Road Trip: New England
New England gets a lot of travel love, especially in the fall, but let’s talk about a summertime New England road trip. Even with stops in popular and notoriously pricey destinations, we were able to enjoy an affordable family vacation. Our first stop after leaving New Jersey was North Conway, New Hampshire in the heart of the White Mountains. I grew up going to the Adirondacks regularly, but this was my first trip to New Hampshire. I cannot believe I have allowed this gem of a region be ignored in my travel book for so long.
We stayed at the Golden Apple Inn, just outside of the center of town. It was clean, quiet, and comfortable. The price was very reasonable compared to other accommodations around the area. We were shocked to be handed an actual key at check-in. I haven’t seen a hotel room key since I was a kid. It felt like something straight out of a Hallmark movie. The rooms were unique in that they had two entrances, one to the parking lot like you would expect from a traditional motel and then one on the other side of the room, opening to the interior corridor like you would expect to find in a hotel. I am sure during those cold, snowy winters that interior corridor is much appreciated by guests looking for ice and vending machines.
I had been keeping an eye on the weather, trying to catch an ideal day for the Mt. Washington Auto Road. If the cloud cover is too thick, you can make the trip to the summit and barely be able to see your hand in front of your face, let alone the sweeping views you came to see. We lucked out on our first full day, and set out first thing in the morning to earn that famous bumper sticker. If you prefer not to drive your own vehicle you can book some other options including a shuttle or a trip on the Cog Railway. The Cog looked awesome and I think we will have to give it a try on our next trip. After reading some dramatic reviews online, there was a part of me that questioned the drive, but I have to say the road was not nearly as narrow or treacherous as some people described. We had done the Stowe Auto Toll Road in Stowe, VT the year before and that one had me questioning my sanity and driving abilities. Winding, steep gravel roads (read: black diamond ski slopes not otherwise generating income in the summer months) made for a white-knuckle experience. I did not feel that level of dread or impending doom anywhere on Mt. Washington.
There were plenty of places to pull off, take pictures and enjoy the view as you worked your way to the summit. Once you arrived at the top, there is a small museum which teaches you about the history of the mountain and the weather related work they do there year-round. My favorite part was seeing all of the backpackers who were just arriving after days long climbs. What an amazing accomplishment! You could feel their energy all around the mountain top. My kids especially enjoyed watching The Cog come and go, dropping off and picking up passengers. We took the opportunity to mail a few postcards from their official post office inside the main building and then began our descent so we could continue to explore the area.
This may sound silly for those who live in other states, but in New Jersey there are very few places where you can just pull off the road and explore nature around you. Not that we don’t have some incredible natural sites, but we have so many people, that they all have to be protected as State Parks and Lands or they are privately owned and not open to the public to explore. When visiting a place like the White Mountains, the ratio of people to open land is quite the opposite of what we would see in New Jersey. It was great to see a beautiful section of the river, pull off, and enjoy a quick dip or a picnic lunch. We spent the afternoon working our way down the Kancamagus Highway. There were stunning vistas all along the route, one more beautiful than the next. We have put this on our fall foliage bucket list, as I understand it’s a must when it comes to New England leaf peeping. Although it’s only 34.5 miles long, it is a windy road with many opportunities to stop along the way. Our journey west to Lincoln and back to North Conway took several hours and we could have easily extended that if time had allowed.
The next morning we set out for Cathedral Ledge State Park. This is another White Mountain summit that you can drive to and enjoy the sights of the Saco River Valley below. We arrived before 8am because our kids are early risers and too loud to keep cooped up in a motel room while others are trying to sleep. You can see the morning fog still lingering in the background of the photo above. Our oldest really enjoyed climbing the rocks at the summit and we even saw a few rock climbers making their way up the face of the cliff.. We spent about an hour exploring and enjoying the views, while waiting for it to warm up enough to head to our next destination.
Diana’s Baths is one of the most popular tourist spots in the North Conway area and for great reason. Try to arrive before 10am or after 4pm, for your best chance at snagging a parking spot. There is a $5 parking fee, and save that parking receipt, as it’s good at any other National Forest lots that day. The trail is wide, packed gravel, and just over a half mile to the baths. Depending on the time of year or recent storms, the water can get too strong to safely swim, but you can still explore the area on the trails and boulders alongside the river. We visited in early July during a relatively dry season, and we were comfortable allowing our oldest, who was 4 at the time, to swim there. There were still deep spots, and the rocks can get slick, so it’s important to keep little ones within arms reach.
We didn’t spend long at Diana’s Baths as it was quite chilly and we were due to check-in at our next destination later that afternoon. Before heading out of town, we made a stop at Shartner Farms Drive Up Jam Stand. I don’t know if this was a modification born of the pandemic or if they had always been a drive-up jam stand, but either way we were there for it! We grabbed several jars of jam, some fresh strawberries that were devoured before we hit the Maine border, and some baked goods. Everything was delicious!
Our next stop was the Schoodic Peninsula of Acadia National Park. We were fortunate enough to find a very reasonably priced Airbnb located on a private beach. It seems they were in the process of building a new neighborhood and several owners had put up RVs on their property while they waited for construction to begin. I have not been able to find the property again since then. The Schoodic Peninsula is such a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of Bar Harbor. The surrounding towns of Gouldsboro and Winter Haven were dotted with small local eateries and fishing wharves. We wandered down to the beach several times each day to explore the shoreline and even braved the chilly Maine water. The highlight for all of us was the porcupine that visited each day at dusk.
From here we also explored the often-overlooked, Schoodic Peninsula of Acadia National Park. Although this portion of the park sits just across the Gulf of Maine from Bar Harbor, it takes a little over an hour to reach by car and is therefore omitted from many people’s Acadia itinerary. Even during the peak summer months, this portion of the park was considerably quieter than the main park and a great way to explore the Maine coastline.
After three nights in the quiet solitude of our private beach, we headed to Bar Harbor to explore the more popular sections of Acadia. We chose the Best Western Acadia Park Inn just outside of Bar Harbor. It was clean, well-maintained, reasonably priced by Bar Harbor standards, and served a good free breakfast in the morning. Click here for everything you need to know about visiting Acadia with kids. As with most of the more popular National Parks, a little planning ahead will save you a lot of time and allow you to see more of the park during your stay.
From Bar Harbor we were scheduled to spend two nights in Cape Cod. This is where things went off the rails a bit. I found a motel on the cape that seemed too good to be true. The reviews were mostly favorable, with some comments about the rooms being dated, which is not always a deal breaker for me, as long as they were well maintained and clean, and the price was phenomenal. That should have been my warning sign there. We arrived to find a property that was nothing like the photos or description. They tried switching our rooms but the second one was just as bad as the first. We were tired from the ride and it was dinnertime, but there was no way we could stay here. I began googling alternatives, but most properties were booked and the few that were available were way outside our budget. We made the decision to head inland and spend the next two nights in Plymouth Rock, MA. We stayed at the Best Western Plus Cold Spring, which was dated, but clean and well-maintained, and the price was more than half what we would have paid if we stayed in Cape Cod.
After some dinner and much-needed sleep, we awoke refreshed and headed back to the cape to explore Cape Cod National Seashore. We rode our bikes, enjoyed a few walks, and explored the Visitor’s Center. Despite it being cloudy and chilly, we even got some beach time in. Imagine our surprise to see the sign below as we were entering the beach. I know we are swimming in their home, but this was the first time I have seen this kind of warning.
Despite the housing drama that kicked off this leg of our trip, we pivoted nicely and managed to salvage our time in the area. We need more time to properly explore Cape Cod, and we will do so in the future, with best-researched accommodation plans.
On our way back to New Jersey we stopped off in Watch Hill, Rhode Island. This affluent New England seaside town is home to the rich and famous, most notably Taylor Swift. It is also home to an old-fashioned, flying horse carousel, which is designated as a National Historic Landmark. For those not familiar, on a flying horse carousel, the horses are only mounted from above, so they swing outward as the ride spins. Outside horses are $4 per ride and inside horses are $1 per ride. When riding on the outside horses, you can participate in the brass ring game. Brass rings come down a shoot and riders can try to grab one as they pass. This was such a fun stop and a great way to experience a bit of history. Check their website for operating times.
No trip through Connecticut on 95 would be complete for our family without a stop at Hallmark Drive-In in Old Lyme, CT. I don’t do food reviews often, because I am usually feeding two cranky/tired/active kids, and the additional task of taking photos and remembering what I managed to throw in my face before someone has a meltdown or needs to use the potty, is just too much for me. So, I apologize for the lack of photography, but you’re going to have to trust me on this one. This is one of the best lobster rolls I have ever had. I get mine cold with mayo, my husband likes his hot with butter and they are both phenomenal. Hallmark is also known for their ice cream and milkshakes, but we have always been too stuffed from our meals to partake. With bellies full and memories made, we returned to New Jersey, completing our 11-day New England Road Trip.
In conclusion, a budget-friendly road trip through New England can be an exciting and rewarding vacation for the entire family. With a bit of planning and research, it is possible to find low-cost fun activities, lodging, and even places to eat that won't blow the budget. We must remember that the journey is just as important as the destination and take the time to create lasting memories with the ones we love. As the saying goes, “Experience is worth more than gold.” Let's get out on the open road!
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