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Anyone feel like helping a moderator from the west? I live in San Francisco, but my relatives (from my mother's side) live in Massachusetts & I visit annually... my brother also attended Phillips Exeter, and when I used to visit him we'd occasionally drive up to Kittery, ME. That's my only experience with Maine thus far, and I've ALWAYS wanted to drive up the coast - so I'm thinking when I come to Mass this March/April, I'd use the opportunity to take a road trip.
I'll probably only have one night to spare, so it will have to be a fairly short drive. What would be the best destination point if I'm coming from Boston? I was thinking of Bar Harbor, but Google said it's nearly 5 hours, which might be pushing it. I also noticed the map routed me via 295/95, rather than cutting along the coast... is that just because it's faster, or is the coastal route a bad one? I want the most scenic possible, so I don't care if it's a bit tricky or slow. I guess Portland would be the obvious stopping point, but I'm afraid I won't get my fill of driving. Finally, how is the weather in early spring? I know Mass gets gloomy that time of year, and occasionally gets some snow - would that be a bad time to go? Sorry about the string of questions, but I would greatly appreciate your advice!
P.S. Despite being a long-time Californian, I do have experience with bad weather driving... I was born on the east coast, and have lived in the mountains.
I suspect that you are thinking that a drive up the Maine coast will be like a drive up the California coast through Big Sur. It won't be.
Maine's coast is like a bunch of saws teeth. Up at the top of each one of those "inlets" is a river usually, and along that river is a town. Route One follows the coast and links those towns. For the most part you won't see a lot of "the coast" by driving up Route One. In order to "see the coast" you will need to follow the roads out to the little peninsulas that jut out into the Gulf of Maine.
If you drive to Portland, you will see Maine's largest city, which will seem to be quite charming to you, if a tad smallish compared with, say, San Francisco. But Portland has an active waterfront, and is a fine place to visit.
Along the way to Portland coming up Route One you will pass through a few interesting Maine towns, like Kennebunk, Ogunquit and Saco. Just before arriving in Portland, you can take a right and drive out through Cape Elizabeth and visit Portland Head Light, which is one of the pictures of the Maine coast that you have seen in magazines.
It is a pretty hard five hours to Bar Harbor from Boston by car. A lot of people will tell you that they do it in four and a half hours or five hours, easy, and they might do it once or twice or maybe three times. But the Maine State Police and the various country sheriff's departments that lie along the way are all interested in ticketing people who are over the speed limit (to raise money, of course!), and I would plan on six hours to Bar Harbor from Boston.
Once in Bar Harbor, you can tour Acadia National Park and Mt Desert Island, and you will see "the Maine coast" that you probably have in mind.
Counting all the little ins and outs of Maine's saw tooth coast, the coastline is around 3000 miles long.
Thank you for the response... I'm not that obsessed with seeing the "magazine coast," and would actually love to see the quaint small towns. Is there a better drive you'd recommend? I would of course like to see some of that scenic coast, but it would be cool to get a bigger picture. Oh, and I wasn't thinking it would be like Big Sur, since I do have experience with New England & Canada - I am quite well-traveled, and have survived some very treacherous drives!
You could take Route one up to and as far as either Boothbay Harbor or Camden. You'd see many small towns and land in one of the above mentioned pretty little coastal towns for the night. Taking Route one north could take as long as 4 hours as you'll be going thru many small towns with many stop lights. Traffic should be fairly quiet during the months of March/April.
wow that's a tough one I think! I definitely wouldn't go past Camden, and I think driving down into Boothbay Harbor is probably the best idea. If you look at the Maine coast on a map, I'd explore some of those "fingers" that branch off Rt 1 between--oh, Brunswick and Damariscotta. I don't have my map in front of me..... but you could drive down into Harpswell, or go to Popham State Park, out to Reid State Park... if you drive down to Boothbay Harbor you could drive out to Southport (? is it Southport) Island--anyway, in that section of the coast because you have all the "fingers" coming down, you could really miss some of the prettiest parts if you stay on Rt 1. I wish I could explain it more clearly, but I think when you pull out a map you'll see what I mean And staying around the Portland area isn't bad either.... Have a great time!
Thank you for the response... I'm not that obsessed with seeing the "magazine coast," and would actually love to see the quaint small towns. Is there a better drive you'd recommend? I would of course like to see some of that scenic coast, but it would be cool to get a bigger picture. Oh, and I wasn't thinking it would be like Big Sur, since I do have experience with New England & Canada - I am quite well-traveled, and have survived some very treacherous drives!
Sorry. No condescension intended! The Maine coast IS the "magazine" coast. It is just that to see it you will need to take time away from the main route up and along the coast, which is Route One. This in turn will make your available day really, really stressful with mixed results.
The little towns that lie along Route One, and elsewhere in Maine largely grew up because they lay on a river. There are relatively few towns that are right on the coast itself, with views of much more than either a river, or perhaps a small bay. If you could manage to have two or three days, you can see some of the Maine coast.
But a drive up Route One to Portland from the New Hampshire line will not show you much of what I think you would really like to see. My advice is to skip that entire, and take Interstate 95 to Portland. From Portland you can see a lot and in a couple of days can see some quaint Maine towns from Portland to Camden without a terrific amount of stress.
Traffic in March/April will be light, and the weather may or may not cooperate with bright sunshine and blue skies. And yes, there is a chance of a late season snowstorm as late as mid April.
One of the best parts for your visit will occur if you plan to be surprised!
^I'd second that drive as well. Since you've been to Kittery, the drive from Kittery to Portland along the coast, while beautiful, will only be taking time away from seeing some more diverse terrain.
I'd suggest making your overnight point Boothbay Harbor, Rockport, or Camden and taking I-95 to Portland before heading out along the coast as Acadianlion mentioned. This way you'll see much of the beautiful midcoast and enjoy some truly impressive little towns along the way.
Sample Route: Take 95 North to exit 42/ Scarborough. Go straight at the light on Haigais Parkway until you come to a light at Route 1/ Blue Star Memorial Parkway... Take a left (North). Follow that road for a few miles and you'll come to a stop light and an intersection with Black Point Road/ rt. 207 (there's a mobil on the right hand side, a Mcdonalds and a high school on the left)... take a right on Black Point Road/ 207.
Now that you're on Black Point Road/207, follow it for close to 5 miles. After that you'll come to a small intersection between Black Point Rd/ 207 and Spurwink Road/77 (you'll see a small firehouse on the right just past the intersection on Black Point Road). Here, you can do two things. If you have a little extra time, go straight and continue on Black Point Road for about 2mi. (it's a "dead end") and you'll pass Ferry Beach State Park (pull in and take a little look if you have time... you have beautiful water views and on a nice day, can see Mt. Washington NH in the background). After Ferry Beach, continue for about 1/2 a mile on Black Point Rd. and you'll be on Prout's Neck. Here, you can drive (slowly, cops are everywhere) along the rocky coast and take in the beautiful scenery. the Black Point Inn right on the left serves good lunch (but they're not open until May) if you're hungry.
If you don't want to take this detour, at the afore mentioned intersection (Black Point Road/ Spurwink Road/77) take a left onto Spurwink Road. This road will take you into Cape Elizabeth. After a little while, you'll see a little white church on the left and the road splits... stay to the right (route 77/ Bowry Beach Road). Along here, you can stop at Crescent Beach State Park, and Two Lights State Park (down two lights road to the right). This road turns into Ocean House Road (it's still route 77), keep following it. After Crescent Beach SP and Two Lights Rd, you'll come to an intersection with Shore Road. Take a Right on Shore Road (this will take you off route 77). From here, you'll be driving along the shore in Cape Elizabeth and South Portland. This is also where you'll be able to access Ft. William State Park (which for some reason isn't marked on google maps, but its entrance is Powers Rd... it's well marked in real life) and the Portland Head Lighthouse (located IN Ft. William SP).
After you visit the lighthouse, continue along Shore Rd. and it will eventually turn into Cottage Road. Cottage Road intesects with "Broadway" in South Portland... take a Left onto Broadway and follow this for a good distance... you will soon cross the Casco Bay Bridge into Portland. After the bridge, you'll be forced onto "York Street," but you should take a right onto Park Street (a small connector street about 100 yards past the end of the bridge) and then an immediate left onto Commercial Street... you're now on Route 1.
Commercial Street will take you along Portland's waterfront. Feel Free to stop and get out and take a walk. It's a nice little area. Continue on Commercial until you come to the intersection with Franklin Arterial (labeled, "Franklin Art.") which is also route 1. Take a left onto Franklin Art. and Follow this until you come to a junction with with I-295. Get on I-295 North, but stay to the right because you'll only be on the highway briefly to cross a bridge.
After you've crossed the small bridge on I-295, get off exit 9 (route 1 North) and follow that for a few minutes. In Falmouth, you'll come to a split with route 88/ Foreside Rd. Take a right onto 88/ Foreside Road. This road will take you along Falmouth's coast. It eventually turns into Lafayette Rd/ rt 88. Continue along this road until you come into the center of Yarmouth and the intersection with route 1/ Blue Star Memorial Highway. Take a Right (or get out and enjoy Yarmouth for a bit and continue the drive later) onto Route 1 and follow for about 1.5 miles. You'll see a split for "Old South Freeport Road"... take a right onto Old South Freeport Rd which will almost immediately turn into S. Freeport Road. Follow this for some time along the Harraseekett River where the road name will change yet again to South Street (in Freeport). After a while, South Street will have a four way intersection with West Street (to the left) and Torrey Hill Range Road (to the Right). Take a left on West Street and follow that until you hit Route 1/ Main Street (it's only about 1/4 mile) and then take a right onto route 1/ Main Street. You're now in the center of Freeport. If you enjoy shopping or are looking for lunch, you're in the right place.
My "sample route" is getting a bit long winded and I'm less familiar with the mid-coast, so I'll let someone else take it from here. I hope you enjoy your trip and maybe take in at least one of my suggestions.
The weather in March/April isn't wonderful. The ground will either be snowy or soggy (muddy) or even a bit of both. There's an equal chance for either rain or snow (or sun), but it's worth taking the drive even if you get only a few hours of sun.
^1/2 Memory, 1/2 Google Maps (for the actual road names/numbers and actual distances). Navigation, maps, and directions are sort of a hobby of mine (a handy hobby to have I guess). I love driving, especially in new places.
A lot of routes split off from 1. But, the true rugged maine coast begins past schoodic. Towns like Gouldsboro,Winter Harbor,Prospect Harbor,Corea, can be reached via SR 186 and 195. Jonesport, via 187, by then however, you'll be in what I like to call "Dolores Claiborne Country" SR 191, which crosses 1 in Machias is also s good coastal route, that passes through Cutler,Whiting,Trescott, and Lubec. 189 also provides a good access to Lubec and Campobello. I have a fascination with highways and maps. Heck, i probably have the largest collection of road maps in the state of maine(over 3,000+) Also, US 1 is signed as Coastal. There's also a travel byway thats cosigned with the route.
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I live in San Francisco, but my relatives (from my mother's side) live in Massachusetts & I visit annually... my brother also attended Phillips Exeter, and when I used to visit him we'd occasionally drive up to Kittery, ME. That's my only experience with Maine thus far, and I've ALWAYS wanted to drive up the coast - so I'm thinking when I come to Mass this March/April, I'd use the opportunity to take a road trip.
Oh, and I wasn't thinking it would be like Big Sur, since I do have experience with New England & Canada - I am quite well-traveled, and have survived some very treacherous drives!
