3 Weeks Texas to Maine Road Trip Itinerary (and Other States in New England)

Last summer we did a Texas to Maine road trip for 3 weeks long. Yes! It’s a long drive, and we were 6.2 mi shy from driving 6,000 miles!

On this Texas to Maine road trip we also visited all the other states in New England. Along with 7 other states before and after we visited states in New England. In total, we visited and drove through 13 states.

Our road trip to Maine from Texas started from south of Dallas. We could have driven straight to New England, but we decided to visit Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio and Niagara Falls in New York first. Then we started exploring the New England region from Vermont.

We traveled in a minivan with our teardrop, the tiny travel trailer, hooked at the back. So, we stayed in RV Campgrounds except for the first night and the last two nights. 

As always, our dog Snoopy came with us. He has traveled with us since 2017, and has been to 23 states. On this road trip to Maine from Texas he added 7 more states to his list.

When you go through this Texas to Maine road trip itinerary, you will see that you can adjust it easily. Especially when you live further south, west, or east of the state of Texas. If you live in a different state, you can always jump into the middle of the itinerary, or the final destinations, the New England states.

Also, I give you options of places to visit or things to do in case you have extra time. Three weeks is long enough, but I think a four weeks road trip to New England states from Texas is way better.

On the other hand, you can always cut the trip short. Like by driving straight to New England, as well as on the way back to Texas.

Texas to Maine Road Trip in 3 Weeks!

My family and I have done lots of road trips from Dallas Texas to different states and places. We have done road trips from Dallas to South Dakota, from Dallas to the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas, Dallas to Washington DC, even Dallas to New Jersey. But this road trip from Dallas to Maine was the farthest one we have done so far.

In this pandemic year, we followed local news of our destinations closely. Businesses were starting to open and crying for customers to stop by that summer. I made notes of safety protocols in the campgrounds and places of interests that we wanted to see.

Just two weeks before we left for the road trip, my husband and I got our second dose of Covid vaccines. We took our vaccine cards, just in case they were needed. But, nobody asked for the cards the whole time we were on the road. A few indoor places asked visitors to wear masks in their facilities, but most only required masks for people who haven’t got their vaccine yet.   

So, here’s our Texas to Maine road trip itinerary.

Day 1: Dallas to Bowling Green, Kentucky – 10h 45m

Stop: President Bill Clinton Birthplace in Hope, Arkansas.

Accommodation: Red Roof Inn. 3140 Scottsville Rd., Bowling Green, KY.

Just around 30 minutes drive from Texarkana, Texas, you will see a sign of President Bill Clinton Birthplace on the right side of the highway. It is in Hope, Arkansas, and only around 5 minutes drive from the highway (I-30.)

You won’t spend a lot of time here as this National Historic Site is small. We’ve been here before, but not our dog Snoopy. It turned out dogs are not allowed inside the historic site. 

You can always skip this stop because the drive on this day one is long. Save this stop for another trip.

Somehow, there’s always road construction along I-30 in Arkansas between Texarkana and West Memphis. So, be prepared for a delay. I suggest you leave home no later than 6am.  

It was late in the evening when we arrived at Red Roof Inn in Bowling Green, Kentucky. We chose the hotel simply because dogs can stay for free. 

Several years ago we stayed at the Red Roof Inn & Suites East Knoxville, Tennessee for the very first time. We were on the way back to Texas from The Smokies. The room was clean and nice, and we were surprised. Since that day, we chose to stay at the Red Roof Inn wherever we went. Unfortunately, we never found the same quality and service from other Red Roof Inn until today.

For hotel options, you can check the following link.

Day 2: Bowling Green to Streetsboro, Ohio – 7h (destination is in a different time zone)

Stops: Corvette Museum, Mammoth Cave National Park, and Abraham Lincoln Birthplace in Hodgenville, Kentucky.

Accommodation: Woodside Lake Park RV Campground in Streetsboro, Ohio. 2486 Frost Rd., Streetsboro, OH 44241. 

Corvette lovers, you must stop at the Corvette Museum in Bowling Green. It’s a cool museum. We have visited the museum before, so we only made a quick stop for pictures by the sign with our dog Snoopy.

Then we made another quick stop at Mammoth Cave National Park to take Snoopy’s picture by the sign. Three years ago we did a cave tour at Mammoth Cave on our way to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. If visiting National Parks is your thing, then you must do a cave tour here and skip the Corvette Museum. Dogs are not allowed in the cave, and fortunately there’s a kennel near the Visitor Center.

Our last stop before Streetsboro Ohio was Abraham Lincoln Birthplace in Hodgenville, Kentucky. We’ve been wanting to stop here for years, and finally we made it. If history is more of your thing, I suggest you stop here and skip the Corvette Museum and/or Mammoth Cave National Park.

It takes around one hour and fifteen minutes to drive from Bowling Green to Abraham Lincoln Birthplace in Hodgenville, and the destination is in a different time zone. Dogs are not allowed inside the building, but they are welcome on the trails and walkway.

One thing I like about summer is that daylight is longer. That way we didn’t have to set up our travel trailer in the dark although we arrived in Streetsboro after 7pm.

Woodside Lake Park is located outside the city in a serene set. Our campsite was surrounded by tall trees and it was quiet. But I’m not sure once school is out by seeing inflatables on the lake in the middle of the campground. It looks like Woodside Lake Park is a local’s favorite summer destination.

Bathroom at the campground was clean, but the water was a bit sulfur smelly. And, WiFi wasn’t free. If you are not a camper, you can always stay in one of their cabins.

Check it here for choices of hotels.

Day 3: Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Spend all day in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. These three places are not to be missed: Brandywine Falls, The Ledges, and Boston Mill Visitor Center. You can read our one day visit in Cuyahoga Valley National Park here. 

Cuyahoga Valley is located in Peninsula, about a 20 minutes drive from the campground. It is one of the dog friendliest national parks in the U.S. 

If you have extra time, you can explore Streetsboro and Peninsula a bit. We got hit by a thunderstorm in the park, so we didn’t have time to do it.

Day 4: Streetsboro to Cooperstown, NY – 8h 45m

Stop: Niagara Falls.

Accommodation: KOA Cooperstown in Cooperstown, New York. 565 Ostrander Rd., Richfield Springs, NY 13439.

Niagara Falls is one of the places in the U.S. that you must visit. If possible, you must cross to the Canada side for a more spectacular view. Too bad the border was still closed during our visit.

We didn’t expect to see a lot of people there. After driving around a couple of times and still couldn’t find a parking space, my husband told me to go with our son and dog. We went there once before our son was born, so he didn’t miss a thing.

I also didn’t know that the Maid of the Mist boat tour was already open that day. But the line was really long and dogs weren’t allowed. We save it for the next trip, when we go to Canada.

When you stop here, expect to have the same crowds as us. Or probably more.

Then we continued to our accommodation for the night, KOA Cooperstown in Cooperstown, upstate New York. It came with free Wifi, and the bathroom was sparkling clean. We arrived in the dark, and we woke up in the 40s the next morning. I guess that’s how June temperature is in upstate New York.

Today was also a long drive. There were places between Buffalo and Cooperstown that I wanted to stop, but we will need a different trip for that. 

If you have an extra day, I suggest you spend a night at Watkins Glen instead, about a 3 hours drive from Niagara Falls. Go visit the Watkins Glen State Park and the village.

For hotels in Cooperstown, go check the following link.

Day 5: Cooperstown to Williamstown, VT – 4h

Accommodation: Limehurst Lake Campground. 4104 VT-14, Williamstown, VT 05679.

We didn’t make any stops except at Vermont Visitor Center and for lunch and gas. Not that there weren’t interesting places to see. On the contrary, there were so many places to see and things to do in upstate New York. It deserves a special trip itself.

But, if you are a baseball fan, you must stop at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown before leaving for Vermont.

New York Amish live in Cooperstown. So, expect to see the buggies on the road. However, it’s not big like Amish Country in Ohio.

After check in at the accommodation in Williamstown, Vermont, drive to Montpelier, the capital of Vermont. It’s only a 20 minutes drive and you will fall in love with the capital like I did. Park in front of the capitol building and walk around. After all, Montpelier is the smallest state capital in the U.S.

Then go back to the campground and rest. Bathroom facilities were old but they all functioned fine. There’s free WiFi but you must go to the office or at least the bathroom area to get a strong connection.

For non campers, here’s the link to hotels around Montpelier.

Day 6: Exploring Waterbury, Stowe, and chasing covered bridges near Williamstown.

Vermont is a beautiful small state, famous for its maple syrup industry and covered bridges. Today you will get to visit the Maple Sugarworks, Ben & Jerry, Smuggler’s Notch, waterfalls, the floating bridge, and covered bridges. Here’s the link for more detail on things to do and see in Vermont.

While exploring around, don’t forget to try creeme, Vermont’s famous soft ice cream. And, bring home the maple syrup with you.

Day 7: Williamstown to Lincoln, NH – 1h 30m

Stop: Rock of Ages

Accommodation: Country Bumpkins Campground and Cabins. 218 US-3, Lincoln, NH 03251.

Today you will leave for New Hampshire, but there is one more stop to make in Vermont. It’s located less than 15 minutes from Williamstown on your way to New Hampshire: the Rock of Ages. 

Rock of Ages is a granite quarry but your visit to the place won’t be disappointing at all. We drove our own vehicle, so Snoopy could join the tour.

Since it’s a short drive from Williamstown to Lincoln NH, we let GPS lead the way. It showed a  different direction from Google maps, and it took us to Stone Iron Furnace in Franconia, New Hampshire first. 

A friendly local resident welcomed us to her state and directed us to Lupine field in Sugar Hill. It’s like our bluebonnet, but much taller and has more flowers. 

After checking in at your accommodation and supper, go to Franconia Notch State Park. It’s still bright enough to visit a few must see in the area: Boise Rock, Old Man of the Mountain/Profile Lake, and the Basin. Dogs are welcome in these places.

Country Bumpkins is not big. It offers free WiFi and showers are strong. But, bears are common in the area. When the owner told me about that, it brought back the memory of when we camped in Ouray Colorado the year before. Eekk! But the Country Bumpkin’s owner left the dumpster open, so bears will go there instead of campers trailers or tents.

And here’s the link to hotels around Lincoln.

Day 8: Visiting Flume Gorge and Mount Washington

Lincoln is located in the heart of White Mountains. You will visit Flume Gorge in the morning and drive to Mount Washington in the afternoon. These two are a must visit! 

Dogs are not allowed in Flume Gorge, but your dog will enjoy the drive to the summit of Mount Washington with you.

Don’t forget to stop at Sabadday Waterfalls on the way to Mount Washington, and visit a couple of covered bridges on the way back.

There are so many things to do and see in the White Mountains area that you might add another day or two. That is if you have extra time. You can visit Woodstock, Clark’s Trading Post, ride a tramway to Cannon Mountain, moose watching, hiking, and many more. 

White Mountains is a famous vacation destination in New Hampshire. My sister’s friend told me to come back in the fall, because the area is really pretty during that season. 

As for Mount Washington, I would say it is like Pikes Peak in Colorado. Besides driving, you can ride a train or hike to the summit. Wind is very strong and it’s cold up there. So, bring a jacket.

Day 9: Lincoln to Trenton, ME – 4h 30m

Stop: A quick stop in Rumford, Maine.

Accommodation: Timberland Acres RV Park. 57 Bar Harbor Rd., Trenton, ME 04605.

Finally, you will arrive at the farthest state on your Texas to Maine road trip.

Again, we let GPS take control. At first I wanted to make a quick stop at Augusta, the capital of Maine, but that’s not the way the GPS took us. I also wanted to stop at Bangor to see the Paul Bunyan Statue and Stephen King’s house. 

But, when we got to Rumford, we were welcomed by Paul Bunyan & Blue statues. So, we decided it’s enough for Paul Bunyan for this trip.

After checking-in at the accommodation, there’s a chance it’s still bright. Go to Acadia National Park to see what you can see for this day one in Maine. Don’t go straight to rest. After all, it’s a long drive from Texas. Use your time to see as many places as you can. We got to stroll around Jordan Pond.

If you prefer to stop at Augusta and Bangor, then set your GPS to Augusta, followed by Bangor.

From Trenton to Acadia National Park entrance is about a 15 minutes drive.

If you prefer to stay in the island, check out these hotels around Bar Harbor.

Day 10: Acadia National Park

Exploring Acadia National Park all day long, including all the little towns in Mt Desert Island. Click here for detailed itinerary in Acadia National Park.

Don’t forget to have lobster rolls for lunch or supper! It’s not cheap and definitely not Texas size! We had it at 3 different places during our three nights stay there. What can I say! They are delicious.

Day 11: Trenton to Lubec – 2 hr

Stop: Schoodic Point.

While in the area, you must go to Lubec, the easternmost town in the U.S. It is also the location of West Quoddy Head, the lighthouse with the red and white stripes.

If Vermont and New Hampshire are famous for their covered bridges, you must visit lighthouses when in Maine.

But first, you must stop at Schoodic Point, another part of Acadia National Park. Visitors like to skip this, but it’s a big mistake. Schoodic Point is amazingly beautiful!

You will drive on Highway 1 and there are little towns that are worth a stop, too. Like Jonesport, Machias, and Cutler. Too bad it was foggy when we left Lubec, so we couldn’t make any stops at these little towns.

I also learned that Maine is the largest producer of wild blueberries in the US. There are places that let you rake your own blueberries, but the season starts late July. So, we didn’t get to do it.

Day 12: Trenton – North Hampton, NH – 4h 45m

Stops: Fort Knox & the Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory in Prospect, Portland, and York, all in Maine.

Accommodation: Sea Coast Camping and RV Resort. 115 Lafayette Road. North Hampton, New Hampshire.

Today you will move towards the Boston area, but staying in North Hampton in New Hampshire that is less than an hour away. 

It’s not easy to find RV campgrounds because it gets full fast. People in New England like to go swimming in the ocean in the summer. Camping is their choice for accommodation. 

Sometimes we didn’t stick to our itinerary, especially when we saw something interesting. 

We chose to drive Highway 1 that was passing small towns in coastal Maine on the way to North Hampton. You might want to stop at every town, but you need a special one week to explore coastal Maine. 

Less than an hour from Trenton, when we’re about to cross the Penobscot River in Prospect, we saw a fort from a distance. Also, a tall bridge tower. We never heard about the fort, so we made a stop. 

It turned out the fort is full of history and there’s an observatory at the top of the bridge tower. The only observatory bridge in the U.S. and the world’s tallest public bridge observatory! It’s taller than the Statue of Liberty and 108 feet shorter than the Washington Monument in D.C.

You must make a stop at Fort Knox and take a tour to the Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory. Unless you are afraid of heights.

Dogs are not allowed in the observatory, but they are welcome to stroll the fort with you. Both inside and outside the fort.

Keep driving on Highway 1 and you will drive through Wiscasset. The famous Red’s Eats lobster roll is located in this town. You will see a long line of people waiting for their turn to order the lobster roll. You are welcome to stop and join the wait line, but remember, you still have two stops to make: Portland and York.

Downtown Portland is so full of tourists that we couldn’t find a place to park. So, we went straight to Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth. You don’t want to miss this famous lighthouse in Maine. After all, visiting lighthouses is one of the must things to do in Maine.

If you are lucky, you might get a parking spot in downtown Portland and enjoy your visit. Or, if you have an extra day, spend a night in Portland.

From Portland we made a quick stop in York to see the Nubble Lighthouse. Another must see lighthouse in Maine.

Day 13: North Hampton to Salem, MA – 45 min

Stops: Manchester-by-the-Sea, Gloucester, and Rockport. 

Salem is not big and you will do a lot of walking in the city. You will spend at least 4 hours here.

From Salem you must visit the coastal towns in Cape Ann. Go northeast to Manchester-by-the-Sea, Gloucester, and Rockport. It’s a pretty drive and you might want to stop for a swim. Most of the beaches are not free though.

Day 14: North Hampton to Boston, MA – 1 hr

The Freedom Trail is a must do while in Boston, especially on your first visit. It will take around 90 minutes to 2 hours to do the tour. Of course, you will go more than the estimated time if you want to explore each of the historical sites and attractions along the trail.

Another must visit are Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market, Boston Common, Beacon Hill, and USS Constitution.  

As for us, we started our day in Boston by visiting MIT in Cambridge. For our son, it’s the highlight of the trip. My friend is taking his postgraduate studies there, so he got to take us around. We even parked the car on campus and took the train to Harvard before we went to Boston Common.

Dogs are allowed on the T during off-peak hours, 10am-4pm and after 7pm. They should be on leash and cannot take up a seat.

Day 15: North Hampton to Foster, RI – 2h

Accommodation: Ginny-B Campground. 7 Harrington Road, Foster, RI 02825.

Searching for RV campgrounds around Rhode Island and Connecticut wasn’t easy. I wanted a place that was close enough to attractions in both states since I didn’t want to stay for one night in Rhode Island and moved to Connecticut for another night. That was just too much for a long trip.

I think it’s understandable since Rhode Island and Connecticut are two of the smallest states in the country. They don’t have enough space to build RV campgrounds like in Texas. 

Ginny-B Campground location is in a wooded area. It means the WiFi connection on the campsites was not good or there was none at all. You must park by the office to get the connection.

There are permanent residents or people who parked their trailers in the park and turned them into their summer house. Weekend of 4th of July is always full. 

After setting up our trailer, we drove to Providence, the capital of Rhode Island. It’s only 35 minutes away. From there we continued to Newport, about 45 minutes from Providence. When you go, do the Cliff Walk.

Day 16: Foster to Mystic, CT – 1h

Today you will visit the last state in New England: Connecticut. Your destination will be Mystic, Groton, and Hartford, the capital of the state.

From Ginny-B to Mystic is only a 50 minutes drive. Places that are worth checking are Olde Mistick Village, Mystic Seaport Museum, Historic Downtown Mystic, and don’t miss the Mystic River Bascule Bridge which goes up at the top of the hour. 

If you remember Mystic Pizza the movie from the 1980s, then you must grab a slice of heaven from the restaurant. It’s delicious.

Then we continued to Groton, to see the USS Nautilus. It’s only 15 minutes away. If you are not into submarines, you can skip this stop.

Less than an hour drive later, we arrived in Hartford. We drove through the capitol and downtown area. Also, to Mark Twain’s house. Too bad it’s not pet friendly, so we just visited from the parking lot.

If you are not into submarines, you can go to New Haven which is almost an hour away from Mystic. Then make a quick stop at Hartford on the way back to Foster.

Day 17: Foster to Gettysburg, PA – 6h

Stop: Hershey’s Chocolate World, PA.

Accommodation: Gettysburg/Battlefield KOA Holiday. 20 Knox Road, Gettysburg.  

Since it’s another long drive again, we decided to make one stop only. That was Hershey’s Chocolate World.

Expect to see a lot of visitors here, especially when Hershey’s amusement park started to operate again.

Harrisburg, the capital of Pennsylvania is only 20 minutes away from Hershey. It’s a good time to drive through the capital, but traffic was bad when we were there. So, we decided to go straight to our accommodation in Gettysburg.

I like the setup of the KOA here. Tall trees surrounded the campground and there’s a nature trail if you want to hike a bit. Just like other locations, there’s a pool that is open from Memorial Day Weekend until Labor Day Weekend. And it is heated.

Day 18: Gettysburg

A day spent at the Gettysburg National Military Park and downtown Gettysburg. 

Start your self-guided tour from the Visitor Center. My husband said one day was not enough, especially if you are history buff. He said he could spend one day at the Visitor Center if we had extra time.

Downtown Gettysburg is pretty with a lot of historical buildings and old architecture.

Our friend suggested we eat at Dobbin House Tavern where they serve food in a colonial manner. Too bad it was full and they gave us a table in the casual dining room. So we opted out and ate at another place.

You might try eating here and reserve a table a week before you come here.

Day 19: Gettysburg to Pittsburgh, PA – 3h 45m

A one day trip to Pittsburgh was a personal trip. All of my husband’s family live here, so we made a quick one day trip to visit them. It’s been more than a year since we visited them last because of Covid. We weren’t even sure whether we could meet them on this trip.

My original plan was to stop at Harpers Ferry in West Virginia on the way back to Texas. Then spent a night in Nashville before driving home. 

From Gettysburg to Harpers Ferry is about an hour drive. Then you will drive around 9h 30 min to Nashville. It’s going to be a long day, but you will gain an hour once you get to Nashville.

Day 20: Pittsburgh to Forrest City, AR – 12h 30m (destination is in a different time zone)

Accommodation: Red Roof Inn. 2333 N Washington St, Forrest City, AR 72335.  

Everytime we drove home from Pittsburgh to Dallas we never made any stops except for gas and meals. It’s just a long drive and we wanted to go as far as we could. We missed our house!

12h 30m is a loong drive, but you don’t have to leave early the next morning. Take your time, enjoy your rest.

Day 21: Forrest City to Dallas, TX – 6h

Last day on the road. Drive straight home, ready to sleep on your bed.

Even our dog Snoopy always zoomed in to his spot on the couch for napping once we got home.

So, there it is! A 3 weeks Texas to Maine road trip! Long drive and tired, but definitely memorable.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.