New England Top Locations for Any Season

New England is an All-Year Paradise

Traveling is one of the most popular leisure activities in the world and there are some areas that are just magnetizing for travelers. New England is one such zone. This region of the United States is known for excellent vacation spots that are actually worth visiting over and over! That’s why New England is so popular among tourists.

The thing is — it is possible to find something for everyone in New England. You fancy visiting a coastline with its lighthouses and local seafood? Are you more into hiking and camping in mountains or near lakes? Or you’re an urban dweller who wants to experience city life somewhere else? New England got that covered for you. 

Anyway, New England is something quite exquisite when it comes to tourist locations. That is why this list will guide you through the best vacation spots in New England so you’ll have some great memories to share with others.

• Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts

Let us begin the journey with one of the best places to visit New England in summer. It is located on an island with 6 cities and lighthouses to explore. Martha’s Vineyard is a perfect location for people who want to escape busy city life and enjoy calmness coupled with luxury. So, the best piece of advice is to visit this place during summer, grab yourself a bike and delve deeper into the island to explore its landscapes!

• Rockport, Massachusetts

Yet another great spot to visit. First of all, it’s located about an hour away from Boston so reaching it is not too hard. Secondly, it’s just a beautiful small port town that looks like a picture from some greeting card. One of the best places to visit New England in summer, Rockport offers lots of hotels to visit and lovely restaurants to try. All-in-all, a great choice for a relaxing holiday.

• Boston, Massachusetts

Where do we start? Boston is the city that offers everything a city dweller would want to — museums, sports events, parties, and more. In most cases, this is a starting point for tourists who want to visit some of the best vacation spots in New England and they just stay in Boston! A combination of modernity and tradition, Boston is a great option for those who want to feel the spirit of New England while not venturing too far from civilization.

• Midcoast Maine

This is quite a broad area located along the coast of Maine. Although it’s hard to give you proper advice on where to start your journey in this region, the thing is — you can start anywhere. Any way you choose will be filled with great food, history, and culture. It’s also a great location if you want to catch some authentic festivals such as Pumpkinfest or Weinerfest. 

• Acadia National Park, Maine

This entry on the list is perfect for people who enjoy outdoor activities, hiking, and sightseeing. The national park is filled with great landscapes of mountains, rivers, and ocean coasts. So, it’s a great location for people who love to collide with nature. After you inevitably get tired due to the amount of exploration, visit Bar Harbor. This town is located in several minutes from the national park and offers lots of restaurants and places of interest. If you are interested in cruises, local harbor is for your service.

• Portsmouth, New Hampshire

This city is a great location for anyone interested in history. Actually, it’s the third oldest city in the United States. It is quite unique as the city features an outdoor museum with lots of restored buildings that were built between the 17th and 18th centuries! It’s also located on the coast, so taking a trip along the waterfront is always a viable option if you want to rest your eyes and soul from the busy city life.

• White Mountain National Forest, New Hampshire

The best way to enjoy this location is if you own a car, as the forest is huge and it may take a whole weekend to explore what it has to offer. Although this is one of the best places to visit New England in summer, fall is the best season if you want to see the forest’s vibrance at its glory. You should also try out White Mountain Cog Railway that will bring you to the White Mountain’s summit by steam train! 

• Newport, Rhode Island

Known as the luxury playground for rich families during the 1850s, this town has much to offer even today. First of all, its location provides access to two beaches that are conveniently named First Beach and Second Beach. Even more, this location provides tourists with an opportunity to experience Newport in one of the best ways possible — on the water. There are lots of cruises to choose from but consider the season as it is possible to catch some bad weather.

• Block Island, Rhode Island

One of the best places to visit New England in summer, especially if you are in the Rhode Island area. It is located about 13-14 miles from the coast of Rhode Island and it’s a perfect place for seafood lovers and fishing enthusiasts. If you love seafood, rest assured that everything’s going to be fine as there are plenty of restaurants on the island. If you’re really into fishing, consider renting a fishing boat — this is quite a popular service out there. The sights are great there and you can also visit two lighthouses. Block Island is a great place for some impressive photos and videos.

• Woodstock, Vermont

No, not the place where the famous Woodstock festival took place. It’s definitely not the place where hippy culture was at the highest point but it’s often cited as the prettiest town in the whole United States. It is a great location for spending a fall weekend because of all the vibrance of colors that appears closer to the end of the year. Woodstock is a starting point from which you can access a variety of museums, farms, and art studios. Everything you need to satisfy your craving for history and culture. 

• Stowe, Vermont

This is one of the most iconic skiing locations in New England, a perfect place to spend a winter weekend. However, it is also worth visiting during other seasons as hiking and mountain climbing is prospering in the area. All these things are great but Stowe has yet another important thing to offer — food! This town is actually a foodie paradise because you’ll be able to taste different artisanal recipes, try out freshly pressed cider, and munch on handcrafted sweets in the downtown.

• Burlington, Vermont

This is the largest city in the state that is located on the edge of Lake Champlain. As with the other entries on this list, Burlington is a great place for city dwellers who want to satisfy their craving for history, culture, and art. If you’re into biking, consider visiting Burlington during summer. This way, you’ll be able to catch a bike ride along the coast of Lake Champlain — a beautiful and calming little journey that will offer you quite a lot of places to take great photos and videos.

New England is Awesome

New England is one of the best locations if you are into a calm and luxurious type of vacation. All of the entries on this list are rich with attractions that are all about history, art, culture, and great local cuisine. While New England is great for visiting during the whole year, you might have noticed that some entries have small pieces of advice on when to visit.

The thing is — a ski resort is great and all but the vibrance of the region as a whole is really blooming during the summer-fall period. This way, you will be able to enjoy great sights that are coupled with warm and forgiving weather. Great weather means more activities to choose from!

Final Thoughts

These 12 locations have been picked according to the uniqueness of experiences that you are able to get there but rest assured that New England has more to offer. All it takes is some exploration and research. So, keep that in mind when going through this list — the region has its reputation as a vacation cluster for a reason.

This list explored some of the best vacation spots in New England from Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island to Vermont but there are more places to visit. The beauty of New England lies in the fact that you can take your time as there’s no rush in this region. Its attractions are accessible the whole year and you will have a great time anyway. 

So, stay classy and explore the beautiful region of New England as it has much to offer — you might easily fall in love with the calmness and beauty of nature as well as all the lovely people that you’ll be able to meet.