Sanbornton to Cape Cod

I%26#39;ll be making this trip in mid-September and was wondering if NOT taking the direct route would be worth a few sights or a fantastic lunch venue in NH. I was thinking of shooting over to Portsmouth and heading south from there. Any suggestions ?

Sanbornton to Cape Cod

I am about the biggest fan of taking the path less traveled. But, if you are going to be in Sanbornton, I am assuming that you will have a chance to eat at various places around Lake Winni. I think you are going too far out of your way to go to Portsmouth. All is not lost, 1 great stop for sights and lunch is in Lexington. Or, a detour along rt 3A around Scituate for lunch on the water is very nice. Lastly, stopping in Boston for lunch in the North End, Back Bay, China town or of course Fanueil Hall, would fit your appetite for sights and food. Any one of these is an easy detour on your way to the Cape.

Sanbornton to Cape Cod

Neslaw1 offers some good options. I would not rule out Portsmouth, as it is a wonderful city with a fun downtown and many good dining options. The drive is out of your way, as Neslaw1 points out, but it will keep you off the main highway and take you through some nice country and a slice of NH. Your best bet is probably I-93 to Concord and east across Rte 4 to Portsmouth Concord is the state capitol, very nice Main Street to explore and dine - maybe start early and go there for breakfast at one of the many cafes.Just 20 minutes from Sanbornton.

A scenic drive down Rte 1A in NH and into MA will be rewarding and offer options to stop and look around. As you get into MA, you might consider a stop in Newburyport and/or Plum Island, a beautiful ocean wildlife preserve. Should be pretty good for migrating shore birds. You could also continue down to Gloucester (pronounced Gloster), which I think was the home port of the fishermen in the book The Perfect Storm.

Frankly, you could meander like this for days, and never get to the Cape. One consideration with Boston, particularly as you come down the coastal route, and when you get back onto the Interstate for the rest of the drive down to the Cape - day and time of day. On a week day, as you can imagine, traffic in and out of Boston can be, well, Chicago-like. Rte 1 or 1A will add driving time exponentially, as they are slow roads. I-93 is the main artery in and out of downtown Boston. There is no way to avoid it if you are coming down the coast.

Of course, coming from Sanbornton, you could take different route that circles the city, but I suspect you will spend more time on highways and less time doing the things you are interested in. So, just keep the time in mind with your plans.

I have made the trip from Gloucester/Rockport to N Conway many times. In fact, it is my usual route to stop for lobsters on Bear Neck and walk around so I don%26#39;t have to wait for my room to be ready. Here is the problem. There is no easy way to get to this area without driving out of your way again or taking the scenic route across rt 1A or rt 133. It is just a matter of timing. Here is my concept, a more direct route with a shorter detour gives you more time off the road. The longer detour means you eat and run so you can get to your destination. Just getting to the Cape can be 1/2 the battle depending how far upper cape (south) or lower cape (north) you are going. Traffic on the Cape is usually not a problem in September, it is just the # of miles you have to cover. For instance, Lexington adds 24 minutes of driving time while Rockport/Gloucerste adds 90 minutes.

Thanks for the options all; I%26#39;ll probably just play it by ear.