Originally Posted by
Roody
That sounds like a great little carfree trip! I also love that area of New England. You were smart to travel midweek instead of on the weekend.
Your trip sounds like it was very well planned. How did you get everything--subway, bus, bike rental--to mesh together so well? Did you plan it all on the internet or something? Also, where did you sleep on the two nights?
Yes, internet, in the form of TripAdvisor, Yelp, and Google. I picked Brunswick as a destination because I had been there years ago and liked the area, plus Amtrak stops there although we ended up taking a bus because train service was limited due to ongoing track repair work. Used Google to get train and bus info. Picked a regional bus line instead of Greyhound because the former has a terminal right in town, easy walk to bike shop etc, while the latter would have left us stranded out on the edge of town. This is the kid of stuff that you need to check out before you commit.
Stayed in a motel in town on Route 1, not an ideal location due to heavy traffic and lack of shoulder, but just a few minutes from bike-friendly local streets and the downtown area, and we were able to keep our bikes in the room. Chose it because it was very reasonable and had good reviews on TripAdvisor & Yelp, which turned out to be on target.
Used Google and Yelp to find a shop for the bike rental. The proprietor was really friendly and gave us some excellent tips about routes, not to mention letting us know about the aforementioned Ice Cream Ride. It was really pretty simple.