Questions about places to stay at Epping. (6 Viewers)

[TSK]

My wife and I want to go to the Epping race this year. I need to go ahead and start making the necessary reservations. We didn't make a race in 2024 due to going to Normandy, France and I'm having nitro withdrawals.
We're planning on getting there sometime on Thursday and head home on Monday, maybe Tuesday. We will go for Friday qualifying and Sunday eliminations.
Anyway, where are some good places to stay?

Thanks.

 

[none]

I have stayed in Portsmouth, there are a number of hotels in the area. It's 15 minutes ish drive to the track and the waterfront has many restaurants and other things to do and see.

Alan

 

[TSK]

Thanks Alan. We want to do some sightseeing, maybe drive to Maine. And, nothing beats fresh seafood.

 

[none]

30 minutes ish north of Portsmouth is Bentley's Saloon in Arundel, ME. (google it) Also google Bentley Warren, he's the proprietor and living legend.

They have done an NHRA night in years past, maybe another one this year, but I can't promise.

Alan

 

[none]

And if you REALLY want an adventure, try to find these.....
It took me 5 years. But it is Holy Sh!t cool!!!!!

The Ghost Locomotives of the Great Maine Wilderness - New England Historical Society

There's a reason the ghost locomotives sit in the Allagash wilderness, miles from any road or railhead. Not many people have seen them.

newenglandhistoricalsociety.com

 

[TSK]

And if you REALLY want an adventure, try to find these.....
It took me 5 years. But it is Holy Sh!t cool!!!!!

The Ghost Locomotives of the Great Maine Wilderness - New England Historical Society

There's a reason the ghost locomotives sit in the Allagash wilderness, miles from any road or railhead. Not many people have seen them.

newenglandhistoricalsociety.com

We might have to do this. We won’t come across any cultivators of anything illegal, will we?

 

[none]

Not at all. The problem is that you can't get there from here. They are in the middle of the North Maine Woods (google it) a few MILLION acres of wilderness. And if you can find the parking place closest to the trains, it's still about a two mile hike to get to them.

It you're thinking that it might be a fun thing to do after lunch one day, you are way wrong.

First time I tried to find them, I made a wrong turn somewhere and when I finally ran across a park ranger he told me I missed by 75 MILES!!!!! And I was still in the woods.
Second time I got my second flat tire and still had 25 miles to go according to GPS. I was lucky to limp out to the ranger station with 4 lbs. of air. Cuz your phone is worthless in there.

Going directly there (I finally hired a guide) it was about 7 hours from the time we entered the woods, until we exited, round trip, about 125 miles of logging trails (not roads) and we saw more bears and moose than trucks the whole day.

But the trains and the rest of the support stuff is amazing.....

If you want a mechanical marvel that is easier to find and still really cool, send me an email.

Alan

 

[I was NITRO BREATH]

Portsmouth is a great place to stay. Its a beautiful town. If the weather is good you can spend a day at the beach. We did that the first time we went to Epping. Had a great couple of days. Boston is another possibility. We did that one year. It's an easy drive to the track. Around an hour.

 

[Dennis]

Thanks Alan. We want to do some sightseeing, maybe drive to Maine. And, nothing beats fresh seafood.

If I'm reading your post correctly - Thursday arrive, Friday races, Saturday sightseeing, Sunday races, correct?

If your goal is to sightsee in Maine, I'd recommend Portsmouth/Kittery for convenience, Kennebunkport for ambiance. For sightseeing, you can take a jaunt up along route 1/1A. Kennebunkport is nice (it's one of our favorite weekend getaways), up to Portland. You can stop at the Nubble light house and of course plenty of great seafood along the way. The timing is right at the beginning of tourist season but I would suspect it's not going to be terrible, but you never know!

If mountains are your thing, then you could stay in Manchester and head up 93 to the White Mountains. Plenty of beautiful scenery up that way.

Of course if you wanted to head south, Boston is a good day trip, plenty of walking, sightseeing, history and seafood as well. Lots of "touristy" things to do here (duckboats, Freedom Trail, whale watching).

 

[TSK]

Thanks Dennis. That is the schedule we have planned.
We visited Boston a couple of years ago. The U.S.S. Constitution is an amazing ship, the traffic not so much.
We do plan on driving into Maine at some point.
Thanks again.