Ten Day Itinerary for an Amazing New England Road Trip
When I retired, one of the first things on my bucket list for trips was a New England Fall Foliage Road Trip. So, in the last week of September, my sister and two friends set out on a 10-day whirlwind adventure covering ten states plus Ontario Canada. We live in Maryland, so our trip started and ended there. Our trip would take us over 2000 miles through eastern Pennsylvania, northern New Jersey, then up the coast of Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Maine, west through the mountains of New Hampshire and Vermont, across upstate New York to Niagara Falls, including the Canadian side of the Falls, then back down the western side of Pennsylvania and in to Maryland to come home.
Since the purpose of the trip was to see the sights and the fall foliage, we tried to stay off the major interstate highways and focus on the historic and scenic routes between each of our planned stops in each state, including the Merritt Parkway in Connecticut, the White Mountain Scenic Loop/Kancamagus Highway in New Hampshire and Route 100 Scenic Route in Vermont. Our travels would take us through five different mountain ranges—The Poconos, White Mountains, Green Mountains, Adirondacks and Allegheny Mountains.
This trip starts and ends in Maryland, but you can adjust based on where you start.
Links are provided to each of the sights listed.
Each Day/Location also has links to a separate page with a detailed description of the sights, as well as hotels we stayed in and recommended restaurants in the area.
Day 1 – Jim Thorpe PA (From DC approximately 4 hrs – 220 miles)
Sights to See:
- Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway
- Asa Packer Mansion
- Old Jail Museum
- Broadway Street
- Country Junction World’s Largest General Store
Day 2 – Mystic CT (From Jim Thorpe approximately 4.5 hrs – 250 miles)
Sights to See:
- Merrick Parkway Scenic Route – on route between PA and Mystic
- Mystic Seaport Museum
- Old Mistick Village
- Downtown Mystic
- Mystic River Bascule Bridge
Day 3, Stop 1 – Newport CT (From Mystic approximately 1.5 hrs – 48 miles)
Sights to See:
Day 3, Stop 2 and Day 4 – Boston MA (From Newport approximately 1 hr 40 min – 70 miles)
Sights to See:
- Samuel Adams Brewery
- John F Kennedy Presidential Library
- Cheers Bar
- Prudential Skywalk
- Trolley Tour of Boston
- Quincy Market
Day 5 – Portland ME (From Boston approximately 2 hrs – 110 miles)
Sights to See:
- A day of lighthouses
- Cape Neddick (Nubble) Lighthouse
- Portland Head Lighthouse
- Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse
- Ram Island Ledge Light Station
- Halfway Rock Light Station
- Portland Breakwater (Bug Light) Lighthouse
- Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse
- Marshall Point Lighthouse (from Forrest Gump movie)
Day 6 – New Hampshire (From Portland ME to Franconia NH approx. 3.5 hrs – 150 miles)
Sights to See:
- Honeymoon Covered Bridge
- Flossie’s General Store
- Mt Washington Auto Road
- Jackson Falls
- White Mountain Scenic Loop
- Bartlette Covered Bridge
- Silver Cascades Waterfall
- Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway
Day 7 – Vermont (From Franconia NH to Stowe VT approx 1.5 hrs – 75 miles) Then drive to Saratoga Springs NY (From Londonderry – 1.5 hrs 65 miles)
Sights to See:
- Route 100 Scenic Route from Stowe to Londonderry
- Cabot Creamery Cheese Store
- Ben & Jerry’s Factory Tour
- Green Mountain Sugar House, for maple syrup
- Vermont Country Store
Day 8 – Niagara Falls NY (US side) (From Saratoga Springs approx 5 hrs – 300 miles)
Sights to See:
- Tim’s Pumpkin Farm (on way to Niagara) Note: only open in Fall
- Niagara Falls State Park
- Maid of the Mist boat tour
- Seneca Niagara Hotel & Casino
Day 9 – Niagara Falls, Ontario (Canadian side) (From US side approx 15 min – 5 miles)
Sights to See:
Day 10 – Drive western side of PA back home to Maryland (From Niagara approx 8 hrs 440 miles)
Sights to See:
- Drive through Pittsburgh to Hofbrauhaus Pittsburgh Brewery & Restaurant
- Flight 93 Memorial in Shanksville, PA
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