Safest route to bar harbor maine

Driving through Hartford, CT stinks. But the ride up 81 through Pennsylvania is nice. That leads to NY to the Tappan Zee then 84.

Avoid 95 at all costs, very congested & bumpy.

A possible side trip might be Foxwoods or Mohegan casino, I hear they are RV friendly. Easy to get back to 395 to head to Massachusetts to 290 towards New Hampshire & Maine.

Edit: just my opinions based on living in CT & MA for past 20 years.

DrewE wrote:
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If you do go up I-95, be aware that the tunnels around Boston do not permit propane, which means I-93 through (under) the city and I-90 into the city are unusable by RVs. I-95 itself is OK, as are the other interstates further from the city proper.

Just a suggestion, but take I-495 around Boston, not I-95. There is nothing attractive about the I-95 loop, and the traffic can be horrible. And yes, avoid going into Boston, there are many, many restrictions on RVs there.

I wouldn't touch the KOA at DWG with a 10 Foot pole. Much prefer anywhere else.

Two routes I'd consider are i-64 from you to Staunton, VA, then i-81 to allentown PA then Delaware Water Gap to Milford PA on i-84. then through Hartford to I-90 at Sturbridge, MA then i-495 around Boston to I-95, then up 95 to Portland, ME, then i-295 to Brunswick, ME then #1 to Rockland and Bar Harbour. About 18 or 19 hours and the only city is Hartford which is a breeze.

An option is to take the CBBT and Lewes ferry as far north as Atlantic City, then up 30 to Philadelphia, then I-276 to Easton, PA. Then up the DWG and north. Same time but adding the CBBT and Philadelphia.

Bumpyroad wrote:
I was also thinking about I-81 but that is about a million miles out of the way from the eastern shore.
bumpy

That's ok. Just take US13 up the DelMarVa and pick up I-276 around Philly to I-476 to Scranton.

jplante4 wrote:
I don't know how long you want to take to get there, but here's a route I like.

I-64 to I-295 to I-95 to Fredricksburg. Then take US17/US50 to I-81 in Winchester.

I-81 to I-80 to E. Stroudsburg PA, then US209 to I-84. You can stop at the Poconos/Delaware Water Gap KOA for the night.

I-84 to I-87 into the Adirondacks. Pick up US4 near Glen Falls NY over towards Rutland VT and work your way up I-91 to the Kancamagus Hwy.

US302 around Sebago Lake in Maine, and then you can work over to I-95 because you're north of the worse traffic at that point.

This is not at all an unreasonable route.

I would probably do the middle section more along the lines of I-81 to I-88 to I-87 (via a short section of the Thruway, which is free of charge if you go between I-88 and I-87 or vice-versa).

From I-87, I'd take exit 20 at Lake George, to NY 149 to US 4, and then in Vermont 22A north to US 7 to I-189 and I-89, and then route 2 across from Montpelier to I-93 at St. Johnsbury and on through the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The Kancamagus Highway is one beautiful way to go there, but US2 or 302 are also nice.

I myself very much prefer taking I-81 to I-95 through all the seaboard cities.

If you do go up I-95, be aware that the tunnels around Boston do not permit propane, which means I-93 through (under) the city and I-90 into the city are unusable by RVs. I-95 itself is OK, as are the other interstates further from the city proper.

As far as scenic, you could take the CBBT and head up the Eastern Shore, then take the Cape May - Lewes Ferry into NJ. From there, head straight up the Garden State Parkway into NY and cross the Hudson at the old Tappan Zee Bridge, but don't come anywhere near Northern NJ or NY any time close to rush hours.

You could then take I-684 to I-84 through the hills, or continue to I-95, but Connecticut is no fun on 95. In fact, 95 doesn't let up until you're north of Portland, ME.

I was also thinking about I-81 but that is about a million miles out of the way from the eastern shore.
bumpy

jplante4 wrote:
I don't know how long you want to take to get there, but here's a route I like.

I-64 to I-295 to I-95 to Fredricksburg. Then take US17/US50 to I-81 in Winchester.

I-81 to I-80 to E. Stroudsburg PA, then US209 to I-84. You can stop at the Poconos/Delaware Water Gap KOA for the night.

I-84 to I-87 into the Adirondacks. Pick up US4 near Glen Falls NY over towards Rutland VT and work your way up I-91 to the Kancamagus Hwy.

US302 around Sebago Lake in Maine, and then you can work over to I-95 because you're north of the worse traffic at that point.

I would second this. Especially RT 302. Some campgrounds won't be open that early.

Mark

I'd never go up there in April
Late June was cold enough.

You titled your thread, "Safest route to bar harbor maine" but your text states you want the scenic route. They are not the same.