Need help with fun route.Just hubby and me traveling but looking to avoid as many big interstates as possible, see the local scenery but not get caught in summer traveler gridlock in small towns- I hear we should avoid trying to travel up the coast due to small town gridlock. Appreciate any info on sideroads to take PA to ME.
Thanks!

When we drive from PA (near Phila.) to Maine, we don't run into grid-lock UNTIL Maine. We use the interstates because we just want to get there-it's long enough already. If you stay on 95 in Maine, instead of Rt 1, as long as you can, you'll speed things up. Saturday afternoons at the Maine border are very slow going.

From Allentown; Rt 78 to NJ at Morristown Rt287 N to Rt 87 Suffern NY 87N to 84E, cross the Hudson at Newburgh,NY 84 E to Taconic State Parkway North to Rt 90 E to Stockbridge,MA take Rt 7 north to Rt. 2 East in North Adams,Rt 2 E to Rt 91 north in Greenfield, MA Take Rt 9 E near Brattleboro, VT to Rt 202 in Hillsborough,NH 202 E to 89 S to Concord, NH at Concord rt 93 N to 393 east to Rt 202 to Lebanon, ME 202 N toAlfred, ME take RT 111 E to Biddeford and Rt 95 to the rest of Maine.

Thanks for the quick replies. It appears we were basically planning this route. Will keep away from Rt. 1 once in Maine!

Rte 1 in ME is beautiful, and is a must-drive. If you don't want to a lot of traffic, try going early summer or late fall. It doens't make too much sense for me to go to Maine, but miss the coast.

We take interstates in PA and NY. Rt 91 thru western MA is pretty and we never seem to hit any traffic. Then we get off in Brattleboro, thru Keene and then Rt 202 to Rt 89 in Concord that was mentioned by previous poster. BUT there is Friday 5:30 congestion between Rt 89 entrance to Rt 93 northbound until you get to Rt 393. You could avoid this by taking Rt 127 (turn left at the Golden Pineapple) thru Contoocook and Webster. In Webster turn right onto Long Street (intersection with Cowdrey's Store) and stay on this road until you get to Rt 4. Turn right onto Rt 4 (Steenbeke's Building Supply). Stay on this until you get to Rt 93 and go south to Rt 393.
Rt 393 blends into Rt 4 East. This will take you over the bridges across Great Bay. You can avoid the traffic circle rt 1/rt95 area by following the signs to downtown Portsmouth. It will be a left hand exit and the road goes past Fox Run Mall. Stay on this road until you see signs for Rt 95.
Rt 202 is good, but you miss Great Bay and that's a very pretty stretch. We usually stay on Rt 95 until we get to Brunswick but it depends on where you're going. My BIL thinks the shortest route from Concord NH to Portland ME is to go Rt 4 to rt 202 to Rt 16 and then Rt 302 thru Maine. If you go this way, detour up to see North Conway because the view of the mountain from Main street is so pretty. However, if you go Rt 4 to rt 28 it will take you on the east side of Lake Winnipesaukee and then joins up with Rt 16.

An alternate to Rt 91 would be to enter VT from NY thru Bennington. Hilly terrain but pretty.

I agree with rkkwan - Rte 1 along the Maine coast is spectacular - don't miss it! The small towns are scenic and the rugged coastline with lighthouses is breathtaking.

September is a perfect time to go, yet we've done it in the summer and traffic isn't terrible the entire way. Also depends where in Maine you're going to.
Good luck - sounds like a fun trip.