My wife and I (both in our mid-60's)would like suggestions (and a recommended route) for seeing the best of New England by car. We have 3 weeks available in the September/October time frame and definitely want to see the highlights(scenic, historical, etc.) My wife loves the ocean so a route that follows the coast line would be appreciated. We plan to start in Maine and end in Washington DC. What city do you recommend we fly in to? Since New England is new to us please feel free to recommend things to do, sights to see, places to stay, restaurants, etc. Night life is definitely not on our list of priorities, but we do appreciate good food and clean reasonably priced accomodations. TIA

There's a lot to cover in that short distance! September/October are prime foliage weeks in New England, so you may want to consider a drive through the mountains. Where are you coming from?

Do you want to spend most of your time in New Engand (i.e., Maine, NH, VT, Massachusetts, CT, RI) or do you want to spread out your 3 weeks along the whole route? Foliage usualy peaks in northern New England around October 1 (although this can vary a lot from one year to the next), so you might have to go a bit inland to see peak foliage.

Thanks for the responses. As you have likely surmised neither my wife nor I know enough about NE to know what we should see or where it is. All we really know is that we want to go there. Guess I am asking for someone to step up and plan our itinerary (g). Naturally we want to see the folage, but 1-2 days would be plenty. We definitely want to see Arcadia NP then meander down the coast exploring quaint villages, eating fresh sea food and enjoying the rugged coast line. I guess I should point out that were not big city or museum/art gallery fans; however, we do want to see the prominent hisorical sites. We definitely need the recommendations of you more experienced travelers regarding the "don't miss" places to visit while in NE. Since my wife has never been to Boston or Washington DC I think we should spend 3-4 days in each place, and she also wants to visit Willamsburg, VA. I am already dreading driving in Boston and DC

Planning a 3-week itinerary is beyond the pale for most Fodorites, but we're happy to respond to specific questions. Have you tried doing a search and looking at the past posts here on the Fodors boards for the states you're traveling through? Also, most states have web sites and books you can send for that highlight their chief tourist attractions.

Acadia National Park (note, no R in Acadia) is a lovely northernmost point for your trip. Given your likely itinerary, Portland ME would be a good city for you to fly into, especially if you can get a direct flight from wherever you're starting from.

Don't forget that Williamsburg is 2.5 - 3 hours south of DC and most people would not consider it a day trip from there. I'd recommend that you spend at least one night beyond your DC terminus.

When people advise you against driving in DC or Boston, they're mostly advising against driving around on a daily basis as a tourist. If you just get yourself into the city and park at (or near) your hotel and use the excellent public transit, you'll be fine.

You might get some good ideas from Yankee magazine's website www.newengland.com. You can also post questions on their board. We have enjoyed the Common Ground Fair sponsored by the organic farmers assoc in Unity which is not far from Camden (beautiful seaport, home to several windjammers) which is late in Sept. Only organic food is served and there are high quality crafts being sold. No midway. Be sure to visit Pemaquid Point lighthouse and also the one at Owls Head. View is great. I would plan a foliage cruise. Check what is offered by the Maritime Museum in Bath or something out of Portsmouth NH. Flying into Manchester NH may be cheaper than Portland. If you did that you could drive up to the White Mountains and then cross over via Rt 2 to Maine then up the coast to Acadia. If you do fly into MHT I would suggest your first night be spent in Concord NH. Lovely downtown area and some pretty good restaurants. The State House, Museum of NH History, small shops all on Main St. You are only an hour or so from the mountains and can get a fresh start in the morning. A tour of Shaker Village in Canterbury NH is very interesting but check their schedule. (It's near Concord). You might want to take a hike thru the Flume or ride the gondola up Cannon Mtn. In Portsmouth NH there is Strawbery Banke historical area. Portsmouth is a nice walking town too. Great sand beaches in Hampton NH, the drive from Portsmouth (go thru Newcastle) over to Rye will take you past beautiful mansions. You are only about an hour from Boston. Park the car at your hotel as someone suggested and use public transportation. Eat in the North End. On you way south, you might want to visit Cape May, NJ - beautiful victorian cottages. We though Havre de Grace was a lovely Maryland coastal town, might be a good place to stay. You also have the option of cutting thru PA and visiting the Amish area. Maybe a sidetrip to Gettysburg? I would definitely consider cutting over to the Skyline drive before or after Williamsburg. Great caves at Luray Caverns. Visit Monticello. Hope you have a great trip. Peak foliage is Oct 12 in the Concord NH area. One of the highlights of the fall is Eastern States Expo in Springfield Mass. It's an agricultural fair but they also have shows and music. Each state has a building to provide information about the state. Hope you have a great time!