We are planning a 9 day trip to the New England States the 2nd week in Sept. We will be driving from N.C. We will be driving into Pa. or N.Y. before doing any sightseeing. Need help on best places to go and see. Love the coast and mountains. Want to see BarHarbor and Lubec in Maine. Need help with rest of planning! Is New Brunswick or Nova Scotia to much to plan on in nine days? Would like to see Boston I think,Help.

If you do stay in Boston and than head for New Hampshire, The Kucamungis Highway is very beautiful(I hope I spelled it correctly)from North Conway to Lincoln. Along Rye beach it is also scenic but unforunately it is not as arresting as the California coastline.

Jean,

Back in '95, I tried to visit most of New England in 10 days, but quickly realized that there was way to much driving. My advice would be choose a couple of places and stick to those - it's all very beautiful - but don't try to do too much.

Have a great time!

Laura

For 9 days, I would stick to the Maine coast unless you Want to spend all your time in the car. Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park are wonderful at that time of year.

I have done the NC to Bos trip many times and the most disagreeable part is traversing NJ and NY (no offense those of you who live there.)
You can choose a route to avoid this. Up thru PA to crossinto New England in the Bershires (stay near Stockbridge). The Tanglewood and Dance season will be over. Then travel for a night in Newport RI (tour the mansions, eat on the harbor). Then up to Boston. Go North from Boston along the Maine coast to Bar Harbor. Many great places to stop in Maine: Ogunquit, Portland, Camden, etc. (shop at outlets in Kittery and at LLBean in Freeport).
Early Sept is a great time. Uncrowded, before leaf season, still warm and nice.
The staight line "quick" way to get back to NC (where in NC?) is I95. Boston-Sturbidge-Hartford-NYC-NJTpk-Del MemBridge-Balt-Wash-Richmond,etc.
If you are in Eastern NC, you could diverge at Del Mem Bridge and go down Eastern Shore to Cheaseapeke Bridge.
From Bar Harbor back to NC will take 2 long days or 3 medium ones.
Good luck

9 days should give you lots of time for both seacoast AND mountains in New England, providing you don't drive too far up the Maine coast.
Here's what I would reccommend - Boston is a great city, spend a night or two here. If you feel like a little splurge, stay at the Marriot Long Wharf, which overlooks the harbor, and is in a great location to explore the rest of the city. Next drive up the coast and spend a few hours in Portsmout NH, a very interesting old harbor town. Then continue up into Maine, and stay somewhere in Ogunquit, Wells, or Kennebunkport for a few days. The beaches in this area are great, and there are some scenic lighthouses, and small fishing villages near by (like Cape Porpose). Next, head back down to New Hampshire. From here, you can head north into the White Mountains which are quite scenic, with lots of hiking and tourist spots (Shaker Village in Canterbury is worth a few hours, and it's en route to the mountains). Or you can head Northwest on I-89 to the Dartmouth area to see Hanover NH, Woodstock Vt, the Cornish covered bridge, drive up Mt. Ascutney, etc, etc.There are some wonderful b&b's and farms to stay at in the mountains! You can easily do all of this in 9 days!

Boy DougD that is good advice. I used to live in New Hampshire and that is exactly what I'd recommend right down to the hotel in Boston.

Thanks for all your suggestions. To DougD - would you not go up as far as Bar Harbor & Lubec? What am I missing by not going that far north? Also, I failed to ask, where are the best locations of seeing moose? Any of the places any of you mentioned? Thanks again for all of your help.

I, too, agree with DougD. What you are missing by not going up to Bar Harbor is a five-hour drive! You don't want to miss Vermont in September, so I'd recommend the Boston, southern Maine, VT loop as well. Moose are prevalent along the Kangamagus Highway and White Mountain Nat'l Parks in NH. But I've never seen one there - just in my own neighborhood outside of Manchester!
If you do that loop, I'd also recommend Lost River, the Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum in Warner, St. Gaudens in Cornish (all in NH) and Simon Pierce glass in Queechee, VT. While in Maine, be sure to walk the Marginal Way from the center of Ogunquit to Perkins Cove. Very scenic and lots of nice spots at the end for a delicious lobster!