With so much history, quaint old towns on the Atlantic coast, forested mountains and magnificent cities such as Boston, there is no lack of things to do on a weekend in New England. Charming towns like Bar Harbor and Martha’s Vineyard provide historic monuments, miles of beaches and great seafood. Small towns like Cambridge and Kennebunkport offer a combination of history, culture and fantastic restaurants.
1. Cape Cod National Seashore
The Cape Cod National Seashore is a 43,607-acre protected area on Cape Cod in Massachusetts. It includes 40 miles of Atlantic seashore, wood, ponds, marshes, dunes, and Atlantic coastal pine barrens. The seashore stretches from Chatham to Provincetown and also has historic lighthouses, cultural landscapes, and massive wild cranberry bogs. With so much diversity, people have different reasons for loving to spend time in this wild, untamed space – hiking, swimming, biking, surfing, canoeing, visiting an old whaling captain’s house, searching for wild cranberries, climbing to the top of lighthouses, and much more. One of the most famous beaches within the seashore is Outer Beach, described by Thoreau in the 1800s.
2. Stowe
Located in northern Vermont on the slopes of Mount Mansfield, Stowe is a small town known as the Ski Capital of the East. It is home to the world-class Stowe Mountain Resort, with ski slopes and trails on both Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak. Near the base of the mountain is Smugglers’ Notch State Park, with dense forest and a famous narrow mountain pass. The Stowe Recreation Path runs through the town along the West Branch of the Little River and provides wonderful views of the surrounding mountains. The Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum has a fascinating exhibition of ski gear and related artifacts. Stowe hosts a range of arts and crafts shows, a balloon festival, and other seasonal events. The Stowe Theater Guild, Hyde Park Opera House, and the Waterbury Festival Players offer high-quality theatrical productions every summer.
3. Bar Harbor, New England
A quaint coastal town on Mount Desert Island protected by Maine’s Frenchman Bay, Bar Harbor is a gateway to nearby Acadia National Park. Only a 5-hour drive from Boston, Bar Harbor is a popular tourist destination. The best view of the town and the entire island is from one of the many trails on the majestic Cadillac Mountain, which dominates the park. Surrounded by exceptional natural beauty with sheer cliffs, rocky beaches, glaci