Craving coastal charm, mountain escapes, and colonial history? Head to New England! This northeastern U.S. region combines vibrant cities, peaceful villages, seasonal beauty, and outdoor adventure. From leaf-peeping in Vermont and skiing in New Hampshire to seafood feasts in Maine and historic walks through Boston, New England offers something for every traveler year-round.
New England Highlights:
- For Fall Color: Drive the Kancamagus Highway (New Hampshire) – One of the most scenic fall foliage routes in the country.
- For History Lovers: Walk the Freedom Trail (Boston, MA) – Trace American Revolution sites in a compact, walkable city.
- For Foodies: Eat lobster in coastal Maine – Sample fresh lobster rolls, chowder, and blueberry pie in seaside towns like Ogunquit and Bar Harbor.
- For Skiers: Hit the slopes in Stowe or Killington (Vermont) – Enjoy New England’s best alpine terrain in winter.
- For Beach Lovers: Relax on the shores of Block Island or Cape Cod – Pristine beaches, lighthouses, and summer charm.
When I like to visit New England
The best time to visit New England depends on your interests. Fall (late September–October) is famous for foliage and harvest festivals. Summer (June–August) brings beach days and seafood shacks. Winter (December–March) is perfect for skiing and cozy inns. Spring (April–May) offers flower blooms and fewer crowds.
Tips for getting to New England
- By Air: Logan International Airport (Boston) is the region’s largest hub. Smaller airports include Bradley (Hartford), Portland (Maine), and Burlington (Vermont).
- By Car: I-95 and I-91 connect major cities and scenic routes; ideal for road trips across state lines.
- By Train: Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor runs through Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts with links to NYC and beyond.
Where I like to stay in New England
- For a Historic City Stay: The Liberty Hotel (Boston, MA) – A luxurious and historic prison-turned-hotel near Beacon Hill.
- For a Seaside Retreat: Cliff House (Cape Neddick, ME) – Oceanside luxury with spa treatments and stunning views.
- For a Mountain Escape: Trapp Family Lodge (Stowe, VT) – Alpine charm and outdoor fun in the Green Mountains.
Best Things to Do in New England
1. Cape Cod National Seashore
The Cape Cod National Seashore is a pristine marine environment that consists of 40 miles of beautiful white sandy beaches, tranquil ponds, swampy marshes, wild cranberry bogs, and hiking and biking trails.
Established in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy, the Cape Cod National Seashore offers a variety of activities, including hiking, mountain biking, fishing, hunting, and ranger-guided activities such as lighthouse tours, snorkeling, and yoga classes.
Other activities include four-wheel driving on the beach, camping, and corridor fishing, and there are two visitors centers, namely the Salt Pond Visitor Center in Eastham and the Province Lands Visitor Center in Provincetown, both of which are open year round.
2. Acadia National Park
Located on Maine's Mount Desert Island, Acadia National Park is a vast recreation area on the Atlantic Coast made up of 47,000 acres of rocky beaches, dense woodlands, and ice-topped peaks like majestic Cadillac Mountain, which is the highest point on the East Coast of the United States.
Established in 1916 as the Sieur de Monts National Monument and later renamed as Lafayette National Park and then Acadia National Park in 1929, the National Park is the oldest designated park in the country east of the Mississippi.
The park is home to the bayside town of Bar Harbor, which has several restaurants, cafés, shops, and bars and a plethora of wildlife such as bears, moose, whales, and a diverse variety of seabirds.
3. Block Island North Light
The Block Island North Light is a historic lighthouse on Block Island, Rhode Island, also known as New Shoreham. The tower was built in 1829 to highlight the entrances to the Block Island and Long Island Sounds, as well as to warn sea-farers away from dangerous Sandy Point, which extended a mile out from the island.
The Block Island North Light lighthouse has since been replaced four times due to various factors and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a popular tourist attraction.
Today, the Block Island North Light lighthouse stands 55 feet height and is built from granite in an octagonal shape. The tower features a fourth-order Fresnel lens, which has a range of 11 nautical miles, and does not have a foghorn.
Block Island, RI 02807, Phone: 401-466-3213
Activities and Attractions for Couples and Singles:
4. Conway Scenic Railroad
The Conway Scenic Railroad is a heritage railway that offers fun for the whole family.
The Conway Scenic Railroad features a variety of beautifully restored vintage locomotives and train cars, which provide an authentic, old-fashioned railroading experience on two historic valley routes.
Train rides depart from the 1874 train station in North Conway and travel through some of the most dramatic natural scenery, including cascading brooks and streams, steep ravines, sheer bluffs, and panoramic mountain vistas, through the spectacular Crawford Notch to Crawford Station, where the trip ends.
Guest can relive the golden age of railroading with a first-class dining experience on one of the elegant dining cars during the trip.
38 Norcross Cir, North Conway, NH 03860, Phone: 603-356-5251
5. Dinosaur State Park and Arboretum
The Dinosaur State Park and Arboretum is a state-owned natural history preserve in Rocky Hill, Connecticut, that protects one of the most significant dinosaur track sites in North America.
The park spans 80 acres and features a geodesic dome that showcases an exceptional display of early Jurassic fossil tracks dating back to 200 million years ago.
The park boasts over 2 miles of nature and hiking trails and has an award-winning arboretum, which is home to over 250 species of conifers as well as ginkgoes, katsuras, and magnolias and other plant families that existed during the age of the dinosaurs.
The Dinosaur State Park and Arboretum has a museum that offers a unique view of the dioramas of Triassic and Jurassic environments, a preserved Mesozoic floodplain covered with tracks, collections of fossils, and interactive exhibits.
400 West St, Rocky Hill, CT 06067, Phone: 860-529-8423
6. deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum
Located about 20 miles from Boston, deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum is at 30 acres the largest park of its kind in New England. It was established in 1950 in order to renew interest in sculptures and to become a major sculpture park.
There are about 30 large-scale sculptures in the park, most on loan from various owners and artists.
The exhibited sculptures are constantly changing, representing high quality contemporary artworks and site-specific installations.
DeCordova holds a range of year-round activities that include snowshoe tours, nature tours, yoga in the park, curator and artist conversations, special talks, events, and screenings.
DeCordova is home to Lincoln Nursery School, probably the only American preschool located within a contemporary art museum.
51 Sandy Pond Road, Lincoln, MA 01773, Phone: 781-259-8355
What to do if you are traveling with kids:
7. Squam Lake Nature Science Center
Squam Lake Nature Science Center, commonly referred to as the SLNSC, is the premiere environmental education center of Holderness, originally opened to the public in 1969.
The science center, which is northern New England's only Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited institution, strives to advance ecological understanding throughout New Hampshire and use the outdoors as a classroom for continuing education for visitors of all ages.
Center visitors can explore the facility's natural areas and stroll along its animal exhibit trail, which showcases animals such as black bears, mountain lions, river otters, bobcats, and raptors.
Educational Squam Lake cruises are also offered, along with gorgeous landscaped gardens at the facility's Kirkwood Gardens.
23 Science Center Rd, Holderness, NH 03245, Phone: 603-968-7194
8. Farnsworth Art Museum
Located in Rockland on the mid-coast of Maine, the Farnsworth Art Museum is an art museum that specializes in American art.
Built in 1948, the institution was established to celebrate the role of American art in Maine and features a nationally recognized collection of American art in elegantly appointed galleries.
The museum collections include works by Thomas Sully, Fitz Henry Lane, Childe Hassam, Thomas Eakins, Eastman Johnson, and Maurice Prendergast along with a permanent collection entitled Maine in America with works by Frank Benson and Gilbert Stuart.
Four of the galleries are dedicated to contemporary art, and there is a significant collection of works by the 20th century sculptor Louise Nevelson.
The Farnsworth Art Museum also offers a range of educational programs, workshops, and classes for visitors of all ages.
16 Museum St, Rockland, ME 04841, Phone: 207-596-6457
9. ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center
Located on the Burlington waterfront in northern Vermont at the Leahy Center for Lake Champlain Activities, the ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center is home to a variety of animals, including more than 70 species of amphibians, invertebrates, fish, and reptiles.
Established to inspire and educate the public about the ecology, culture, and history of the Lake Champlain Basin, the ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center also features a range of significant traveling exhibitions as well as the state-of-the-art multimedia Awesome Forces Theatre.
The marine-focused children's museum offers over 100 award-winning hands-on exhibits, like the ever-popular FrogWorld and the saltwater petting tank, along with a variety of educational and interactive family-friendly activities and daily animal encounters.
The museum also has an ecology-themed café that serves light meals and drinks, an eclectic gift shop that sells aquarium-related gifts, souvenirs, and items, the Lake Champlain Navy Memorial, and the University of Vermont research vessel Melosira, which offers exhibits and cruises.
1 College St, Burlington, VT 05401, Phone: 802-864-1848
10. Green Mountain National Forest
Located in central and southwestern Vermont, the Green Mountain National Forest is a pristine ecoregion of Acadian and New England forests that offers a four-season recreation experience.
The near 400,000-acre Green Mountain National Forest features more than 2,000 archeological and historic sites that highlight the history and heritage of Vermont, including remains of colonial-era farmsteads, ancient Native American sites, industrial-period technologies, and facilities built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.
The forest is also an area of spectacular natural beauty, with rugged mountainscapes and verdant woodlands, offering an array of recreational activities such as hiking, mountain biking, fall foliage tours, and bird and wildlife watching year round.
231 N Main St, Rutland, VT 05701, Phone: 802-747-6700
Where I Like to Eat in New England
- For Lobster Rolls: The Clam Shack (Kennebunkport, ME) – Legendary sandwiches served fresh and fast.
- For Farm-to-Table: The Farmhouse Tap & Grill (Burlington, VT) – Vermont ingredients in a rustic-chic gastropub.
- For Italian: Al Forno (Providence, RI) – Inventors of grilled pizza and iconic regional cuisine.
My favorite local events:
- For Fall Fun: The Big E (September, West Springfield, MA) – A massive fair celebrating all six New England states.
- For Literature Lovers: Brattleboro Literary Festival (October, Vermont) – Free events and author talks in a cozy book-loving town.
- For Maritime History: Windjammer Days (June, Boothbay Harbor, ME) – Tall ships, parades, and waterfront activities.
Day Trip Itineraries Within New England:
- For Coastal Charm: Rockport & Gloucester, MA – Stroll art galleries, dine on seafood, and visit scenic lighthouses (1–2 hrs from Boston).
- For Foliage & Hiking: Franconia Notch State Park, NH – Explore Flume Gorge and Cannon Mountain tramway (2 hrs from Portland or Boston).
- For Culture: Hartford, CT – Tour the Mark Twain House, museums, and riverfront parks (1.5 hrs from Providence or Boston).
- For Island Adventure: Martha’s Vineyard – Ferry from Cape Cod for beaches, bike paths, and lighthouses.
- For Skiing: Mount Snow or Killington, VT – Hit the slopes in winter or hike in summer (2–3 hrs from major cities).
Plan Your Trip