lisad_ni

Hi

My husband and I are planning a 3 week trip in September 2022 to celebrate my 40th birthday. I'm trying to plan as much as possible (to try and make the most of our time) and would really appreciate some advice.

We will be flying into and out of Boston from Ireland.

The whole point of the trip really is to see PEI as Green Gables was my favourite childhood read but I would love to see some of the amazing Maine coast line and some of New England in the fall.

I do not want to be driving all day every day and have roughly looked at the following. Using each place as a base to explore the surrounding area.

Boston 3 nights
Ogunquit 2 nights
Bar Harbour 3 nights
St John 1 night
PEI 2 nights
Fredericton 1 night
Bangor 2 nights
Montpelier / White Mountain area 3 nights
Concord 2 nights
Boston 2 nights

Does this seem reasonable? What will the driving be like? What will we miss? Any other recommendations?

Many thanks

cdnyul

You will miss everything between Ogunquit and Bar Harbor, the best
part of Maine.
White Mountains are a zoo during leaf peeping season,
Personally I would skip Montpellier, Concord and not go west of Rte 302.
I would three nights spend in the Portland area, with the last night near the Boston airport.

starrs

"The whole point of the trip really is to see PEI as Green Gables was my favourite childhood read b"

I did that many years ago. It was a great trip. I loved visiting all of the "Anne" sights. They have a show, if that's of interest.


IMO, the obvious thing missing from your list is Cape Breton NP and Cheticamp. Spend at least one night in Cheticamp.

dfrostnh

Can you take rental car into Canada?
why two nights in Bangor?
Agree you are missing best part of Maine.
I agree not to stay in White Mountains during foliage season. Just do a drive through. This depends on what you want to do. My favorite route is a little further south thru Tamworth and Center Sandwich and favorite activity would be nature cruise on Squam Lake. But perhaps you want to do something like the auto road up Mt. Washington.
I'm guessing you mean Concord MA and not Concord NH perhaps visiting Louisa May ALCOTT house.
I think a total of five nights in Boston is too much but it depends on what you want to do.

lisad_ni

Thanks so much everyone all very useful

NorthwestMale

I love your sentiments! And while, say, somebody from Kentucky who was making the same trip on a leisurely drive should stop and smell the roses in various spots along the way.

Youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu... should focus on the centerpiece of your interests, with huge priority there, and then only branch-out as time permits.


Seeing "the best part of Maine" is NOT as important according to your own sentiments as it could be for some leisurely trip for Kentucky residents.


I like that you have plenty of nights allocated FOR such a trip, but I'm not sure that to have ONLY TWO on PEI matches your implied priorities.

I've driven around PEI, and seen the rolling hills and extreme quiet along with semi-isolation. But I do not know PEI through the eyes of a Green Gables fan.

Yet I am guessing that to have just two nights there puts way too much pressure on that middle day, to get EVERYTHING done.

I think I recall that PEI is 175 miles or so from tip to tip, so it won't likely be difficulty with getting around that is problematic. You just don't have any time available for sudden impulses of new and exciting tangents to 'Green Gables that you might discover while you're there.


Is "Boston" itself very significant among your priorities?

Could you find a flight to Halifax, Nova Scotia and center your plans from there?


From here, we can't tell what your secondary interests are, so it is hard to give suggestions beyond PEI.


I do admire your sentiments even though I don't know Annie of Green Gables personally.

MareW

I think you're trying to cover too much ground. I used to go to PEI every summer from the Boston area, and two nights isn't enough to slow down, relax, hit the beaches, hear local music in the evening, etc. Between accounting for driving time and checking in and out of hotels, your trip is jam packed.