North Eastern Explorer Self Drive

Look forward to an exciting nine-night North Eastern Explorer Self Drive adventure by car around the USA state of New England. This road-trip begins and ends in Boston and lets you experience the myriad of sights and attractions and eclectic towns and cities throughout New England; including Boston, Kennebunkport, Rockland, Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park, Bangor, Portsmouth, and Cape Cod-Hyannis.

Itinerary

Day One: Arrive in Boston

Fly into Boston in Maine where your nine-night North Eastern Explorer Self Drive gets underway when you pick up your car at the airport and drive to DoubleTree by Hilton Boston Bayside for the night. Perhaps ride one of the Swan Boats at Boston Public Garden; enjoy New England Aquarium’s Whale Watch experience; follow the HarborWalk to visit the Institute of Contemporary Art and the Boston Tea Party Ship; or stroll along the Freedom Trail taking in the State House, Old Granary and King's Chapel Burying Grounds, and Charlestown's USS Constitution frigate and Bunker Hill Monument.

Day Two: Boston to Kennebunkport

Drive to Kennebunkport in Maine for a night’s stay at Hampton Inn Kennebunk-Kennebunkport. Head to Dock Square’s shops, galleries, and eateries; cross the bridge to Kennebunk, or follow Ocean Avenue around Cape Arundel to Walker’s Point – summer home of President Bush’s family. View the landmark Goat Island Lighthouse from Cape Porpoise or take a one-hour tour with Intown Trolley. Admire the trams, trolleys, and subway cars at the Seashore Trolley Museum and the 70,000+ artefacts at Brick Store Museum. Don’t miss the Wedding Cake House and Summer Street Mansions.

Day Three: Kennebunkport to Rockland

Journey to Rockland at the heart of Midcoast Maine for an overnight stay at Hampton Inn & Suites Rockland. Wander around Rockland Harbour; home to Maine’s largest windjammer fleet, the departure point for the Maine State Ferry to the islands of Penobscot Bay: Vinalhaven, North Haven, and Matinicus; and boutiques, eateries, and galleries. Take a walk along Rockland Breakwater. Visit Owls Head Light, Owls Head Transportation Museum, and Farnsworth Art Museum. You can also travel to Camden Hills State Park, Camden, Camden Harbor, and Maiden’s Cliff.

Day Four: Rockland to Bar Harbor

Your journey continues to Bar Harbor in Maine; where you’ll spend two nights at Holiday Inn Resort Bar Harbor-Acadia National Park overlooking the marina and Frenchman’s Bay. Explore, eat lobster, and shop your day away at Downtown Bar Harbor. Go whale-watching on the Gulf of Maine or board a puffin cruise. Delve into indigenous history and culture of the Wabanaki Nations at Abbe Museum. Step back to the Gilded Age at La Rochelle Mansion and History Museum. Stroll through 400+ plant species at the Wild Gardens of Acadia or take a scenic walk along the 4.4-mile Ocean Path.

Day Five: Bar Harbor

Perhaps explore the wonders of Acadia National Park today. Take a road-trip on the 27-mile Park Loop Road around the east side of Mount Desert Island - connecting Acadia's lakes, mountains, and shoreline and with access to Sieur de Monts, Sand Beach, Otter Point, Jordan Pond, and Cadillac Mountain. Visit Bass Harbor Head Light and feel the spray of Thunder Hole. Bike along the 45 miles of Carriage Roads or hike along the Great Head Trail, Jesup Path, and Hemlock Park loop. Keep your eyes peeled for the moose, bears, raccoons, deer, and foxes that call Acadia National Park home.

Day Six: Bar Harbor to Bangor

Your road-trip continues with a drive to the former timber hub of Bangor for an overnight at Holiday Inn Bangor. See the towering statue of folkloric lumberjack Paul Bunyan on Main Street. Delve into the life of famed horror author Stephen King at the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation. Get hands-on with nature, science, and the arts at the Maine Discovery Museum. Admire the modern and contemporary art at the University Of Maine Museum Of Art. Walk Bangor City Forest’s trails to spot beaver and deer.

Day Seven: Bangor to Portsmouth

Drive to Best Western Plus Portsmouth Hotel & Suites in New Hampshire’s picturesque port city of Portsmouth on the Piscataqua River for two nights. Explore the streets of the historic downtown with its quaint boutiques, art galleries, and tasty dining options overlooking the scenic waterfront. Wander through the Market Square to view the 1855 North Church and Prescott Park’s riverside gardens and boat docks. Watch costumed staff demonstrate traditional crafts at Strawbery Banke Museum. Pay a visit to the former research submarine USS Albacore in Albacore Park.

Day Eight: Portsmouth

Continue your explorations of Portsmouth today. Get up close to fascinating marine life at the aquariums and indoor touch tanks at Seacoast Science Center. Step back in time at Portsmouth Historical Society or get hands-on at Children’s Museum of New Hampshire. Seek out Fort Constitution and Fort Stark or go hiking around Cape Neddick Lighthouse. Enjoy a splashing time at Water Country or venture over the Piscataqua River to indulge in some last-minute shopping at the Tax-Free shops and premium outlets in Kittery.

Day Nine: Portsmouth to Cape Cod-Hyannis

Your road-trip continues with a drive to Hyannis on Cape Cod; where you’ll check into Holiday Inn Cape Cod-Hyannis for your final night. Wander along vibrant Main Street and around Hyannis’ waterfront district. Fit in retail therapy at Cape Cod Mall or escape to Cape Cod National Seashore with its beaches, woodlands, and hiking trails. Stop by Hyannis’ Cape Cod Maritime Museum and John F Kennedy Museum. Go whale-watching on a cruise from nearby Barnstable Harbor or take a short ferry ride to Martha’s Vineyard and the settlement of Nantucket.

Day Ten: Hyannis to Boston Departure

Check out of the your Cape Cod-Hyannis hotel and drive to Boston Airport in time for your flight back to the UK – hopefully with many happy memories to look back on of your North Eastern Explorer Self Drive adventure.