Driving from New York City

Choose your route according to your destination:

Northwestern Connecticut

For northwestern Connecticut, the Massachusetts Berkshire Hills, and southern and western Vermont, follow the Henry Hudson Parkway or I-87 north to the Saw Mill Parkway, which connects with the Taconic State Parkway north. The Taconic is a beautiful road, no tolls are collected, and trucks are not allowed, making it the route of choice.

Hartford, Connecticut

For Hartford, central Massachusetts, Boston, eastern Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, take the Henry Hudson Parkway or I-87 north to the Saw Mill Parkway, and that north to I-684. At the junction with I-84, go east via Danbury and Waterbury to Hartford and beyond.

Connecticut Shoreline & Cape Cod

If you're heading for points along the Connecticut Shoreline (New Haven, New London, Mystic) and Rhode Island (Providence, Newport), Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket islands, New Bedford and Plymouth, follow the Henry Hudson Parkway or I-87 north to I-287. Head east on I-287 to the Hutchinson River Parkway north; after a few miles this road enters Connecticut and becomes the Merritt Parkway. This scenic toll road is not open to trucks, making it even more pleasant. (The alternate route, I-95, has very heavy truck traffic, making it less pleasant for passenger cars.)

Beyond Bridgeport, the Merritt Parkway becomes the Wilbur Cross Parkway; it continues past New Haven and north to Meriden, where it's best to take I-91 north. To head east along the coast from New Haven you must take I-95, unless you want to slow down and take the older US 1, an interesting route that goes through many coastal towns—and red lights.

Driving from Montréal

The most direct route from Montréal to Vermont, southern New Hampshire, and the southern New England states is to cross the Pont Victoria and follow Canada 10, the Autoroute des Cantons de l'Est, eastward 22 km (13 miles) to Canada 35 south; this is all expressway.

Beyond Iberville the route is marked as Québec Highway 133, and is a fairly fast two-lane highway through flat farming country. At the US border, the road becomes I-89 south, and continues via Burlington and Montpelier to White River Junction VT, where it intersects with I-91.

Continue on I-89 to Concord and Manchester NH, and to Boston. Take I-91 south to southern Vermont and New Hampshire, central Massachusetts, and central Connecticut around Hartford.

For the western parts of Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, take the Pont Victoria or Pont Jacques-Cartier east out of Montréal and follow Canada 15 due south to the US border, where the highway becomes I-87. You can leave this road at Exit 39 north of Plattsburgh NY, to catch a car ferry from Gordon Landing over to Grand Isle and thence via US 2 to I-89 and Burlington; or you can take an exit farther south to get to Port Kent and the car ferry across Lake Champlain directly to Burlington.

Near Albany NY, roads go east to Bennington in southern Vermont, Williamstown MA, and the Berkshire Hills. Just south of Albany, I-87 intersects with I-90, the Massachusetts Turnpike to Boston. If you're headed farther south, follow I-90 east from I-87 to the Taconic State Parkway, a pleasant, fast road open only to cars, not to trucks.

From Montréal to northern New Hampshire and Maine, take the Pont Victoria, follow Canada 10, the Autoroute des Cantons de l'Est, eastward as far as Magog. Turn south here on Canada 55 to the US border. South of the border the highway is I-93, which leads straight to New Hampshire's White Mountains. To get to Maine, you can take US 2 or US 302 eastward from I-93.

Another route to Maine, slower and less scenic, with fewer tourist services, is to continue on Canada 10 east from Magog and through Sherbrooke. Beyond Sherbrooke, the road becomes two lane and is numbered Quebec 112. Follow 112 to the small town of St-Gerard, then follow Quebec 161 through Lac-Megantic to the US border.

In Maine, the road is ME 27, a lonely route through forests and mountains, finally bringing you to Augusta, the state capital.

---

Driving Around New England Driving Laws Auto Fuel Costs Car Rental Travel by Bus in New England Travel by Train in New England Travel by Plane in New England New England Transportation