GRM Dwellers - I am planning a ridiculous fall convertible roadtrip within this circle of the map. Please share your favorite things to do, visit, eat - all the things NE that will make our journey truly unforgettable!
If you're someone who lives within the circle and would enjoy my better halfs or I company please reach out.
Planning on doing it roughly September 25th to October 11th!
We did the trip the first time in 1987 and many more since. Once we stumbled into Newport, RI - make sure you tour a mansion or two.
We ate Clam Chowder soup for lunch every single day. Freedom trail in Boston. Drive across the Adirondack mountains in New York and not around them. Grab your hotels now.......
In reply to Datsun240ZGuy :
Hotels are getting booked, we are doing some couch surfing also with turbo dodge folks. I appreciate all the good suggestions!
That's a ton of territory. Besides pretty scenery and winding roads what types of things do you enjoy? Do you want to cover a lot of territory or would you prefer to focus on a few?
In reply to APEowner :
We are super open to really anything. We plan on running up to like Buffalo, NY and sorta starting our trip there. I think my better half is wanting to spend some extra time in Mass but beyond that we are just wondering what all are must see stuff.
Once we get to NY don't think we plan on taking many freeways and taking mostly B roads.
Following. My wife and I are planning a similar trip, also in a Miata. My challenge is that she wants it to have no fixed itinerary and just find lodging in the moment. I reminded her that we struggled with finding hotels when we did this 25 years ago. It's certainly not going to be easier this time around.
I'll take a shot...
New York: On the way to Buffalo I would drive out on Presque Isle near Erie PA. If you are starting in Buffalo, then do Niagara Falls, we like the Canadian side best. Then I would wander from Geneva along Seneca Lake to Watkins Glen. Wander over to Taughannock Falls. Then do the Corning Museum. I would drive through the Adirondacks to Saranac Lake and Lake Placid. Of course Wellesley Island / Clayton/ and Alex Bay are always worth a visit. We could easily spend your whole scheduled time in Upstate NY.
Connecticut / Mass / Vermont: We like the NW corner and the Berkshires. Sharon, Lime Rock, Cornwall Bridge, and Kent. Then take US 7 up through Massachusetts into Vermont. Take US 7 and 100 up to Montpelier. Then US 2 across into New Hampshire and across into Maine. Keep an eye out for Moose on 2 across the state.
Maine: You can't go wrong going to Acadia National Park.
Other than Buffalo, notice we avoid all the major metro areas and the whole I-95 nightmare.
I'll second many of PurpleFrog's ideas, The Adirondacks and surrounding areas are amazing, lots of roads with no traffic and beautiful scenery. We used to go to Lake George every year and one of my favorite rides was to VT, up Rt 22A along the lake to just above Middlebury and cross over the mountain to RT 100 at Mad River Glen, there are 3 or four passes you can jump back and forth from Rt 100 to RT 7 and keep making your way south. I like to ride my motorcycle in the NE corner of CT for fun roads, good food choices and good scenery. There is a place called the Vanilla Bean Cafe in Pomfret, CT at the intersections of RTs 44 and 97. It is where the cool cars and bikes go for lunch or an afternoon snack, stop by if you are in the area, the deserts are worth it. For most of southern New England, avoid the coast just because of traffic, if you have "must see" places, then you may have to deal with commuters in urban areas. Likewise you will probably have "leaf peepers" in VT and NH competing for road space. The coast of Maine has some great roads but may be congested on weekends. Depending on what you like there are tons of water activities it may still be warm enough for; shore fishing, kayaking, white water rafting, whale watching, deep sea fishing ( catch a boat from Cape Cod, Plymouth, Boston, Gloucester MA or Portsmouth, NH). Many of the ski resorts have warm weather activities; Mtn bike trails, hiking trails, Alpine slides/coasters, tram ride to top of the mountain, etc. I am about 40 miles southwest of Boston, if you end up nearby it would be fun to get together. Safe travels sounds like a fun trip.
Cross the border.
Visit Montreal and feel like you're in a different country.
Visit Quebec City and feel like you're on a different continent.
The back roads north of Montreal are rowdy, fun, battered things and there is nothing there BUT trees. Go to Mt Tremblant. Stay in the Chateau Frontenac in QC and explore the old city. Eat poutine.
I will also second, uhh third, some of PurpleFrog's ideas.
The NY Finger Lakes are a beautiful part of the country with a ton of stuff to do, Watkins Glen and the Seneca lodge being high on the list.
The Corning Museum is also worth checking out.
If you make it into the Hudson Valley of NY, Rhinebeck is a really cool little town with shops and restaurants and a little further south into Hyde Park NY there are a few national parks like a Vanderbilt mansion and FDR house and library. There is also a really cool walking bridge that goes over the Hudson, I am terrified of heights so I have never been on it but all my family says it is an amazing view.
There are also a ton of wineries in that area if you are into that and it is an easy drive to Lime Rock Park from there.
In reply to Motojunky :
When do you plan on going?
In reply to Purple Frog :
You are seriously the best!
In reply to imgon :
Thank you for all the suggestions! Gonna add them to our list. I'm gonna send you a PM!
In reply to Keith Tanner :
That was one of our ideas and you have solidified it!
In reply to Chris Tropea :
Loving all the suggestions! I'll for sure do the walking bridge. Lime rock is bucket list track for me! Miata road trip plus track time?
Professor_Brap (Forum Supporter) said:In reply to Motojunky :
When do you plan on going?
Late September/early October. Haven't nailed it down just yet.
In reply to Motojunky :
Keep my posted, we maybe can meet up for some miata road trip fun! Ill be in a Galaxy Gray NC with a tan top.
If peak fall colors are important to you, you may want to check out this interactive map - your trip is more on the early side of the season so may want to avoid the east coast and the great lakes coastal regions and stay inland because inland will be one step ahead in autumn colors
Make sure you hit Letchworth Gorge St. Park in NY. It's better than Niagara from a waterfall viewing perspective (in my opinion). Not all crowded and developed, and at a scale you can take in while still being overawed.
In reply to Skobie :
We are staying inland and this is a saved link on my phone now
In reply to bbbbRASS :
That is on our list now! thank you!
I'd second timing is everything with fall colors.
When I used to promote an oval-track race in Pa., the drive from Knoxville, Tennessee, to Hazleton, Pennsylvania, was absolutely stunning at the end of October. Not so much along I-81, but if you get off of that main road, the fall scenery was magical.
The trip has become a just sight seeing trip vs fall colors being the primary goal. But I am ok with that, hopefully tonight I can post our whole schedule.
Super rough schedule but wanted to leave room to add all kinds of random side adventures.
9-25-25 - Thursday Night - Erie, PA
-Sleep
9-26-25 - Friday - Niagara Falls/Rochester
-Niagra Falls
9-27-25 - Saturday - Watkins Glen/Norwich
-Drive Watkins Glen Racetrack - Noon
-Watkins Glen Waterfall
-Corning Museum of Glass/Glass Making
-Phelps Mansion Museum
-Beaver Dams FD Photo
9-28-25 - Sunday - Adirondacks/Saranac Lake
-Adironack Mountains
-Rail Trail - Noon Booking - Revolution Rail North Creek
9-29-25 - Monday - Vermont/Bangor
-king author baking co
-Underground Railroad Museum
-Morse Farms Maple Sugarworks
-Stowe Gondola
-Mount Washington, NH would really like
9-30-25 - Tuesday - Bangor/Bar Harbour
-SK Tours
-Bar Harbour
-Acadia National Park
-Sunrise at Cadillac Mountain
10-1-25 - Wednesday - Maine/Salem
-Rollover Day in Maine
-Sleep in Salem
10-2-25 - Thursday - Salem/Rhode Island
-Salem Witch Museum
-The Witch House
-Procter Lodge
-Salem Witchboard Museum
-Turner’s Seafood (Salem)
-Salem’s Retreat (Food)
-Sleep in RI
10-3-25 - Friday - Rhode Island/Connecticut/NY
-The Towers Photo RI
-Lippitt House RI
-Kaplan Cycles CT
-Devils Hopyard CT
-Roseland Cottage CT
-Vanilla bean cafe , CT
-Gillette Castle CT
-Hebron, CT
-Sleep in New Windsor, NY
10-4-25 - Saturday - New Jersey
-Averie
-NJMP
-Barbs cranked hog
-The Race of Gentlemen
-Diggerland
-Sleep at Duanes
10-5-25 - Saturday - Maryland/Philadelphia
-Daune Womer/Jerry
-Philly cheese steak
-Revzilla - Philly
-Sleep at Duanes
10-6-25 - Monday - Maryland
-Ocean City
-Chicoteaque Island
-Sleep in Ocean City, MD
10-7-25 - Monday - Delaware
-Fenwick Isle
-Air Mobility Museum
-Sleep in Williamsport, MD
10-8-26 - Tuesday - MD/WV
-Pet horsies
-George Washington’s Bathtub
-Melrose Caverns
-Sleep in Connellsville, PA
10-9-25 - Wednesday - PA
-Frank Lloyd Wright Falling Water
-Laurel Caverns
10-10-25 - Thursday - ???
-Pittsburgh/Moundsville/Lewisville/Home
If you want a dose of MoPar on 10-9 or 10-10 let me know.
Garage tours are free after work.
Connelsvile and all the other stuff you listed are within an hour of my shop.
Have a great trip, and if you need More SW Pennsylvania Suggestions let me know.
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