Northern Section
The route begins in Bar Harbor, Maine, on Mount Desert Island, and proceeds through Acadia National Park. After crossing the Penobscot River, there is a side trip to well-preserved, nineteenth century Fort Knox. The route occasionally follows back roads situated near the Maine coast; but only a small portion of the route is along the indented Atlantic coastline. The route continues through charming, picturesque New England towns of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut with an optional 30-mile (48 km) spur into Boston.
Riders pass through scenic farmland as they bike through New York along the historic Hudson River. The route through New Jersey follows the Delaware River and picturesque Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. An optional spur extends eastward to New York City from Lambertville. The route heads west into Pennsylvania through hilly farmland. A bike trail along the Schuylkill River provides an optional spur to downtown Philadelphia. After riding through Valley Forge National Historic Park, riders enter Amish country, where "old-style" living includes horses and buggies. The route swings south into Maryland though the western outskirts of Baltimore with an alternate route through the city. Northern Maryland farmland transitions into suburban sprawl of the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area.
Bike paths through Rock Creek Park take riders to the Lincoln Memorial and the Potomac River. After crossing the Potomac, there is another bike path to Mount Vernon, George Washington's residence from 1754 until his death in 1799. There are more urban areas in expanding northern Virginia, some quiet country roads, and an increase in urbanization on the approach to Richmond, Virginia.
Read more about this topic: Atlantic Coast Bicycle Route
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