on a motorcycle....amazing beauty...

We have flown into Hartford and driven to Foxwoods casino a few times. Mystic , Ct is a cool little town on the coast. Be sure to stop there if you are in the area. I've caught a bunch of big striped bass in that area.



good luck

Mo

when heading south along the coast of Maine, swing thru Ogunquit and down to Perkins cove, very quaint little fishing/lobstering village and the street side cafe's have fresh lobster from the docks next door. Lot of little shops to walk thru to stretch your legs.

depending on time of year, Gunstock Mountain Ski area NH has haunted hay fields (not really fields, like haunted house, forest, etc.) after dark and one of the longest zip lines in the USA down the main ski chair lifts.

Fall is also prime time for apple picking. Walking through an orchard and eating a dozen different varieties of apples straight off the tree is a surprisingly good time. Place we went in New Hampshire I think charged 15 bucks for a bag of apples you pick yourself.

We stayed in boston for 3 nights. did not have any issues with people being rude, everyone we ran into were friendly as can be. Went to the Harbor, did the Tea Party tour, at ate the oldest resturaunt in the country, etc. Had a blast. And they loved us being from Texas

Man, they are snakes. Remember, I worked in Boston for three years. Open hostility towards me, keyed my truck. If you are a tourist, they smile, take your money, and spit in your food.

Once I got out of Boston proper, things were much better but I still didn’t trust them. My contractors all lied to me.

Thanks everyone...keep the suggestions coming

What else to see or avoid driving thru the New England states?

I have family in Vermont and have visited several times. Fall if my favorite time of the year to visit. Shelbourne Farm in Vermont is a very cool experience. Buy some local maple syrup. Yes it is expensive, but so is buying Fredericksburg peaces here on the side of the road at $1/each. Almost every gas station has an aquarium in it with lobster 2nd's. These are the biggest lobsters, but they are $2-$3 each. Buy a bunch and cook them yourself.

If you drive the Lake Champlain region you need to stop at Fort Ticonderoga.

Casco Maine north of Portland is very nice, by the lake there. Lots of moose around there too. Upper 70s for highs in July was right up my alley

Great thread Jes. You stalking me ? Doing the same thing in August. Toronto to Niagra through upstate NY then a few day's in Portland Maine.

We’ve done Niagra and the finger lakes. I’ve spent a little bit of time in New England but never had much time to explore...also going back to Ft Myer where I was stationed with The Old Guard...Lecia’s not been to DC or New England .....will add a few more states to her travel list....I already have the lower 48....

J's oyster house in Portland. Wife and I ate there a couple times. Outstanding Lobster and fairly inexpensive. Place was on an episode of Anthony Bourdain, not that I liked the guy.

The LL Bean outlet has changed a lot since we were there in 1998. It used to be a warehouse. Now it looks a lot like a Cabela's.

Around the corner from LL Bean is a Orvis outlet. Watch out at that place, I spent a s*** ton of money there.

I'm taking notes and studying maps.....

Or just take a trip to the Guadalupe National Park and stroll through McKittrick Canyon.

Oh, is it White Mountain in NH that has the weather station on top? Some of the worst weather in the nation up there. Go see that.

Mt Washington there's a very famous inn there also.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Washington_Hotel

That is it! Mt Washington. If you can get to the weather station and look around it would be a rare occurrence. The winds up there are amazing. Weather fronts tend to merge there and wind can be from several directions at once sometimes. Violent weather up there is common. I never got the chance to visit. Wish I coulda.

The cog train is the easiest but I'm not sure how long it runs in the fall. There's an auto route also.

The cog train would be a blast. It has been in service 150 years. Not cheap though.

I have been trying to figure out a route to go into Maine and Canada and back with my LTC pistol. Plans would be to find a location in the states to drop off and pick up the pistol, so not to have issues in Canada. I have totally avoided some states. The difficulty of legal travel with a pistol in some states makes route planning a necessity and complex.

DC....next year we will be going back out to west Texas....

So far we've made trips to:

West Texas trip
The American Southwest...Carlsbad, Grand Canyon, Vegas, Death Valley, Zion...
Central East Coast...Niagara Falls to the Outer Banks to the Okefenokee Swamp
North Western States...10,054 miles in 18 days
Florida Coast...Pensacola to Ferandina beach via Key West....

This one will be the mostly the New England states, upper east coast to lower central east coast

Next spring will be another west Texas trip with more time and no kids.....

That's another reason we will not be going into Canada....

Snake Wrangler you might want to check this site out for planning https://www.myscenicdrives.com/regions/new-england

Where can I find a list of unfriendly states to Texas LTC holders?

Super mega thanks for that link....

One more bump...New England and east coast down to SC....whatcha got?

I grew up in northern VT, been trying to get rid of Komrade Bernie for 40 years!! I've been all over the Northeast. 91 and 93 North into VT are both really pretty. Route 2 across VT, NH, and Maine is pretty and will hit some cool spots in each state. I will say the foliage and changing color works its way south from Canada. It really depends on the weather, if its cool/cold early, the colors change early. If it rains, the leaves fall quick and the foliage season ends quick. Mt Washington is really cool as stated, and the cog railway is something to see. Be prepared for a huge temp swing at the top vs at the bottom. That train goes right up the side of a mountain and you gotta hang on. Franconia Notch (NH) on I93 is awesome. Burlington VT is like a little Austin, but more lib. Portland Maine is a fun little city. Northern Maine is like another planet. PM me if you want to run some ideas through when you get a plan.

68rustbucket, here is where I have been reviewing reciprocity and then looking at each state's laws.

https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/resources/ccw_reciprocity_map/tx-gun-laws/

Thanks!

68rustbucket,

Here is a place to start to help you to know what is required if you want to go into Canada, but make sure you call and talk to someone who knows their stuff too.

I hate it but it is just Not worth the paperwork and hassle to take pistol into Canada, IMO. Find somewhere to lock it up in USA and retrieve on way back. Otherwise, its gonna be a spectacular New England trip. We did that whole loop on 2 week honeymoon 30 years ago. Need to do it again.

I’m not looking to go into Canada, but wife would like a tour of NE. There are some pistol unfriendly areas up there. New York is one. The way I read it, you can pass through with one, if you stop and spend the night you are breaking the law.

We just scheduled a cruise from New York to Quebec in mid October. Looking for that lobster as well.

Staying overnight or even stopping to get gas could get into a gray area. I understand that many of the law enforcement agencies now have online access to NICS from their cars and could know you are LTC before they encounter you at you car window.

Well...isn’t that lovely.....

I just got back from Kennebunk this past weekend. The family and I have gone up there for the past four years for vacation and in-laws. We stay right near downtown Kennebunkport.
School just ended there, so it is about to get real busy. Come September, everything will get slow again and the seasonal places will start closing also. The weather stayed in the mid 70's for the most part. Lobster is pricey in the restaurants (still cheaper than anything in Texas), so if you can find a lobsterman, bonus points. Some will even cook it for you and you take it home and enjoy.Keep your eyes open for baitshops and roadside stands for the best prices on Lobster rolls.

If the Texas flag is flying at the Bush compound, then they are there, if you are in to that. It is alongside one of the main roads, so hard to miss if you are driving up the coast. If the tour buses are in town, go and find a place and have a long drink and avoid the stores.

We made the trip up to Acadia National Forest..........beautiful and breathtaking.
On the way there we stopped at Fort Knox and walked around the old fort. Those soldiers had to be tough to live thru the winters.
Next door to the fort is the Penabscot Bridge, tallest bridge with observatory....you are way up there.

The small towns and backroads are always worth the drive and everyone has always been nice. Maybe it is because the 4th of July is coming, but it seems that area just screams American history, patriotism, etc.... A lot of Red, White and Blue.

Let me know if you have any questions on anything specific.