New England States
 

We are thinking about finally taking a trip to the New England states in September and early to mid October. We will have about a month to spend in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware and New Jersey and will be traveling in a motorhome with a tow vehicle. We are thinking about spending the majority of the time in Maine, NH and Vermont and would like to be there for the fall colors.

We are from the west coast and have never been to these states. We have been to Washington DC, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New York, so don't plan to do much in these areas this trip.

We like scenery, waterfalls, views, and history. We like to do short hikes of up to three miles. We do NOT like big cities or eating out but do want one lobster dinner (probably in Maine). With this in mind, what are the must sees in each of these states?

Where would good base camp locations be for taking day trips? We are thinking about spending the majority of the time in Maine, NH and Vermont and would like to be there for the fall colors.

If there are any campers out there, please suggest campgrounds too. We don’t want fancy resorts. We don’t always have to have hook ups, but will want some private campgrounds or state campgrounds that have hook ups.

Thanks in advance,
Utahtea

Oh..I forgot, I want to see Moose!

Utahtea

I outlined an itinerary for someone who has to rush in this post: http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...-8-october.cfm

If I had a month, I would cover the same areas, move more slowly, and add (1) Burlington and Montpelier, Vermont, (2) a lot more of the Maine coast north from Portland to Rockland and Camden and (3) what is called the Upper Valley in New Hampshire (north of Berlin to the Canadian border).

This area is full of state and national forest campgrounds, particularly in Maine and NH.

Ask locally where to see moose. There are lots and lots of them in Northern NH and Maine. A British friend actually got to see a bear as well.

The later you can come (within reason) the more color but the cooler the camping. I assume that if you do camping in Utah, you are familiar with cooler weather, particularly higher elevations. It is just wetter here, though the weather is almost invariably good until the third weekend in October.

Masses of hiking trails in the area for all skill levels. Look into the Appalachian Mountain Club trail and hut system. But be aware that unlike many western trails that were cleared for horse packing, eastern trails are often steep, narrow and rocky, with lots of roots. I am convinced that the AMC trails are deliberately made difficult about 1/4 -1/2 mile off the road to discourage people from going beyond their ability. Then they get smoother, straighter, and have gentler grades.

Have a great time!

I haven't camped in years, but there are a couple I really liked in good locations.

In Vermont, we camped by the shores of Lake Champlain on South Hero... I believe it was called South Hero Campground. It was a big open campground, but not crowded at all. Some tent sites, some camper sites (we were tent camping so not sure about hookups but they probably had them). gorgeous views. Decent bathroom facilities.

In Maine, I liked Megunticook by the Sea, which is just south of Camden. It's very steep, but they have a gorgeous deck looking out over the ocean, that you can walk down to. I think the camper sites were towards the back, so no view. But lots of privacy as it was very wooded.

Also, I would consider spending a few days at Acadia National Park. There are lots of campgrounds. The one we used was called Mount Desert Campground and was right on the shores of Soames sound, you could rent canoes or kayaks and go right out on the sound which was lovely. I think our site was used in the LLBean catalogs, I've seen pictures that look just like it.

utahtea:

Welcome to New England (in advance)! Sounds like a glorious trip! I hope you have a wonderful time.

We rarely camp, as such, any more. I confess that, as older retirees, we prefer a bit more comfort nowadays. In fact, we are renting our favorite cottage, on the ocean, in mid-coast Maine in mid-August. We look forward to scenery, the peace and quiet, and the seafood, among other things.

If you have not done so already, since you have some time for planning, may I again suggest (as I have to others) that you immediately seek out official state web sites on line for each of the New England states, and ask for appropriate information -- including camping info, state map(s), etc.? That information can be invaluable, as you probably know.

Next, I can only comment on camping from the viewpoint of someone who camped for more than three decades in Maine and Vermont (primarily), and as someone who has enjoyed state parks in those areas as opposed to private campgrounds. I hasten to say that we tented, first as a couple and later with up to three children, for some time before discovering the leanto's available in most Vermont and many other state parks. We were not in any kind of an RV or motorhome, so my observations may not be ideal.

New England offers an enormous range of different types of sightseeing opportunities, as well as areas in which to camp. I have to say, however, that if you prefer more space between your site and the next ones, I suggest northern New England (Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine). If you don't mind more "crowding", then the other states may be fine. I may be "hammered" for saying that, but we've found that the northern states offered more pristine beauty -- at least in their state parks.

In terms of foliage, you're certainly giving yourselves plenty of latitude to find pretty things to see! As September ends, and October begins, different parts of New England turn color. How much color and when that happens changes each year, depending on rainfall, temperatures and the whims of Mother Nature! If you have access to television in your motor home I suggest you watch the news on local stations, especially the weather portions, to get an idea of how "color" is progressing. This should help you decide whether to head north or south or where to see the foliage.

Lobster is plentiful all over New England. In some areas, typically Maine, we've noticed that a lot of places along the road offer "lobster dinners", which are often a boiled lobster with potato chips and maybe corn on the cob. Better restaurants, on the other hand, are more apt to offer a true "dinner". Prices vary a lot!

One note: If you like "lobster rolls" (lobster meat, usually in a hot dog roll or similar), be aware that different areas tend to prepare this in different ways. Some areas almost always serve the lobster meat chilled, with mayonnaise; other areas tend to serve the meat warm, with butter. (My wife adores the latter.) If you have a preference, I suggest asking before you order.

If you like fried clams, near the Maine coast, at least, they tend to offer "whole belly" clams as a matter of course. (At one place in Maine that we like, when we first asked if they served clam strips or whole ones, they said "If they ain't whole belly, they ain't CLAMS! We catch 'em all right here, too!")

You say "We like scenery, waterfalls, views, and history." Are you in for a treat! I cannot begin to describe the number of scenic areas in this part of the country! In Maine, for example, a trek up Cadillac Mountain will yield views of the Maine coast that are awesome -- on a decent day. Then there are trips off the coast out to areas like Monhegan Island, or even closer in trips, IF the fog doesn't obstruct your views. We took one cruise that was a two-hour "sunset cruise of lighthouses", for example, and it was wonderful -- but we were glad we brought warmer jackets for once we got out onto the water! Again, please examine the materials you get from each state.

You also say "We do NOT like big cities or eating out..." Do you mean that you prefer to "eat in", at your camp site, or do you simply mean you prefer not to do costly, fancy restaurants? There are plenty of eateries of all kinds, certainly.

I could go on and on, but others have already begun to reply and I am sure they will give you some good info.

I'd like to see what others have to say before saying more!

Planning is often half the fun, isn't it?

Vermonter

Thanks everyone, I'm taking notes!

Achislander, It's really hard to call it camping in our motorhome, but we have been in all kinds of weather, including snow.

china_cat, Acadia National Park was a destination I wanted to visit.

Vermonter, I ordered the travel guides & maps from each state back in 2007 when we thought we were going to get to make this trip right after my DH retired, but his Dad got very ill and we couldn't go. I want my lobster hot with butter...just like your wife ;) Thanks for the heads up because I would have been a very unhappy camper to get it cold with mayo! We prefer to cook our own meals. We enjoy doing it and having a scenic place to camp always makes the meal better. I agree that planning a trip is half the fun too! BTW, are you the same RetiredVermonter that frequents TMF boards?

Utahtea (same as on TMF forums)

Its not a campground, but in Connecticut you see campers in the large vehicle parking lot of Mohegan Sun Casino and I'm sure they stay nights and don't pay a dime if they don't get tempted to go in and gamble. Foxwoods Casino probably also has a similar lot for large vehicles and there is security in all the lots. There are camping facilities at Rocky Neck State park but I'm not sure of what they have for facilities. If you like history, check out Mystic Seaport (a half hour from the casinos) and then take a ride through Stonington Burrough out to the lighthouse (not in the camper-streets are quite small). If you decide to get your hot lobster with real butter, I would suggest you use one of the "in the rough" places like two lights in the Scarborough area of Maine (very scenic), Cove fish Market route 1 Stonington, CT(not scenic), or at Abbotts in Noank, CT (scenic). Eating lobster is messy enough so you don't want to do the fancy dining thing. You can easily cook them yourself but you will need a very large pot and your camper will smell like lobster for a few days (steam or boil in salted water 20-30 minutes depending on size) and get rid of the garbage as soon as you can after you eat. Rhode Island also has some lovely beach areas and campgrounds near the coast and Newport is worth a visit.

One thing you need to note is that in the NE there are a bunch of roads designated "parkways" that are for passenger cars only. They are very scenic, but have very narrow curving lanes, may have tiny or no shoulders, and often trees growing immediately next to the road. You need to be sure in your planning that you don;t include any of them, since they simply don;t have room for large vehicles (even big SUVs can be a problem on some) and you aren't allowed to have anything in tow on them.

and don;t think this is a law that can be ignored - many of the roads have very low stone bridges over them and I have seen several misplaced vehicles stuck under a bridge. Besides a ticket for being in the wrong place the owner of the vehicle has to cover the cost of removal - which often involves closing the road, bringing in a large truck tow vehicle, deflating the vehicle's tires and dragging it backward out from under the bridge. Costs can be as high as several thousand dollars.

If fall colors are a priority...you'll need to follow the websites that track the colors. You don't want to be on the coast of Maine during the week that colors are peaking in Vermont, etc.

I'm sure you're attached to your RV, but driving it from the west coast is an expensive proposition. Maine has so many weekly or nightly "camps" and "cabins" for rent, usually deeply discounted in September, something to consider.

Great timing. We just got back from a few days of camping in Wiscasset Maine at Chewonky campground. The campground is on a hill adjacent to a saltwater river and marsh. Some of the sites have a wonderful view of the river. We don't care for the RV sites with sewer hookups because they are lined up in an open field. The rest of the campground is very nicely layed out. It's a former farm. It's pretty small but well run with a saltwater pool and a small playground, tennis courts. Some of the tent sites are huge because of their location. On their website you can see each site. We liked 1A for location and some shade. We like the Wiscasset location because Camden and Rockland are about an hour away to the north. Bath and Brunswick are to the south. Check out the lighthouse cruises with the Maritime Museum in Bath. Boothbay is just over the bridge and down a peninsula.
Some of the lobster shacks are open weekends only after Labor Day and then close after Columbus day. We had planned to eat at our favorite lobster shack near Owls Head Transportation Museum but Saturday was a cold, misty day so we decided to try a benefit lobster bake in Tenant Harbor. This was a really good deal since for $17 we got a 1 lb soft shell lobster, good size serving of mussels, bag of potato chips, cole slaw, and fresh corn on the cob plus a drink. DH was able to get a second lobster for $9. As pointed out, it keeps the smell out of the camper but if you wanted to cook your own we saw many signs advertising lobster @ $3.59/lb. Not sure if there would be soft shells by the time of your visit. They are easy to open since the shell is so soft but there were rocks on the tables if you needed to crack a shell.
Megunticook is a place that looks good but we haven't stayed at. We visited Camden Hills which is a state park. They now have water and electric but the sites are basically around an open field. I think there are nicer tent sites further into the woods that we looked at before. A long weekend is about as long as we can go on battery power. We have also stayed at Searsport Shores in ME which is another small campground.
The parkways nytraveler mentions may be a problem in ny (it's a very old highway) but not in NH, Maine, CT.
You might want to plan your visit around some events. The organic farmers have the Common Ground fair the third weekend in Sept. Beautiful handcrafts, wonderful food, not your typical country fair since there is no midway and no industrial food. There are some wonderful farmers markets that will still be running plus the apple orchards will have fresh apples that time of year. We really enjoyed the Brunswick ME farmers market.
If you get a state Atlas and Gazetteer published by DeLorme (available in most bookstores) it will have over-size maps showing all roads, waterfalls, covered bridges, fishing spots, hiking trails. We have one for NH, VT and ME. These come in very hand for finding some unique little places that are off the beaten path. On this trip we found a public beach with only about 5 vehicles. It was fairly remote and a bit hard to find but what a gem of a spot. There's a great short hike to Owls Head Light.
You will find the Maine coast has several personalities. The southern coast is a popular weekend destination so it's very congested and busy. It does have some beautiful sandy beaches. North of Portland the mid-coast area is much rockier and scenic but some of the towns are full of tourists. You won't want to miss Camden because of it's beauty and a couple of interesting shops and the view from Mt Battie overlooking Camden Harbor is spectacular but there are other towns that aren't full of tourists. We find the Harpswell area to be very rural.
Despite being so close we aren't as familiar with inland Maine. Fryeburg Fair is very popular and more of a country fair. It is close to Conway NH. The Cole Transportation Museum in Bangor is very interesting, more about work vehicles than fancy antique cars and you might find some small logging museums. Some of the colleges have teams to participate in logging contests.
Don't miss Portsmouth NH and Strawbery Banke or Canterbury Shaker Village near Concord NH. Despite a lot of seasonal campers, Sandy Beach Campground in Contoocook NH is decent. It's west of Concord and would also be convenient to the Kearsarge Indian Museum in Warner. Just about every town has some conservation land with public hiking trails.
Most of VT has rural flavor. The Hero Islands are a beautiful area. We have camped in Fairfax VT north of Burlington. You would have fun at the Great Vermont Corn Maze in Danville VT. One time we split our week between Fairfax and Waterhouses on Lake Dunmore just north of Brandon. When we moved from north to central VT we made a stop at Shelburne Museum. Fairfax does not have a swimming pool so it doesn't appeal to seasonal campers. Waterhouses is not a large campground. Swimming is across the road at the lake. On the western side of VT there is a lot of farm country but after you cut across the mountains it is more wooded. Keep in mind that VT's Green Mountains aren't very big. For granite peaks you want NH's White Mountains (which still aren't as high as what you have out west).
Hope this will give you some ideas.

Aloha Utahtea!

What fun planning. I have a feeling your friends in the motorhome community will steer you right in campsites. I don't have any info, but think the mooselake region of maine might be right up your alley as well as Acadia and much of coastal maine - some rural, some rustic, some downright busy coastal towns.

The thing about lobster. . .I don't steam it anymore! I go to my local grocer that has a good turnaround and have them steam them up for me. Stays plenty hot and tender. If the prices continues to be great, and you are camping near a grocer or fish market, I suggest calling in an order, and they will steam them for free at whatever price per pound is going. More lobster more nights at the campsite then going out to a restaurant. When the prices are good, I order a half dozen steamed, break them down and have the best lobster rolls at home, that can't be beat at a restaurant. Simply add a tiny dollop of Hellmans/Best mayo and pile onto a freshly griddled buttered top split hot dog roll!

Oh and the thing about Mount Washington. I think it is interesting. It doesn't wow me as it does others. And I am sure, even though we were careful to pull over multiple times on the decent, my trip cost me a set of breaks for my Saab.

I am so looking forward to hearing about how your trip comes together, and hope once you get the best campsite places and plan from here and the mobile home gang, I can offer some suggestions.

g

Just a comment - while I'm not a camper, I have lived in New England for 6 decades and love it. I can't think of one "parkway" in ME, NH or VT but I may be corrected. The mt rds are nothing like those in the Wasatch or Rockies (which my DH and I have enjoyed several times in summer and on ski trips.) They are much tamer so you shouldn't have a prob. If you want to do Mt. Washington, take the Cog RR even though you will get sooty. It will save your car's brakes. The White and Green Mts are tree covered, very different from and not as rugged as out west, with mostly small towns, some touristy some not. If you are lucky enough to hit a good foliage season, you will be in awe. Some beautiful rds to drive for foliage include the Kancamangus Highway in NH and Rt. 100 in VT. Both should be fine with your RV. Be aware that the "coastal highway" in ME, Rt. 1, often is not along the water and you need to go down peninsulas to get to the ocean. I think you would enjoy the Bar Harbor area (Acadia NP), Camden, Boothbay Harbor, Kennebunkport and Ogunquit, all in ME. Portsmouth, NH is also fun. If you have time, take a day trip out to the Isles of Shoals, 6 miles off the Portsmouth, NH coast. The Lakes region of NH is nice as is the Franconia Notch area and Mt. Washington valley. There are some lovely towns in VT - Stowe, Manchester, Weston, Woodstock - also the Lake Champlain area. And we haven't even talked about Cape Cod! Oh, my. You'll have a wonderful time and see a region very different from home. Let us hear all about it in Oct.

emalloy,
We're not much for gambling but if we are traveling and it's free place to camp, we might look it up! ;) We have a very large pot and a camper stove so I could cook the lobster outside because I don't want to smell up the RV! Lobster is soooooo expensive here in California and the prices I'm reading here have me drooling! I'm also use to Lobster tails, what's the difference between a Lobster tail and a roll?

nytraveler,
Are these roads marked that RV's are not allowed and are the bridge heights marked? If so, we will not attempt a road that says not for RV's or a bridge that is to low. We know what our RV measures. Our plan is to find a few centrally located campsites and do long day trips in our Jeep Liberty which is pretty small as SUV's go.

divineMissM,
I guess you can say we're addicted to the RV lifestyle. We've been doing it for 30 years. Getting to the east can be just as much a part of the adventure and the fun as the destination. We also want to visit some family members in Omaha and St. Louis, look up some friends in Maryland and if we decide to go home the southern route there are some friends we want to stop and visit in Texas. We will probably be gone from home for 10 weeks or so and DH hates to fly. We want to experience fall colors but we also want to just see this beautiful country. Once we reach Maryland probably in early September, my plan is to work our way up the coast and then go inland in time for the fall color and work our way back down through West Virginia. I will have my laptop and will keep an eye on those websites that track the color.

dfrostnh,
WOW...looks like so much great information! I've spent all these years traveling and never knew about Gazetteer. They sound fantastic.

I really appreciate all this information from everyone. I'm going to get out my highligher pens and start marking my maps!

Thank you all,

Utahtea

I think the parkways that nytraveler mentions are mostly in New York and Connecticut, possibly in New Jersey.

Many of them (Taconic, for example) have beautiful scenery, others (Saw Mill River) are great for getting around congested areas without trucks or urban blight, and some (Merritt in Connecticut) both get around congestion and have interesting features of their own -- incredible bridges, for example. He or she is right about passenger car enforcement and about low bridges, but Storrow Drive along the Charles in Boston has low bridges as well.

I don't know of any parkways like this in Maine, NH, or Vermont. There are restrictions on propane in tunnels around Boston, so you should plan your route to stay one one of the bypass highways (495 or 95) rather than drive an RV into the city, though plenty of people seem to do it.

Good advice on someone else cooking the lobster. They throw off a protein that congeals on the inside of the cooking pot and requires a heavy had with the Scotchpad to remove. I too have gotten lazy in old age and have the fishmarket do it. Besides, in Maine one of the great pleasures is sitting at a picnic table on the dock at a lobster pound and eating them in the open air. You might even want another!

Finally, early fall is church supper season in New England. You may see churces or volunteer fire companies advertising dinners. Go. You may get a really good meal, but you will certainly support a good cause. One quirk: a bean dinner advertised from 5-7 means they serve at 5 and you have to leave by 7. It does not mean you can show up any time between 5 and 7.

Have fun!

Propane tanks are also an issue on bridges around NYC. I think you have plenty of notice to take a detour. There are some covered bridges in New England where height could also be a problem. The bridges are marked. There are alternate route to avoid the bridges but for the most part they are on back country roads. Keep in mind that logging is a big activity in the northern New England states and those logging trucks are plenty tall and don't have a problem. I forgot how easy it is to get cooked lobster in New England. The Market Basket grocery chain usually has the lowest prices for large grocery stores. They will steam your lobsters at no extra charge. Rt 1 in the mid-coast area has lots of small fish stores. You won't have any problem finding a variety of local seafood. Mussels and oysters are farmed but right now there's a problem with red tide so clams etc are coming in from elsewhere. A lobster roll is chopped lobster usually mixed with a small amount of mayo, maybe one lettuce leaf to keep the hot dog roll from getting soggy. The roll is usually grilled. You can find frequent lobster roll comparisons on Chowhound.com. Hot rolls are plain lobster with butter served on the side, no mayo.
Ackislander points out church supper timing issues. Some have set servings family style but around here we're used to buffet style and s/he is right, get there early because they probably started serving at 4:30 and if the supper is very popular there might not be much food left by 6:30. The best pies go early.
Yankee Magazine has a pretty good website esp the Foliage Forums where people compare notes about where the good foliage is, preferred routes.

Don't miss Moosehead lake and Baxter State park up in Maine. Acadia National Park gets all the press...but knowing you I'm sure you'll fall in love with the Moosehead area in September. Greenville might be a good place to park the RV and then day-trip from there.
Personally I enjoy the deep-greens of early September to the fall colors.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...a%3DN%26um%3D1

http://www.planetware.com/i/photo/mi...park-me269.jpg

http://mhf.ronmeldrum.com/assets/baxter_state_park.jpg

http://www.gardner-ggaaart.org/Featu...state-park.jpg

http://pics4.city-data.com/cpicv/vfiles25006.jpg

A lobster roll is lobster meat in a hotdog bun. Some have mayo and celery and some have melted butter, lots of places that do seafood do them and each has an idea (ideer up here) of exactly what should be in them. Even McDonalds has had them the last few summers. Lobster tails are not what New Englander's really consider lobster since they usually are rock lobster which is similar to the real thing but has been frozen and then re warmed, unless you are at a lobster pound where they might have the real thing because the lobster lost its claws or something. BTW If you like the roe, ask for females, if not ask for males (the first little flippers under the tail are soft on females, hard on males, go figure). If you are cooking them yourself, do not accept a lobster that is not alive.

"Parkways" is a special term, I guess. But there ARE interstates in the states you plan to visit -- including Maine. Your maps will show them, of course.

By the way, before our children grew up, and before we retired up here, we used to live in Connecticut, and had a family membership to Old Sturbridge Village, in Sturbridge, Mass. We'd go maybe 3 or 4 times a year, at different seasons, to watch them carrying out activities that a typical New England town would have been doing in the mid-1800's! It is fabulous, but plan to spend a whole day walking around in there!

We preferred it to Williamsburg, VA, truth be known, even though Sturbridge is a "created" village (buildings moved there or constructed there, albeit of old materials) vs Williamsburg, which has more "authentic" buildings. We found the Sturbridge guides or interpreters MORE knowledgeable and more caring, and loved the flexibility of being able to spend as much time anywhere on the grounds as we wished -- like maybe spending an hour with the cooper, making barrels, if we chose to. (Just an example.) Just our opinion, of course.

Yes, I am the same retiredvermonter who posts on TMF. Nice to spot you on here, too! I'm chuckling, too, because I remember now we had a bit of a debate over RV camping vs NON-RV camping!!! Nowadays, we prefer B&B's. Guess we're getting to be old poops! ;)

Regardless I hope you have fun planning and even more fun seeing the sights!

What is the TMF forum, and is it something we should know about?
(I found one by that name on the subject of communications management issues, and one for Austin Mini owners).
Am I out of it, or what?

TMF = The Motley Fool forums on all manner of topics.

http://www.campocean.com/sspage2/images/p1010027.jpg

lobster roll:
http://forums.egullet.org/uploads/11...1310_51187.jpg

http://lobstershacktwolights.com/

You may want to look into a transponder for the Easy Pass. This will save you time. Not sure how it works with a towed car but look into it. If you decide on not getting the transponder, watch for the marked lanes at tollbooths. I worked for 2 summers as a toll collector and you wouldn't believe the amount of RVs that tried using Autos Only lanes and would hit the sign with the top of the RV or not be able to get the ticket. They are marked pretty well but you need to be aware.

You have gotten some great advice here. i would recommend going to the Berkshires in Western MA. Stockbridge has a great Main St and the Norman Rockwell Museum. Lenox is gorgeous too. Could drive up Route 7 into Vermont if you decide to head this way. Mt Greylock just re-opened its roads. It is a fabulous viewpoint and worth the time. Can drive to the summit or hike. Then Williamstown is a great college town.

A nice route for you would be to get on US Rte. 7 in Norwalk,CT and follow it up into Vermont. Very scenic and you will go through or near the beautiful NE towns of New MIlford, Kent, Etc, Stockbridge, Lenox, Williamstown,MA etc up to Manchester, VT for Columbus Day when the leaves are at their best in that area etc.

joesorce,

http://www.campocean.com/sspage2/images/p1010027.jpg I want that campground and campsite number!!!!

You guys are making me HUNGRY!

Hikerboy,

I see RetiredVermonter has answered your question..and mine on TMF ;)

Utahtea

Me, too! Great lobster roll review. DH took his dad to the Eric Sloane Museum in Kent one year and happened on an antique steam engine meet which they both enjoyed. They also loved camping in the nearby state park.

One thing about camping/parking in this part of the country - even in rural places there are not a lot of places that will let you park overnight for free - even traditional free places like Walmart in most towns will not let you park overnight because of local regulations that prohibit it. Also, some campground close soon after Labor Day - so make sure you have some overnight options - it should not be too difficult, but will require more planning ahead than you have encountered in other parts of the country.

I notice you want waterfalls. Kent, CT has a very nice water fall.

Acadia Maine - Waterfall/hiking story.

Years ago I brought mrlou to Acadia for a getaway. We saw this beautiful post card of a waterfall and decided to find it. It was not in the main park. We searched it out, asking locals to steer us to the path. Finally found someone that knew of it. We parked and hiked the one mile in, only to find another sign that said fall one mile in. Well after a roundabout hike we found the falls. Of course the picture was taken during early spring. When we arrived late summer or early fall it was barely a trickle. Lesson learnt. This aint hawaii! Waterfalls here are most often from winter snow runoff.

Given the amount of rain we have had, there should be water running over it but no guarantee

For the ME, NH, VT leg of your trip, I concur with what others have said about the highlights. I would start in Portsmouth, then motor up Route 1 to Portland.

Here are some links to info on Portsmouth, NH, well worth a stop.

http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/gui...smouth&st=tcse

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/06/tr...smouth&st=tcse

From Portland, LL Bean and Freeport are definitely worth seeing. Next is mid-coast ME (Rockland, Rockport, Camden). Take Route 1 and you will pass through the beautiful town of Wiscasset (Reds Eats is famous for their lobster roll, if they are still open). From Mid-coast, stay on Route 1, drive through Belfast, and make your way to Mt. Desert Island/Acadia National Park/Bar Harbor/Northheast Harbor. This area is worth a few days of your time. We like the Downeast Lobster Company in Trenton for the lobster rolls and dinners. They also have a great fresh fish counter. Another favorite is the popovers and tea at the Jordan Pond House in the park.

When you get to the wonderful White Mountains in NH there are lots of hikes of various durations and challenges. The hike to Arethusa Falls might be just right for you.
http://www.northeastwaterfalls.com/w...php?num=34&p=0

From North Conway, you might take the Kancamangus Highway, one of the 10 most scenic drives in the US, and then continue from Lincoln up through Franconia Notch. There are lots of interesting pull-offs in Franconia Notch, even with the RV. From the town of Franconia, take Route 17 to 302 to I-91 towards Brattleboro, VT. There are three towns worth seeing if your schedule permits, and I think it would make for a great day!
Hanover NH, Grafton VT , Newfane VT

The first is Hanover NH just off I-91. It is home to Dartmouth College, and probably merits a drive-through.
It rates #2 on Money Magazine's list of Best Places to Live: Top 100
http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/...oneymag/2.html

http://www.dartmouth.edu/

Then get back on I-91 south and cut over route 121 to the village of Grafton:

http://www.graftonvermont.org/Home.html

Frequently featured as a backdrop for commercials and movies, Grafton, Vermont is a charming village.

In the early 19th century, sheep raising became popular and multiple woolen mills sprung up along the branches of the Saxtons River. The town became a notable stagecoach hub for traffic across the Green Mountains into Albany, New York. One inn from that era, "the Old Tavern," was founded in 1801. It remains one of the oldest continually operating hotels in the United States.

In the 1960s the Windham Foundation was established to help restore the village. [3] It purchased the Old Tavern and many residences in the area. The foundation also established an artisanal cheese business (the Grafton Village Cheese Company).

From Graton, take route 35 S. to Route 30 S. and you will pass through the quaint village of Newfane on your way to Brattleboro.
http://www.newfanevt.com/

Brattleboro, VT

http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/gui.../overview.html

Bennington, VT

http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/gui.../overview.html

gail or others that have camped, If we make reservations a week or so in advance, will that be enought time? We're not big on camping at Walmart. We really hate having to go by a schedule, but might have to rethink that part. I'm going to have to study my campground directories really closely.

gyppielou, I had a feeling that would be the case with the waterfalls, it's the same here in California.

hikerboy, Thanks so much for the itinerary! Will study it closely.

Utahtea

I will admit that my New England camping experiences are not extremely recent and always in a tent and not RV (sorry - give me a nice hotel now) - so I hesitate to give availability/reservation advice to you, especially since you were so helpful some years back with our Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce trip.

Second the opinion about getting lobster cooked at retail place - and here even most supermarkets will cook it for you for little or no cost. In addition to mess, cooking lobster leaves a weird smell that seems to hang in the air forever - and am fairly sure that would not be so nice in an RV overnight. DeMoulas Market Basket local chain in MA and NH I know will cook lobster for you.

If you are hitting Boston on your adventure, do not even think about driving your RV into the city - the 2 main roads along the Charles River have serious height restrictions - I do not want to find out what you look like by seeing you and your family on the evening news with a crumpled RV top.

And I know you said you are somewhat city-averse, but consider a stop for a day or 2 around Boston - I am not a big city person either and find Boston is one of those smaller cities I like.

Glad hikerboy mentioned Arethusa falls. I only made it as far as the falls (very out of shape and trying to keep up with 3 15yo boys) but the boys continued on for the view.

We tend to put our camper away after Labor Day but there shouldn't be a problem with last minute reservations as long as the campground is still open. The campground in Camden Hills is open until Oct 15. We just spent part of a week at Chewonki in Wiscasset ME. It's a small campground but in the middle of July there were quite a few available sites. Some sites were closed due to rain/mud but most of the sites were in very nice condition. Spoke to a friend who vacationed in Wells ME last week staying at a cottage at an unbelievable low rate (new owners) and said none of the beaches in the area seemed crowded this year. I think a lot of people cancelled plans in New England because our weather has been so terrible. I think hotel/motels will be busy on Sept and Oct weekends but not campgrounds. The kids are back in school and not everyone gets Columbus Day off. Right now there are still reservations available for Labor Day weekend at a campground in the White Mtns that friends are going to. That's probably the last of the busy weekends for many campgrounds.

I've lived in CT all my life and spent a lot of time in Vermont and New Hampshire. In New Hampshire be sure to go to Lake Winnipesaukee. Meridith is a nice town. Be sure to go to the Old Country Store in Moultonboro. I don't recall the name of it but there is a beautiful campground in Moultonboro where you can get a site overlooking the lake. Be sure to visit the Castle in the Clouds too.

Try to attend the Big E (Sep 18 to Oct 4) in Springfield Mass. It's a giant fall fair. There are animal exhibits, parades, rides and each of the New England states has their own exhibits. We go every year. There are smaller ones all over New England in the fall. Connecticut has the Durham fair which is great too. Lots of animals. Not sure about the dates. There are plenty of opportunities to pick apples and pumpkins in the fall.

Beware of the traffic in VT and NH on Columbus Day weekend. We spent hours in traffic one year around Conway New Hampshire that weekend. Someone else mentioned the Kangomungus Highway. What a great ride. It was a loss to all of us a few years ago when the Old Man in the Mountains fell but I think they now have information on it at the visitors center.

Manchester Vermont is nice too. As for my home state of CT I would say the Northwest Corner of the state is very nice. Especially for mild hiking. If you like history we also have the Mark Twain house and the Harriot Beacher Stow house in Hartford and the Nathan Hale homestead in Coventry.

Enjoy the trip.

I haven't seen Newport, RI mentioned here (sorry if I missed it!). It is a real treat to visit and the mansions and scenery are just gorgeous. Also, the beaches have fine sand and are great or swimming. http://www.gonewport.com/

Also, I live in the Northwest corner of CT. It's known as the last green valley or the quiet corner.

Here is an excerpt regarding Connecticut State Route 169

Consider everything you know about New England -- spectacular autumn color, historic buildings, charming cities -- and you will have an idea of what you will find on Connecticut Route 169. Much has changed over the years on this byway, but the history and traditions of the area are still very much a part of the lives of the people who belong to the communities.

Take the opportunity to experience some of the sights along this historical stretch of road. Visit the beautiful churches in Pomfret that date back to the 1800s. Or find out what life was like for a prosperous family in the mid-19th Century at the Bowen House Museum in Woodstock. Or simply explore some of the towns at your leisure, admiring the distinctive architecture and well-kept parks.

As you travel the byway, you will visit many wonderful communities; don't miss the chance to tour each one. The route crosses through Lisbon, where the feeling of an early American community is still evident. Explore Canterbury, where Connecticut's interpretation of Georgian architecture is prominent. Then you will find yourself in Pomfret, once known as "the other Newport" for its strong influx of wealthy summer vacationers. Finally, you will pass through Woodstock, with its many architectural surprises clustered around a town common. Traveling this byway, you will sense an area that is moving ahead in the times while still maintaining a sense of pride in its history.

Oh my goodness! I meant to say I live in the NorthEAST corner of CT.

I know that Massachusetts is not on your current itinerary, but having been to Cape Cod many, many times in the fall -- it is not packed with tourists, and it's an enchanting place to be that time of year. The drive along route 6A on the Cape in the fall is, in my humble opinion, one of the most beautiful drives in America. Leaves full of color, Cape style homes, beaches, marshes. It's simply enchanting. (and I live on the West Coast too -- in Washington state!

We did a 5-week road trip last fall--we started up through Niagara Falls, Montreal, Quebec, PEI, Nova Scotia, then Maine, VT, NH--then home to NM. We were in Stowe, VT over Columbus Day and the colors were at peak (or just a tiny bit past) and it was a glorious picture-perfect weekend. My point is, you don't want to hit southern New England too early (in general). There is a fall color forecast web site you can watch for the predictions and for "color" sightings. Since you probably don't have to make a lot of reservations in advance, you may be able to time your trip for the fall colors. We weren't camping, so we had to make reservations months in advance--we were lucky with our timing. We love the area around Camden, ME. And there is a huge lake in Maine--Moosehead Lake--that looked like it might be a good place for camping (and moose sighting). We were in all kinds of places that claimed to have lots of moose and never saw a one. And do have a lobster roll--at least once.

I'm sorry, I didn't have a chance to read through every response, but my immediate thoughts were:

Acadia/Bar Harbor, ME
Moosehead Lake, ME
Burlington, VT