Vermont, Maine, NH, NY Car Camp Tour - IPA, day hikes and must see suggestions?

I've been to 47 states but have never been to Maine, Vermont, or Alaska and for that matter I've never been far enough north to see the mountains in New York or New Hampshire except for maybe when I was a tiny baby with my parents and I don't remember that at all. We are heading out East to knock off two of the states and check things out.

Probable itinerary with wife and two kids and our aussie dog (which means one of us might have to stay behind with him for some things which is fine) - we have reservations for all of this but they are 100% cancel-able.

Day 1-2-3 Leave our awesome Iowa homeland and travel across the flat miserable abyss of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio and then car camp at Smugglers Notch State Park campground in Vermont. Check out Stowe surrounding area.

Day 4-5-6 Travel across New Hampshire and drive up Mt. Washington then on to camp at Acadia National Park (Seawall campground) in Maine for 3 nights

Day 7 Head back west for one night in Lake Placid at Crowne Plaza. Check out ski areas and surrounding area.

Day 8-9 Camp on Lake Ontario and hit up Niagara Falls (wife has never seen this and insists - I assume this will be miserable but we can knock it off on the way home). I'm worried about the dog thing here. Might restrict us to one at a time. Canada/US side better?

I like good local breweries and kick ass day hikes. Any water activities as well so any suggestions for boat tours or water activities in Acadia, Lake Placid, or Stowe welcome.

pancake's here, do not miss out.
http://pollyspancakeparlor.com/
Sugar Hill, might be my favorite town in the sweet ass state of NH.
plenty of quality day hike's, lot of 'fours' in that area.

Day 4 is Stowe to Mt. Washington to Acadia? If so that's a lot of country to cover. Maybe consider staying night 4 at Rangeley Lake State Park in Maine. it's beautiful and genrally uncrowded (but check your dates) and sorta-kinda-sideways on your route, with some bushwhacking through the woods a bit.

Also, if you can work Portland into your trip, it's a great little city with tons of brewing going on, maybe more for any city its size in the country (or maybe not, but there's a lot), and tons of great seafood and things to see.

Camden, ME. would be a nice stop. Camp at Camden Hills state park, hike up Mount Battie, Check out the Camden Snowbowl (ski area). Make a stop in Waldboro to eat at Moody's Diner. Lots to do in that area.

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Originally Posted by iceman

Day 4 is Stowe to Mt. Washington to Acadia? If so that's a lot of country to cover. Maybe consider staying night 4 at Rangeley Lake State Park in Maine. it's beautiful and genrally uncrowded (but check your dates) and sorta-kinda-sideways on your route, with some bushwhacking through the woods a bit.

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Yeah, that will be a huge day and miles out east are probably way longer than miles here or out west. I will look at your suggestion. Overall we are trying to cover way too much ground on this trip for the time frame but it is what it is. Sometimes pushing on is easier than setting up the tent for just one night.

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Originally Posted by iceman

Also, if you can work Portland into your trip, it's a great little city with tons of brewing going on, maybe more for any city its size in the country (or maybe not, but there's a lot), and tons of great seafood and things to see.

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Seafood and beer? Sounds good to me.

NH - Be sure to hit up Moat Mountain for delicious BBQ and beer.
If you rock climb at all, I highly recommend finding someone to guide you up Whitehorse on Standard or Beginners route. 1000+ feet of 5.5 slab with some astounding views.
Make sure to check out Franconia Notch (Cannon) and either ride the Cannon tram or do Liberty/Lafayette (2 4k footers with a ridge traverse) to get the full views of the notch area. Favorite day hike is probably Chocorua to the south. Also make sure that when you transition from Franconia area to North Conway, you use the Kangamagus.

Honestly, given that you aren't going to be biking, you should de-emphasize your time in VT and instead do all the fun Northern NH activities like the Flume.

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Originally Posted by buttahflake

pancake's here, do not miss out.
http://pollyspancakeparlor.com/
Sugar Hill, might be my favorite town in the sweet ass state of NH.
plenty of quality day hike's, lot of 'fours' in that area.

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That looks awesome. My wife is pancake lover and she is actually making some right now while I sit here watching the last day of the tour.

In Vermont...

Lake Willoughby:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dgC3yySGOv...I/s640/411.jpg

and the Hill Farmstead Brewery:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P73E8XWEiW...o+1-737366.JPG

I agree that Portland Maine is worth a visit. Great food and beer.

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Originally Posted by schuss

NH - Be sure to hit up Moat Mountain for delicious BBQ and beer.
If you rock climb at all, I highly recommend finding someone to guide you up Whitehorse on Standard or Beginners route. 1000+ feet of 5.5 slab with some astounding views.
Make sure to check out Franconia Notch (Cannon) and either ride the Cannon tram or do Liberty/Lafayette (2 4k footers with a ridge traverse) to get the full views of the notch area. Favorite day hike is probably Chocorua to the south. Also make sure that when you transition from Franconia area to North Conway, you use the Kangamagus.

Honestly, given that you aren't going to be biking, you should de-emphasize your time in VT and instead do all the fun Northern NH activities like the Flume.

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Yeah, no bikes - it is just too much crap and doesn't work that good with the kids. This VT vs NH is the kind of info I need. Going out blind.

I can't climb worth a damn but I have a harness and my wife is all into it.

I'm going to try to digest this post with my map. Seems like some good suggestions.

Definitely slow driving in VT, in part because of the roads and in party because of the drivers. Burlington is a worthwhile stop. Lake champlain and a cool little college town.

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Originally Posted by I've seen black diamonds!

In Vermont...

Lake Willoughby:

and the Hill Farmstead Brewery:

I agree that Portland Maine is worth a visit. Great food and beer.

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Thanks. Both of those suggestions right up my alley.

Hmmm. My wife has a good friend in Portland as well.

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Originally Posted by uglymoney

Yeah, no bikes - it is just too much crap and doesn't work that good with the kids. This VT vs NH is the kind of info I need. Going out blind.

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FWIW, I find NH less appealing than VT. VT makes an effort to be more visually appealing as you drive around; no billboards, no big signs, less visually commercialized, more visually quaint.

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Originally Posted by Danno

FWIW, I find NH less appealing than VT. VT makes an effort to be more visually appealing as you drive around; no billboards, no big signs, less visually commercialized, more visually quaint.

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more visually quaint?
Vermont is not Stowe, guy.
it's shithole podunks like Rutland, Barre, Newport, Springfield the list is deep.
NH is more real, sure. it's also way more appealing with a shit-ton of mountains over 4g, lakes, ocean etc...

i'll second what shuss said about Mt Chocorua, great hike.
i like Champney Falls trail.

Portland breweries - (cut-and-paste from beeradvocate.com)

Allagash Brewing Company - 50 Industrial Way, Portland
Maine Beer Company - 525 US Route 1, Freeport
Rising Tide Brewing Company - 103 Fox St, Portland
D.L. Geary Brewing Company - 38 Evergreen Dr, Portland
Sebago Brewing Company - 201 Southborough Dr, Scarborough
Sebago Brewing Company - 211 Fore St, Portland
Sebago Brewing Company - 29 Elm St, Gorham
Sebago Brewing Company - 48 Sanford Dr, Gorham
Peak Organic Brewing Company - 110 Marginal Way Ste 802, Portland
Casco Bay Brewing Co. - 57 Industrial Way, Portland
Shipyard Brewing Co. - 86 Newbury St, Portland
Bunker Brewing Co. - 122 Anderson St, Portland
Gritty McDuff's Brewing Company - 396 Fore St, Portland
In'Finiti Fermentation & Distillation - 250 Commercial St, Portland

-snip-

That's a lot of breweries considering there's only 66,000 people in the city!

love the "what's prettier, NH or VT" argument. They're different. Vermont is softer, more rounded. NH is craggier, more rugged. Both nice. The topography's different is all. But to call out the shithole podunks in VT from NH is funny, like Manchester, Lebanon and Nashua are on anyone's must-see list.

i'm a fan of Gritty's, it's been there forever.

Hill Farmstead is getting a whole lot of respect among the hardcore beer geeks. Do your best to make a pit stop there if you're in the vicinity.

Just remember that it's tourist season and you'll be seeing more people from NY and Mass. on the coast of Maine than you will Mainers. Rt.1 will be slow with lots of traffic. The best time to visit the area is after school starts in September.

I always liked Flume Gorge.

Oh yeah, while in NH with kids it's kind of required to go to Story Land. Hope you like cheesy!

http://www.edcheung.com/album/album04/Story/humpty.jpg

Since there will be a lot of driving, the finest Mountain Rd you will ever drive in the Northeast is the Kangamangas, or, Rt 112, between Lincoln, NH and Conway, NH. Work it in somehow.

Lake Placid is an unfortunate tourist mecca filled with consumption in the summer. There are tons of great hikes well marked off of roads nearby to escape that. I suggest the ones heading south to Mt. Marcy, but, if you want family friendly, there is a ton of info on the internet, with maps.

They should turn the bobsled run into a giant water slide. I'd hit that.

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Originally Posted by refried

Just remember that it's tourist season and you'll be seeing more people from NY and Mass. on the coast of Maine than you will Mainers. Rt.1 will be slow with lots of traffic. The best time to visit the area is after school starts in September.

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Just like Jackson Hole can seem in the winter especially if you ride the Gondi! Kind of a bummer but I have a ten year old stepson that I pull out of school every year for our snow ski trip so I can't do September unless we leave him home. Part of the reason I've never done the eastern mountain thing is because I love the vast open solitude that I find every year out west. Last year we were all alone in the Wind Rivers - literally. This year we're just going to have to join the Masses because I really want to check the area out.

For some reference - Waterbury, VT to Acadia is just shy of 7 hours of driving, with only a couple of stops. We do it every year and it doesn't get any shorter. :)

Oh, and, the best advice I can give you is respect local speed limits. 30 is 30, in a lot of places. And buy a radar detector, if you care to.

on your way over the 'Kanc', stop here for kickass swimming.
Lincoln Woods/Franconia Falls
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5UvyQ3Umo8

You're in for a long, long day if you are planning on doing anything other than driving up the auto road on your way from Stowe to Acadia. It's ~3 hours from Stowe to Mt. Washington, expect at least another 4 hours of driving to get to Acadia.