Isdirg

I hope you can help us we will be driving from Boston up to Bar Harbour and areas around New England this year from September 5th and need to be in Quebec on 11th September. Do we need to book ahead or can we take our chances? Also is driving from Portland to Quebec easy can we do it in one day or should we take a break? We would be very grateful for your ideas and help.
Two Aussies in our 50s.

isabel

I'm going to say No. At least for mid week, depending where you are on weekends maybe. I was just in Bar Harbor this past week (mid week July) and there were plenty of vacancy signs. Early September should be even less busy.

The timing part of your question doesn't make any sense. If you drive from Portland to Quebec in one day you aren't going to Bar Harbor. From EITHER Portland or Bar Harbor up to Quebec City is about 6 hours so very easy in one day. But if you mean go from Portland to Bar Harbor to Quebec in one day that would be foolish as it would add over 3 hours and then of course you couldn't see anything in Bar Harbor on a day that also included driving 9 hours.

panecott

I will be in the Bar Harbor area from Sept. 5th-10th, and have been researching lodging in the past few weeks. I was surprised at how many places already have limited or no vacancy for that period, especially on the weekend. I'm talking about Inns/B&B's.

Maybe you should do some online searches for the areas you're thinking of staying and that might give you an idea of what might be available, or not.

Isdirg

Thanks Isabel and Panecott for your replies. We were planning to visit Bar Harbour for an overnight stay then return to Portland to make our way to Quebec. I will take Panecott's advice and do some online research. Thanks once again.

isabel

Have you gone to google maps or mapquest. I think going all the way back to Portland in order to get to Quebec will add a lot of time and is not necessary.

I did a mini trip report and links to photos - http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...s-and-tips.cfm

irishswampyankee

Agree it makes no sense to go way south to Portland from Bar Harbor to get to Quebec. And, by Quebec, do you mean the Province or the City?

Isdirg

Hi All thanks very much for your help.
After reading your suggestions in regard to accommodation we did some on line research and were surprised that accommodation that we wanted in places like Gloucester and Portland was unavailable based on our budget of around $100 per night. Our itinary is now
1. Leave Boston 5th Sept drive south to Cape Cod stay over night
2. Leave Cape Cod make our way to Salem staying 2 nights and driving to Gloucester and surrounds.
3. Leave Salem for 2 nights in Bruinswick driving to Bar Harbour for a "long Day trip"
4. Leave Bruinswick to drive to St Georges de Beauce for one night then finally to Quebec City.
All accommodation has been booked after reading reviews and keeping fingers and toes crossed for good luck.
Could you please advise us about the tolling system you have?Do we need to carry lots of spare change or can we buy a pass and how much approximately is the cost.
Finally if there are any sights or things we definately should do can you please let us know.
Yours Don and Jean Fisher, Geelong. Victoria, Australia.

yk

I know you've booked your accommodation already, but it seems such a detour to go down to Cape Cod for just one day/one night. Where on the Cape will you be staying?

As for the toll system, unfortunately there isn't a short-term pass you could buy. However, many rental car companies (esp the ones in Boston) offer cars with the EZ-PASS or MA Fast Lane transponder. In my previous experience, the transponder sits in the glove box and you can choose to use it or not.

If you use it, the toll will be billed to the rental car company, which will then bill you later (directly to your CC on record).

If you choose not to use it, then you'll have to go thru the regular toll booth and pay. According to the routes you're taking, you'll only be paying toll when you drive north to Maine. There's toll on I-95 in NH, and also toll on I-95 in the southern stretch of Maine. They have manned toll booths so you can pay in dollar bills and won't need exact change in coins.

Also, if you are renting from Logan airport, you'll have to pay toll if you drive via one of the tunnels into Boston. No toll if you take Rt 1A north.

capxxx

Here is information about tolls on I-95 in New Hampshire and Maine: www.i95exitguide.com/tolls/index.php

There are also tolls in Boston on the Tobin bridge, Sumner Tunnel, Ted William's Tunnel, and on state road 128, but I think these are all inbound tolls and shouldn't affect you (unless you are driving from airport into Boston?)

These tolls require cash, or else one of the 'Easypass' or `Fastlane' transceivers in your car (not worth your trouble on this trip, but don't go in toll booth lanes if you don't have the device).

There will always be at least one booth that does not require the exact amount (find one that doesn't say Exact Change Only), and can make change for you and give you a receipt, if you need it.

tracys2cents

Sept 5th is Labor Day and a terrible day to be driving in and out of Boston. Leave early in the morning.

Isdirg

Once again thanks to everybody that has helped us especially yk and capxxx for extra information and providing link for I95.
We will be staying at West Yarmouth hopefully arriving around 10.00am and probably drive around Cape. Then the following day and if time permits catch the ferry over to Martha's Vineyard. What do you think?

isabel

I would not do two nights in Brunswick and backtrack like that and do a long day trip to Acadia. There are plenty of motels in Bar Harbor in your price range. I stayed at the Quality Inn, which was very nice and it was $178 in July but I just looked at their website and it's $126 on your dates. The Days Inn looked just fine (from the outside) and it's only $101. You will certainly use us $26 on gas with the extra driving. Another idea is to stay either in Ellsworth (20 miles from Bar Harbor) or between Ellsworth and Bar Harbor - there were tons of motels on that stretch, many with signs for $79 a night (or less, but below that they looked a little 'rough' around the edges).

If you were planing to go up Rt 1 from Brunswick to Acadia it will take all day just to get there (never mind seeing it and getting back).

Another option would be to skip Acadia and concentrate on the Boothbay Harbor to Camden/Rockport region which is really almost as 'scenic' as Acadia.

And not that there is anything wrong with the cape, but why do you want to go there? For swimming? That week is probably the best swimming week of the year in New England and the cape will be warmer than anywhere north. But if you are going for 'scenic' then I have to say I think Cape Ann (Salem/Gloucester) and Maine are 'better'.

capxxx

If you do get a transponder in your rental car, by all means use it. The lines to toll booths will be shorter.

yk

I personally think that your plan makes it rather hectic.
You're planning:

Sept 5th (Labor Day) Drive from Boston (where in Boston) to Cape Cod
Sept 6th Ferry to MV and back, then drive up to Salem?
Sept 7th Salem + Gloucester?
Sept 8th Drive to Brunswick & Bar Harbor?

simpsonc510

Re: the toll transponder... in my experience, the rental car company charges you a PER DAY rate to use it (whether you use it or not!!!) and they also charge you the toll amount. If it were me, and it isn't, I'd just pay the cash at the booth!

irishswampyankee

You will not have enough time to go to MV and then drive to Salem in the same day. Neither will you have enough time to drive from Boston and then "around the Cape" in one day. Brunswick to Bar Harbor and back in one day?? Not feasible. You will see nothing except highway. IMO, you need to rethink your itinerary and not try to see so much in a short time. You will be spending all your time on the road. Getting to and from the Cape is not at all scenic. Neither is getting to Bar Harbor from Brunswick. The "scenery" comes in after you are there and can drive down peninsulas and back rds to the water. As for tolls, the "cash" lanes are manned and the attendant can make change so you don't need to worry about it. Personally, I would skip the Cape and drive north from Boston and stop in either Ogunquit or Kennebunkport, ME. Or, you can stay in Salem 1 nt and then go on to ME. As a native New Englander, I think Salem is overrated but others may disagree. On the way to Bar Harbor, you could stop in Boothbay Harbor or Camden. Bar Harbor needs at least 2 nts so you can "do" the town, Acadia Nat'l Park and a harbor cruise.

Isdirg

Hi All,

After reading all your advice we are in a state of "confusion" to the effect that we have decided to start again. We have to leave Boston on 5th September by car and be in Quebec on 11th September. Ideally we want to see the Salem Witch museum and visit Gloucester ( because of the film The Perfect Storm)also visit Bar Harbor. We would prefer to 'take our chance on accommodation but do not want to 'risk' being caught out. Have any of you done a tour of New England at this time of year and if so what do you advise.
Thanks to all who have helped us so far and for the time you have all given we do appreciate it.
Don and Jean.

tracys2cents

We've been at that time of year and over the past two years it has been much more crowded than in the past (thanks Fodors!)

I think it's rapidly becoming known as the perfect time of year to visit Maine.

Our experience is that in the late afternoon you pass many vacancies and that you'd better decide on where you want to stay before sundown because a) most of them fill up and b) on weeknights, many of them just close the doors and go to bed early/turn of the lights.

In other words, don't roam through Ogunquit/Wells and be pleased with all the vacancy signs and then decide to stop for a lobster dinner. By the time your dinner is over all the vacancy signs will be dark.

Labor Day traffic will be rough in both directions but worse coming out of Maine than going in. If the witch museum is open Monday, I'd do Salem/Gloucester for the day and then head up to Wells for the night (lots of accomodation on route 1...I really don't see why you just don't reserve something for that night. Carriage House Motel is nice, Ogunquit Resort....even the little Wells/Ogunquit Motel or the Stage Run Motel....all are very easy to find and settle into off the highway. Spend the 6th seeing Ogunquit and Cape Neddick and some of the 7th having brunch in Kennebunkport and then driving route 9 through Cape Porpoise onward to Portland/Freeport/Brunswick. This wed the 7th could be your wing-it night finding accomodation as you go. Might make it as far as Camden/Rockport. 8th is your travel day to Bar Harbor and here I think I would make reservation since you're settling in for the weekend.

One of the problems up in Maine is that "coastal route 1" doesn't really hug the coast and you have to branch off to see the coast. It takes time, but it's worth it. So you are probably scratching your head looking at a map, thinking that it all seems so do-able. Once you get up there you'll begin to understand, exploring Maine tends to give whole new meaning to the term "meandering".