By Mara Vorhees
In New England, getting off the beaten track means exploring its northernmost reaches. If you're yearning for the picturesque New England countryside without the picture-takers and the winding roads without the traffic jams, then hop in your car and drive up I-91. All the way up.
Northeast Kingdom Cruise
The Northeast Kingdom is an idyllic corner of Vermont. Wedged between Québec and New Hampshire, it’s a land of verdant hillsides and family-run farms, humble villages and even humbler folk inhabiting them. Aside from the skiers who come in winter months, tourists are few and far between.
Driving on rural Route 116 in Glover, you won't be surprised to see a tumble-down farmhouse and barn at the side of the road. What's surprising is what you'll find inside; this old homestead is actually the Bread & Puppet Theater. The two-story barn is a warehouse of fanciful and frightening puppets and masks, featuring characters both dramatic and demonic.
Adirondack chairs in row by lake, Northeast Kingdom.
© Emily Riddell Lonely Planet Images.
Stop in at Craftsbury Common, if only to stroll across its picture-perfect village green, surrounded by white clapboard cottages, or perhaps to cycle or ski on the 80 miles of trails at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center. In the evening, snuggle up in the comfort of the cozy Craftsbury Outdoor Center, set amid the Northeast Kingdom's pretty pastureland.
East of I-91, Lake Willoughby is a gorgeous glacial lake tucked in between the rocky cliffs of Mt. Hor and Mt. Pisgah. For the energetic, the three-hour hike up Mt. Pisgah offers spectacular scenery along the way and a jaw-dropping vista at the summit. Otherwise, enjoy the lovely lake views from the Willoughvale Inn, perfectly placed for canoeing, kayaking and other outdoor adventures.
White Mountain Meander
Drive east on Route 2 across the state line, where the two-lane highway traverses New Hampshire, with the magnificent White Mountains looming to the south. Few tourists find themselves on this side of the Presidential range; you might meet a moose in your travels, but not too many other people.
Mt Washing Cog Railway Train travels through the landscape of White Mountains National Park.
© Eddie Brady Lonely Planet Images.
No one captured the allure of New England more eloquently than Robert Frost, who penned many of his poems while living in New Hampshire. Literature-lovers will appreciate the detour to the Frost Place in Franconia, where visitors can follow a trail of his poetry through the wooded grounds.
The little town of Bethlehem, N.H., is another destination for a cultural diversion. Have dinner at the Cold Mountain Café, offering the region's most eclectic and creative cooking, followed by a folk concert or indie film at the old-fashioned Colonial Theatre. Finish off your evening curled up next to the fire at the refined and romantic Adair Inn.
Use the Philbrook Farm Inn, in Shelburne, N.H., as your base for exploring the White Mountains. Miles of hiking trails originate at the inn and connect with the extensive network of the Appalachian Mountain Club. Hearty, home-cooked meals and genuine, heartfelt hospitality welcome weary travelers at the end of the day.
Down East Drive
Continue on Route 2 into Maine, stopping to admire the Shelburne birches as you cross the state border. Then continue east toward Bangor.
An uncommon stop on the traveler's itinerary, Bangor is nonetheless something of a commercial and cultural capital for inland Maine. Take your kids to the Discovery Museum, sip a coffee at Café Nouveau, snap some photos of the gigantic statue of Paul Bunyan and enjoy life in the big city.
From Bangor, take Route 1A to hook up with the coastal highway, Route 1. As the road winds northeast along the jagged coast, the landscape becomes more scenic and less spoiled. This is "down east" Maine at its most authentic, where old-fashioned fishing villages are untouched by tourism.
West Quoddy Head lighthouse.
© Jeff Greenberg Lonely Planet Images.
Jonesport is one such village at the southern tip of Schoodic Peninsula. Stop for a lobster roll for lunch, then spend the afternoon exploring the 1,540-acre reserve on Great Wass Island. Pine forests and peat bogs occupy the inland areas, while the rocky coast is home to a puffin colony.
If you really want to get away from it all, follow the coast all the way to Lubec, the tiny town on the Canadian border. Spend the night in one of the antique-filled rooms at the Home Port Inn. But don't get too comfortable. You'll want to awake before dawn so you can head to Quoddy Head State Park, the easternmost point in the United States, where you can be the first person in the country to see the sunrise.
Bio:Mara Vorhees is a freelance writer living in Somerville, Mass. She is the author of Lonely Planet's "Boston" City Guide and "New England" guidebook.
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