Nifftiffniffer

My husband and I are traveling to VT, NH, and ME in mid-June. We are on a decent budget, so trying to choose cheaper activities and meals. We enjoy nature (waterfalls, ocean, gardens), some lighthouses (been to the bigger ones already) and stupid/practical/natural roadside attractions (i.e. massive lobster statues to covered bridges.) Any hikes need to be short and easy to moderate as I am 5 mo pregnant. Any suggestions for sights to see on our route or for good, hole in the wall cheap eats? How do you pick out a good lobster shack? Also would be willing to splurge on one nicer meal if you have a great recommendation in our stops. Any suggestions for the most scenic route between Bennington and Franconia as well as Conway (after the Kanc) to Boothbay Harbor? Trying to avoid habit to do too much and not have any relaxation time, yet not miss any unknown highlights. Maybe this is already too packed. Did lots of ME coast trips as a kid, but first time planning one for myself.
Thanks for your thoughts!

Friday: drive from southeast PA to Bennington, VT (go up monument) drive to Franconia, NH (Fri/Sat nights in Franconia)

Saturday: White Mountain area (hike Gorge, maybe Cannon Mt - wanted to do Mt Washington, but appalled at price) Open to other White Mt sites or alternatives to Mt Washington.

Sunday: drive via Kanc (stopping at a few close to road waterfalls) to Boothbay for overnight. If time, stop at LLBean or Pemaquid. Is Red's Eats overrated? Other option is to drive straight to Boothbay for a Puffin cruise at 1pm. Not sure if cruise is worth the cost.

Monday: drive up Rt 1 to Bar Harbor. Considering AM trip to Botanical Garden. As time allows, stop at Port Clyde, Owl's Head, and Camden

Tuesday: Acadia - probably Park Loop Rd. (M-Th nights staying outside Bar Harbor)

Wednesday: drive out and explore Schoodic Penninsula

Thursday: AM walk out to Bar Island. Explore Mount Desert Island. Asticou Garden

Friday: drive to overnight in Wells. Maybe stop at LLBean if didn't on way up. Would love to drive along southern coast past Portland.

Saturday: Nubble Light and maybe York Cliff Walk, drive appx 6 hrs from Kittery to home.

elberko

In Bar Harbor, we liked this place for good, lower-priced food:
http://www.thirstywhaletavern.com

djkbooks

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Everywhere you go, there is literature - booklets, maps, etc. that include local dining. And, all of those places have visitor's websites with dining pages.

Don't overlook breakfast. There are much better options than a hole in the wall or even a diner at the same prices. For example, around Wells, forget the Maine Diner (unless you just adore a good greasy spoon that cannot get scrambled eggs right) or over-hyped places like Bintliff's and go to The Greenery Cafe or any number of other places with really good food, especially in Ogunquit.

Google for best Lobster Pounds. Read recent reviews for Red's. For cheap, pick up a lobster or two at a supermarket (they'll steam it for you) and some mayo and rolls or butter or whatever. You can pull the lobster apart with your fingers and melt butter in the microwave in the breakfast room. (Make sure your accommodations do not prohibit bringing food into your room and get rid of the shells right away.)

Here's hoping your accommodations in the Bar Harbor area are flexible. In June, there can be periods of many days when the coast is entirely fogged in - you cannot even see the trees along the side of the road along the park loop road. And, no, it won't "burn off by noon". Worse, the constant fog horns day and night.

What is "worth it? The puffin cruise is conducted with the Audubon Society. We loved it. I doubt they would fill the boats trip after trip if people did not find it "worth it".

dfrostnh

Assume you have a Delorme Atlas for NH to locate waterfalls and covered bridges.

Goole maps says fastest route from Bennington to Franconia is I91. If you go that way you can visit Quechee Gorge and King Arthur Flour in Norwich.

We did Maine Coastal Gardens last June and enjoyed the Boothbay area (East Boothbay in particular) off season. We got take out lobster rolls from a roadside stand, Karen's Hideaway and took them to a little park on a little island that we had found while driving around. I'm pretty sure it was Knickerkane Park. Yummy sandwiches at East Boothbay General Store.

We have yet to try Red's. Our favorite lobster roll place is McLoon's in S. Thomaston ME. If you go to Owl's Head (nice easy hike) you are in the vicinity. Beautiful view of working harbor.

I believe there is a parking charge at Pemaquid. Take picnic supplies with you. Other less well known lighthouses have fre parking. Top of Mt Battie is a great picnic spot. Take bag chairs with you.

Visit Chicken Barn Antiques and Used books on way to Bar Harbor.

We loved Claws on Rt 1 in Rockland north of the city. More interesting meu than most drive in type places. We finally visited Rockport last summer. Nice park at the marina and interesting history exhibit. Watched kids learning to sail.

In Kittery visit When Pigs Fly bakery and enjoy free samples. Don't miss Bite Into ME food truck at Fort Williams Park and Lighhouse in South Portland. Enjoy your lobster rolls overlooking Casco Bay (bag chairs). You can walk cliff there.

gail

In Maine when you are in Wells, eat at the Maine Diner - right on Route 1. Not fancy. Good decent local food.

Ackislander

You have way too much packed in. I am going to suggest an itinerary where you enjoy yourself on the way as well as just blasting through on the way.

Friday -- PA to Bennington via Taconic Parkway on to Brattleboro for night; Brattleboro is quintessential Vermont hipster town.

Saturday -- Brattleboro to Littleton, NH via "avoid highways" maps on Google. Check in to your hotel. Explore Crawford Notch in the afternoon. You will go through Franconia next day. Take the Mt Willard trail (ask at AMC lodge) an easy walk with spectacular views at the end. Maybe drive up into Pinkham Notch, depending on how tired you are, or up to the Base Station for the Cog Railway. Eat dinner at Littleton Diner. It is the real deal and locavore.

Sunday -- your Franconia to Kanc to Boothbay direct route is fine, though expect traffic. You definitely don't want to stop at either Bean's or Red's on a Sunday, and the traffic backups caused by Red's are awful. Skip the Puffin cruise because you are going to be hard-pressed to make it by 1:00.

Monday -- you don't have time to go to Port Clyde. You can go to Owl's Head and you have to go through Camden. If it is raining, you can stop at the Trasportation Museum in Owl's Head and the Farnsworth art museum in Rockland. Just past Camden, it is a nice drive up to the top of Battle Mountain for the view. Traffic is likely to be heavy east of Camden.

The rest of your week is okay if it doesn't rain too much. Expect to need rain jackets and sweaters in June. Stop at Red's if you want to and Bean's on the way back. They will be less packed on a week day.

I would leave very early on Friday and stop for the night in Portland, but I am not a fan of the Maine Coast south of Portland. Saturday sounds fine but stay well away from Boston.

I probably don't need to say this, but you will need reservation for lodging wherever you stay. Lobster pounds are lobster pounds. I like the ones run by the local lobstermen's coops where you sit at a picnic table on the dock. A boiled lobster is a boiled lobster. Lobster rolls come in different styles, and I urge you to try as many different styles as you can. Some places give you huge lobster rolls, but that will be reflected in the price. Would two smaller lobster rolls or three for two people to split be better? Experiment!

Nifftiffniffer

Thanks for all the advice and suggestions! Lodging is already booked. We hesitated going all the way to White Mts the first day, but there is an appeal to spending 2 nights in one motel vs. doing too many one night stays. Didn't think about LLBean or Red's being a zoo on a Sunday! Good call there. Appreciate the food suggestions. And glad to hear both sides of the puffin cruise. Have been to ME many times in June, and must have lucked out on fog.

DebbieDoesDulles

Lobster is never a "cheap eat" and is expected to have record-high "market prices" this summer.

Red's is not the classic "lobster roll" more like a full lobster plopped on top of a bun, you dip the meat into butter like you would a lobster dinner, but you don't have to deal with the shell. It was up to $26 during some of July last year, can they hit $30 this year? I think I would rather sit down and have nice table service and pleasant surroundings somewhere else in Boothbay, maybe The Lobster Dock.

Near Bar Harbor try www.thurstonsforlobster.com

In Wells, Fisherman's Catch. Or if you've had your fill of seafood by then, the Merriland Farm Café is terrific.

Have you visited the Desert of Maine? It's not far from L.L Bean...sounds right up your alley.

dfrostnh

Merriland Farm is a great recommendation but go at an off time. It's very popular. Great breakfasts but get there early. They are open 8am to 2pm. Closed on Tuesdays.

We haven't been to the Littleton Diner in ages but it was where we had real corned beef hash.

Photographer on facebook posted yesterday that the lupines in Acadia are looking good, maybe great bloom in about a week. One memory we have of a June visit to the mid-coast area was sauntering down a main street and see a few shops closed with a sign on the door "gone fishing".

Ackislander's advice to stay away from LL Bean on a weekend was good advice.

gail

If you find "cheap eats" seafood, eat a burger instead. Really. Quality local seafood is not cheap. Lobsters are local. Sometimes clams. But not a lot of fin fish swimming and being caught off New England any more.

Nifftiffniffer

I think the idea of cheap eats is so we can splurge on lobster/clams once or twice. I know that part sadly isn't cheap!

suze

Just picnic like you would anywhere else. Find the local deli, grocery store, farm stand, or co-op and put together your meals if you want to eat well but on the cheap.

I liked the adding Brattleboro suggestion (probably because I used to live there and have many fond memories).

dfrostnh

Wells is probably one of the toughest places to find cheap eats because the whole area is extremely popular. Since it's a day trip for us, sometimes we eat at Mike's Clam Shack on Rt 1. Family friendly, large and popular and crowded on a Friday night. They do take-out so that would save you from leaving a large tip. Depending on your tastes you might do salads and share a large order of fried clams. Or salad and share a pasta with seafood dish. My chief complaint with a lot of seafood places is too many French fries so we split a side order of clams rather than getting a clam dinner. Or consider splitting a clam dinner and getting chowder for two.

We have a tendency to have a lobster lunch when out exploring and then a simpler evening meal near our lodging place. Most economical Saturday night meal would be a church supper if you see one advertised. Price around here is $10 each for adults and usually all you can eat. We did find a lobster benefit dinner once which was more expensive but a lot of fun, a fundraiser for the local fire dept.

panecott

I agree about McLoon's for lobster roll. It's authentic, delicious and fresh. They catch the lobsters right there by the little shack. The two times I rented a cabin in Spruce Head Harbor, I was a stone's throw from there. Great setting, too.

There's a little restaurant in Spruce Head Village that I think is called The Market - it used to be a market - that also has good, inexpensive food.

Owl's Head General Store has excellent casual food. It's in the same vicinity as McLoon's. Try the five napkin burger, or the Haddock chowder and corn bread.

sharona

We were at Pemaquid last week. It's $3/person and if you go up the lighthouse there's a sign that says they don't get any of the admission fee so they ask for a donation.

We were in Bar Harbor for two days. The first day was rainy and overcast and while we attempted to drive through Acadia we soon gave up since you could only see a few feet in front of you. The next day we had a little better luck. We had mostly clear views from the top of Cadillac Mountain but the coastal road of the Loop was completely fogged in at least until about 1:00. We had a long drive ahead of us and couldn't wait to see if it was going to clear.