When you get to the top of Maine, consider going to Campebello Island, and then taking a ferry to Deer Island and another ferry to the New Brunswick mainland. These are tiny little ferry boats, and are fun.

BAK

The turnpike is not at all scenic, but it gets you there quickly. Maine is a big ole state, and in less than a week you will not have much time for doing anything if you want to include Nova Scotia and Halifax too. I would suggest going to Freeport on the pike, taking care of Business at Bean, then doing one of two things: either get back on the pike to Augusta and from there go on route 3 to Belfast, where it becomes The Scenic Coastal Route, Route 1. Take that across the Penobscot, then maybe go down 175 (I think) to Castine, the sort of town you picture when you think of Maine. From there you can also drive to Blue Hill or to Deer Isle (not the one mentioned in the above post) for the quintessential Maine fishing village of Stonington, and some of the best lobster ever, I just can't remember the name. It's a person's name that starts with F, and a local institution which I think locals will know.

The second route would be to get from Freeport to Route 1 right away (through Bath), going through Wiscasset (yes, another quaint Maine town) and heading on to Camden. From there, I would do the same as above (Castine, Deer Isle, Blue Hill if you have time) and then take Route 1 to Ellsworth (don't stop) and from there Route 3 to ACADIA NATIONAL PARK, what I would term the must-see of any scenic Maine vacation. When you've driven the park loop, shopped in Bar Harbor, climbed Cadillac Mountain, and taken a ferry to see eagles and seals on the Cranberry Isles, stop for tea, popovers and homemade lemonade and ice cream at the Jordon Pond Teahouse.

North of this point, I have no personal experience, but 1 is still the coastal and thus, I assume, the scenic route. You might also consider taking the ferry from Bar Harbor to Nova Scotia instead of driving (it's called the Bluenose).

Sorry this is so hellishly long, but I used to spend time every summer on the Penobscot, near Deer Isle, and this is a subject near and dear to my heart. This area of Maine is so beautiful I know people who have held their weddings there, even people who had no familial or school ties in the area! I hope you have a wonderful trip.

Sal,
Thank you so much for your mention of Acadia National Park. It sounded so lovely from your description that I researched it and added it to our family's itinerary for our upcoming Aug. trip to Maine & The Maritimes. I know we will enjoy a wonderful day there!!

Cindy, Please check the milage for your trip and be sure you are ready to spend that much time in your car. I feel Nova Scotia is only worth it if you get to Cape Breton, otherwise you won't see anything much different from the Maine coast. It would be very easy to spend this short vacation in Maine alone. Acadia is wondeful and I also recommend Deer Ilse and Stonington.

Driving Route 201 in either direction from Jackman, ME and Route 15 over to Greenville, ME is positively breathtaking in fall. Liz makes a good point, but during fall, the best way to really enjoy the foliage is to get in your car and drive all over all day long every day. I would recommend, though, that you head for your northern most point first and work your way south. The leaves typically begin to turn around the middle of September, starting at points farthest northeast, and going south and west as the days pass. You'd want to be travelling in the same direction. Peak colors are generally more toward early October. But, you never know...sometimes earlier, sometimes later. But, you're sure to see lots of color. If you're AAA members, the "dots" annotating "scenic" drives are very accurate. As are the Michelin maps annotating the most scenic areas. Another good resource is Frommer's Best Loved Driving Tours of New England. Since you have so many days, you may want to head for the White Mountains on your way back to the Manchester airport. Driving through the Notches (Route 302, Route 2, Route 16) is a spectacular experience. If it were me, hoping for foliage, I'd head for the White Mountains rather than Nova Scotia...The colors are far better in the mountains than along the ocean. But, whatever you do, you'll see lots of beautiful scenery. At www.newengland.com there's a map every fall predicting the best days for foliage viewing throughout the New England states.

Dear Cindy, Just to let you know another option to get from Bar Harbor Maine to NS. There is a much faster boat/ferry called "The Cat" that cost more money but gets you there alot quicker. I hope you have a wonderful vacation!!