joesorce

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

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

http://lobstershacktwolights.com/

joesorce

http://merecat.org/food/dining/lobster-rolls/maine/

tchoiniere

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.

sobster

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.

utahtea

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

dfrostnh

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.

gail

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.

sobster

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

gyppielou

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.

tchoiniere

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

hikerboy

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

utahtea

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

gail

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.

dfrostnh

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.

MissKelsey

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.

djrgrove

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.

djrgrove

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

NancyD9393

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!

nmweaver

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.

BostonGal

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