Syracuse NY to Portsmouth NH then up the coast of Maine

All of the routes sound ok but AVOID 290 at all cost. Not worth the grief and crazy impatient Massachusetts drivers. Worse than Ny if you can believe it. Mass pike to 495 to 95 would be my choice. Make sure you visit Boothbay Harbor and DON’T MISS THE CABBAGE ISLAND CLAMBAKE. It is a scenic boat ride to a private island for a LOBSTA FEAST.

teeznu wrote:

From Portsmouth heading up the coast i.e. York-Wells-Kennebunkport eventually to Bar Harbor.
Would like to travel right along the coast stopping along the way at different "chicken Lobsters" restaurant's for lunch.

"chicken lobsters"?

They're much more commonly called "chix", and it means they are small lobsters, usually 1 to 1 1/8 lb.

Also seconding the wise advise to avoid 290. It slaloms through Worchester ("Wooster") and the traffic is horrible most times of the day. Stay on the MassPike to 495.

teeznu wrote:
So, Guys. What about this idea. At Albany (form Syracuse) taking Highway 9 over to Concord and then the 202 over to Portsmouth? IT may not be the FASTEST way, but again, tolls don't concern me and I've got all kinds of TIME. I'd also bet the country side would me more interesting vs. the interstate.
Please share your thoughts.
Tks

Generally that's a nice enough route. There are some decent hills and curves for sure on VT 9 but nothing too crazy or extreme; it's one of the bigger regional truck routes. It's definitely not as quick a route as the interstates; though in my opinion it's a good bit prettier and more enjoyable.

There is a sizable truck detour for route 9 in New Hampshire due to bridge construction. I'd avoid the "car" detour with an RV. (The truck detour is NH 101 from Keene to US 202 until it joins NH 9.)

New Hampshire has cheaper gas in general than Vermont, Massachusetts, and New York, and in my non-scientific experience seems to typically be cheaper the further west you progress in the state. I don't know offhand how Maine compares. I also don't know if or how well that carries over to diesel.

teeznu wrote:
So, Guys. What about this idea. At Albany (form Syracuse) taking Highway 9 over to Concord and then the 202 over to Portsmouth? IT may not be the FASTEST way, but again, tolls don't concern me and I've got all kinds of TIME. I'd also bet the country side would me more interesting vs. the interstate.
Please share your thoughts.
Tks

Am assuming you will head north on 87 to Rte 7 east towards Troy then Bennington. All 2 lane with a good pull out of Bennington. Drew can probly better tell you, but if your towing heavy, better off sticking to the big roads. Also, if you have a diesel, last time we went to BH from Syr ('17), fuel was cheaper along the MA pike than at truck stops.

So, Guys. What about this idea. At Albany (form Syracuse) taking Highway 9 over to Concord and then the 202 over to Portsmouth? IT may not be the FASTEST way, but again, tolls don't concern me and I've got all kinds of TIME. I'd also bet the country side would me more interesting vs. the interstate.
Please share your thoughts.
Tks

The “short cut” of 290 between I-90 and I-495 would be a gigantic mistake. Between 6:30 am and 9:30 am you could swim faster. Conversely, between 3:00 pm and 6:30 pm southbound (495 to 90), you had better pack a sandwich. At all other times of the day the road is merely hideous in both directions. Much better to go all the way to 495.
When you finally get to Bar Harbor, go a few miles further and see the Schoodic Peninsula. Make arrangements at the national park campground and enjoy Maine the way it should be (and save a few bucks on a lobster dinner). Much less expensive and much more attractive than Bar Harbor.

What bukhrn said...or take I-290 betwixt I-90 and I-495. Google maps says that I-290 is one minute quicker and two miles shorter; it's basically a wash between them, depending on traffic and luck and such. I-495 and I-290 are not toll roads, but the others all are.

The quickest way would be to take the Thruway, I-90 all the way to I-495 north around Boston to I-95 North to Portsmouth, not the most scenic and absolutely mostly all tolls, ( if not ALL).