New York Circular 15 – A scenic, comprehensive and highly recommended route in New England (in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont) and in New York State that includes Cape Cod, Acadia National Park, the White Mountains, the Green Mountains, the Adirondacks, the Finger Lakes, as well as the Niagara Falls and 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, drive to the tip of Long Island, take the ferry from Orient to New London and drive to Mystic, 2.5 hours drive plus 1.5 hours ferry ride
(this is a relatively long day. It is possible to travel this route on this only if you land in New York at an early hour. If you plan to land late, you should add a night in New York before setting off)
Lodging location: Mystic
Day 2 – Visit Mystic and drive to the Cape Cod Peninsula, on the way stop for a visit in Newport (Rhode Island), 3 hours drive
Lodging location: Provincetown
Day 3 – Enjoy a day of leisure in the Cape Cod National Seashore
Lodging location: Provincetown
Day 4 – Enjoy the morning in the Cape Cod Peninsula and drive to Boston, 2 hours drive
Lodging location: Boston
Day 5 – Visit Boston
Lodging location: Boston
Day 6 – Enjoy one more day in Boston
Lodging location: Boston
Day 7 – Drive to Acadia National Park, 5 hours drive
On the way north stop at the small coastal town of Cape Elizabeth (2 hours north of Boston) 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: Bar Harbor
Day 8 – Visit East Acadia National Park
Lodging location: Bar Harbor
Day 9 – Visit West Acadia National Park
Lodging location: Bar Harbor
Day 10 – Drive to the White Mountains of New Hampshire and travel in the area surrounding the town of North Conway, 4 hours drive
Lodging location: North Conway
Day 11 – Travel in the eastern part of the White Mountains
Lodging location: North Conway
Day 12 – Enjoy one more day in the White Mountains
Lodging location: North Conway
Day 13 – Cross the White Mountains through route 112 (Kancamagus Highway) and drive to the town of Stowe (Vermont), 3 hours drive
Lodging location: Stowe
Day 14 – Enjoy activities in the Green Mountains, around Stowe
Lodging location: Stowe
Day 15 – Take a short ferry ride that crosses Lake Champlain to the state of New York and the Adirondack Mountains and travel in these mountains, 30 minutes ferry ride plus 2 hours drive
Lodging location: Lake Placid
Day 16 – Enjoy a day of activities in Whiteface Mountain or Saranac Lake
Lodging location: Lake Placid
Day 17 – Drive to the Niagara Falls (cross the border to Canada), 6 hours drive
Lodging location: Niagara Falls (Canadian side)
Day 18 – Visit the Niagara Falls
Lodging location: Niagara Falls (Canadian side)
Day 19 – Visit the Niagara Falls and drive to the Finger Lakes region, 4 hours drive
Lodging location: Ithaca
Day 20 – Visit the gorges and waterfalls around Ithaca
Lodging location: Ithaca
Day 21 – Visit the gorges around Ithaca and drive to New York, 4 hours drive
Lodging location: New York
Day 22 – 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.
