New York Circular 8 – A scenic comprehensive and highly recommended route in New England (in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont) and in eastern New York State that includes Cape Cod, Acadia National Park, the White Mountains, the Green Mountains and the Adirondacks, as well as the city of Boston. In summer there are many water activities along this route (and other attractions such as zipline, alpine slides and whale watching), while in autumn these regions are colored by a spectacular fall foliage. It is of course recommended to add a few days in New York City at the beginning or end of this route.
Day 1 – Land in New York and drive to Albany (on the way if you have time – you may travel along the Hudson River), 2.5 hours drive
Lodging location: Albany
Day 2 – Drive north on scenic Route 30 in the Adirondack Mountains towards the towns of Saranac Lake and Lake Placid, stop for recreation in the tranquil lakes and rivers along this route, 3.5 hours drive
Lodging location: Lake Placid
Day 3 – Continue driving east and travel in the Adirondack Mountains, in the afternoon take the ferry ride that crosses Lake Champlain towards Vermont, 2 hours drive plus 30 minutes ferry ride
Lodging location: Stowe
Day 4 – Enjoy activities in the Green Mountains (around Stowe) and drive south on scenic route 100 to the town of Woodstock (Vermont), 2 hours drive
Lodging location: Woodstock
Day 5 – Cross the White Mountains from west to east through route 112 (Kancamagus Highway) and visit sites along the way, 3 hours drive
Lodging location: North Conway
Day 6 – Travel in the eastern part of the White Mountains
Lodging location: North Conway
Day 7 – Drive to Acadia National Park and visit East Acadia National Park, 4 hours drive
Lodging location: Bar Harbor
Day 8 – Visit West Acadia National Park
Lodging location: Bar Harbor
Day 9 – Drive to Boston, 5 hours drive
On the way south stop at the small coastal town of Cape Elizabeth (3 hours south of Acadia) which has a beautiful lighthouse. You may also choose to drive the northern portion of this route through HWY 1 and the scenic town of Camden (in this case the total drive for this day will be 5.5 hours)
Lodging location: Boston
Day 10 – Visit Boston and drive to Cape Cod Peninsula, 2 hours drive
Lodging location: Provincetown
Day 11 – Visit the Cape Cod National Seashore and drive to Mystic, 3 hours drive
Lodging location: Mystic
Day 12 – Visit Mystic and take the ferry to Long Island (from New London to Orient) and drive to NYC, 1.5 hours ferry ride plus 2.5 hours drive
Lodging location: New York
Day 13 – Fly home
– In order to fill this route with content – see our Northeast USA destinations pages, where you can find articles that include suggestions what to do in various locations along this route.
