How long does it take to drive from DC to Acadia National Park / Bar Harbor ME?

[Anonymous]

and, where would you stop for the overnight in between? We can't fly for this trip because we need to bring so much gear. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I've done it. I think about 14 hours. When I drove (with my 5 year old), we stopped in NY at my mom's house for a night, then stopped to see a friend for lunch outside Boston and continued on to Portland and spent the night. Did the three hours from Portland to BH the next morning. I didn't think it was so bad broken up. Except for that last stretch on the Maine turnpike.

If I was to just do one overnight I might try to get to Massachusetts the first day. Lots of nice places to stop there...

[Anonymous]

We've stopped in Portsmouth, NH and Northampton, MA on our 2 drives up there. Both times we drove straight through on our way home - it was about 14 hours, including stops for lunch & dinner.

[Anonymous]

We do this every summer. 12 hours door to door no traffic. So yeah, realistically if you need to stop and if you hit some traffic 14 hours. We usually stop at friends in Connecticut, which is about 2 hours closer to here but we like to see our friends. On the way home we leave basically in the middle of the night and drive straight through.

[Anonymous]

14 hours is a good estimate. We drive up to the Portland area every summer and usually travel in the middle of the night. It is a pain but there is a lot less traffic.

[Anonymous]

12 hours more like it. Take six to CT and sleep at
a cheap motel outside a truck stop past Hartford. Denny's there I think. Then 6 more to Acadia. One of the coolest places on Earth. Congrats! There are also direct flights from DCA to Bangor pretty cheap on USAirways.

[Anonymous]

I was going to say about 12 hours, and, if you are going to stop, try Mystic CT. A cool town on the coast, lots of good restaurants, some very reasonable hotels/motels and you are already getting the New England vibe.

[Anonymous]

We got stuck in traffic around NYC -- took almost 16 hours, straight.

And PP is right -- my heart sank when we crossed the Maine border and I realized we were only 3/4 of the way there.

But Acadia/Bar Harbor is beautiful!

[Anonymous]

12-14 hours, depending on stops. Quite do-able in one trip if two drivers trade driving through the night. In any event, get EZPass to save much time in MD, Del, NJ, NH.