Craggy coastline, cobblestone streets and clam chowder galore: New England is utterly idyllic. But with the west coast region comprising six states – Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont – it can be difficult to know where to begin, so we’ve done the hard work and rounded up 10 beautiful places in New England you need to visit.
DK Eyewitness New England
View BookAcadia National Park, Maine
Tucked away on an island off the coast of Maine, Acadia National Park is truly unspoiled. The romantically rugged outpost has long tempted nature lovers thanks to its wealth of serene lakes, forested mountains and golden beaches. And not forgetting the picture-perfect Bass Harbor Head Light Station at the tip of the park, which affords gorgeous views across the Atlantic.
Rockport, Massachusetts
The seaside town of Rockport is picture-postcard perfection. Artists have long been inspired by its calm waters and pretty houses, especially a humble red fishing shack called Motif #1 perched out on the harbour, (it’s known as the most painted building in America). Grab yourself a lobster roll and admire it for yourself on Rockport’s pebble beach.
Stowe, Vermont
It’s not surprising that the Von Trapp family chose to settle in Stowe after fleeing Austria at the outbreak of World War II. Like their homeland, the town is famed for its bucolic, mountain scenery, leafy walking paths and opportunities for skiing (you can even stay at the Trapp Family Lodge). Stowe is enchanting year-round but the fiery colours of fall are especially beautiful, and make an especially striking backdrop for the snow-white spire of Stowe Community Church, found in the centre of the town.
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Sitting pretty on the Pisataqua River, the historical seaport of Portsmouth is utterly charming. Awash with bookstores, galleries and coffee shops, this is the place to potter about at a leisurely pace, perhaps stopping in at the Strawbery Banke Museum where costumed guides take visitors around preserved houses that date back hundreds of years. Afterwards consider hopping on the ferry to the Isles of Shoals or joining a whale-watching trip.
Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Stretching for 70 miles (113km), Cape Cod is a pleasure ground with countless stunning beaches and quaint towns to unwind in. The first pilgrims aboard the Mayflower disembarked on the golden beach of Princetown. Today the town enjoys a buzzing art and fringe theatre scene, while the dunes of Barnstable beach are perfect for a quiet, more remote picnic. There’s fresh oysters waiting to be enjoyed in nearby Chatham and summer homes to be admired in West Yarmouth.
Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts
Just south of Cape Cod is Martha’s Vineyard, a 20-mile (32-km long) island that embodies quintessential New England. Here, windswept beaches, wildflower fields and gently rolling hills are popular for a stretch of the legs. As for Tisbury (also known as Vineyard Haven) and Oak Bluffs, these gorgeous towns at the north of the island are all gingerbread cottages, handicraft stores and market cafés.
White Mountain National Forest, New Hampshire
If you’re after a spot of leaf-peeping, you’ll want to make a beeline for the White Mountain Forest in New Hampshire. The national forest offers 12 hiking trails of varying lengths from which you might spot a resident white-tailed deer, red fox or porcupine (plus some much larger mammals, like bears). There are further opportunities for camping and biking, and snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in winter months.
Lake Champlain, Vermont
Shared with New York, Lake Champlain is truly scenic, especially the stretch near the college town of Burlington. In the summer months, locals armed with picnic blankets take to the waterfront to watch sailboats bob on the lake and the sun set beyond the peaks of the Adirondack Mountain. It’s hard to imagine there’s a mythical Loch Ness-like sea serpent, called Champ, living in such a beautiful lake…
Litchfield Hills, Connecticut
Litchfield Hills is all rolling forests, tranquil lakes and unspoiled towns, and chosen by New Englanders as a quieter vacation alternative to the Hamptons. Highlights in this cosy corner of Connecticut include the tumbling waterfalls of Kent Falls State Park and the 1841 covered bridge in West Cornwall, which spans the Housatonic River.
The Appalachian Trail
Though this hiking trail extends from Georgia to Maine, for over 2,000 miles (3,500 km), there’s no doubt that its chain of trails through New England are especially scenic. The paths passing through Mount Katahdin in Maine, the Berkshires in Massachusetts and White Mountains of New Hampshire promise bucolic views of undulating hills and thickly forested mountains.
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Where to watch the leaves change: the best spots for fall foliage in the US
It's that time of year when the days shorten, temperatures cool, and a rich palette of red and gold begins to unfurl across the landscape. While there’s plenty of places to experience the colours of fall, you can find some of our favourites below.