I need some help on where to travel next summer. I have been traveling out west the last couple of years. This year I am driving somewhere from my house in Maryland. I want to travel to the mountains and I want to be able to get there in a day by driving. I have thought about the Smokeys/Western NC, White Mountains/NH/Central ME, New River Gorge/WV, Upstate NY/Adrionbacks/Niagra Falls. I would appreciate any other suggestions. I would like someplace kind of far but within a day's drive.
Thanks-

I also wanted to say that I have been leaning more towards the Smokeys/Western NC, out of all the ones I've listed. I plan on taking a week or a week and a half for this vacation. I would appreciate any suggestions on any of the destinations I've listed and any others you would suggest.

Hi,

Are you going alone? couple? family? What are your interests?

The New River Gorge is beautiful and has great white water rafting. We took a 2 day trip which was a blast. We also visited a coal mine and an arts center. It is great for hiking and nature, but there is not a ton to do there. We loved our 4 or 5 days, but am not sure about 1 1/2 weeks.

The Adirondacks with their lake areas are also awesome. Niagara Falls is quite a distance, however, from Lake George or Lake Placid for example.

I have not really been to the Smokeys although we spent a few days in the Asheville, NC area. The Biltmore is very cool and there are lots of galleries and funky shops and restarants along with the stately old resort, The Grove Park Inn. We loved it there.

I have spent more time in VT than NH and most of my time in Maine has been near the coast. There is not that much to see in south central Maine (correct me if I am wrong experts).

Really, you can't go wrong as these are all gorgeous and fabulous areas. Perhaps a little more info and detail about your interests, etc... would help narrow it down.

Good luck!

If you don't hit traffic, Aberdeen MD to Concord NH (about an hour south of the White Mountains) is about 8 hours. We hate travel on the NJ turnpike and Tappanzee Bridge but there's not a lot of options. If you want to add about 2 hours to the drive you can drive thru PA and up to Albany NY before crossing over to Bennington VT and then over to Keene. If you have some extra travel days next summer, maybe it would be good to try for the more distant mountains. Keep in mind that you could also make a day trip over to the Maine coast. Portland ME is only about an hour from Conway NH. Timing is critical however, you want to come AFTER black fly season is over. We tend to think that the nicest weather and most bug-free (but not bug-less) month is August. But mid to late June can also be a great time but usually too cold for swimming. The other advantage of NH's White Mountains is that it's a very short drive to the beautiful lakes region.

NC will be much hotter than NE. and possibly more buggy. but that having been said, the two destinations are quite different. NH, VT have a more rugged appearance. hiking trails are mostly straight up to a ridge or mountain top and straight down.

you can get some great views. but IMO the vistas type views are what you get in the nc mountains.

Adirondacks will also give you some views. Niagra is still a couple hours drive from there

If i had to choose, it would probably be NH. love the presidential range. you have a range of places to stay from mom and pop motels to renting a condo off season at a ski resort. (get your amenities there) attitash does this in NH.

In response to the first reply, I am traveling with family. My interests in general are the mountains. But, I like hiking and white-water rafting. I would also like a place with multiple attrations. Like Western Nc, in general, there is Biltmore Estate, Grandfather Mountain, Chimney Rock, Great Smokey Mts., and various other places. In reponse to justme22, how are the mountains in NH and NC different? The peaks are around the same height in both locations, with the mountains being a little taller in NC.
Thanks for the replys-

It is about 7 hours to Niagara Falls from the Maryland suburbs of DC. From Niagara Falls to Lake Placid is about 6 hours. Along the way are the Finger Lakes which would make for a nice diversion. Lake Keuka is one of my favorite spots with its rolling hills and wineries. Another beautiful spot between the two areas is Letchworth State Park - the Grand Canyon of the east. There is a series of three waterfalls and numerous hiking trails. Letchworth is around 1.5 -2 hours from Niagara Falls

Good luck with your decision!

mountains have a steeper pitch in NH. also more granite and when that is wet it can be slippery.

i found that the NC mountains still had some steepness but the trails were definately easier on the soles of the feet.

that having been said, i guess i just like hiking and scaling the rocks on the trails in NH

my favorite being franconia ridge. busy but really a GREAT hike.

if you decide on upstate NY the lake placid area is supposed to give you organized recreation and you can do some hiking, but i haven't hiked that area to give you any specifics.

white water rafting in West Virginia has two rivers folks rave about. the New and the Chete. (people have lost their lives on these rivers though) summer they may not run as high.

Upstate NY the moose, which may not have water enough come summer is supposed to be good. I did the upper hudson and the indian north of lake george NY in the adirondacks. fun.

there is also a lot of hiking in that area, but again, i've only hit the catskills and the gunks for NY hiking. hope this helps

What kind of stuff do you like to do?

The Adirondacks are in my opinion be far the best place in NY State if you like outdoorsy activities and quaint, genuine small American towns. You can't beat the level of public access for hiking, boating, camping, kayaking, etc. It is amazing.

People underestimate how huge the Adirondacks are, though. From Lake George (a place I DO NOT recommend) to Niagara Falls (obviously not in the Adirondacks...) it is a five hour drive.

Even within the Adirondacks, to do a trip from, say, Speculator to Lake Placid is 2 hours, Old Forge to Lake Placid 2 hours, Tupper Lake to Warrensburg 2 hours, Long Lake to North Creek 1 hour.. So, these can be all day trips and when you're done you'll feel like you've been in the car all day.

But for visiting a place that really is like a history lesson - Adirondacks can't be beat. Even with all the second home development pressure, many parts of the Adirondacks have not changed one bit in 40 years. No chain restaurants, no WalMarts, no billboards, no chain hotels. It's fabulous.

(Sorry, I just saw you listed what you like to do...)

By the way, they white water raft year round (well - not in the winter obviously) on the Hudson in the Adirondacks. They do a controlled release of water in the summer. Spring it is plenty wild. It's beautiful.

Serious hikers climb the High Peaks, of which there are 47 over 4000 feet high. Check out the ADK to find out more about them. http://www.adk.org/ There are MANY MANY mountains and hikes less strenous, all marked and maintained by either the state and/or ADK.

And did I mention the kayaking and canoeing - it's heavenly!!

Miles of undeveloped waterways:
http://www.paddling.net/adirondacks/destinations.html

18,000 acres of motorless waterways:
http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/d...5/stregis.html
http://www.adirondacklakes.com/canoe...tregisinfo.htm

Thanks for the replys-I actually like hiking better then White-water rafting. I am traveling to one of these places to hike not white-water rafting. But, I do enjoy white-water rafting if the destination has it. But, I am more into hiking. I also wanted to ask, what is your favorite park, hike, or natural attraction in the east? I also wanted to say I have been to the smokeys and have driven through the White Mountains. I spent a week at the smokeys but it was a long time ago and I have only driven through the White Mountains literaly without stopping and it was cloudy so I couldn't see anything. The mountains were big from Interstate 93 and were above the clouds, but once I started on the Kamacacas Hwy (forget the name), I was above the clouds and there was no view. This was in the summer. Is there a place in the east where you have non-humid but still hot clear days in the summer? The weather is a major factor when traveling to the mountains.

Out of the places that I mentioned, where is the weather usally the best as far as low humidity and sunshine.