seek advice driving the Connecticut Route 169 scenic road
 

We plan to drive from Boston to Hartford, Connecticut this late October.
We wish to take the famous scenic Route 169. Has anyone drove this road
before? Please advice what road we should use?

Where should we get off Hwy 84 to cut onto Route 169? Near Glen Grove? Are
there any good road side stops we should take?
Where should we turn west? Should we turn right and take route 44?
Is it worthwhile to turn off and do any sight seeing at U-Conn?

Can you please tell us what is the road condition and what we should prepare
for? What is the total driving time? Thank you.

seek advice driving the Connecticut Route 169 scenic road
 

"Allen Bates" wrote in message
...
We plan to drive from Boston to Hartford, Connecticut this late October.
We wish to take the famous scenic Route 169. Has anyone drove this road
before? Please advice what road we should use?

"famous scenic" Rt 169 ?
Where exactly is starting point ? ( BOSTON = big area)
If in Cambridge/Boston:
Rt 2W to 495S to 290W -~20 miles = end of 290 ( at Rt 90 Masspike)
NEXT exit ( 100 ft beyond Rt 90) is Rt 20 W
About 6 miles - left onto Rt169 thru Southbridge
then Rt 44 W .


Where should we get off Hwy 84 to cut onto Route 169? Near Glen Grove? Are
there any good road side stops we should take?

If it's scenery you want, don't get ON 84/ Rt 90.

Can you please tell us what is the road condition and what we should
prepare for?

Lots of stop and go thru each town center, then 40 mph to next town,
slowdown/lights - repeat etc

What is the total driving time? Thank you.

varies - use google maps for stops along the way.
I've driven it - only " to get somewhere", not to 'enjoy the drive'.
Rt 290 = 25 miles at 55 mph.
From Rt 290+US 20 exit to Southbridge center is ~30 minutes.

Where should we turn west? Should we turn right and take route 44?
Is it worthwhile to turn off and do any sight seeing at U-Conn?

seek advice driving the Connecticut Route 169 scenic road
 

Allen Bates wrote:
We plan to drive from Boston to Hartford, Connecticut this late
October. We wish to take the famous scenic Route 169. Has anyone drove
this
road before? Please advice what road we should use?

Where should we get off Hwy 84 to cut onto Route 169? Near Glen
Grove? Are there any good road side stops we should take?
Where should we turn west? Should we turn right and take route 44?
Is it worthwhile to turn off and do any sight seeing at U-Conn?

Can you please tell us what is the road condition and what we should
prepare for? What is the total driving time? Thank you.

At one time we had a nice booklet about this road, but I can't find it. It
is a pretty road with only a few real towns along it. There are parts with
water alongside the road, with the occasional waterfall and picnic area.
There are also numerous historical markers, and some homes built by famous
colonial figures are open as museums.

169 is really only one of many such pretty drives in that part of the state,
which is very rural. 169 is only about 40 miles from end-to-end, and
because of it's status as a national scenic road, it can get crowded on
weekends during foliage season. Not to worry - find your way to the village
of Baltic and take 207 north to 85 north. These will take you through some
of our beautiful and hilly farmland. You'll end up in Colchester where you
can hop on Rt 2 for the short ride up to Hartford.

Keith

seek advice driving the Connecticut Route 169 scenic road
 

I googled it -
http://www.byways.org/explore/byways...itinerary/4041


"K" wrote in message
...

Allen Bates wrote:
We plan to drive from Boston to Hartford, Connecticut this late
October. We wish to take the famous scenic Route 169. Has anyone drove
this
road before? Please advice what road we should use?

Where should we get off Hwy 84 to cut onto Route 169? Near Glen
Grove? Are there any good road side stops we should take?
Where should we turn west? Should we turn right and take route 44?
Is it worthwhile to turn off and do any sight seeing at U-Conn?

Can you please tell us what is the road condition and what we should
prepare for? What is the total driving time? Thank you.

At one time we had a nice booklet about this road, but I can't find it.
It is a pretty road with only a few real towns along it. There are parts
with water alongside the road, with the occasional waterfall and picnic
area. There are also numerous historical markers, and some homes built by
famous colonial figures are open as museums.

169 is really only one of many such pretty drives in that part of the
state, which is very rural. 169 is only about 40 miles from end-to-end,
and because of it's status as a national scenic road, it can get crowded
on weekends during foliage season. Not to worry - find your way to the
village of Baltic and take 207 north to 85 north. These will take you
through some of our beautiful and hilly farmland. You'll end up in
Colchester where you can hop on Rt 2 for the short ride up to Hartford.

Keith

seek advice driving the Connecticut Route 169 scenic road
 

"K" wrote in message
...
169 is really only one of many such pretty drives in that part of the
state, which is very rural. 169 is only about 40 miles from end-to-end,
and because of it's status as a national scenic road, it can get crowded
on weekends during foliage season. Not to worry - find your way to the
village of Baltic and take 207 north to 85 north. These will take you
through some of our beautiful and hilly farmland. You'll end up in
Colchester where you can hop on Rt 2 for the short ride up to Hartford.

Keith
Keith, Thank you for your advice.
I understand your instruction is for driving the entire length of scenic
Route 169. Looking at my map and maps.google.com Baltic is probably too far
south for us to turn west to go to Hartford. I think we should turn right at
Brooklyn, CT. and take the Route 6 to go to Hartford, correct?
Can you please tell me how best from Boston to turn off I-90 or I-395 into
Route 169?

seek advice driving the Connecticut Route 169 scenic road
 

Allen Bates wrote:
"K" wrote in message
...
169 is really only one of many such pretty drives in that part of the
state, which is very rural. 169 is only about 40 miles from
end-to-end, and because of it's status as a national scenic road, it
can get crowded on weekends during foliage season. Not to worry -
find your way to the village of Baltic and take 207 north to 85
north. These will take you through some of our beautiful and hilly
farmland. You'll end up in Colchester where you can hop on Rt 2 for
the short ride up to Hartford. Keith
Keith, Thank you for your advice.
I understand your instruction is for driving the entire length of
scenic Route 169. Looking at my map and maps.google.com Baltic is
probably too far south for us to turn west to go to Hartford. I think
we should turn right at Brooklyn, CT. and take the Route 6 to go to
Hartford, correct? Can you please tell me how best from Boston to turn off
I-90 or I-395
into Route 169?

The basic directions will be the same no matter where you want to pick up
169. Just stay on 295 if you want to pick up 169 farther South. This will
get you to N. Woodstock. Take I-90 West to the interchange with I-290
(Auburn/Worcester). After the toll head South on I 395. Take the rt 16
exit toward Webster. Turn right almost immediately on to E Main St and say
on that. It becomes 197 at the Ct Line and meets 169 after a few more
miles.

I didn't try to steer you wrong by avoiding Rt 6. For years it was the
highest-fatality road in the state, but the towns along the way didn't want
any widening/straightening in their back yard. The result is that the state
installed a traffic signal at nearly every intersection. You would pick it
up in Brooklyn, and from there it's just over 60 miles to Hartford, and
travel time is 2hrs on a good day. It's a very frustrating road.
Continuing on to Baltic will leave you with about a 48 mile drive to
Hartford and you can do it in under an hour, along much more pleasant roads.
All you'll see are a few cars, a few tractors, some goats, and the miles of
scenery.

Keith