Maine or Bust
 

Hubby, dogs and I are heading up to Maine. We will not go as far north as Acadia this time, but enjoy the coast and the new Hampshire mountains. can anyone suggest a path and a few town to stop at for a few days. Not freeport or any other busy area. We like the slow life.

Um, I'm thinking bust b/c you tagged this post for New Hampshire . . .

Where are you starting?
When are you going?
How long have you got?
How much of a factor is money?
Coast or mountains?
History or scenery?
Gourmet food or funky cafes?

sorry for being so out to lunch. I tagged nh because I would like to pass through there on the way to maine, but how were you supposed to know that?????
live in lancaster, pa
about an 8 day trip
coast and mts interest us
no history needed
like scenery and good food of all kinds
let me worry about money

still sort of need to know when.
From PA the slower but scenic route is up thru the Deleware Gap - Newburg NY area. Head to Albany and then over to Bennington VT. Take the route over Hogback Mountain toward Keene NH.

From Keene, you have choice of Rt 101 which goes thru NH's quiet SW corner as far as Peterborough NH. Then head toward Hillsboro NH (think it's route 202). German bakery in Hillsboro. Good food at Tooky Mills or in Henniker at Daniel's (overlooks river) Take Rt 127 to Contoocook NH then Rt 103 to Concord. Stop in Hopkinton NH at Gould Hill Orchard for heirloom apples and nice view. Alternate loop is to head in other direction to New London and then Wilmot for auto road up Mt Kearsarge to Winslow State Park. Small mountain but very nice view and it shouldn't be crowded.

From Concord take I93 north. Yes, it's the interstate and you don't want to be traveling it on Friday commuting/weekend trip hours but it goes right thru the mountains and it's a pretty ride. Meredith on Lake Winnipesaukee is a pretty town but busy. Continue around lake to Moultonborough and then take route to Center Sandwich NH/Squam Lakes region and head to Tamworth. Think it's Rt 113A. Small, very old towns. From Tamworth you can head to Conway area and then over to Portland ME. (Conway to Portland about an hour) Portland is a small city but so many great places to eat I think it would be worth it to spend the night. Mailboat run around Casco Bay is leisurely. Some narration but mostly this is a working boat. Might get more narration on a different boat.

Take I95 to Brunswick ME (you only have 8 days) then get off on Rt 1. We usually camp in ME so someone else needs to recommend lodging. We like Wiscasset. Good fried food at the Sea Basket and you are central to some good lobster places. If you are going after Columbus Day, the lobster shacks will be closed. Right now most are open weekends only but check.

Faster route to NH would be to head to Hartford CT and then up Rt 91 to VT. Nice western part of MA, very rural. In VT take exit for Brattleboro (think it's exit 3) and then head to Keene NH. Follow above directions.

Chowhound /northern New England thread has tons of great food advice from fine dining to little grocery stores with great sandwiches.

what a nice trip plan. thank you so much. we can have more than 8 days if we want, both retired, and will leave in early october. again, thanks a bunch.

Early October is prime time for leaf peeping tours and hotels are already booked up. Plan ahead. Consider Wolfeboro New Hampshire, Sebago Lake in Maine, then up maybe to Camden/Rockport area with day drives from there. See the other thread here about a last-minute trip to Maine.

Also, Your path might depend on where you can find pet-friendly accomodation. Lots of places up there have a few pet-friendly rooms set aside, but they fill up quickly this time of year

I have been to wolfeboro and loved the area.

dhfrostnh gives you a great route as far as Conway, but he doesn't take you through the White Mountains, and they are worth it in a big way.

After Conway, you can go north through either Crawford Notch past the Mount Washington Hotel and the Mt Washington Cog Railway or through Pinkham Notch past the Mt Washington Auto Road (great views from the bottom) to US 2. Follow that to Bethel, Maine, a very charming town with village green, then turn south through Norway and Paris to Brunswick, a very charming college town. From there, you can go south to Portland or "down east" to Rockland and Camden. But you should not miss Harpswell, Bailey's Island, and Orr's Island, out of Brunswick nor the peninsula down toward Friendship, further up the coast.

This will be a very busy time with leaf peepers, and you will want to find a place and stop early, especially on the weekend.

Ackislander, I'll vote for your route. They should love Harpswell and they can see Portland on the trip south. See if Dolphin Marina restaurant is open. Camden ME was in Yankee Magazine's top 20 foliage places so it might be even more popular this year than it usually is but the auto road up Mt Battie shouldn't be missed in they get to the Camden area.