South Carolina to Maine in September

[rfulcher]

My wife and I are planning on taking about 9 days off the fall. We live in Florence SC and are thinking about heading for the coast of Maine. I like roads with curves and want to avoid the interstate when I can. I have never been north of DC on a bike.

Is September a good time for this? What should we try to include in the trip?

 

[majicmaker]

New England in September is Awesome. It's the perfect time of the year to go. I grew up in that area. Can't help you with detailed routes because I was a kid and not in charge of the driving yet but, I'm sure all sorts of people from there will chime in soon. Have Fun!

 

[Fred W]

+1 - September is a great time to visit the Northeast. In October, during the fall foliage, you'd have a hard time finding accommodations. But you should be fine in early September. My "destination" in Maine would be Mount Desert Island, aka Acadia National Park, aka Bar Harbor. There is nothing much worth seeing north of that, and that area is among the prettiest places on earth.

As for motorcycle roads, other than the roads on Mt Desert Island itself, there really aren't many "twisties" per se. The mountain states of New Hampshire and Vermont have more of those roads. Maine has the scenic coastline.

As for getting there (and back), my advice would be to stay west of the coastline until you get north of Boston. We live ~45 minutes from the coast here in southern NH and whenever we head down south (for EOM, etc.) we always start out by going westward through the Berkshires in Mass, and the Catskills in NY to avoid the I-95 corridor congestion of Boston, Providence, Connecticut, NY City, and New Jersey and Philly. None of that is a fun ride.

Here's a rough idea of a route I'd take. I've routed the northern portions and just let GoogleMaps find the southern parts. You probably know those parts better than me. Using GoogleMaps to plan routes is easy. Just click on "Show Options" and "Avoid Highways" and it will take you up some nice state roads. By the way, we typically take 3-4 days to make that trek. 2-3 days if you resort to the slab.

 

[ALDAWG]

I live in Ct. and commute I-95. I fully support Fred's advice to avoid it entirely. Whenever I head south I leave at 5am so I'm in the sticks of Pa. by am rush hour. The streach of road between Albany and Concord is great!

 

[rfulcher]

This info was very helpful. The suggested route thru the northern states is very helpful. Possible waypoints in the trip are The Smithsonian Institute (Yea, Aerospace :yahoo: ) Niagara Falls, and coastal Maine.

In September will we need to make reservations or can we just find lodging as we go?

Keep the info coming.

+1 - September is a great time to visit the Northeast. In October, during the fall foliage, you'd have a hard time finding accommodations. But you should be fine in early September. My "destination" in Maine would be Mount Desert Island, aka Acadia National Park, aka Bar Harbor. There is nothing much worth seeing north of that, and that area is among the prettiest places on earth.

As for motorcycle roads, other than the roads on Mt Desert Island itself, there really aren't many "twisties" per se. The mountain states of New Hampshire and Vermont have more of those roads. Maine has the scenic coastline.

As for getting there (and back), my advice would be to stay west of the coastline until you get north of Boston. We live ~45 minutes from the coast here in southern NH and whenever we head down south (for EOM, etc.) we always start out by going westward through the Berkshires in Mass, and the Catskills in NY to avoid the I-95 corridor congestion of Boston, Providence, Connecticut, NY City, and New Jersey and Philly. None of that is a fun ride.

Here's a rough idea of a route I'd take. I've routed the northern portions and just let GoogleMaps find the southern parts. You probably know those parts better than me. Using GoogleMaps to plan routes is easy. Just click on "Show Options" and "Avoid Highways" and it will take you up some nice state roads. By the way, we typically take 3-4 days to make that trek. 2-3 days if you resort to the slab.

 

[Fred W]

This info was very helpful. The suggested route thru the northern states is very helpful. Possible waypoints in the trip are The Smithsonian Institute (Yea, Aerospace :yahoo: ) Niagara Falls, and coastal Maine.

In September will we need to make reservations or can we just find lodging as we go?

Keep the info coming.

If you intend on going to the Smithsonian on motorcycle there is no avoiding the Washington DC traffic and congestion. Also, make sure you lock your stuff up veryu well, if you catch my drift. I can't help you much more there, except to say that I wouldn't ride my bike there on a bet. Oh I've been there, and I think it is a great museum. But I flew to DC, stayed at a nice hotel and took a bus ride to the museum and some other must see places.

As for Niagra Falls, that is way the hell off your path to Maine. Don't tell anyone, but New York (even the "Upstate" part) is NOT part of New England. And, yeah, I've been there, done that, got the tee shirt. But the Falls are pretty darned boring if you ask me. (which you sort'a did )

I guess everyone has a different idea on what they want to do and see on a vacation ride.

As for reservations, along the road you should be fine without them. You might want to make some in your destination points where you really want to stay in a particular spot. On Mount Desert Island, try staying at the Bar Harbor Motel on Rte 3. Nice family owned place that we've stayed at on both Maine Chowder Run rides.Clean comfortable, not too expensive and you can park your bike right outside your door.

 

[Falko]

From my limited experience, all the fun roads become parking lots on the weekends during leaf peeper season.

Pesonally, I'd come up through the finger lakes area of NY, cut across 20 I believe it is into the Albany area, the squirrel around an pick up Rte2 and come across part of MA to 91 (alternately, you can go farther north and take 9 I think it is across VT). There go north east and up through NH, maybe picking up the Kancamagus into ME and snake over toward the coast (again, these road will be slow going in peak foliage). That will keep you away from big interstates, but is a decent amount of riding.

 

[ALDAWG]

Wow Niagra Falls to Maine is a hell of a ride. The American side is beautiful but boring, oh and really crappy food. The Canadian side is where all the action is, bars, casino, good food, bring your passport. Unless you need to knock it off your bucket list, or have a couple days to kill, I'd skip the falls, you'd have more fun riding the twistys in Vt. and N.H. Rt 100 in Vermont is incredible, then grab 4 east through Quechee gorge, and White river jct. Then pick up 118 in N.h. to 112 (kancamagus hwy) to Maine and beyond...

 

[rfulcher]

Wow, this is really good information, keep the suggestions coming. The one treand on this and Sport-Touring.net is that Niagara Falls is probably not worth the extra miles.

 

[DE OPPRESSO LIBER]

I hear this ride is a cool one that looks to be shaping up nicely in September! As long as you don't mind being seen with a bunch of NERDS on Japanese bikes! :lol:

Clicky

 

[Charlie Hoss]

I travel to VA and NC on occasion to see relatives or EOM. I-95 is toll hell. The NJ Turnpike is something like $10 for 110 miles. I don't know how much the NY bridges are now. I took them south on one trip and they were free (catch: they get you double going north). I always take I-81 now if I'm in a hurry. It's free but there are so many 18 wheelers, and those phony "Safety" Corridors, it's no fun. 2 years ago, Fred W posted a couple of links to GPS routes for a terrific coastal ride starting in southern ME (Kittery) we called the Maine Chowdah Run. I didn't look but you should still find it under REGIONAL RIDES>NORTHEAST.