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Bar Harbor

Yahoo Message Number: 86888
Heading to Bar Harbor for the summer. Anyone have suggestions as far as routes and what to see up there. We will be leaving southern GA the end of April. I am thinking of taking I81 up instead of I95. Can't stand DC traffic.

Tom

2005 Inspire 51177

Re: Bar Harbor

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 86889
Tom,

I only use I-81 from and to Florida from upstate NY. By far a calmer and better route! Have used 95...never again.

Scott Brownstein

Re: Bar Harbor

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 86895
We also use I-81. If you haven't been to Mt Airy NC it's a neat place. Lots of Mayberry RFD stuff. Stay at Mayberry Campground. Very nice people.
Also Appomattox Virginia is need if you're in to history.
We went on up to I-84 in New York, stayed at the Newburgh NY KOA and took their bus tour into NYC. Pricey, but awesome. All day tour.
Nice KOA.

If you have time and stop in Vermont, the Cabot Cheese factory and Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream are there. Quechee Gorge is nice. We stayed at the KOA Pine Valley Quechee I think is the name of it.
In Bar Harbor, we stayed at The Narrows Too RV park. Pricey for waterfront lots but some back ins off water are cheaper. The LL Bean Shuttle stops at the park and takes you into Acadia National Park. Awesome! We stopped at Niagara Falls on the way back.
Enjoy your trip!

Lonny & Diane Livingston
'04 Allure #31065

Re: Bar Harbor

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 86897
Tom,

I have lived in Northern New England most of my life. Bar Harbor is about the end of the line as far as the Maine coast goes. North of there up to Calais is pretty desolate attraction wise. Of course Arcadia National Park is near Bar Harbor which few realize is not actually a town but is just that, a harbor. The Maine coast from Freeport up to Arcadia is quaint and beautiful. I suggest that you leave I-95 south of Freeport and travel the rest of the way on US Route 1. It is a two lane road most of the way winding through small towns and fishing ports. Not a problem for big rigs. It is heavily visited in the summer months so some reservations ahead might be wise. The are lots of historic attractions, fine restaurants featuring good old Maine lobster and other seafood. If you want to talk about more drop me an offline email at dmseager@...
The choice of the I-81 and I-84 corridor is a very wise one. It will save your sanity for Arcadia. I can also give exact routing for the fastest easiest route. But are there other things that you would like to do while in the area? Let me know and we can talk about that as well.

Don Seager

Former CC Owner and an Old Yankee

Heading to Bar Harbor for the summer. Anyone have suggestions as far as routes and what to see up there. We will be leaving southern GA the end of April. I am thinking of taking I81 up instead of I95. Can't stand DC traffic.

Tom

2005 Inspire 51177

Re: Bar Harbor

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 86898
Lonny and Diane,

Thanks so much for writing all of this excellent information! We out here will be very grateful when we pull into the places you've suggested since we know already it'll be good! Hanover, NH, and Norwich, VT near the Quechee area are also wonderful with lots to see and do.

Thanks again!

Mary Frederick
06 Inspire 51784

Re: Bar Harbor

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 86901
Hi Scott,

My wife and I are going to Maine this summer and will take your I-81 suggestion (we live in Orlando), do you have any RV camps that you can recommend.

Thanks,

John Sweeton
2000 Alure

Re: Bar Harbor

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 86903
We have a summer home in Maine and winter in Florida. Have only taken I-95 once and never will again! We also hate I-75 and especially Atlanta. We enjoy going up through South Carolina and sometimes taking the Blue Ridge Parkway. Also we go through Scranton, PA on I-81and then to Albany (on I-88 I think) and Mass Turnpike (I-90) to I-495 around Boston (avoid rush hour on 495). And for sure avoid Boston (some of the worst traffic and drivers in the USA). Avoid I-84 through Connecticut at all costs! Your GPS will want to take you through there. Do not do it! Be sure to hit one of the State Liquor stores in NH on I-95 if you are interested in super buys on wine and liquor (check internet for coupons) . No sales tax in NH. When you cross into Maine get off the Interstate and take US 1 up the coast, hitting spots like Boothbay Harbor, Rockland and Camden enroute to Bar Harbor. Make sure to tour the Schoodic Point portion of Acadia National Park which is on the mainland east of Ellsworth (a nice little town by the way) on US 1. Enjoy Maine!!

Re: Bar Harbor

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 86906
There is a nice little campground on Deer Isle in a town called Stonington. I believe they are listed in Woodall. The Campground is not much but a place topark and get hook-ups but the town is wonderful. If you enjoy the old rustic Maine lobster Village then Stonington is the place. You can go down to the Lobster co-op and buy fresh lobster right off the boat for about $7.25 a pound.

Steve & Jane

1998 Intrigue

#10557

______

Re: Bar Harbor

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 86913
What about I 91 up to 2 than head east? How is that Rd?

Tom Coomes

2005 Inspire 51177

Re: Bar Harbor

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 86918
Tom,

Route 2 from I-91 to Bar Harbor is a loooong way. It is two lane all the way and varies in quality. Some parts are good others are twisty and winding. It is not a real problem for a big rig but a long days trip in itself. To be fair Tom, using I-91 could have a plus side if you had lots of time and wanted to see Lake Champlain then travel across northern VT near the Northeast Kingdom. Then skirt along the Northern Presidential of the White Mountains through Gorham NH and on across central Main through Farmington and on to the coast. Nice trip but not if your focus is on Bar Harbor and Arcadia National Park.
The big problem with the New England states is there is a big lacking of east to west interstates. I-90 (MA Pike) and I-89 are about it and I-89 is actually more northwest to southeast and ends at I-93 just south of Concord NH. That is about 1/2 way across the area. Route 101 runs from I-93 at Manchester NH east to I-95 and is multi lane now all the way but again that is only half the way and you have to get to up or down to Manchester.
I have lived here most of my life and the most direct route to Bar Harbor using the I-81 corridor is to take I-84 east at Scranton Pa across PA, NY and CT to its end at the MA Pike near Sturbridge MA. The MA Pike east to the I-290 exit at Auburn MA. I-290 across Worcester to I-495. I 495 north to its end at I-95. I-95 north to Bangor ME and then local routes from Bangor through Ellsworth to Bar Harbor.
This will get you there the quickest but you will miss the very scenic portion of the Maine coast along US Route 1 from Freeport (home of L L Bean) on up to Bar Harbor. It is the main tourist area of Maine. If you want to go up that way then branch off I-95 north of Portland on the Falmouth Spur over to I-293 and then north to pick up Route 1 just south of Freeport. Stay with Route 1 all the way to Bar Harbor. This can be done in a day's travel but that would be a mistake. You need 3 or 4 days to even begin to do justice to the area.
Many visitors to the area either go up on Route 1 and return via Bangor or vice versa.
Someone wrote that I-84 across CT is to be avoided at all costs. I have gone that way spring and fall for 10 years and have not had what I would call a real problem with it. It does go across Bridgeport and Hartford but unless it is rush hour at Hartford it is not worth going miles out of your way to avoid it. Hartford itself does not have all that much of a rush hour. I guess it is all in one's comfort level.

Don Seager

Former CC owner born and raised in New England
 

Re: Bar Harbor

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 86970
Quote from: Tom"

> Heading to Bar Harbor for the summer. Anyone have suggestions as far as routes and what to see up there. We will be leaving southern GA the end of April. I am thinking of taking I81 up instead of I95. Can't stand DC traffic.

Tom

2005 Inspire 51177

Hi Tom

We are fulltimers and traveled from the Space Coast of Florida to Bar Harbor and beyond to Nova Scotia last year.
Our blog is at http://boonedocksllc.blogspot.com/ and you can see pictures at https://picasaweb.google.com/116107386675555024952
We camped at Timberland Acres in Trenton, just off Mt Desert Island -- very big sites.