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Northeast States for Vacation

I have spent a fair amount of time in NE in the summers (and in the winters). A few thoughts:

Rockland/Camden areas are very nice, but a long-ass haul from NYC and even Boston. Maine is big, and all but the southernmost parts take a long time to get to. Traffic can be pretty rough on summer weekends, and you will spend a lot of time in the car getting to your destination no matter what highway you take

It is cold in NE. I have been in Maine in July when it was too cold to sit comfortably on the beach. Late July/August is your best bet.

Other areas you might consider:

Finger Lakes region (though IMO the sights worth seeing are kind of few and far between - a nice getaway for adults if you just want peace and quiet and R&R, but not a whole lot to do besides that)

Take a look at Quechee/Woodstock, VT/Hanover, NH area (Hanover is where Dartmouth is). We have made a few fun trips there over the years. Great area for golfing if you're into that

I was in Ludlow, VT last summer and enjoyed it. A bit out of the way. There are lots of ski resorts that change over to golfing/outdoorsy-type resorts in the summer - great for kids

Cape Cod is also excellent. Great food, nice little towns to browse around in, etc. The beaches suck, but if you're not into swimming in the ocean/walking on the beach/sea-shell hunting, etc., it won't matter
 
This is a good thread for me to add this: About ten years ago I was on vacation at a private home in the woods outside Harpswell, ME. Our last day there I was flipping though the guest book to kill time and it turned out a bunch of Wake grads had been there only the week before. They'd written "Go Deacs" next to their names. Small world.
 
DeacWatcher said:
I had a couple of drinks with some “Mainers” today. They are in the same retirement home as my parents. Had been in Maine their whole life but retired to SC to be closer to daughters and grand kids. They were really nice and informative. They said what some of you guys have about Portland and Acadia. They said Acadia is great but is still just a National Park like many others and don’t spend more than a day or two here. They said Rockland, Ellsworth, Camden, and many others were really cool but the key was driving US1 instead of I-95.

Can anyone confirm? As I said they were really nice but really old and couldn’t hear all that well. Who knows if they heard my questions as clear as I thought.
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“Just a National Park” tells you all you need to know about their opinion.

If you have any interest in nature/hiking/being on the ocean, you could easily spend a week in Acadia. And eat and drink very well while you’re there.
 
DistrictDeacon said:
“Just a National Park” tells you all you need to know about their opinion.

If you have any interest in nature/hiking/being on the ocean, you could easily spend a week in Acadia. And eat and drink very well while you’re there.
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People who live near a significant national treasure sometimes lose perspective on what they have nearby.
 
WRS said:
They are savage but the black fly season is over by end of June I think so wouldn’t be an issue if he is there in august.
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Those fuckers almost killed my dog on a camping trip one time, apparently he reacts badly to them, It was bad.
 
inspectah said:
I have spent a fair amount of time in NE in the summers (and in the winters). A few thoughts:

Rockland/Camden areas are very nice, but a long-ass haul from NYC and even Boston. Maine is big, and all but the southernmost parts take a long time to get to. Traffic can be pretty rough on summer weekends, and you will spend a lot of time in the car getting to your destination no matter what highway you take

It is cold in NE. I have been in Maine in July when it was too cold to sit comfortably on the beach. Late July/August is your best bet.

Other areas you might consider:

Finger Lakes region (though IMO the sights worth seeing are kind of few and far between - a nice getaway for adults if you just want peace and quiet and R&R, but not a whole lot to do besides that)

Take a look at Quechee/Woodstock, VT/Hanover, NH area (Hanover is where Dartmouth is). We have made a few fun trips there over the years. Great area for golfing if you're into that

I was in Ludlow, VT last summer and enjoyed it. A bit out of the way. There are lots of ski resorts that change over to golfing/outdoorsy-type resorts in the summer - great for kids

Cape Cod is also excellent. Great food, nice little towns to browse around in, etc. The beaches suck, but if you're not into swimming in the ocean/walking on the beach/sea-shell hunting, etc., it won't matter
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The Cape is a wonderful place to go. Its not your typical resort beach area. And I agree about the beaches but it has a very unique vibe. Last time we were there we went fishing and saw all the helicoprts tracking the great whotes. Felt like I was in Jaws.

My wife is from the Finger Lakes region and we did a 3 day tour a few years ago. A few wineries, some very very nice state parks, and overall nice scenery. Its very laid back but also nice for a few days. Even though you are in NY, you are in Red America though, except for Ithaca.
 
Nantucket: if the weather is right there is no better destination.
Burlington: Really fun in the summer, tons of outdoors stuff to do, on a big lake, music and arts scene
Maine: York or Kennebunk are great, but get crowded
New Hampshire: Try the lakes, Winnipesaukee or Saco.

If you get adventurous, I have heard St. Andrew's in Canada is amazing in late summer. Haven't been up there myself though
 
DeacWatcher said:
I had a couple of drinks with some “Mainers” today. They are in the same retirement home as my parents. Had been in Maine their whole life but retired to SC to be closer to daughters and grand kids. They were really nice and informative. They said what some of you guys have about Portland and Acadia. They said Acadia is great but is still just a National Park like many others and don’t spend more than a day or two here. They said Rockland, Ellsworth, Camden, and many others were really cool but the key was driving US1 instead of I-95.

Can anyone confirm? As I said they were really nice but really old and couldn’t hear all that well. Who knows if they heard my questions as clear as I thought.
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Three days in Bar Harbor or SW Harbor is a good start. You need to be someone who enjoys hikes, biking, or spending time on the water though.
 
ellsworth is not worth stopping in except for gas and the bathroom


They're correct however the section of Rte 1 where you leave 95 (around Brunswick) and drive the coast to hit Bath, Wiscasset, rockland, rockport and Camden on the way up to Bucksport and then down to Acadia (if you drive) is awesome but that is the heart of tourist world for Maine (outside of Acadia and Portland), especially if you hit it after mid June.

Bucksport has an old civil war fort and a bridge with an observatory on it.
 
I was at a beach town in Maine years ago. I think it was Wells Beach? It was a lot of fun being out of the Alabama "sauna" that is August.
 
I am assuming US-1 is at least a 4 lane highway up on Maine coast or am I wrong?


Are we talking typical summer traffic like in other tourist spots or extra ordinary traffic in August?
 
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DeacWatcher said:
I am assuming US-1 is at least a 4 lane highway up on Maine coast or am I wrong?


Are we talking typical summer traffic like in other tourist spots or extra ordinary traffic in August?
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no, it's a two lane road. in summer, the drive from Bath to Camden will take a laid-back/patient attitude.
 
ImTheCaptain said:
no, it's a two lane road. in summer, the drive from Bath to Camden will take a laid-back/patient attitude.
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Correct. From Brunswick up to Bucksport US 1 slows to a crawl in the summer. You are passing through a lot of little towns where US 1 is basically Main Street; i.e., it is not a limited access highway.

Hard to give you a basis for comparison without knowing what other tourist areas you have in mind. Bottom line is Maine is very crowded in July and August and you should expect a lot of sitting in traffic.

Also, renting a car at Logan Airport in July/August costs a fortune and I have always assumed it's because everybody is headed to Maine.
 
If you want to see Maine and not just "Maine" and also dodge most of the Massholes, and even worse, Quebecois:

Fly to Bangor
Rent Car
Drive to Acadia for a few days (1 hr ish)
Take one day and road trip N on along coast out to Lubec/Campbello Island
Fly home out of Bangor

Profit

works even in the high season
 
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Also, Mt Desert Island is half Acadia and half just Maine coastal island. The eastern lobe that has the bulk of the park and Bar Harbor the town tends to be packed with people, especially if you hit a Cruise ship day. The western lobe of the island has the rest of the park and arguably has better hikes and is way less touristy, despite being a on a self contained island. There are only a few loop roads so like most of Maine, "you can't get there from here" is true but if you go to Acadia and you're sick of the disney feel and don't want to go off-island, drive to the western half and you can escape the crush a bit.
 
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There once was a Stan from Nantucket
Whose hair was so short...ah fuck it
 
Lots of good suggestions on here.

One I haven’t seen yet is Newport, RI. Depending on traffic, you’re probably only 4 hours from NYC.

Newport used to be the Hamptons of the Gilded Age and is arguably one of the most beautiful locations in the country. And it really has everything...incredible history, great beaches, sailing, golf, bars and restaurants, shopping. Can’t recommend it enough.
 
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