milli

We are staying a couple of days (is it enough?) in Boston and then rent a car and drive north to Maine. How many stops and which are the most beautiful places absolutely not to miss? Any nice and romantic suggestions for lodging on the way?
Thanks
Milli

jbass

If it was me - Boston for 2 days probably not. Make sure you have dinner in the North End. Beautiful places to stop on the way to Maine. Marblehead-have lunch at the Barnicle-it's right on the water. Rockport on Cape Ann; Essex if you like antiques; Ipswich for fried clams. Portsmouth, NH-check out the Marriott Wentworth. Into Maine: Ogunquit; Camden; Boothbay Harbor; Bar Harbor. Many great towns in between. How far are you going into Maine?

milli

I would like to reach Bar Harbor then Bangor and from there drive to Quebec City. But I think I might stay three nights in Boston, then I need how many other night stops before I reach Bar Harbor? And where? I don't have a big problem of time except that I'd like to visit the Quebec area too. Do you know if it's possible to rent a car in Boston and take it all the way to Canada? Thanks

dfrostnh

It's been years since we drove a bit out of the way from Quebec City down thru Maine via Fort Kent. I don't recommend that route at all. It's remote country. It looks like Rt 201 is fairly direct but check mileage and get advice about traveling that route. Usually people go from Boston to Quebec City via VT or NH. It's only 46 miles from Bar Harbor to Bangor. You can do a lot in 2 days in Boston but if you've never been, it's probably not long enough. We usually get there by lunch on Friday, enjoy a museum and maybe a show. On Saturday, explore an area such as Boston's North End, take a Duck Tour, and another show on Saturday night. Since Boston is close, we've visited historical sites numerous times but a visitor will want to do some of the Freedom Trail.
Portsmouth is only about an hour from Boston but the Wentworth is a gorgeous hotel in a beautiful location. Stopping a Rockport, etc will lengthen the drive. You can easily take a whole day to get to Portsmouth. Portland is about an hour from Portsmouth, then it's 175 miles to Bar Harbor. It really depends on how often you want to change hotels. We usually spend a week in Maine. If Portsmouth is too close to Boston and you want to get more miles in before you spend the night, I'd head to Camden. It's a busy tourist town but the harbor is home to windjammers, the view from Mt Battie is wonderful, and it easily rates as a romantic place to stay. Cellar Door Winery in Lincolnville nearby is fun for wine tasting and buying a bottle. If you buy more than one bottle you will need to check customs regulations about how much you can take across the border.
We have not taken a rental car into Canada in several years. You need to check your insurance coverage for travel in Canada. Quebec City is very beautiful but it's a long way from Bar Harbor to get there. If you are on limited time, think twice about essentially spending two full days total just to get there and back.

virginia

hi milli, bar harbor and acadia are wonderful. the bar harbor inn is very nice and romantic. check out www.acadianatioinalpark.com
while you're there be sure to drive over to schoodic point to see what acadia looked liked before tourism.
the drive from bar harbor to quebec will not take 2 full days and is scenic the whole way. 5-6 hours is more like it. i live in the area and would advise driving to bangor on rte 7. then take rte 15 to dover-foxcroft and continue to greenville/moosehead lake. if you have time you might spend a night in greenville coming or going. then continue up to jackman, then moose river, then north on rte 201 into canada. or between dover-foxcroft and greenville is abbot. you can take rte 16 west there to bingham and get on 201 north and drive up the kennebec river which is a gorgeous drive (my personal favorite for fall foliage viewing). hope this helps. happy planning.
dfrostnh - how in the world did you get from quebec to ft.kent.? i don't even see a road for that...

tracys2cents

Need a passport now for Quebec! And be sure to spend a night or two on Moosehead Lake!

milli

Thanks to all for your answers. The only doubt I still have, not knowing the regulations about taking a U.S. rental car to Canada, is if it wouldn't be easier to drive back from Acadia to Boston and take a plane to Quebec from there! If it takes me 5 or 6 hours driving through Maine to reach Quebec it would probably be shorter to come back to Boston. What do you think?
Milli

dfrostnh

virginia: we followed the river east from Quebec City and at some point decided we better head south to Maine, entering at Fort Kent. I remember mostly tall pine trees and getting nervous about finding a place to stay. The route you described thru Maine to Quebec City sounds very nice. There's so much of New England we haven't seen yet despite living here a lifetime.

rkkwan

Driving a rental car into Canada shouldn't be a problem unless you're Canadian. But do check with the rental car agency before booking.

You can get from Boston to Bar Harbor in a day. It's a pretty long drive, especially if you take the coastal US1 after Brunswick. There are plenty of nice places to stay - like Boothbay Harbor or Belfast, before getting to Bar Harbor.

tovarich

When we did the 6 N.England states in 2004 we started in Boston (3 full days)then drove via Salem(visit)to Portland.The next day drove to Bar Harbor for 3 days(whale watching) and the only National park in NE.Paul