Maine, VT, NH Road Trip (Portland, Bangor: home, live, dangerous)

[AliceW2008]

Hello!

Retired and time to spend enjoying the country we are planning a road trip to Bangor, we live near Buffalo, NY. Going out we thought about heading toward Portland spending a few days than up Rt. 1 to Bangor where we will spend a couple weeks (in need of a home base). Going home we thought about Hwy 2 to Mt. Washington and back down through NH & VT.

My question to all of you is what are some good routes (or Hwy's to avoid) and are we trying to see too much in a months time driving/seeing so much. There are SOOOOO many wonderful suggestions on this forum about places to visit. We plan to do mostly B&B's or other such places. Seeing the sites will not be difficult for us to find, it's the sleep overs, driving routes, and maybe just to much to visit that we are so unsure of.

Thanks ahead of time for all your help and suggestion. Alice

[elston]

What a wonderful time of life! Your trip sounds beautiful. I am sure you will get lots of suggestions from the fine folks here on the Maine forum. In NH you might try to take the Kangamangus Scenic Highway thru the white mountains. Kancamagus Scenic Byway - NETrailhead.com, New England Trailhead

It really is beautiful! I will leave it to the Mainers to make suggestions about Maine.

Enjoy!

[7th generation]

Originally Posted by AliceW2008

Going home we thought about Hwy 2 to Mt. Washington and back down through NH & VT.

Alice

Hi Alice, Good luck and have fun on your Maine vacation.
Rt.#2 west from Bangor is a beautiful road to take with a lot of quaint Maine towns. I live about 30 miles from the NH border on Rt.#2 and am 125 miles from Bangor, which translates to a 2 and 1/2 hour drive.
Enjoy!!

[Northern Maine Land Man]

When will you make this trip? Your Route 2 idea is good. I would not plan on the Kankamagus Highway in winter without checking first. The road itself can be dangerous and the snow banks this year will be so high you'll feel like you are in a tunnel most of the way. I recommend staying with Rt. 2 to St Johnsbury, VT. Then go south on Rt. 100 to the Rutland, VT area. Route 100 is one of the top 10 scenic roads in the USA.

[elston]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

When will you make this trip? Your Route 2 idea is good. I would not plan on the Kankamagus Highway in winter without checking first. The road itself can be dangerous and the snow banks this year will be so high you'll feel like you are in a tunnel most of the way. I recommend staying with Rt. 2 to St Johnsbury, VT. Then go south on Rt. 100 to the Rutland, VT area. Route 100 is one of the top 10 scenic roads in the USA.

Oh my yes! I thought this was planning for a summertime trip. I wouldn't go the Kankamagus in the winter. But its hard for me to resist it if I am going to be over that way in the summer.

[AliceW2008]

Sorry that I did not mention the time of year, of course that would make a great dif. We think weather still good Sept. 1st to start our journey and maybe return back around Oct 1; could that be too late for the Kankamagus Hwy? Thanks!!!

[Boomerang]

The Conway NH area is so pretty, it's worth 1-2 full days. You might consider making a complete loop: Route 302 westward over Crawford Notch, down 93 stopping in Franconia Notch State Park perhaps, then eastward along 112 (Kancamagus Hwy). Or some variation thereof :-)

[elston]

They will be traveling during foliage season which is a mixed blessing and they may want to find "the road less traveled". Where ever they go thru NH VT and Maine, it will be glorious.

[Maine Writer]

I love Rt 2 from Newport into VT. When I had meetings with a publishing company I'd leave early so that I could stop at interesting places along the way.

[Abbymoulton]

Originally Posted by Boomerang

The Conway NH area is so pretty, it's worth 1-2 full days. You might consider making a complete loop: Route 302 westward over Crawford Notch, down 93 stopping in Franconia Notch State Park perhaps, then eastward along 112 (Kancamagus Hwy). Or some variation thereof :-)

I would agree this. the Franconia Notch area is just beautiful. Well worth spending a day or two, and the high has the most beautiful sights.