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Driving Boston to Portland

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suzikyp
boston, MA
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Driving Boston to Portland
18 Aug 2008, 02:24

We will be driving from Boston (somerville) to Portland on a monday in September - as our hotel doesn't have check in till 4pm and we will have our 14 month old with us we were thinking of leaving after her morning nap (around 10 am) and stopping once or twice along the way once we got into maine - in say Kennebunkport or Ogunquit or old orchard beach - does it make sense to go off highway the whole way up through Maine (is it scenic and interesting) - where would be a nice place to stop for lunch? Have a walk around? Thank you!

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Boston
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MainerOnTheGo
Central Maine
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1. Re: Driving Boston to Portland
23 Aug 2008, 16:06

"Scenic and interesting" are in the eye of the beholder, but with a few exceptions, US Route 1 does not offer the scenic ocean views one might expect. It does offer lots of traffic -- slow-moving at times.

My suggestion would be to pick one or two places to stop along the way and get off I-95 at the exit(s) closest to those locations, but use the Interstate/Turnpike for the rest of the trip. The slight added time it may take to get from/to the Interstate from your side-trip destinations won't come close to the time you'll spend sitting in traffic on Route 1.

As far as where to stop with a 3-year old...it's been too long since we traveled with one that young, so don't have any credible suggestions. Sorry.

Have a great visit.

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BostonHamlet
Boston
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2. Re: Driving Boston to Portland
23 Aug 2008, 22:53

MainerontheGo is right about Route 1 being slow traffic wise, but I still think it is interesting. Not postcard views of the ocean, but some quaint, and some cheesy, tourist sights. Lobster shacks, farm stands, etc. If you're shoppers, you will want to check out the outlet stores in Kittery. Old Orchard Beach is fun because of the boardwalk, but on a Monday in Sept. it will probably be a ghost town, and other than that there is not much in Old Orchard. Those seaside towns pretty much die after Labor Day.

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Kittery
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3. Re: Driving Boston to Portland
1 Oct 2009, 23:16

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