From covered bridges to stretches of cliff-lined coasts, there’s a part of New England for every kind of vacation. Having grown up and lived in New England my entire life, I’ve never run out of cities or small towns to explore. Here are the ones that should be at the top of your list.
Providence, Rhode Island
The largest city in the smallest state is the perfect place for a weekend getaway. Easy to reach from both Boston and New York City, the capital is home to a stellar food scene and is a haven for antique enthusiasts. The state has several iconic regional food favorites that are a part of the fun, like coffee milk, Del’s Lemonade, and hot wieners from Olneyville New York System, which won the James Beard America’s Classic award in 2014. Beyond the staples, new restaurants like Pizza Marvin, Dune Brothers Seafood and Gift Horse are all helmed by talented chefs who can take risks that nearby cities with higher rents can’t always afford owners. The hotel scene has been getting better and better, too, as a string of extremely comfortable, and a little offbeat, boutiques have opened, like The Beatrice, The Dye House, The Graduate and The Dean Hotel, one of Fifty Grande’s Greatest Hotels Ever. And antique shoppers, this is for you: Arcade Providence is the oldest indoor mall in the country, The Providence Flea is a weekly year-round vintage market that sells handcrafted items from independent vendors, Stock Culinary Goods carries everything you could need for your kitchen, from cookie cutters to locally made craft ice cream, and you can pick up everything from accessories to apparel inspired by Rhode Island at The Matchbox.
North Adams, Massachusetts
Art lovers, don’t sleep on North Adams. The historic mill town in the Berkshires is home to one of the largest contemporary art museums in the country, The MASS MoCA. The 250,000 square foot museum opened in 1999, taking over what was once an abandoned mill. Long-term exhibits include a Sol LeWitt retrospective on view through 2043 and a James Turrell light installation, which the museum pairs with more than 40 weekends of live music and events, including the annual Fresh Grass festival. Though smaller in scale, you can also see excellent art at The Clark, Williams College Museum of Art, and The Berkshire Art Museum. After you’ve cruised through galleries until your heart’s content, take a drive or a hike to the summit of Mount Greylock, the tallest mountain in the state. On a clear day, you can see up to 90 miles away. Avid hikers can also easily hop onto the Appalachian Trail, finding a quick but adventurous hike to East Mountain. Accommodations here can be their own kind of exploration. For example, TOURISTS, a spin on a classic American motor lodge on the shore of the Hoosic River, has complimentary guided hikes, yoga, and onsite classes like block printing and mixology lessons. And just steps from the Mass MoCA, Porches is a property that’s housed in a block of once-abandoned 19th-century Victorian row houses. You relax in the four-season outdoor swimming pool, outdoor hot tub and Finnish-style sauna.
Portland, Maine
With so much more than just lighthouses and lobster rolls, this city is the perfect destination for anyone looking to soak in the coastal charm and award-winning food of Maine. That’s because if there’s one thing that Portland is great at, it’s food. Stop by some of the city’s best bakeries, like Tandem Coffee + Bakery, Bread & Friends, and James Beard winner Norimoto. Get your obligatory lobster roll fix at Highroller Lobster Co., Luke’s Lobster, and Eventide Oyster Co. which all offer a slightly unconventional take on a quintessential Maine dish. For dessert, be sure to visit Pot+Pan Kitchen, a THC treat shop helmed by a world-class pastry chef. In case you haven’t heard, Portland may also be the unofficial craft beer capital of the country. Whether you’re looking for non-alcoholic, gluten-free, or world-class mixed fermentation, there’s a brewery for it in Portland. The newly opened Longfellow Hotel, a sleep-focused property with an onsite spa, or The Press Hotel, which once was the headquarters of Maine’s biggest newspaper.
Camden, Maine
Less than two hours north of Portland is Maine’s Midcoast region. The once slightly sleepy cluster of towns is now becoming a destination all of its own. Just like in Portland, you’re coming here to eat. Start off the trip the right way, with some of the best croissants and pastries in the country, baked fresh at The Place. Pro Tip: this neighborhood bakery tends to sell out quickly, so be sure to place your order ahead of time. After, stop by First Fig to stock up on some bottles of wine, and grab a glass at the bar. For dinner, don’t miss Long Grain, an Asian restaurant that prepares flavors of Thailand and Vietnam, made with locally-sourced ingredients, or if you’re lucky, catch a pizza pop-up from The Uproot Pie Co. at Lucky Betty’s. Because the best way to see Maine is by sea, try to make time to hop on a schooner and cruise on the Penobscot Bay, depending on the season you’re visiting. Finally, retire to the Norumbega Inn, a recently renovated historic boutique hotel. Long called ‘The Castle by The Sea’ the property has just 11 guest rooms, serving up craft cocktails and a stellar breakfast for guests each morning.
Bretton Woods, New Hampshire
No matter what season you’re planning a trip, the White Mountains region of New Hampshire has topnotch New England outdoor adventure. The Mount Washington Cog Railway is the first mountain climbing railroad in the world, and has hauled riders up to the highest peak of the state for more than 150 years. During the summer, you can soar on a three-hour-long canopy tour, ziplining through more than 1000 feet of descent, and hike through the mountains. Throughout the colder months, the region is all about skiing: The Bretton Woods Ski Resort is the largest downhill ski destination in the state, and the Nordic Ski Center is one of the largest cross-country skiing areas on the East Coast. Fans of haunted hotels will delight in the historic Omni Mount Washington: while the property is often mistaken for the Overlook Hotel from The Shining, the property . Haunts aside, the hotel has a fantastic spa with an outdoor hot tub that’s perfect in every season and The Cave, a prohibition-era-inspired speakeasy. Just a short drive away is Polly’s Pancake Parlor, a small family-run restaurant that’s been serving up- you guessed it- perfect pancakes for more than 75 years. Nearby Schilling Beer in Littleton is a European-inspired small-batch brewery, crafting some of the world’s best pilsners in the shadow of the White Mountains.
