Day 61 The Ultimate USA Road Trip Salem Bar Harbor
This route was brought to you by:
RouteXpert René Plücken (MRA Master)
Last edit: 24-04-2023
Route Summary I have further supplemented the Road Trip with even more special points that you can visit in the USA. Today we drive from Salem Massachusetts through New Hampshire to Bar Harbor in Maine. It is a long drive of 430 kilometers, there are not many stops planned but there is a lot to see along the way.
We drive on beautiful country roads, along the beautiful coastline of New Hampshire and through forests and pretty villages. I rate this route with 4 stars.
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Animation
Verdict
Duration
10h 51m
Mode of travel
Car or motorcycle
Distance
430.26 km
Countries
RouteXpert Review There are a few beautiful beaches along the route, so enthusiasts can plan some extra time to enjoy the sun, sea and sand. We cross a number of rivers with sometimes very beautiful bridges and a beautiful view of the river or bays. There is also the possibility to go whale watching, but you have to plan at least 4 to 5 hours extra time for that.
Along the route is Hampton Beach, a very popular holiday destination and has a lot to offer. It is by far the busiest resort town in New Hampshire. Ocean Boulevard, the main street along the beach, includes a boardwalk, shops, restaurants, patios, hotels, an outdoor concert venue, arcades, and the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom, which hosts many shows. New England has many beautiful beach towns such as Cape Cod, Maine, and Rhode Island, but Hampton Beach is truly unique and continues to experience amazing development, new businesses, and more visitors year after year. Here are 8 reasons to plan an extended visit to Hampton Beach;
1. Location; What makes Hampton Beach so special is its convenient location to many of New England's best day trips. In less than 60 minutes you can visit Portland ME, Portsmouth NH, Newburyport MA, York ME, New Hampshire's White Mountains and Lake Winnipesaukee, the largest lake in New Hampshire.
2. Beaches; Hampton Beach is known for consistently having the cleanest ocean water in the country, and there's more than one beach to enjoy when you're in town.
• Central Beach is the busiest beach and is located along the main promenade. This is the heart and soul of Hampton, stretching from Church Street to Haverhill Avenue. It is a wide, clean, sandy beach with award-winning lifeguards.
• North Beach is generally quieter, attracts the surfing community, has less parking and beautiful private homes. It is located between High Street and a rocky point called Great Boar's Head and is the longest beach in Hampton.
• South Beach is nestled between Epping Avenue and the mouth of Hampton Harbor. This quiet corner attracts campers, RVs, and larger groups looking to get together.
3. Music; It's hard to walk along the main street without hearing live music from one of the local terraces, bars or music venues. The Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom opened in 1899 and attracts some of the best musicians and comedians such as Trevor Noah, Citizen Cope, The Beach Boys, Jim Jefferies, KC and the Sunshine Band, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Foreigner and more. Other popular music venues include Bernie's Beach Bar, which recently hosted Lil Jon and Jaysean, and Wally's Restaurant & Entertainment Venue. Also, there are always free nightly concerts at the Seashell Stage and local eateries during the summer months.
4. Food; Many people travel to Hampton Beach to enjoy the food, with seafood being the main attraction. Fresh lobster, clam chowder, fried fisherman's platters, lightly fried or blackened fish, scallops and oysters are served in the restaurants.
5. Nightlife; During the high season, which runs from June to September, there is a vibrant nightlife in Hampton. Some of the most popular nightlife spots include Bernie's Beach Bar (DJs, bands and dancing), The Sea Ketch (4 level bars), Wally's (billiards, darts and music), The Goat (whisky, beer, burgers and country music), L Street Tavern (karaoke), McGuirk's (Irish Pub and live music), and Club Madison (dancing).
6. Free events; Hampton has always been a family-friendly beach destination for its fun events, arcades, miniature golf, free nightly concerts, and throughout July and August, the Hampton hosts popular Monday Night Movies on the Beach with free shows beginning at dusk. Wednesday evenings in the summer and on special occasions bring free firework displays.
7. Duty Free Shopping; New Hampshire is known for having no sales tax, and this Hampton Beach duty-free shopping is full of one-of-a-kind boutiques selling jewelry, clothing, bags, toys, jewelry, and much more.
8. Water sports; As with many beach towns, there is no shortage of activities, including whale watching and deep sea fishing, surfing, sailing, kayaking, jet skiing, windsurfing, paddleboarding and parasailing.
A short stop is planned at the Seacoast Harley-Davidson dealership in North Hampton to score a poker chip and have a cup of coffee. Then we drive back to the coast.
There is the option to stop at Odiorne Point State Park in Rye, a favorite spot for picnickers, who can enjoy expansive views of the ocean and rocky shore. There are also reminders of military history in the park. Hiking trails wind through the dense vegetation. The Seacoast Science Center, located within the park, has exhibits on the history of Odiorne and the seacoast area.
In Portsmouth we stop for a longer break to stretch our legs and have a coffee in the Congress Street area. We leave New Hampshire and enter the state of Maine. We stop briefly at the Lady Pepperell House, an American historic house in Kittery Point. Built in 1760 by Lady Mary Pepperrell, widow of Sir William Pepperrell, the house is one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture in New England, well worth a quick photo stop.
Lunch is planned in Perkins. This charming fishing village with its beautiful turquoise beaches is one of the most picturesque spots in southern Maine. It is known for its fresh seafood, such as lobsters, oysters, clams and crabs, which are tastefully served in one of the many restaurants. It's also an art lover's paradise, visit the galleries and local boutiques selling quirky trinkets and handicrafts. One of its attractions is the Perkins Cove Drawbridge, the only two-wing wooden footbridge remaining in the country and an iconic symbol of Ogunquit's Perkins Cove.
From Perkins we drive without special stops to Bar Harbor, the end point of this ride. This last part of the ride (315km) leads through the green and watery part of Maine, we pass many lakes and rivers and there is plenty of opportunity for enthusiasts to stop now and then to enjoy the beautiful scenery. We do stop to refuel and to eat and drink something.
Bar Harbor offers avid visitors plenty to do during the New England summer. The city has long been known and continues to uphold its reputation as a center of culture, delectable cuisine and tranquility. The city provides access to Acadia National Park and is often regarded as one of the country's greatest "park cities."
Each summer, Bar Harbor transforms from a quiet beach town into a bustling vacation hotspot. Spring and summer climates bless visitors with sunny skies and cool breezes. Anyone visiting can expect several fun things to do in Bar Harbor as it is truly one of the best places to visit in Maine. Because between opportunities for adventure, exceptional gastronomy, and endless memories, Bar Harbor really does have it all.
A scenic drive through Acadia National Park is scheduled for tomorrow, this drive is known as the Acadia Park Loop Road, a 43 km long and the most beautiful drive along the east side of Mount Desert Island, this road connects the lakes, mountains and coastline of Acadia . It provides access to popular areas such as Sieur de Monts, Sand Beach, Otter Point, Jordan Pond and Cadillac Mountain.
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Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
Changes may nevertheless have occurred due to changed circumstances, road diversions or seasonal closures. We therefore recommend checking each route before use.
Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
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Maine
About this region
Maine is a state in the New England region of the United States, bordered by New Hampshire to the west; the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast; and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and northwest, respectively. Maine is the 12th-smallest by area, the 9th-least populous, the 13th-least densely populated, and the most rural of the 50 U.S. states. It is also the northeasternmost among the contiguous United States, the northernmost state east of the Great Lakes, the only state whose name consists of a single syllable, and the only state to border only one other state. The most populous city in Maine is Portland, while its capital is Augusta.
Maine has traditionally been known for its jagged, rocky Atlantic oceanic and bayshore coastlines; smoothly-contoured mountains; heavily forested interior; picturesque waterways; and its wild lowbush blueberries and seafood cuisine, especially lobster and clams. In more recent years, coastal and Down East Maine, especially in the vicinity of Portland, have emerged as an important center for the creative economy, which is also bringing gentrification.For thousands of years after the glaciers retreated during the last Ice Age, indigenous peoples were the only inhabitants of the territory that is now Maine. At the time of European arrival, several Algonquian-speaking peoples inhabited the area. The first European settlement in the area was by the French in 1604 on Saint Croix Island, founded by Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons. The first English settlement was the short-lived Popham Colony, established by the Plymouth Company in 1607. A number of English settlements were established along the coast of Maine in the 1620s, although the rugged climate and conflict with the local indigenous people caused many to fail.
As Maine entered the 18th century, only a half dozen European settlements had survived. Loyalist and Patriot forces contended for Maine's territory during the American Revolution. During the War of 1812, the largely undefended eastern region of Maine was occupied by British forces with the goal of annexing it to Canada via the Colony of New Ireland, but returned to the United States following failed British offensives on the northern border, mid-Atlantic and south which produced a peace treaty that restored the pre-war boundaries. Maine was part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts until 1820 when it voted to secede from Massachusetts to become a separate state. On March 15, 1820, under the Missouri Compromise, it was admitted to the Union as the 23rd state.
Read more on Wikipedia
Maine has traditionally been known for its jagged, rocky Atlantic oceanic and bayshore coastlines; smoothly-contoured mountains; heavily forested interior; picturesque waterways; and its wild lowbush blueberries and seafood cuisine, especially lobster and clams. In more recent years, coastal and Down East Maine, especially in the vicinity of Portland, have emerged as an important center for the creative economy, which is also bringing gentrification.For thousands of years after the glaciers retreated during the last Ice Age, indigenous peoples were the only inhabitants of the territory that is now Maine. At the time of European arrival, several Algonquian-speaking peoples inhabited the area. The first European settlement in the area was by the French in 1604 on Saint Croix Island, founded by Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons. The first English settlement was the short-lived Popham Colony, established by the Plymouth Company in 1607. A number of English settlements were established along the coast of Maine in the 1620s, although the rugged climate and conflict with the local indigenous people caused many to fail.
As Maine entered the 18th century, only a half dozen European settlements had survived. Loyalist and Patriot forces contended for Maine's territory during the American Revolution. During the War of 1812, the largely undefended eastern region of Maine was occupied by British forces with the goal of annexing it to Canada via the Colony of New Ireland, but returned to the United States following failed British offensives on the northern border, mid-Atlantic and south which produced a peace treaty that restored the pre-war boundaries. Maine was part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts until 1820 when it voted to secede from Massachusetts to become a separate state. On March 15, 1820, under the Missouri Compromise, it was admitted to the Union as the 23rd state.
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Route Collections in this region Trans Canada Highway
The Trans-Canada Highway (TCH) or Trans-Canadian Highway is a system of highways that cover all 10 provinces of Canada.
The Federal and Provincial Highways System that now forms the TCH were authorized by the Trans-Canada Highway Act of 1948 and opened in 1962. It was completed in 1971. The total length of the TCH is 7821 km.
Contrary to the American Interstate Highway System, the TCH does not consist of an unambiguous network of motorways, but forms a network of restricted access highways and other main routes that are more akin to the Dutch provincial roads. The route is indicated by a green shield with a white maple leaf.
The numbering of the roads that are part of the TCH is the domain of the provinces. Only the western provinces have aligned their numbering and the TCH has the designation Highway 1 there.
The main route of the TCH starts in Victoria in British Columbia and runs via Calgary and Regina to Winnipeg. From Winnipeg the route leads to Kenora in Ontario, after which several branches pass through Ontario to Ottawa.
Further east, the route passes through the province of Quebec via Montreal and Quebec, among others, to Moncton, New Brunswick. Then the TCH continues east through Nova Scotia, where a branch (via the Confederation Bridge) leads to Prince Edward Island. Another section runs down to the sea in the port city of Sydney, where a ferry service leaves for Channel-Port aux Basques on the island of Newfoundland. From there the route continues for more than 900 km to the provincial capital of St. John's, in the extreme southeast of the island.
We not only drive the TCH, but will take the rural roads as much as possible, because only Highway driving is too boring and Canada has many beautiful roads through its beautiful landscape. You drive through all provinces and through very varied and scenic landscapes, from the Rockies in the West, the Central Prairies to the Eastern Maritimes and the Northern Forest.
The riding season is generally April through October with longer seasons on the west coast and southern Ontario. Provide good all season clothing or bring rain gear, depending on the province and the season the weather can change and you may be surprised by a rain or even a snow or hail shower, so be prepared.
In Canada the metric system is used, so speeds are indicated in Km / h. A helmet requirement (DOT approved) applies throughout Canada.
You will see many wildlife throughout Canada. This varies from province to province, such as deer, buffalos, moose, caribou, wolves, pumas, bears, mountain goats, sheep, lynx, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, badgers, various rodents and all kinds of birds. Even if it is very tempting to stop for a photo, don't do it, it can be very dangerous.
The routes described in this review sometimes deviate from the Trans Canada Highway, bringing the total length to 9,300 kilometers. The routes are made so that you drive through the beautiful parts of Canada with truly beautiful panoramas and beautiful sights to visit, this differs from museums, parks to historical points. The routes are not too long so there is time to stop for photos and sights along the way. You can also choose to arrange and combine the stages differently or to add other routes to shorten or extend your journey. The routes are marked with a rating in stars, some routes are less challenging or interesting but are necessary to drive to the next point, which is why they often have a lower rating.
In the route description you will find more details about the routes and the points of interest along the way. These points and also hotels, restaurants, petrol stations etc. are indicated with a POI and sometimes also with a Route point. In the description you will also find links to interesting sites and to the routes that connect to that day.
The described routes are;
Day 01 TCH Victory to Nanaimo
Day 02 TCH Nanaimo to Hope
Day 03 TCH Hope to Kamloops
Day 04 TCH Kamloops to Revelstoke
Day 05 TCH Revelstoke to Lake Louise
Day 06 TCH Lake Louise to Calgary
Day 07 TCH Calgary to Medicine Hat
Day 08 TCH Medicine Hat to Moose Jaw
Day 09 TCH Moose Jaw to Regina
Day 10 TCH Regina to Brandon
Day 11 TCH Brandon to Winnipeg
Day 12 TCH Winnipeg to Kenora
Day 13 TCH Kenora to Ignace
Day 14 TCH Ignace to Thunder Bay
Day 15 TCH Thunder Bay to Marathon
Day 16 Thunder Bay to Wawa
Day 17 TCH Wawa to Sault Ste Marie
Day 18 TCH Sault Ste Marie to Espanola
Day 19 TCH Espanola to Mattawa
Day 20 TCH Mattawa to Ottawa
Day 21 TCH Ottawa to Montreal
Day 22 TCH Montreal to Quebec
Day 23 TCH Quebec to Riviere du Loup
Day 24 TCH Riviere du Loup to Grand Falls
Day 25 TCH Grand Falls to Fredericton
Day 26 TCH Fredericton to Moncton
Day 27 TCH Moncton to Charlottetown
Day 28 TCH Charlottetown to Truro
Day 29 TCH Truro to North Sydney
Day 30 TCH North Sydney to Corner Brook
Day 31 TCH Corner Brook to Grand Falls
Day 32 TCH Grand Falls to Clarenville
Day 33 TCH Clarenville to St John.
Have fun reading the reviews and planning your next road trip.
If you have driven this trip, I am very curious about your feedback!
The Federal and Provincial Highways System that now forms the TCH were authorized by the Trans-Canada Highway Act of 1948 and opened in 1962. It was completed in 1971. The total length of the TCH is 7821 km.
Contrary to the American Interstate Highway System, the TCH does not consist of an unambiguous network of motorways, but forms a network of restricted access highways and other main routes that are more akin to the Dutch provincial roads. The route is indicated by a green shield with a white maple leaf.
The numbering of the roads that are part of the TCH is the domain of the provinces. Only the western provinces have aligned their numbering and the TCH has the designation Highway 1 there.
The main route of the TCH starts in Victoria in British Columbia and runs via Calgary and Regina to Winnipeg. From Winnipeg the route leads to Kenora in Ontario, after which several branches pass through Ontario to Ottawa.
Further east, the route passes through the province of Quebec via Montreal and Quebec, among others, to Moncton, New Brunswick. Then the TCH continues east through Nova Scotia, where a branch (via the Confederation Bridge) leads to Prince Edward Island. Another section runs down to the sea in the port city of Sydney, where a ferry service leaves for Channel-Port aux Basques on the island of Newfoundland. From there the route continues for more than 900 km to the provincial capital of St. John's, in the extreme southeast of the island.
We not only drive the TCH, but will take the rural roads as much as possible, because only Highway driving is too boring and Canada has many beautiful roads through its beautiful landscape. You drive through all provinces and through very varied and scenic landscapes, from the Rockies in the West, the Central Prairies to the Eastern Maritimes and the Northern Forest.
The riding season is generally April through October with longer seasons on the west coast and southern Ontario. Provide good all season clothing or bring rain gear, depending on the province and the season the weather can change and you may be surprised by a rain or even a snow or hail shower, so be prepared.
In Canada the metric system is used, so speeds are indicated in Km / h. A helmet requirement (DOT approved) applies throughout Canada.
You will see many wildlife throughout Canada. This varies from province to province, such as deer, buffalos, moose, caribou, wolves, pumas, bears, mountain goats, sheep, lynx, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, badgers, various rodents and all kinds of birds. Even if it is very tempting to stop for a photo, don't do it, it can be very dangerous.
The routes described in this review sometimes deviate from the Trans Canada Highway, bringing the total length to 9,300 kilometers. The routes are made so that you drive through the beautiful parts of Canada with truly beautiful panoramas and beautiful sights to visit, this differs from museums, parks to historical points. The routes are not too long so there is time to stop for photos and sights along the way. You can also choose to arrange and combine the stages differently or to add other routes to shorten or extend your journey. The routes are marked with a rating in stars, some routes are less challenging or interesting but are necessary to drive to the next point, which is why they often have a lower rating.
In the route description you will find more details about the routes and the points of interest along the way. These points and also hotels, restaurants, petrol stations etc. are indicated with a POI and sometimes also with a Route point. In the description you will also find links to interesting sites and to the routes that connect to that day.
The described routes are;
Day 01 TCH Victory to Nanaimo
Day 02 TCH Nanaimo to Hope
Day 03 TCH Hope to Kamloops
Day 04 TCH Kamloops to Revelstoke
Day 05 TCH Revelstoke to Lake Louise
Day 06 TCH Lake Louise to Calgary
Day 07 TCH Calgary to Medicine Hat
Day 08 TCH Medicine Hat to Moose Jaw
Day 09 TCH Moose Jaw to Regina
Day 10 TCH Regina to Brandon
Day 11 TCH Brandon to Winnipeg
Day 12 TCH Winnipeg to Kenora
Day 13 TCH Kenora to Ignace
Day 14 TCH Ignace to Thunder Bay
Day 15 TCH Thunder Bay to Marathon
Day 16 Thunder Bay to Wawa
Day 17 TCH Wawa to Sault Ste Marie
Day 18 TCH Sault Ste Marie to Espanola
Day 19 TCH Espanola to Mattawa
Day 20 TCH Mattawa to Ottawa
Day 21 TCH Ottawa to Montreal
Day 22 TCH Montreal to Quebec
Day 23 TCH Quebec to Riviere du Loup
Day 24 TCH Riviere du Loup to Grand Falls
Day 25 TCH Grand Falls to Fredericton
Day 26 TCH Fredericton to Moncton
Day 27 TCH Moncton to Charlottetown
Day 28 TCH Charlottetown to Truro
Day 29 TCH Truro to North Sydney
Day 30 TCH North Sydney to Corner Brook
Day 31 TCH Corner Brook to Grand Falls
Day 32 TCH Grand Falls to Clarenville
Day 33 TCH Clarenville to St John.
Have fun reading the reviews and planning your next road trip.
If you have driven this trip, I am very curious about your feedback!
View Route Collection
Ultimate USA road trip part 07
Michel van Hagen challenged me to follow the Roadtrip of Dr. Randy Olsen as a basis to create the Ultimate USA Road Trip for the MyRoute app RouteXpert Library. I took up that challenge and started in February 2022.
The scientist Dr. Randy Olsen, who became known for using his knowledge of algorithms to find 'Waldo' in the well-known American 'Where's Waldo' book series, has been challenged by Tracy Staedter, from Discovery News, to use the same algorithm to create the perfect Road Trip by creating the US, which will visit almost every state in the US. Alaska and Hawaii are not included in this Road Trip due to their geographical location.
The following three requirements formed the basis of the route: In all 48 countries there must be at least one stop at famous points, monuments, historical sites, national parks, etc. I have added additional interesting points, beautiful tours and routes.
After more than 26 months, the job is finished and, with a lot of support from Nick Carthew, I have created 129 routes that run through the 48 states of the USA and part of Canada. This is the seventh collection that takes you from Salem in ten days through Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Canada, Pennsylvania and Ohio to Mackinaw City, Michigan.
The scientist Dr. Randy Olsen, who became known for using his knowledge of algorithms to find 'Waldo' in the well-known American 'Where's Waldo' book series, has been challenged by Tracy Staedter, from Discovery News, to use the same algorithm to create the perfect Road Trip by creating the US, which will visit almost every state in the US. Alaska and Hawaii are not included in this Road Trip due to their geographical location.
The following three requirements formed the basis of the route: In all 48 countries there must be at least one stop at famous points, monuments, historical sites, national parks, etc. I have added additional interesting points, beautiful tours and routes.
After more than 26 months, the job is finished and, with a lot of support from Nick Carthew, I have created 129 routes that run through the 48 states of the USA and part of Canada. This is the seventh collection that takes you from Salem in ten days through Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Canada, Pennsylvania and Ohio to Mackinaw City, Michigan.
View Route Collection