Bar Harbor to Wilmington
 

Driving from Bar Harbor, ME to Wilmington, VT. Can leave Tuesday a.m., need to arrive Thursday afternoon. Since this is part of my vacation, should I go south and then east, or west and then south? In other words, what would be a nice touring route and a good place(s) to stay overnight? Also, how long a drive? I'd like to spend max of 4 hrs. (ugh!) a day in the car if possible. Thanks!

I forgot to mention -- this is at the end of August, so it's not a fall foliage drive...

You'd be better off going west and then south, since if you go south and then east, you'll be in the water pretty fast! The direct drive would be close to 7 or 8 hours, and that would be taking I-95 for the southerly part, so you don't have a lot of flexibility about side trips enroute. Portland (ME) might be a good target for Tuesday night.

If I were doing this (for speed, not scenery), I would take 95 South to Portsmouth, NH where I would pick up Rt 4 West to Concord, NH, go a bit south on 93 to 89 and then take that west a bit until I could pick up Rt. 9 to Keene, NH and on to Brattleboro and Wilmington, VT. The middle of that route is how we regularly get back and forth between midcoast Maine and southwestern NH. ;-)

A stop somewhere in southern Maine would probably be about halfway. I agree that 7-8 hours sounds about right for time.

Thanks--I was looking for a scenic route, but since I don't have much time to spend anywhere along the route anyway, maybe I'll just go halfway in one day, stay in Ogunquit two nights, and then drive on to Wilmington.