ROW YOUR BOAT
A soft current pulls you toward the bank; a loon calls; the evening light is falling. Tonight you'll build a fire and put up a tent. This is the way to experience the Northeast, far from Interstate 95 and its trailer-rig traffic jams. America's newest superhighway is actually a waterway: the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, 740 miles of rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds that connect all the way from Maine to New York. The trail's online maps will help you plan a paddling and camping trip or locate the best places to stay—from basic cabins to fancy lodges like the Balsams Grand Resort in New Hampshire. Only one hearty soul has done the whole thing (in a mere 55 days), but the trail is divided into 13 sections, so it's easy to jump in and out as your heart (and arms) desire. We recommend putting in at the Old Forge Pond in New York's Adirondacks and coasting through the calm and friendly Fulton Chain Lakes, home to herons, deer, and those loons. And absolutely no traffic jams.

Northern Forest Canoe Trail
Tel: 802 496 2285

Balsams Grand Resort Hotel
Tel: 877 225 7267
Doubles from $358

Read more about the Northern Forest Canoe Trail in the May 2006 issue of Condé Nast Traveler