Fall is Here, Time for a Road Trip!

Picture yourself in the driver’s seat, sunroof open, windows down, Pandora cranking on your iPhone, Red bull in the console and your friend and partner in crime sitting next to you! Sounds like a good time. Fall is here and the leaves will soon be bursting with color, what better time for a road trip? Long trips, short weekend trips and even day trips, your options are virtually limitless. Since the list goes on and on, we will share with you what the Travel Chanel considers the top East coast road trips.

U.S. Route 1 and the Acadia National Byway, Maine

In August, when the masses of tourist descend on Vacationland, Route 1 is a parking lot winding through small villages with relentless stop-lights. However, drive this route in early summer or fall and you will have a relaxing, unobstructed front-row seat to the state’s beautiful coastline. Start in Kittery and drive north through laid-back Ogunquit before reaching Kennebunkport and its seaside mansions. Then head to foodie-friendly Portland where you’ll find the freshest seafood you’ve ever tasted and where if a restaurant is even mediocre, it will not survive. Continue on to Freeport, home of the quintessentially Northeastern company L.L.Bean, which is open 24 hours. Further North or ‘down east’ as they say, head towards Acadia National Park past granite peaks, craggy outcroppings, coastal fishing villages and lush old-growth forests. Fresh lobster feasts and the chance to be among the first people in America to see the sunrise are just a few of the reasons to put the Acadia Byway in Maine on your road-trip radar. Continue on and the landscape turns desolate within blueberry ridden Washington County. Don’t miss the reversing saltwater falls, a natural wonder that results from the area’s strong tides, near West Pembroke. If you feel so inclined to drive all the way to Canada, make sure to stop in the small, quaint town of Calais near the border.

Kancamagus Scenic Byway

New Hampshire’s Kancamagus Scenic Byway, 34.5 mile section of Route 112 that runs through the White Mountain National Forest, which is renowned for its autumn leaves and vast mountains. As the National Scenic Byway, the “Kanc”, as the locals call it, remains unspoiled by homes or service stations, allowing visitors to watch the maple, beech, and birch trees burst into color without distraction. Plus, this road is really fun to drive, with its curvaceous turns and few tractor trailer trucks, you’ll be sure to have a pleasant drive.

Further on South……

Historic National Road
Maryland’s stretch of the 170-mile Historic National Road, originally built to foster settlement into the West by aiding movement of people and goods. This takes road-trippers on a jouney through 300 years of history. The lush region and towns surrounding the highway have become a mid-Atlantic hot spot for fall foliage viewing and offer plenty of historic interest to travelers.

Blue Ridge Parkway

Riding along the Blue Ridge Parkway, drivers have little choice but to take their time enjoying the serpentine views that connect the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. The route’s speed limit is a strictly enforced 45 mph, which at some points is lowered due to leaf peepers, but catching a glimpse of nature’s colorful display is well worth it.

Wherever the road may take you this fall, remember drive safe, buckle up and most importantly, don’t forget your camera!