From Maine to Vermont?
 

My husband and I have only four days to celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary. We are starting off in Pennsylvania where we'll leave our 8 year old with her Aunt and from there will travel to Kennebunkport Maine where I thought we'd be spending four relaxing days. Now my hubby said he would like to go to Vermont (Killington) for one of those days. He said Killington is similar to where my parents live (Smokey Mountains of North Carolina) but not as dramatic. Honestly, what's there to do in Killington in the middle of July? Does anyone think that it's worth spending the day there or should we just stick to Maine? I guess it's not too out of the way for the trip back to Pennsylvania but I don't like the idea of spending too much time in the car. Any suggestions? Thanks!

I would choose northern Vermont (around Stowe) over the south but regardless the drive is long-- a VERY long day.

Well, I would stick with Kennebunkport. With side trips to Ogunquit (for the glorious walking of Marginal Way) with, perhaps a day trip to Kittery (only if you love Outlet Shopping), Portland (for a charming small city), Freeport (home of the amazing L. L. Bean. along with another "outlet row"), York (for the astonishing "coast of Maine" scenery all along the way (also nicely accomplished with a boat tour from Kennebunkport).

As for Killing being "similar to the Smokey Mountains", I'm not familiar with the latter, but, to me, anyway (and I've been there), Killington is hardly a July sort of destination (even for the scenery, which is glorious, but surely no more so elsewhere in New England in July), and even in "peak" season is WAY over priced and chock full of "better than you" sort of folks/atmosphere/prices. Just my personal opinion.

It doesn't look very far on the map, as the crow flies, but unfortunately, the crows didn't lay out the mountains and the roads -- you'll have to head south, then northwest, the drive each way is over 3 hours, definitely not worth spending one of your 4 days!

I love Vermont but I wouldn't give up a day in Maine. Suggest to your husband that VT would make a great family trip at another time. Plus I don't think the Killington area is anywhere near as pretty as the Smokey Mountains.

If you really want to relax and have a few nice days in Maine skip Vermont, skip Kennebunkport and come to Mid-Coast. Kennebunkport is really crowded in late July but up US1 in Mid-Coast(anyplace past Wiscasset) you may find things a bit slower and kinder. I've lived in Rutland, VT(which is where Killington is) and I can tell you that it's kind of average in the summer and not worth the day of driving there and back, 'nothing to see here folks'. Try looking in the town of Damariscotta or Pemaquid Point(there's a beach and a lighthouse) for a new location, maybe Boothbay Harbor. Good Luck. Congradulations!

Thanks everyone. I'll show my husband this post. His idea was to drive to Vermont the last day and spend the night there and then go back to PA the next day. We always go to PA in the summer and the winter so maybe we can head to Vermont in the winter, although he did suggest Hawaii for Christmas this year. Don't think I'll let him forget that suggestion. We're in California so it's not so far for us.

If you do end up in Southern Maine, I highly recommend taking a day cruise to Star Island and The Isles of Shoals, which are about nine miles off the coast, on the Thomas Laighton out of Portsmouth, NH. You can take a shorter cruise, where you have 45 minutes on Star Island for a short guided tour, or, if you have most of a day, take the "Stopover" tour, where you get to spend four hours on the island . If it's a nice day, this is a wonderful thing to do, as you can take the guided tour, but then spend the rest of your time exploring the island at your leisure. It's an amazingly beautiful place, one of my very favorites. You can see pictures and get info about the cruises at www.islesofshoals.com.

Like they say up here; you can't get there from here. VT is no easy drive from Maine. What about taking in the White Mt. area in NH. This is a very pretty area of the world and Conway is a busy shopping meca. We like to go to the Mountains and hike or drive up Mt Washington and then hike around. The rivers and other little towns are lovely also. This area isn't so hard to get to and then you can zip back onto your route home.

Love coastal ME and own a condo in Killington. It would be almost impossible to drive back and forth in one day. We did it the opposite way once and, if I recall correctly, it took 5 hours one way from Killington to Boothbay Harbor. There are no direct main roads so you would be traveling on secondary, non-direct roads the whole time. Save VT for another trip in the fall, just make your reservations well in advance. You'll enjoy it much more then.

I have done the Kennebunkport-Killington route in one day, and it took 8-9 hours, with gas/bathroom stops. Not exactly a relaxing day.

If Hubby is intent on seeing another area besides coastal Maine, I second the White Mountain idea; much easier to get to, and splendid scenery - much more spectacular than Killington IMO. I'm not all that crazy about Killington as a town; it definitely is a tourist community, not a typical Vermont town. Might be fun in the winter if you like to ski and enjoy nightlife, and it's pretty in the Fall.

If it was me,with such a limited amount of time, I'd much prefer to explore one area.