New England Fall Break
McDaniels on the road · Oct 17-24, 2026 · Boston to Bar Harbor to Vermont
THE COUNTDOWN
Almost there
–
until wheels up · Sat Oct 17, 5:25 pm
Everything is booked and paid. Flights, van, all five nights, Cadillac, and Flume Gorge. The checklist on the Info tab is all that stands between us and the plane.
Trip outlook
Forecast loads when online.
SATURDAY · OCT 17
Fly day
- 5:25 pm MTDL0702 departs Salt Lake City. Conf H57WIM.
- 11:59 pm ETLand at Boston Logan. Rideshare to the hotel; no van until Monday.
- Door codes for both Airbnbs appear in the Airbnb app today. Screenshot them.
TONIGHT
Hilton Boston Park Plaza
50 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116
Hotels.com itinerary 73545349290034 · 2 rooms · 24-hour desk for the late arrival
WHERE TO EAT
DINNER Dinner before boarding
Eat in the SLC terminal; Boston is asleep when we land.
SUNDAY · OCT 18
Boston
- Freedom Trail: the first marker is 5 minutes from the lobby. Walk past the Make Way for Ducklings statues in the Public Garden on the way.
- North End: cannoli vote. Mike's moves fast and takes cards; Modern fills to order. Get both, vote in the Common.
- Duck Boat tour in the afternoon. Quincy Market chowder in a bread bowl if lunch is needed on the trail.
- Regina Pizzeria (Thacher St, since 1926) for dinner. There will be a line. Join it.
TONIGHT
Hilton Boston Park Plaza
50 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116
Hotels.com itinerary 73545349290034
WHERE TO EAT
LUNCH Boston Chowda Co.
Chowder in a bread bowl inside Quincy Market, right off the Freedom Trail.
DINNER Regina Pizzeria
The North End original since 1926. There will be a line. Join it.
TREAT Mike's Pastry
Cannoli contender #1: moves fast, takes cards.
TREAT Modern Pastry
Contender #2: fills each shell to order. Get both, vote in the Common.
MONDAY · OCT 19
Salem + Kennebunkport
- 9:00 amPick up the van at Logan. National conf 2134898210, 8-passenger, soft duffels.
- By 10:00Park in Salem: use the Museum Place garage on Church St, not street parking.
- Salem outdoors: Witch Trials Memorial, Old Burying Point, Essex Street, Derby Wharf. Lunch on Essex St. No museums; the streets are the show.
- Cross into Maine at Kittery: Welcome Center off I-95 for the state-sign photo.
- 3:00 pmCheck in at the Arundel house. Lockbox code is in the Airbnb app.
- Dock Square + Ocean Avenue, then Cape Porpoise for golden hour.
- Dinner at Alisson's on Dock Square (year round, kitchen 4 to 9). Nunan's closed for the season Oct 17, missing us by two days.
- Scout the driveway in daylight: two wooden columns marked 359, across from the 359 mailbox. It is unlit at night.
TONIGHT
Arundel Riverfront Airbnb
359 River Road, Arundel, ME 04046
Conf HMZMQK8QZN · check-in 3 pm · lockbox · fire pit over the river
WHERE TO EAT
LUNCH Essex Street, Salem
Grab lunch on the pedestrian mall while costume-watching.
DINNER Alisson's Restaurant
Dock Square standby, open year round, dinner 4 to 9. (Nunan's is already closed for the season.)
TREAT Rococo Scoop Shop
The famous scoops, now in Lower Village across the bridge. Goat cheese blackberry chai is real.
TREAT The Candy Man
Old-school candy shop for the younger two.
TUESDAY · OCT 20
The drive north
- H.B. Provisions for breakfast, checkout by 11.
- Portland Head Light in morning light (east-facing, this is the good hour).
- I-95 to Bangor: 5-minute detour to Stephen King's house on West Broadway. Bats and spiders on the gate, viewed from the street.
- 1A Relics antiques, 444 Bangor Rd, Ellsworth (open 10-5). Fuel up in Ellsworth.
- After 4 pmCheck in at the Bar Harbor house. Hannaford grocery run for slow mornings.
- Dinner in town: Geddy's or Side Street Cafe (lobster mac and cheese).
TONIGHT
Oceanview Retreat (Airbnb)
56 Kebo St, Bar Harbor, ME 04609
Walk to downtown and Acadia · quiet hours 11 pm to 7 am
WHERE TO EAT
BREAKFAST H.B. Provisions
A proper Maine general store, 5 minutes from the house.
DINNER Geddy's
Loud, goofy, license plates on the walls. A table of six is no problem.
BACKUP Side Street Cafe
The kid-proof alternative: famous lobster mac and cheese.
GROCERIES Hannaford
Stock the house for slow mornings.
WEDNESDAY · OCT 21
Acadia + Cadillac
- Park Loop Road: Sand Beach, Thunder Hole (best ~2 hrs before high tide), Otter Cliff.
- Jordan Pond House for lunch: popovers with strawberry jam on the lawn, a tradition since 1893.
- 3:00-3:30 pmCadillac Summit Road entry window. Order 0851039831. Hoodies and beanies: low 40s and windy.
- Once up, stay as long as you like. Golden hour over Frenchman Bay; sunset at 5:45 if the crew votes yes.
- Dinner in Bar Harbor by 6:30. MDI Ice Cream after.
TONIGHT
Oceanview Retreat (Airbnb)
56 Kebo St, Bar Harbor, ME 04609
Acadia pass: $35/vehicle, buy online ahead
THURSDAY · OCT 22
Acadia + Bar Harbor
- Slow morning at the house.
- Bar Island land-bridge walk: starts 10 minutes from the front door, only exists about 90 minutes either side of low tide. Check the tide chart.
- Shops, Agamont Park, the Shore Path. Whoopie pies and anything wild blueberry: the general store rule applies.
- Pack the van tonight. Download offline maps for the Kanc. Gas up if easy.
- Early night: tomorrow rolls at 8.
TONIGHT
Oceanview Retreat (Airbnb)
56 Kebo St, Bar Harbor, ME 04609
Checkout 10 am Friday
WHERE TO EAT
BREAKFAST Breakfast at the house
The Hannaford haul earns its keep.
LUNCH Lobster roll field guide
One Maine style (cold, mayo) + one Connecticut (warm, butter). Family vote, cannoli rules.
TREAT The general store rule
Whoopie pies or anything wild blueberry: we buy it. No exceptions.
FRIDAY · OCT 23
The clockwork day
- 8:00 amRolling. Bar Harbor to Conway is ~3:15.
- By noonConway: gas + lunch. The Kancamagus has NO gas, food, or cell service for 34 miles.
- 12:00-2:00The Kanc, east to west: Albany Covered Bridge (mile 6), Lower Falls (rock scramble), Rocky Gorge, Sabbaday Falls (the headliner, 10-min walk), Sugar Hill + Pemigewasset overlooks.
- 2:00-3:00 pmFlume Gorge entry window, conf #4-658229 (tickets printed). One-way 2-mile loop, ~90 min, closes at 4. Rain or shine.
- 5:30 pmWoodstock village: Gillingham's, the green, dinner at Worthy Kitchen.
- ~8:00 pm35 minutes west on Rt 4 to the inn. Swim tonight: the pool steams in the cold.
TONIGHT
The Mountain Inn at Killington
47 Old Mill Rd, Killington, VT 05751
Hotels.com itinerary 73547458965068 · 2 rooms · breakfast + pool + game room · stay protection policy 1007682189
WHERE TO EAT
LUNCH Conway grab-and-go
Last food before the Kanc's 34 empty miles. Eat or pack it here.
DINNER Worthy Kitchen
Woodstock's farm diner: burgers, house sodas, road-tired kids welcome.
TREAT Gillingham's
The 1886 general store: maple everything, penny candy aisle. Closes early evening, so go BEFORE dinner.
BACKUP Still On The Mountain
The inn's own restaurant if everyone would rather just land.
SATURDAY · OCT 24
Crullers + home
- 8:00 amRolling after hotel breakfast. Back east through Woodstock.
- ~8:40 amFarmer & The Bell crullers, 69 Pleasant St, Woodstock (opens 8). King Arthur Baking in Norwich is the pivot if the line is long.
- Quechee Gorge walk, then I-89 south. NH tolls: keep a card handy.
- 2:30 pmVan back at Logan.
- 4:15 pmDL0445 to Salt Lake City, lands 7:32 pm. Conf H57WIM.
WHERE TO EAT
BREAKFAST Hotel breakfast
Free at the inn, opens early enough for the 8 am rollout.
TREAT Farmer & The Bell
The cruller stop. Opens 8 am; get there by 8:40.
BACKUP King Arthur Baking
The flour flagship, 2 minutes from our I-89 on-ramp, if the cruller line is long.
TREAT Mack's Apples
Cider donuts right off I-93 in Londonderry, only if we're running early.
Confirmation numbers
Flights (Delta)
DL0702 out Oct 17 · DL0445 home Oct 24
H57WIMVan (National, Logan)
Pickup Mon 9 am · return Sat 2:30 pm
2134898210Boston · Hilton Park Plaza
Hotels.com · Oct 17-19 · 2 rooms
73545349290034Arundel Airbnb
Oct 19-20 · lockbox · in 3 pm / out 11 am
HMZMQK8QZNBar Harbor Airbnb
Oct 20-23 · in 4 pm / out 10 am
56 Kebo StKillington · Mountain Inn
Hotels.com · Oct 23-24 · protection 1007682189
73547458965068Cadillac Summit Road
Wed Oct 21 · 3:00-3:30 pm entry
0851039831Flume Gorge
Fri Oct 23 · 2:00-3:00 pm entry · closes 4
4-658229The van kit
Checkmarks save on this phone only, so everyone can keep their own list.
Food rules of the road
Lobster rolls: order one Maine style (cold, mayo) and one Connecticut style (warm, butter) and hold a family vote. If a Maine general store sells whoopie pies or anything wild blueberry, we buy it. Maple creemees in Vermont, no exceptions.
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