Best route to Portland?
Oct 20, 2011, 11:30 am
#1
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Best route to Portland?
I don't venture outside of Boston too much by car, but decided to take a quick overnight trip to Portland, ME this weekend.
Is there a scenic route that might be worth taking to enjoy the fall season (or possibly a hike)?
Also, any ideas how bad traffic might be leaving Boston around 5pm on Friday? I'll probably try to get up there as quickly as traffic allows, then take my time getting back on a more scenic route and maybe make a stop or two.
Is there a scenic route that might be worth taking to enjoy the fall season (or possibly a hike)?
Also, any ideas how bad traffic might be leaving Boston around 5pm on Friday? I'll probably try to get up there as quickly as traffic allows, then take my time getting back on a more scenic route and maybe make a stop or two.
Oct 21, 2011, 7:48 am
#3
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Yep, pretty much the only two roads. Never drove US1 as it's not worth it until you get to Maine. Just not that nice a road to invest the time. I95 will take 1.5 hrs. That's without traffic. 5pm leaving Boston will be a nightmare. It'll be many hours of stop and go all the way to Maine and you'll want to drive off a bridge just to end it. I wish I was exaggerating.
Oct 21, 2011, 7:58 am
#4
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Ouch! Thanks for the warning. I was originally going to take the train but switched to driving so that I could leave downtown Portland if I wanted to. Do you think it will take more than 2.5 hours? I checked traffic online yesterday at that time and it didn't sound bad.
As far as the scenic routes, I guess all of those drives are further north?
As far as the scenic routes, I guess all of those drives are further north?
Oct 21, 2011, 8:06 am
#5
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Ouch! Thanks for the warning. I was originally going to take the train but switched to driving so that I could leave downtown Portland if I wanted to. Do you think it will take more than 2.5 hours? I checked traffic online yesterday at that time and it didn't sound bad.
As far as the scenic routes, I guess all of those drives are further north?
As far as the scenic routes, I guess all of those drives are further north?
The drive to Portland will take at least 2.5 hrs. Possibly more. Gonna be a great weekend, though, so enjoy! I'm doing some hiking myself.
Oct 21, 2011, 10:30 am
#6
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Last weekend, I left downtown at about 5:30 and got to Portsmouth, NH at approx. 7:30 (with one stop). Portland would be about 45-60 minutes from there.
On the way back, you could get off at Newburyport and wind you way south along 133 -- there are orchards and some farms and can have lunch in Essex or detour over to Crane Beach.
On the way back, you could get off at Newburyport and wind you way south along 133 -- there are orchards and some farms and can have lunch in Essex or detour over to Crane Beach.
Oct 27, 2011, 2:44 pm
#7
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I don't venture outside of Boston too much by car, but decided to take a quick overnight trip to Portland, ME this weekend.
Is there a scenic route that might be worth taking to enjoy the fall season (or possibly a hike)?
Also, any ideas how bad traffic might be leaving Boston around 5pm on Friday? I'll probably try to get up there as quickly as traffic allows, then take my time getting back on a more scenic route and maybe make a stop or two.
Is there a scenic route that might be worth taking to enjoy the fall season (or possibly a hike)?
Also, any ideas how bad traffic might be leaving Boston around 5pm on Friday? I'll probably try to get up there as quickly as traffic allows, then take my time getting back on a more scenic route and maybe make a stop or two.
You can take the next exit (45) inbound and pick up 295 there w/no speed traps.
Off of 295, take exit 7 (Franklin) and 5-6 stoplights later you will hit Middle st. Take a right and, congratulations, you are in the Old Port.
O/H
Oct 27, 2011, 2:59 pm
#8
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OP, if you want to stop for a quick and delicious dinner (and if you love fried clams), go to Bob's Clam Hut in Kittery (just over the bridge) which is on Route 1 in the midst of the outlets. The clams and their clam chowder are out of this world.
Oct 27, 2011, 5:59 pm
#9
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Oct 27, 2011, 6:47 pm
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That was a question I was going to ask. So exit 45 is Maine Mall Road which is the toll-free exit to get onto 295? We often exit at the old Exit 6 (Scarborough) so I'm not familiar with the new exit numbers. Yeah, I know, it's been a few years since they've changed the exit #s but I'm used to Exit 6 Scarborough, Exit 3 for the Kennebunks, Exit 11 for Gray, etc.
Oct 28, 2011, 3:57 am
#11
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The new exit numbers make WAY more sense than the old ones. Just between Scarborough and Westbrook, we used to have exits 6, 6A, 7, 7A, 7B, and 8. Those changed to 42, 44, 45, 46, 47, and 48 respectively.
Nov 30, 2011, 12:31 pm
#13
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Looks like it will be a pleasant, seasonable weekend weather-wise. We've been very blessed with our weather so far this fall, I think November is going down as the warmest on record.
Nov 30, 2011, 8:01 pm
#14
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LL Bean too.
Dec 5, 2011, 5:37 pm
#15
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On our drive home yesterday, I was driving on 495 south around Littleton when the sun was low enough to be right above the horizon. It was nearly blinding. A car had zoomed passed me and as the highway veered toward the left, the sun slammed us in the eyes. The driver lost control and his/her car flipped into the median. I have NEVER seen a car do that in person. 