Getting From Maryland to Maine
 

I got directions from Map Quest from Maryland to Maine for a family trip in a few weeks. However, my father (the driver) wants to avoid NYC. Does anyone know a good way to do that or can you recommend a web site that allows you to personalize trip directions like this? Thanks much!

Not sure how to do this on-line anywhere, but you can take the Garden State Pkwy through New Jersey. I am assuming that the directions are taking you on the NJ Turnpike and across the Hudson on the GW bridge. Instead, take the Turnpike to the Garden State Parkway (exit around Trenton, maybe?). Follow the Parkway to the Tappan Zee bridge & I-287(I'm not positive about the bridge name or the route number). Then that interstate will link you back into I-95 North. Sorry the directions are so convuluted, but a map should help you out. I've driven that way so many times, that I only know where to go rather than where I am going. <BR> <BR>Hope this helps!

I'm a Maine native and now live in Maryland; have done the trip many times. Depends where in Maryland you're coming from but at some point you'll have to get to Interstate 95 North, then the Delaware Turnpike and the New Jersey Turnpike. To avoid NYC, take the Garden State Parkway, as the above poster suggested, then east over the Tappan Zee Bridge. I would not then head to 95 in Connecticut - there is lots of construction now and it's a pain going through the cities. I would instead take Rte. 287 to Rte. 684 North and then pick up Rte. 84 towards Danbury, CT. Stay on 84 all the way through Hartford and then when in Mass, take the Mass. Pike. Stay east on the Pike until you get to Rte. 495 and then take that all the way until you're onto 95 and then north into Maine. I haven't done the CT, MA part for a while so there may be construction, but if not, I think this is the best way. (A small Mass. shortcut would take you from Rte. 290 through Worcester and then on to 495. Not sure it makes much difference.

Be advised there is construction on the route that takes you over the Tappan Zee Bridge.. The construction is on the east side of the bridge and delays can be extensive. I believe that traffic can be stopped between the hours of 10 am and 2 pm. when blasting is being done. The post that recommends you take I287 to I684 to I84 is the way I would go if I had to make this trip.

Maybe if you are crossing the Tappan Zee in the middle of the day or very late at night it won't be so bad. If you don't mind adding a few hours to your trip, go up thru PA, head towards Albany NY and cross thru VT (via Bennington) and over to Keene NH. Go east to Nashua, north on rt 3, west on Rt 101 to Portsmouth and connect with Rt 95. It looks like Rt 81 thru PA to Rt 84 thru Port Jervis, NY. When we pulled a camper my husband wanted to give NYC a wide berth. He also doesn't like the southern CT area. If you put Port Jervis into Map Quest, it is west of NYC so it should give you directions to avoid that area. Then get directions from Port Jervis to your final destination.

Just my opinion, but seems like you'll be doing alot of monkeying around just to avoid a 7 mile stretch of road - the Cross Bronx Expressway. Granted, it's not the most pleasant drive -- there's almost always traffic and right now there's construction on the east end -- but in reality you'll only suffer for 30 minutes tops before getting back on a "normal" stretch of I-95. After crossing the GWB you could always take the Major Deegan (I-87) south to the Bruckner Expy. and follow that back to I-95, a little out of the way (3-4 miles), but alot easier on the blood pressure.

Thanks, all! Some very good suggestions. I'll print them out and give them to my dad and let him decide.