New England
North East USA

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New England comprises: Massachussets, Rhode Island, Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut.

Why travel to north-east USA?

The nation-founding, pilgrim fathers landed in the region so history here precedes the 18thC which is rare in the USA and Boston - perhaps the most 'English' city in the USA - has a lot of cultural clout.
The area is generally intellectual, boasting Harvard, Yale, and MIT among its educational establishments.
The coastiline is mostly scenic with good beaches - if chilly water - quaint towns and superb fresh seafood, though modern malls plague this area too. Autumn (Fall) is particularly attractive in this well forested zone.

Downside
The weather in the winter can be atrocious and at other times quickly changeable - a little too like it's namesake, England (UK).

Climate
Best: May-October (especially October for fall colours)
Worst: November-March (extreme cold but great skiing).

'In the spring I have counted one hundred and thirty-six different kinds of weather inside of twenty-four hours', Mark Twain

Main Attractions

Boston

Massachussets
Boston is the culture king; add in the big three islands off the coast and this state is New England's top attraction.

Boston: the force of independence from British rule, revolution began here in 1775 and ended colonial power in 1776; a vibrant and exciting city with plenty of intellect. More Boston

Cape Cod: the state's hooked peninsula is one of its biggest tourist destinations, with extensive beaches and historic towns plus two large tourist friendly islands - Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket - off its southern coast.

Top spots include upbeat and arty Provincetown with good nearby beaches where the pilgrims first trod on this continent.
Wellfleet, also artistically inclined, is famous for its oysters (a New England staple food), with many pretty beaches and wildlife areas to be found along the seashore; good for hiking and biking trips.

Martha's Vineyard: like its mainland cousin above this is a top coastal region.
There are three main towns, but the most attractive and classy is Edgartown with its historic 17th/19thC buildings, good beaches, nearby hiking and biking.

Nantucket: the least developed part of the Cape Cod peninsula, Natucket island is very pretty and has only one real town, Nantucket, also perfect for relaxed hiking, cycling and beach lounging.

Berkshire Hills: a hilly summer retreat in the west of the state with several worthwhile historic towns. Highlights are Lenox - with a good selection of performing arts during the summer, Stockbridge for the Norman Rockwell museum and Williamstown with its huge MassMoCA modern arts gallery and Clark Art Institute.

Plymouth: the Pilgrim fathers decided to stay here in 1620, so see the replica of the Mayflower ship and the 17thC style plantation.

Salem: traditional houses, Peabody Essex Museum and spooky 17th Century witch trial information and relics.

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New England Map | USA Map

Maine
Offers both an extensive, beautiful coastline scattered with picturesque towns and swathes of inland wilderness.

Coast and Islands: a terriffic area for sailing, the highlights of the touristy southern coast are small historic Kennebuck with 18th/19th C buildings and the city of Portland.
Further along the coast gets more rugged and has fewer tourists; try the beautiful Pemaquid Peninsula, Monhegan Island for pleasant walking and superb views, Camden for sailors and the Acadia National Park for excellent scenery to hike and bike through.

Inland Wilderness: the main outdoor attractions are hiking in the Baxter State Park, excellent rafting in the Kennebec River and hiking and skiing around the popular town of Bethel.

Rhode Island
The smallest state in the USA, so it's easy to explore.

Newport: wealthy New Yorkers have made this an exclusive area, with several impressive mansions open to the public, a Museum of Yachting and three first class music festivals in the summer: Classical, Folk, then Jazz.
Also good surf on the Atlantic coastline.

Block Island: tiny but very scenic and popular for day hiking and biking.

New Hampshire
White Mountains: in the northern part of the state there are plenty of recreation opportunities throughout the White Mountains National Forest, particularly hiking. Highlights are Mt Washington and the Franconia Notch Gorge featuring the 'Old Man of the Mountain' likeness.

Portsmouth: one of the settlements founded in 1623, the Strawbery Banke Museum offers a view of old times while several historic houses are open to the public.

Vermont
History once again tops the bill here, though Vermont also makes the most of its more mountainous features.

Burlington: cultural highlight of the state, with the extensive Shelburne Museum displaying arts and crafts exhibits in historic buildings and a working traditional farm.

Bennington: the Bennington Museum makes the town a worthwhile visit, with a huge collection of Americana.

Green Mountains: Killington and Stowe in the Green Mountains, are two of the state's premiere ski resorts, otherwise the usual mountain hiking possibilities.

Connecticut
The inland and coastal regions of the state offer few must see attractions, but those with special interests will find a couple of gems.

New Haven: the attraction here is Yale University for its splendid historic campus, the Yale Center for British Art, plus the Yale University Art Gallery. Otherwise keep it as a day trip from New York.

Mystic: this historic seaport features the Mystic Seaport Museum with dozens of historic buildings and seagoing vessels.

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