rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

We lived just north of Springfield for seven years. Linda is correct that southern New England is different from northern New England, but western New England is also different from eastern New England. Considering the OP's schedule, I'm not sure that trying to get both east and west is reasonable.

Billynikon Loc: Atlanta

Agree that Freeport is place to get off 95. Stop in LL Bean, it is a great experience. The Old Port section of Portland has great restaurants and views. Backing up, Portsmouth is a very walkable city with great restaurants and interesting shops and bookstores. Don't miss Rockport and Camden, Maine. Boothbay Harbor has some wonderful lobster places and is beautiful. Acadia is scenic but don't miss the popovers at the Jordan Pond house. As I remember they start serving about 4PM.

Mageen

Glad to hear that you will be visiting New England. Maine is a wonderful state and Linda's suggestions were right on the spot. You mentioned an interest in whale watching and here is some info which may be helpful. If you go whale watching in Massachusetts from Cape Cod, Boston or Gloucester on the North Shore, the entire area is Stellwagen Bank. If you Google it, you will get great information and if you go to Wikipedia, you will get good concise info; if you pass your cursor over the types of whales, you will get a thumbnail and 1-2 sentences. All of the whale watching is great and I liked Gloucester the best, a smaller boat on Capt. Bill's, great viewing and the North Shore is wonderful. If you go on any whale watch, buy your tickets in advance as they sell out early and bring a sweater or sweatshirt as it can get cold under certain conditions, e.g, early or late day, early or late season, when the boats accelerate to and from the sites. The suggestion from DrMike99.....perfect! Have fun!

Mike Ga Loc: Long Island, NY

What time of year are you going? The summer can be full of vacationers all through the New England area. The fall is absolutely beautiful with the change of seasons. There are some great lighthouses all along the shore with great little towns. I have spent a week just doing the lighthouses in the Maine area.

SusanFromVermont Loc: Southwest corner of Vermont

Hi Chris! I have traveled the Southern Maine coast numerous times, but my favorite was when I was going to Acadia National Park. Traveled east on local roads to I-95 in coastal New Hampshire. There are plenty of towns along the way on route 1, but as others have said, a lot of it has become quite commercial. If any of the areas interest you, it is easy enough to exit the highway and make a side trip. They still have a lot to offer, but they will undoubtedly be crowded in the summer. Stop at the first visitors center when you enter Maine and check out the literature. A lot of it is advertisements, but there are good ones that show you where all the lighthouses are located. York, Maine is the location of the Nubble Lighthouse - very pretty and a decent amount of parking. Like many others, it is on an island and not accessible to the public. But it is fairly close to the shore and viewing is good. I even liked it one year when a fog was rolling in and I could hardly see the lighthouse, and only intermittently. Freeport is a nice town, and LL Bean is there - we also stop at Scarborough and go to Cabela's. There are several lighthouses around Portland, and the wharfs in the "Old Port" are an interesting combination of warehouses and restaurants! Boats you will see are of all types, and there is a ferry landing as well - that is how the islands get supplies and how people travel back and forth.

If you like harbors, there are plenty of them to explore. I like the one in Freeport - not too big and plenty of working lobster fishermen as well as pleasure boats. The bait is loaded in big barrels onto the boats in the early morning. The coastal route along the coast of Maine heading east is full of small towns and harbors. Route 1 cannot follow it close to the shore, but there are roads that will take you down the peninsulas to the fishing villages and harbors, and to the lighthouses. After Acadia National Park, you are heading east and eventually northeast. This is "Down East" territory.

The main thing to consider is that there is so much to see, you have to prioritize. I went to harbors and lighthouses along the way, but skipped a lot because it would take weeks to properly explore everything I wanted to see. There are many guide books, but the one I used is written by a Photographer. "The Photographer's guide to the Maine Coast - Where to Find Perfect Shots and How to Take Them" by David Middleton and Bruce H Morrison. It covers a lot of different areas and might be something to take a look at. Even David could not cover everything, but he did a nice job of showing what there was to see. Maps marked with numbers corresponding to destinations described in the book are very helpful.

The summer is tourists, black flies, and mosquitoes, so be prepared. In the fall there are leaf peepers and less insects. The place I stayed in Bar Harbor had reduced rates beginning in early October during the "off season". Colors are beautiful. Still plenty of people, but there is room for everyone.

I took plenty of photos, and many of them you can see on my photos page at 500px.com/susanfromvermont/galleries.

We just got back from Maine where we went inland to Grand Lake where my husband went fishing, and Moosehead Lake where we went on a "Moose Safari" and I got pictures of a moose! So much to see, you can only do so much unless you want to spend a lot of time driving. I would love to hear more about your plans and when you intend to go.

Susan

ceallachain Loc: Cape May, NJ

Being a Bay Stater myself, Linda's ME suggestions are all good, but, do not miss the coastal towns of the the Bay State. Some have been mentioned , Salem, Marblehead, Rockport and Gloucester. Going out of Boston take Rte 1A North hugging the rugged coast of MA some of NH and then ME. Downeaster Linda mentioned some places there as have others. Continuing up to New Brunswick Canada, be sure to spend time in Monkton and St John. The latter is where the Bay of Fundy is with the reversing tides. At low tide you can walk the beach to hugh caves. Inside them looks like your on the Moon. St John also has a street the has a magnetic pull that basically appears to defy gravity. Enjoy your trip.

MissSue

can i go with you?

ceallachain Loc: Cape May, NJ

Western New England, aka The Berkshires, is God's country. Rolling hills, pastoral views as far as the eye can see. Quaint little towns that Norman Rockwell made a lifetime of painting them and the townspeople. Tanglewood Music Festival during the summer months. Eastern States Exposition (NE States Fair, yes all six of them participate) in the Fall as well as Leaf Peeping in the Fall. And, oh yes, lots of the White stuff in the Winter bringing out the Skiers and the Sledders of all ages. The Spring is Liliacs and other flowers everything smells and looks cleans, and the Berkshires in the early morning dew indicate, where heaven starts. It's all good.

SusanFromVermont Loc: Southwest corner of Vermont

l
Love your descriptions! Western New England certainly is worthy of a visit. I live in the "tri-state area" where Massachusetts, New York, and Vermont meet. Lots of history and pretty towns in western MA, and it continues into VT. Chris wants to visit the coast this trip, but a more westerly exploration is certainly worth considering for the future. I have traveled around Vermont quite a bit and still have more new places to go. Perhaps a covered bridge tour. My next expedition is to Chester, VT where there is what they call the "stone village" in the town. Other attractions in the area, too, so I should have a nice photographic journey.

ssohl Loc: NJ

Some beautiful places along the way in Maine you should check out: Mt. Desert Island, Schoodic Point, Corea, and Lubec. If you go as far as Lubec cross into Canada ( Campobello Island) and go to the northern tip of the island to the lighthouse. A beautiful drive! Have fun

tomcat

Thank you very much for your advice....

saltysarge

Old Lyme, Old Say brookCt. Great sea food restaurants and beach's