Indiana to Maine through New York

k-f-Indiana

Well-known member
The DH and I are considering a trip to Maine this summer from Indiana. We would like to avoid the busy highways through New York, don't mind state highways, but would like to make the best time possible. Can anyone give us any tips on what highways to avoid, which ones are the easiest to travel, or any other route info that might be helpful?
 

jnbhobe

Well-known member
You may want to try US rt 20, It runs paralell with I-90 and goes thru Ny wine country and the Finger Lakes and runs right past our place in Pa. Jon
 

aatauses

Well-known member
Let us know what you may want to see/do when in Maine---that is home for us and will be glad to let you in on what the locals do/see.
al
 

k-f-Indiana

Well-known member
We want to be near the coast and eat lots of lobster. We prefer to stay in a State Park, full hook-ups would be nice, but we can live without the sewer hook-up. We also plan to visit a church in Rockland, where we have been before. Thanks Patti and Jon and Aatauses.
 

Freckles

Founding New York Chapter Leader-Retired
I would also agree with Jon Rt20 Have alot to offer still good road but it has more hills than the thurway but has many good sights along the way !! If you come thur in August make sure to check out our Dates for our New York Rally !!!
 

k-f-Indiana

Well-known member
We like your suggestion about Rt 20. Our question now would be, do we stay on 20 all the way across New York, or should we go north near Syracuse, since we are headed to Maine?
 

jnbhobe

Well-known member
Rt 20 will take you to Albany then you could go to Vermont or NE. Pull up google maps and take a look. You could go up thru the Adorondacks but that is some rougher towing. Let me know where you want to go and I'll look some more. JON
 

TireHobby

Well-known member
Being from Maine we journey up there often in the warmer months of the year. In fact we will be up there in late July and early August this year. We have made the costal journey one time just for the experience. Since then we have always avoided the coast. We are never time constrained because we're retired and refuse to rush anymore. We have not completely firmed up our trip for this year but we do know we are going way north. We will be leaving from northern SC and making the climb over the mountains via I-77 out of Charlotte, NC up to I-81. Then all the way to the St. Lawrence on I-81. We like I-81 and use it often. We have never visited the 1000 Islands area of the ST. Lawrence and are excited about being there late in the summer. The rural highways from that area all along the US side of the St. Lawrence to VT are very easy for RV travelers and there are loads of State Parks along the way. When crossing the bridge into Vermont the drive down US-2 to Burlington is very pictorial. A visit to the city park in Burlington is a must.

Sometimes we go through lower central NY up into CT and have learned of some nice drives along rural highways that are very easy driving and provide for some great picture taking. From central CT it is very easy to bypass almost all of the very busy traffic patterns. The only time you will ever see us on a toll road up there is if we have made a mistake and cannot back out of it. We are partial to US-1 and US-2 while in NH & ME. The drive up US-1 to Bar Harbor takes forever because you will find yourself stopping everywhere there is a parking space.

When in Maine we stay away from the high profile costal RV Parks. The mom and pop campgrounds just a few more miles in-land in places such as Berwick or Alfred are very comfortable places to stay and you will find the owners/managers are much more friendly. When in the Bar Harbor area there is a large campground in Trenton just a mile from a Walmart and a short drive to the free shuttles to Bar Harbor.

Long winded, I am. For specific route information just ask. I’ll do my best to name all the highways we have used in the past and some of the great campgrounds along the way.

TireHobby

Timberland Acres Campground - Trenton, ME -- Huge RV sites
http://www.irv2.com/photopost/showfull.php?photo=12793
 

k-f-Indiana

Well-known member
Thanks TireHobby, The info about I-81 is helpful. We're not sure just which direction we want to go yet, but I'm partial to Jon's suggestion about Rt. 20, then going north on I-81. DH doesn't like to drive for extended periods on the Interstates, if the traffic is high-speed and aggresive. How is it on I-81? I also wondered about crossing the lake in upper New York into Vermont. Your advice about the rural highways and the scenic drive down US-2 sounds good. From Montpelier, it looks like we can take US-2 right into Maine.

We would like to visit Bar Harbor again, and we're familiar with Trenton, but didn't check out campgrounds last trip as we weren't camping. As we don't have kids or dogs, we prefer the more senior-oriented campgrounds. We don't use swimming pool and other extras. We just like a peaceful, natural atmosphere with some elbow room, and places to walk. I'll check on the one you mentioned.

We'll most likely then head down Hwy 1 toward Camden and Rockland, and stay in those areas. Some advice on Mom & Pop campgrounds a few miles in-land in those areas would be appreciated.
Any suggestions on campgrounds or State Parks along this route through New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine would be great.
 

Two Hands

Well-known member
We did the fall colors in New England trip with our Big Horn a couple years ago and loved it. I spent a lot of time planning the trip and got a whole lot of great information from Kim Knox Beckius at about.com:New England Travel.
 

k-f-Indiana

Well-known member
Thanks, Two Hands,

Found the website. Lots of good info. I even found the official dates of this year's Maine Lobster Festival. I'll search it out further.
 

smildrum

Member
Hi there.
We also live in Maine.
Our favorite place to go is Camden Hills State Park.
In recent years they many added water/electric sites. Lots of variety of site specs. from open to woodsy. Bath houses are nice and they are always kept clean. The staff is the best. If you run into Eileen or Beverly tell them "Hello". When we go for the weekend we park and never drive out again. So many places to walk, hike and explore. However, as you are coming from 'away'. The town of Camden has tons to offer- restaurants (we recommend Cappy's), boat excursions out of the harbor, quaint shops, and not too far down the road into Rockland- all of the "big box stores" if you need more. Please feel free to PM me if you want more info. We love the area and know it very well.
Also as a side note- Acadia/Bar Harbor is also a frequent place we go. Check out Mountainview Campground in East Sullivan. Here is the link http://www.flandersbay.com/campground.htm. My husband took the sunset picture. Very small place, very friendly, a little bit out from Bar Harbor, but we stay there every year for at least 1 if not 2 times for a
week trip.

Hope I helped.
Susan
 

k-f-Indiana

Well-known member
Hi Susan,

Thanks for the info. Every bit is appreciated.

We have considered Camden Hills State Park, as we talked to a man in our travels that workamped there last year who is from Maine. However, I got the impression you would have to have reservations way ahead of time, and we don't know exact dates we will be there. Do you know about this?

I have put Mountainview Campground's website on my favorites. It sounds like the kind of campground we like. Are there good seafood restaurants near there?

We're still planning, but who knows. We may use many of these suggestions. Keep them coming!
 

smildrum

Member
Hi
We've never had a problem getting a site at CHSP although reservations during the summer are a good idea.They have a number of "non-reservable sites",not sure exactly how many or the size. http://www.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online...served_land=&shared_use_trails=&option=search
Concerning a seafood restaurant close to Mountain View CG...there is one right next door.There are also good eats to be had in Winter Harbor out on the Schoodic Peninsula.There are a couple of guys who deliver clams and lobsters around the campground if you place an order the previous day.If you like mussels (steamed in white wine and garlic) you can pick them right in front of the CG when the tide is out.
 
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