First the back story (I'll be brief). I was born, raised and have lived all my life in the Southwest. But when I was 17 I went to live with my aunt in Jonesport Maine for a few months. WOW, what a culture shock. I have always wanted to go back and show my husband or someone in my family this wonderful little town filled with poignant if not bizarre (a whole different story) memories. This Oct. I will finally get the chance as we will be visiting my nephew who lives in Wallkill NY. However....I only have 4 days to get there and back, (Tuesday - Friday) and would like to see as much as possible on the way. I don't plan to spend but a couple hours in Jonesport. Is there a reasonable itinerary someone could suggest for this little drive trip that would give my sister and I a little taste of New England? I was thinking of driving up as far as possible (what would be a good stopping point)? spend the night and get to Jonesport Wed. sometime. So what to see along the way? And the rest of Wed. and Thurs? Acadia possible? Will drive straight back Friday as we fly home to Utah on Saturday. It's taken me 33 years to get back to see this place that changed my life course, I wish I had more time...but anyway, I would appreciate your help! Thanks.

One more point...Jonesport is a little SE of Bangor.

October should be a great time for this drive, you might hit peak fall foliage times.

I think I would drive straight through to Bar Harbor/Acadia on Tuesday...probably 9 hours of driving so if you get an early start, you can dine and spend the night in Bar Harbor. Then I'd take a day trip to Jonesport on Wednes, plenty of scenery to see on the way. Sunset Wednesday you could visit Acadia Park, or wait until Thursday morning. By Thursday afternoon I think I'd head down the coast, sunset driving will be very nice....and I'd plan to stay on the southern coast of Maine, maybe the York Harbor Inn or someplace in Ogunquit. A evening meal by the seashore would be nice followed by an early sleep, then you'd have some of Friday to enjoy on the coast ...you'd have maybe a 6 hour drive ahead of you. I'd probably leave southern Maine by 1 or 2pm so that you would get a little ahead of the Boston metro afternoon traffic as you are heading back down 495 and the Mass Pike out to 84.

4 days seems like a nice trip, but really you have two full days of driving in there. So not really much time to stop and enjoy too much along the way in my opinion.

Update...what if we flew to Boston and started our drive trip from there? What would be some not-to-miss things to see then with a little more time? Also, we might gain another day by flying back to New York from Boston on Saturday morning and catch our noon flight

If it's early October, you'd probably enjoy a night in one of the lakes regions that are so pretty in fall. A drive to Alton Bay New Hampshire would be about 95 min from Boston I think and then you could head east through western Maine's Rangeley Lakes region and on to Jonesport...or, from Boston you could head up into Maine...Sebago Lake is beautiful.

A NY to Boston flight might be expensive since you don't have the "saturday night overstay" that most of the lower fares require.

Please lower your expectations or you will be disappointed.