seniormsuedu

I will drive from E. Lansing MI to Portsmouth NH through Canada the day after Labor Day with my faithful schnauzer, Duffy. I will use the Turnpike and stop one night in the Buffalo area, one night in Albany area, then to Portsmouth for one night. I am trying to figure out what would be the best stops along the Maine coast.

I am interested in used books, Farnsworth Museum, lobster, lighthouses, scenic views, history, lobster, Acadia, L.L. Bean, lobster, flea markets, and generally fooling around. I will not be swimming or hiking, except for walking Mr. Duffy. I plan on staying in mom and pop motels - reasonable and clean.

I will be travelling the coast for 2 + - weeks including 3 days back to Michigan (until my Social Security check runs out).

If things work out, I would love to drive to Campobello Island and visit Mrs. Roosevelt, the Quoddy lighthouse and the high tides. Lubec looks like our Upper Peninsula.

Would it be too slow to come back via U.S. 202 and State 2 through Mass. to Albany? It looks scenic.

I found Toucan2, clarkgriswold and the lady from NH entries very helpful. Thanks.

Dukey1

Bar Harbor, Camden, Northeast Harbor all come to mind.

dfrostnh

Coming back, I think Portsmouth to Concord NH via Rt 4 (you can stop at a used book shop in Northwood NH) and then I393 to avoid Concord's commercial section but turn left(south) onto Main Street. But also heading north from I393 to I93 exit 17 and Canterbury Shaker Village for a tour would be great. (Check tour schedules after Labor Day)

From Main Street, turn west onto Pleasant St/Rt 103 thru towns of Hopkinton and Contoocook. Visit Gould Hill Apple Orchard for view (just took TDudette there last Thurs) and heirloom apples. Go back to Rt 103 and in downtown Contoocook turn left and head to Rt 202 Henniker/Hillsboro. There are two used bookstores. One is the Book Farm just off the hwy and then #9 Book Depot in Henniker. From there, head to Keene NH then over to Brattleboro VT. Drive over Hogback Mountain to Bennington and then to Albany NY.

From Contoocook, continue on Rt 103 to Warner if you want to visit the Kearsarge Indian Museum. TDudette and I continued thru town to Newbury NH where we visited The Fells, the John Hay Estate. Very good house tour and description of life in summers back then. Nice view overlooking Lake Sunapee.

Now back to your first question: Maine. Take one of the Portsmouth cruises either harbor or inland rivers, I think inland rivers gives you more history about colonial times and Oyster Bay and Great Bay are beautiful from the water. Also take mailboat cruise out of Portland ME.

Toucan2 just visited The Chicken Barn Antiques and Used Books in Ellsworth ME. If you stayed long enough for Common Ground Fair, we had a terrific time last year but if you aren't interested in gardening and organic living, skip. It seems the same builder build all the bathrooms in mom & pop cottages. Bath ME was very clean but the bathroom was very small and porch faced west. Too hot in early July. DH thought it would be a good location on river but bank is steep so we really didn't see the river unless we stood on the bank. New Meadows River cottages. (very rustic but has small fridge and microwave) If food truck is still across the road, it is very good. There was also another decent take out place nearby. Bath farmers market on Saturday is very good.

In September we stayed at Bay Leaf Cottages and Motel (in motel section) in Lincolnville (just north of Camden). Except for tiny bathroom, we liked very much. Third weekend in Sept is Common Ground Fair weekend and reservations book early. You wouldn't think so but the fair is in Unity where there aren't any places to stay unless you camp on fairgrounds.

I don't know if these places allow dogs so please check first.

emalloy

This TR has some places for you to look at for lodging and lobster.

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...nd-vermont.cfm

scroll down to the Maine part.

seniormsuedu

Thanks for your info on driving home through NH and VT to Albany, dfrost. I felt like I was there. Can you drive this route from Portsmouth to Albany in one day?

Anyone, how is the route U.S. 202 and State 2 through Mass, Portsmouth to Albany? Can it be done in one day?

Bay Leaf Motel looks nice. All of coastal Maine looks nice. Looking forward to the Chicken Barn.

Thanks, Judy Alban

clarkgriswold

I can recommend the following dog-friendly motels and inns in Maine:

(south to north)


Coachman Inn, Kittery
Majestic Regency, Wells/Ogunquit
Studio East Motel Ogunquit
Turbat's Creek Lodge Kennebunkport
Higgins Beach Inn (near Portland) Scarborough
Capn Fish’s Motel Boothbay
Ocean Gate Resort near Boothbay (Southport)
Glen Cove Inn Camden/Rockport
Seascape Cottages Belfast
Belfast Harbor Inn
WonderView Inn Bar Harbor or Asticou Inn Northeast Harbor

emalloy

seniorsuedu,

For the return from Portsmouth to Albany, you might want to consider taking 95 to 495 then pick up MA route 2 to Albany, if you want to do some of the more rural areas of MA. 2 gets more rustic the farther you go west of Greenfield.

Stop in Williamstown for Clark Art Inst, Williams College, lunch etc.

Google says this route would be a bit over 4 hours so easily done in a day with a pleasant stop or two.

dfrostnh

yes, you can drive Portsmouth to Albany on that route in one day. Google maps estimates most direct route via Rt 101 is about 4 hours. Taking Rt 4 instead of boring 101 would be slightly longer.

Western MA is beautiful. It's the 95 to 495 part I don't care for because of traffic but that depends on day of the week and time of day.

seniormsuedu

Thank you clarkgriswold for the great list of motels etc. They all look wonderful, now I have to decide which areas I will want to spend 2-3 nights.

Also thank you dfrostnh and emalloy. I am thinking of driving 101 thru Keene one way and 2 through Mass. the other. I dreaded using the interstate, since I will be going through some nice scenery.

Now I have to decide where to stay along the coast that I can afford (between lobster shacks).

It's funny that Utah has a whole page in my Rand McNally atlas which have two or three main roads, and NH and VT have little-bitty maps which have roads every 5 miles. I am going blind.