SusieQQ

Is there any particular reason to include Atlantic City? Unless you are big gamblers, avoid it. It is a undesireable place. If you want to stop at the Jersey Shore, go to Spring Lake to view a lovely town and walk a stretch of the boardwalk.....

dfrostnh

Let me put it this way, we live in NH and like to spend a week in Maine exploring a particular area. Whenever someone posts that they are coming to New England, I always recommend a short boat ride around Portsmouth NH harbor or an inland rivers cruise. We like the Ice House on Rt 1B in Newcastle for a lobster roll and onion rings or stay in town for a fancier dinner. Like, if you go to Mystic I would try a lobster roll at Abbott's because the lobster is pretty good and it's one of those one the ocean, casual seafood places (I haven't been in several years so if Abbott's has gone downhill, somebody speak up). Portsmouth is a seaport. York Beach ME is a resort/beach area. Two very different views of the ocean.
Rt 1 between Newburyport and Portsmouth is kind of interesting but there are also stretches of strip malls and car dealers. There's a stretch just north of Seabrook NH that goes thru a marsh. It may be Rt 1A that actually goes along the coast from Hampton Beach thru beautiful Rye (see the private mansions) I would use more interstate but yeegads, it will be a parking lot on Labor Day weekend Friday and Monday.
I agree with get to furthest point first and work your way south.
If your friends go to the CT casinos rather than Atlantic City, the non-gamblers could enjoy visiting the native American museum near Foxwoods. It's very interesting.

I hope you will report back. I usually spend 3 days on a driving trip with friends. 10 days with that kind of schedule would end up with me getting kind of cranky.

gail

Are you planning on getting one hotel room among the 4 of you and all sharing a bathroom? That could make you ex-friends after the trip

jewels_02

gail - it will be one hotel room between the four of us, however. I'm the only one with long hair so the other 3 will be in and out. We figure two will shower at night and two will shower in the am before heading out. We are all pretty easy going and not too fussy.

jewels_02

Gail - Thanks also for the advice about the interstate and the panoramic views statement you made. That really is what we were looking for so if that's not going to happen then we will re-think things a bit. Also, the labor day weekend will be at the end of the trip and if we start in Maine first then I think we may avoid some of the issues with the crowds.

jewels_02

dfrostnh - Two are gamblers that's why Atlantic City was part of the original package but if it's not much to see (both gamblers have been to Las Vegas). We could do casinos in another town. Honestly I haven't read that much into some of these places so I was unaware of other casinos/gambling spots.

jewels_02

I guess my next question to you guys would be to give me what your list of doable cities would be. Leave out the big ones like NY, DC, Philly, & Boston (those I knew where ambitious to start with).

The main point of this trip is to do some antiquing, some gambling, see some breathtaking views, seafood, lighthouses, and spending time together. We really are an easy-going bunch.

JusRestin - Marlboro, VT was just another map dot.

tchoiniere

Id say go to either Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun (I usually go to Mohegan Sun as its smaller) and skip AC. This would definitely save time.

If you want a city, maybe stop in Providence? But I wouldn't bother with a city on this trip. Another suggestion maybe would be to stop at Yale and walk around in New Haven.

The 2 beaches I go to during the summer are Hammonassett State Park in CT and Misquamicutt in RI. Hammonassett has a wildlife area and is nice to walk around in. Its right off 95 so time-permitting you can stop there. Its not cheap to enter (believe its $15 for out of state).

jewels_02

$15 split between 4 people or $15 each?

tchoiniere

Entry for a car.

nytraveler

I can't imagine that the route you want can be done in 1.5 days driving if you drive along the coast. Perhaps if you use major highways, hustle and don;t stop. But the roads along the coast you will often be doing 30 to 40 mph, have constant traffic lights and traffic in dozens of towns and I doubt you will get to Maine and back even without stopping except to sleep.

nytraveler

Sorry - I used to work in Westchester (north of NYC on the coast) and had a client in West Haven - closer to New Haven. Took local roads once since there was construction on the highway - and it took about 3.5 hours - versus an hour on the highway. So - at a guess you need to multiply highway time by 3 to 4 times to get some iea of driving along the coast - with extra added on for holidayweekend traffic.

jewels_02

Thanks for the advice NYtraveler. I've talked to a co-worker who has driven to Maine before and she did what another person on here suggested (drive to Maine and then made her way back slowly). She advised me to do the same. She said she made it from Louisville, KY to Vermont in about 17-18 hours and then spent the night there and then drove to Maine the following day. I think we will do that so if we run short on time we are closer to home rather than farther away. On the way up she said she took I-71 to I-90 and then to I-87.

GoAway

Wow, 2,500 miles over 10 days. And driving along the East Coast corridor? The last week of Summer? And not on interstates? Yikes.

This trip is nuts. You'd do much better to pick one state and focus on it -- you won't be spending enough time to see or do anything much otherwise. If you want pretty scenery, ocean views, antiques, gambling - try Connecticut.

jewels_02

GoAway - As previously discussed, I wasn't aware of the difficulty when I first posted. My plans have since been parred down.

gail

I will try to plan a reasonable itinerary. First, get to Kennebunkport/Portsmouth/Newburyport area (all within an hour of each other). That should take 2 days. Interstates all the way - maybe stopping somewhere semi-interesting for a night (see below - that could be CT casinos and then add that time to another major stop)

Spend first night plus one other - or a day and a half in that area. See the ocean - even go in if you have anti-freeze in your veins. Eat fried clams, see lighthouses, little shops. This is the true feel of coastal New England. You have now used up 4 days of the 10.

Mid-afternoon, drive to Salem, MA. Spend the night. Go to Peabody Essex Museum and perhaps one witch-related thing (which I find incredibly hokey, but many people like). Or substitute a half-day whale watch (may have to drive to Gloucester for that - about 30 minutes north - since there are no whales in KY. Mid-afternoon, drive to Rhode Island (about 2 1/2 hours).

Spend 2 nights in Rhode Island in Newport, Jamestown, Charlestown (in one place - don't move around). A different New England coastal feel - different era when area was settled, topography different. Nothing in Rhode Island is more than an hour apart.

You have now used up 6 nights.

If gambling and associated attractions are part of your thing, then pick either casinos in CT or Atlantic City as your next stop. Plan about a half day drive to NJ, a few hours to CT. Spend the night.

(Let's assume you picked Atlantic City since coastal seems important to you and there is no beach in KY that I know of!) You now have only a couple of days left - time is getting short.

Perhaps one night on the way home in mid-Atlantic coast - DE/MD/VA - pick ONE and only ONE. You will have only a night or maybe 2 there depending on time you took for your initial drive north.

Head home exhausted, hopefully still friends. Drive the Interstates for all travel between stops.

That would be my rough framework of a trip.

For your next 10-day trip, assuming you are all still speaking, do the east coast cities. Start in Boston and spend 2 days, New York 3 days, Philadelphia 1 day, Washington 3 days then home. Along the eastern seaboard there are plenty of inexpensive one-way airfares that would allow you to fly to Boston from somewhere and then take Amtrak along the rest of the route back to Washington. I have no idea how to get from DC to KY - but it is likely there are inexpensive one-way fares as well.

Now I have planned 2 trips for you. It seems to make much more sense since you have jumbled so much together for a 10-day trip as to be unworkable and not enjoyable unless you just want to drive thru each place on the list and wave as you go by.

If this rough itinerary makes sense to you, then start to fill out specifics for each stop. You know we will all have many conflicting opinions on how to do that.

Fra_Diavolo

Just a note -- driving to Maine you are much better off driving diagonally across CT and and MA by taking 684 north to 84 to Mass Pike to 495 and rejoining 95 up at the MA/NH border than following 95 along the coast in CT.

gail

Excellent advice from Mr/Ms Diavolo. Most mapping programs take you over the George Washington Bridge in NYC. Ignore them. You want to go over the Tappan Zee Bridge and then 684/287/84/90 (Mass Pike) - and then 495 towards 95 and Maine (actually there is another diagnoal road, 290, off 495 - but those are details for later).

suefahy

I used to live in Beverly,Ma- the shore North of Boston- called the 'North Shore' and go back that way several times a year to a beach called Wingaersheek Beach in Gloucester, MA. The back shore of Gloucester is also a very beautiful ride and will take you to the tip of Cape Ann which is the town of Rockport- very scenic harbor, shops,art galleries, etc...what you think of when you picture coastal New England.
I now live in New Hampshire, and another of our favorites is to go up to Maine to Ogunquit- there is a large beach, and a walking path along the ocean called the Marginal Way, with spectacular views.

emalloy

gail and Fra_Diavolo have given you good advice for a fine couple of trips. If you get to Rhode Island and haven't time left to go down the coast, then hit the CT casinos that are only a little over an hour or so from the Newport/Jamestown area. They are also less than a half hour from Mystic CT which has a nice seaport museum and Foxwoods has a large, very nice Indian museum for those of you who don't want to spend time in the casinos. The casinos are large, glitzy, Vegas style places so make sure you know which valet area or parking garage you left your car in or you will spend hours looking for it when you are ready to leave.

Have a great trip!