cancel
Showing results forย 
Search instead forย 
Did you mean:ย 

Syracuse NY to Acadia National Park

teeznu
Explorer
Explorer
Need some suggestions. From Syracuse we'll get ourselves over to the Eastern seaboard say starting around Hampton or Portsmouth. Then we'll travel up the 103 to the 1 to the 9 thru Kennbunkport and then on up eventually to Acadia Nat Park.
Any and all recommendations as far as Routing an Attractions are greatly appreciated. We're really looking forward to finding some local lobster places where we can stop and get a "chicken Lobster" for lunch. Traveling in a Motor Home.
Thanks to all who respond in advance. Oh, traveling after school starts.
4 REPLIES 4

fwed
Explorer
Explorer
Kennebunkport is a lovely visit, but don't try to take a motor home of any size in there. Bad enough in a car. Ogunquit is even worse.

Stops along the way: Freeport has great parking even for big rigs if you're into shopping. Home of L L Bean. Lots in Portland, but parking is a pain. Maine Maritime Museum in Bath. Botanical Gardens in Boothbay. Penobscot Maritime Museum in Searsport. Get off US Route 1 for the little towns.

Eats: Maine Diner in Wells, Becky's Diner in Portland, Gilbert's in Portland, Red's in Wiscasset, Moody's Diner in Waldoboro -- no tablecloths in any of them, but some of the best food, though parking can be a pain. Fancier (touristier) Dimillo's in Portland, Taste of Maine in Woolwich, anything in downtown Rockland or Camden. A number of artsy places in Portland with higher prices and less food. Royal River Grille in Yarmouth is good though a simple dinner for two is $100+ and much more if you're into the wines.

mkc
Explorer
Explorer
David_and_Chris wrote:
After school starts you will need to check when some of the sites and amenities close in Maine. When I was up there in October everything seemed to be open only from Thurs. - Sun. It may have changed. The camp ground where we were staying was closing shortly after Columbus day.


+1

Most Maine campgrounds close by Columbus Day. Some close earlier - mid September to Oct 1.
2017 LTV Unity

David_and_Chris
Explorer
Explorer
After school starts you will need to check when some of the sites and amenities close in Maine. When I was up there in October everything seemed to be open only from Thurs. - Sun. It may have changed. The camp ground where we were staying was closing shortly after Columbus day.

David
David

DrewE
Explorer
Explorer
There are several options for routing.

The obvious (and probably quickest) but boring and toll-laden route is I-90 to I-290 to I-495. Things to see and do along this route include watching semi trucks, paying tolls, and admiring rest area architecture.

Another reasonable route is to take I-90 to Fultonville/Fonda (exit 28), and then NY 30A to NY29 to Saratoga Springs. From there, I-87 north to exit 20, and NY 149 to US4 across Vermont until you get to I-89. I-89 to Concord, I-93 north a bit to I-393, and then rejoin US4. (You could of course also stay on US4 the whole way, rather than taking the interstates to Concord.) This takes one through the Lake George outlet store zone, slow driving but only for a short distance. Quechee Gorge (near White River Junction) is perhaps worth a stop, along with the nearby VINS nature center. Woodstock can also be a fun, if somewhat touristy, town.

A third reasonable route is to take NY 7 from the Albany area, to VT 9 across Vermont, which magically becomes NH 9 at the border. You could either follow NH 9 all the way to Portsmouth, or catch NH 101 at Keene to go towards Hampton Beach. This goes near the Bennington Battle Monument, which on a clear day offers an impressive view from the top. There's also the Bennington Museum which is probably best known for its collection of Grandma Moses paintings.

If going south along the coast from Acadia is an option rather than north to it, I'd suggest considering NY 360 to NY-8 to NY 9N, across the bridge to VT 17, and then VT 22A north to US 7. In South Burlington, the I-189 spur to I-89 to US-2 at Montpelier and that all the way to Bangor. Note that there are some significant hills on this route, particularly through the Adirondacks; the worst are probably on NY 8 between I-87 and NY 9N, where it's relatively steep and long and curvy. I've driven that stretch in my motorhome a few times without trouble, so it's not as though one's toying with death or anything, but some people aren't too comfortable with those sorts of driving conditions. (Downshifting and using engine braking are definitely called for.) It may look tempting to take VT-17 across to VT-100; you probably don't want to do that as the road over the Appalachian Gap between 116 and 100 is very steep and very curvy (and, I must say, quite beautiful). Along or near this route are the Shelburne Museum (very large and very eclectic), the Vermont Teddy Bear factory, Ben & Jerry's, the Fairbanks Museum in St Johnsbury (natural history mostly, but also a sort of meta-museum of how museums used to look) and an impressive little art gallery in the Athenaeum (public library). With a little extra time, once could duck down (or perhaps I should say up) into the White Mountains of New Hampshire; the Kancamagus Highway is one possibility there, among many.