sarahlizb

Hello, my husband and I are taking a road trip from Michigan to New England in early August. We plan a day of driving there and a day of driving back, so really we have 8 days to explore, and I was hoping to get advice on places to check out. Both of us enjoy hiking and definitely would like to do a day hike either along the coast or in the mountains (or one of each). We also are interested in seeing historic sites and architecture. He's been to Boston probably 8 times already (old college buddy moved there), so we aren't terribly interested in stopping there this time with our limited time frame. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!! Thank you all

clarkgriswold

Mt. Major in New Hampshire is a nice afternoon hike that ends with a great view of Lake Winnipesaukee. Mt. Battie near Camden Maine is another good hike, both areas are very crowded in August however and you'll need to make accomodation reservations soon. You can search Acadia here on the forum for lots of info on Acadia National Park in Maine.

pthomas156

A real treat would be a stop in Newport, RI. One of the most unusual ocean front "hikes" in America is along the Cliff Walk, which is several miles along a path with crashing waves on one side and historic over-the-top mansions owned by the likes of the Vanderbilts, the Astors and Doris Duke on the other (and it's free). You can tour the mansions also, many of which are owned these days by the Newport Preservation Society. You can also rent bikes and do a magnificent Ocean Drive ride; bring a picnic! This is a fabulous town for architecture buffs: tons of homes from the 1700s, the palatial mansions from the 1800s, and then the more modern homes on Ocean Drive. If you book well in advance, you could even spend a night in the Rose Island Lighthouse (www.roseisland.org), just outside of Newport Harbor. Also booking in advance, you could attend the Local Food Fest on Aug. 6, which brings together "farmers, fishermen and food artisans" serving locally sourced tapas on the grounds of the Inn at Castle Hill, one of the most beautiful oceanfront/cliffside venues you could ever imagine (it's next door to the house where Jackie Kennedy grew up). I attend this every year and it always sells out (www.farmfreshri.org).

MainerGirl

There is so much to see...
My biggest recommendations are see the following:
- White Mountain National Forest for 2-3 days - If you love mountains, you'll LOVE this area. Drive Rt 16, see Mt. Washington and try some small hikes (or big ones). The Kancamangus Highway is another scenic drive/highway. There are a lot of covered bridges in the area too.
- Acadia National Park - 2-3 days - This is one of the only places to see mountains right up against ocean! There is great hiking and you can get a taste of Maine - literally - try a lobster roll!
- Boston, MA - This city is FULL of history. Hike the "freedom trail" and see where the countries founders began.

For more info/tid bits on Northern NE travel check out my blog post of "Planning guide for Maine/NH":
http://thefreelanceadventurer.blogsp...-vacation.html

Have a great trip!

dfrostnh

Canterbury Shaker Village just north of Concord NH is a very special place. Fascinating tour. Strawbery Banke in Portsmouth NH is another interesting place. When you are at Strawbery Banke, you can drive Rt 1B thru Newcastle. At one point you go over a small causeway and can see the old Portsmouth Navy Prison in one direction, the restored Wentworth hotel in the opposite direction. Newcastle has some of the oldest houses in the US. Once you've done that you can take the coastal route thru Rye past the fabulous mansions. Not quite the same as Newport RI but still amazing (and lived in).
One of the boat tours out of Portsmouth would give you some time to relax and enjoy the scenery. The dock is within walking distance of the parking garage.
When you get to the NH White Mountains area, consider a short detour to Center Sandwich NH. If you drive over the Kancamagus you can return thru Tamworth and Center Sandwich. Center Sandwich is one of the prettiest small towns in NH. You won't see many clues but this is the area where sled dogs were trained for polar expeditions.

The mailboat cruise out of Portland ME would also be relaxing. Not a lot of narration but still an interesting ride with stops at several islands in Casco Bay.