The 19 best things to do in New England

New England is home to acres of preserved natural beauty, dotted with small towns. The region steeped in history but it is also home to a modern, vibrant LGBTIQ+ nightlife scene. Hundreds of miles of trails lace through New England’s forests, up the spines of its mountains and along its shorelines. 

You can set your sights on an epic traverse, like the Appalachian Trail or Vermont’s Long Trail, or pack in a few day hikes amid other adventures. Covering many beautiful miles throughout the New England states – Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine – the beaches of New England are also as varied as they come. 

From fishing to surfing and shopping, there are plenty of things to do in New England, whether you’re visiting for a day trip or a week.

1. Watch the sunrise in Acadia National Park

Cadillac Mountain is Acadia National Park’s crown jewel. The summit is touted as the first place in the United States to see the sunrise each day, so expect company if a summit at sunrise is your goal. The trailhead is located about 3 miles southwest of central Bar Harbor (and about 3.5 miles south of Hulls Cove Visitor Center). From the trailhead, it’s a moderate 2.2-mile (one-way) climb to the summit, with fine views of Eagle Lake off to the west on the way up. For panoramic views of Frenchman Bay, walk the paved 0.5-mile Cadillac Mountain Summit Loop. It’s also possible to reach the summit of Cadillac Mountain by car. 

Planning tip: Book ahead if you decide to drive to the summit of Cadillac Mountain; you’ll need to make vehicle reservations at recreation.gov.

2. Climb Mount Washington

It’s not for everyone and you must be properly prepared, but this exhilarating hike to Mt Washington’s summit is one for the bucket list. At 4.2 miles one way, the Tuckerman Ravine Trail is the shortest option to Mt Washington’s summit. But don’t let the low mileage fool you. It’s a steep and rocky climb that can flip from fun to possibly fatal very quickly due to rapid changes in the weather, particularly above the tree line. 

The trail begins at Pinkham Notch Visitor Center, then climbs through the White Mountain National Forest beside the pretty Cutler River, crossing it twice. From the Mt Washington State Park observation deck atop the mountain, views can stretch 130 miles.

Planning tip: If you attempt to hike to the summit, pack warm, windproof clothes and shoes, even in summer. Always consult with Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) hut personnel about current conditions and turn back if the weather changes for the worse. 

3. Take a scenic drive along Route 100

Weaving along the base of the Green Mountains through the rural heart of Vermont, Route 100 is one of New England’s quintessential road trips. Passing through Wilmington, Weston, Ludlow, Rochester and Warren, the route rambles past pastures, small towns with white-steepled churches and verdant mountainsides crisscrossed with hiking trails and ski slopes. Even if your time is limited, don’t miss the natural beauty along the 45-mile stretch between Stockbridge and Waterbury, an easy detour off I-89. 

Planning tip: For a slice of local Vermont, stop in at a country store or two for handmade home goods, sweet treats and local brews.

4. Experience art and culture in Burlington

Picturesquely perched above Lake Champlain, Burlington is Vermont’s largest and most dynamic metropolis – though with only 45,000 residents, it would barely qualify as a city in most other states. Downtown Burlington, revolving around the pedestrianized Church St Marketplace, is jam-packed with shops, restaurants, bars, cafes and nightspots. This relatively compact urban center is perfectly positioned for outdoorsy pursuits, with kayaking, sailing and a fantastic bike path just paces downhill along the lakeshore. 

Local tip: Looking for a healthy snack? City Market is a natural food-lover’s dream. On Saturdays from May to October, vendors also sell fresh produce at Burlington’s weekly farmers market.

5. Stop by Bar Harbor

The gateway to Acadia National Park is the waterfront town of Bar Harbor. Elegant B&Bs (and a campground!) along with inviting restaurants, taverns and boutiques are scattered around town, particularly along Main St and Cottage St. Adventure outfitters here offer a wide range of things to do. Look for whales, porpoises, bald eagles, seals and more on a narrated nature cruise.

Local tip: Avoid the hassle of driving by parking your car in Bar Harbor and using the free shuttle system. The Island Explorer follows 10 different routes that link hotels, inns and campgrounds to destinations within Acadia National Park.

6. Step back in time in Boston

Begin this tour of historic Boston at Boston Common. Originally set aside for grazing cows; later, British soldiers camped there but now the livestock and troops are long gone and this central expanse of green is a central meeting spot, a jumping-off point for several neighborhoods and an always-enjoyable place for a picnic lunch. 

After eating, summon your inner Paul Revere and follow the red brick road of the Freedom Trail. The area between the Boston Common and the Boston Harbor is the city’s historic center, where the earliest settlers built houses, went to church, docked their ships and buried their dead. To fully appreciate the transformation from early colony to modern metropolis, check out Boston’s North and West Ends, which have their modern roots as immigrant communities. 

Detour: About 30 minutes north of Boston is Salem, home of the Salem Witch Museum.

7. Explore Nantucket

Nantucket Town epitomizes tranquility and calm. Historic wealth, along with the absence of battlegrounds, has enabled the preservation of one of the country’s largest concentrations of pre-Civil War era buildings. The main hub boasts fine dining, lively pubs and a cobblestoned shopping district. But there’s more: cottages in sea-sprayed villages, South Shore’s scenic bluffs, sailing lessons, beer tasting in Cisco and the shifting dunes of Great Point. 

Nantucket’s primary attraction, the Whaling Museum, presents the island’s storied heritage as once the whaling capital of the world. Grab an ice cream from Jack & Charlie’s and watch boats passing by at nearby Brant Point, then load up on picnic supplies from Bartlett’s Farm and head down to Madaket Beach on the south shore. Stay for the sunset – it doesn’t disappoint!

Planning tip: Steamship Authority and Hy-Line operate year-round ferries from Hyannis. Freedom Cruises ferries passengers from Harwichport. Nantucket is highly walkable, so leave your car on the mainland and consider renting a bicycle.

8. Take in the LGBTIQ+ nightlife in Provincetown

Provincetown is a gay-friendly hub, especially in summer when everyone comes for the vibrant beach scene (and post-sun party atmosphere). Sitting at the Cape’s northernmost tip, P’town (as it’s affectionately called) has an allure that’s as dynamic as the windswept dunes surrounding it. Steeped in rich nautical, and artistic, history, this is where the Pilgrims first landed in 1620 (anchoring the Mayflower in Provincetown Harbor). Now a top LGBTIQ+ travel destination, open-minded flamboyance has not just been accepted but celebrated here since the 1970s. 

Local tip: Provincetown’s annual Carnival, with drag queens and flowery floats, is the region’s most boisterous LGBTIQ+ party, drawing tens of thousands every August.

9. Hike the beaches of Block Island

Hop on the ferry in Newport or Point Judith, travel just 12 miles into the eastern edge of the Long Island Sound, and you’ll arrive at a microcosm of all you could want from a beach vacation. Block Island is a small island, lush and dramatic, with green hills and craggy bluffs dropping into the ocean and 17 miles of public beaches wrapped around its edge. It covers just 9 sq miles, much of which feels remote, and yet there’s still an abundance of shops, restaurants and hotels. 

After a one-hour (regular) or 30-minute (high speed) ride, you’ll arrive and be greeted by the many establishments serving visitors, including bike rental companies. The self-guided bike tour is a popular route that will loop you around Block Island’s varied terrain with stops at beaches, lighthouses and lookouts. 

Local tip: The Southeast Lighthouse at Mohegan Bluffs is the tallest in New England. It’s a great spot to watch the sunset, either from atop the bluffs or down the steep staircase to a narrow beach.

10. Tour the storied grounds of Yale University

You can feel the thirst for knowledge in the air of New Haven, home to Yale University. Start at the Cretaceous Garden alongside the Yale Peabody Museum which has an impressive dinosaur collection. From there, turn right on Sachem St; in one block, you’ll spot Roy Lichtenstein’s Modern Head sculpture at the base of Science Hill, which pokes fun at the “modern” aesthetic of the ’70s and ’80s. Take your first left onto Hillhouse and travel back to the mid- to late-19th century when James Hillhouse and his son developed this street of stately mansions built by prominent architects of the time. 

Past the mansions, take a right on Trumbull St and a left on Prospect St. Continue past the Hewitt Quadrangle on your right, the main plaza of Yale where students have gathered for centuries to lounge, study and protest. Take a right on Alexander Walk, a car-free promenade, then left on Rose Walk, leading to the entrance of the Sterling Memorial Library, which contains 2.5 million books. In front of the entrance, you’ll notice a round table of granite with a spiral inscription on its surface. This is the Women’s Table by Yale graduate Maya Linn, who also designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Local tip: The grid layout should make New Haven easy to navigate, but one-way streets make driving a frustrating endeavor for the unfamiliar.  Ditch the car and explore on foot.

11. Spot celebrities on Martha’s Vineyard

New England’s second-largest island, Martha's Vineyard, feels a world removed from Cape Cod, despite being just 4 miles away as the crow flies (45 minutes by ferry). Locals divide the island, and its six unique towns, into two distinctive districts, “up-Island” and “down-Island,” exuding very contrasting vibes. 

The Hollywood crowd favors the “up-Island” Chilmark and Aquinnah areas with celebrities spotted munching pizza slices on the wooden deck at Chilmark General Store. Harbor View Hotel in Edgartown hosts many Tinseltown elites, and Farm Neck Golf Club in Oak Bluffs is a great place to see plenty of club-swinging socialites. Alley’s General Store in West Tisbury sometimes bears fruit – as does 7a Foods, a popular sandwich shop next door. Stars also gather at the annual Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival, held every March.

Planning tip: Download the TrailsMV app for an overview of Martha’s Vineyard’s public conservation lands, including 220 miles of pristine, and visually stunning, trails. 

12. Go bicycling in Litchfield Hills

The foothills of the Berkshires and North Adams town are dotted with stately homes, antique shops, farms and the restaurants they supply. The Litchfield Hills is a bucolic region crisscrossed by trails, rivers and scenic drives. The best way to see waterfalls and covered bridges among the hills of Litchfield County is by bicycle, and an electric bike is a big help. Covered Bridge Electric Bike has three locations for rentals. 

To start, cruise down the dirt road along the Housatonic River for about 8 miles to Great Falls, where it’s a short walk through the woods to the edge of the waterfall. Just down the road is Canaan, also known as Falls Village, where you can fuel up for the return trip at Mountainside Cafe with their farm-to-table menu. 

Planning tip: To ensure you end up where you plan, know that Litchfield County, Litchfield Hills and Litchfield refer to slightly different places. Litchfield is a town in Litchfield County. And the geographic region is the Litchfield Hills.

13. Admire the fall foliage

Fall foliage-seeking tourists flock to Vermont every October, creating traffic congestion along Route 100 in peak leaf season. To enjoy the same exuberant colors without the crowds, head for the Mad River Valley’s quieter side. From Waitsfield, take Bridge St across the covered bridge, then climb a couple of miles on East Warren Rd to a junction with Common Rd. A left turn here drops you onto a spectacular unpaved stretch, perfect for slowing down and savoring the scenery. Rows of old maples line the roadway, while glimpses of Camel’s Hump (4083ft) peek between the branches. 

At the next main junction with Joslin Hill Rd, turn left to return to Waitsfield, or stay on the valley’s quiet side and continue another 5 miles north into Moretown via North Rd and Pony Farm Rd.

Planning tip: Book early if you plan to stay overnight, as accommodations book up fast because the prime foliage viewing window is brief.

14. Ski the East

Woodlands transform into wintery wonderlands for cross-country skiers and snowshoers, while mountain resorts draw skiers from all across the region (and beyond) to churn down those well-groomed slopes. Vermont is ski central. The state has the best variety of resorts as well as the largest cross-country ski trail network in the East. 

Beyond the well-known Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vermont has several other ski resorts. Consider Craftsbury Outdoor Center, which features an exceptional trail network, coupled with the neighboring Greensboro trails, offering nearly 100 miles of skiing. There’s also Kingdom Trails, where you can ski past massive century-old barns and enjoy expansive vistas from the high pastureland along Darling Hill Rd, and Mountain Top Inn & Resort, a cozy inn near Rutland that features fabulous trails on an old farmstead. 

15. Visit Mystic Seaport 

A visit to the Mystic Seaport Museum is a hands-on experience with Connecticut's maritime history. You won’t just look at pictures and read placards about rigging wooden ships and forging iron harpoons; you’ll watch people actually do these things. The museum is a capsule of life and industry, buzzing with much of the same work that would have taken place here in the 1800s, when the whaling industry in Mystic was thriving. 

Come prepared for an indoor/outdoor experience. You can start with the indoor museum, which includes an art gallery and rotating exhibits on maritime history. Then wander the replica seaport village and the shipyard along the Mystic River, where you can climb aboard one of their historic ships and see what it would have been like to live on the boat for months.

Planning tip: To make a full day of your visit, opt for the Mystic Seapass, which includes entrance to both the Mystic Seaport Museum and the Mystic Aquarium just down the street.

16. Plan a day trip to Cape Cod

The Cape's only town, Chatham, is bordered by water on three sides. This once-quiet fishing and farming town, rich in maritime history, has morphed into a popular summer tourist destination. Perfect for those seeking beach getaways in a stunning, natural environment, outdoor activities range from nature hikes and bicycle trails to swimming, surfing and other water sports. Bask in the rays at Lighthouse Beach, beachcomb for treasures, enjoy upscale shopping in trendy village shops or watch seals swarm fishing boats unloading their daily catch at Chatham Fish Pier.

Local tip: In the afternoon, join bird-watchers at the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge and keep an eye out for dolphins, whales and other marine life along the 3-mile Morris Island beach trail. Open 10am to 4pm, Memorial Day to Labor Day. 

17. Tap Maple trees for syrup

When it comes to maple syrup production, Vermont really punches above its weight. This small state accounts for nearly half of the national output, and nearly three times as much as its nearest competitor (New York). To experience the maple sugaring process up close, visit in late March during the annual Maple Open House Weekend, when dozens of sugar shacks provide free demonstrations. Watching the maple sugaring process, with steam billowing from the wood-fired evaporator and bottles of different colored syrup lined up, is a near perfect Vermont experience.

One particularly atmospheric place to watch syrup being made is Merck Forest, a 2700-acre organic farm and nonprofit environmental education center. In a volunteer-led tour, watch them demonstrate the old-fashioned tapping process, where producers would drill a small hole in each tree and collect sap in buckets.

18. Tour the Breakers

In the late 19th century, Newport became the most stylish summer destination. The wealthiest of New York City and Philadelphia spent millions to build extravagant mansions on rolling estates (so-called “summer cottages”) with views of the Atlantic Ocean.

The Breakers was a Vanderbilt family property, built in the Italian Renaissance style. Learn more about the history of th Gilded Age by booking a guided tour, like “Beneath the Breakers,” where you’ll explore the subterranean levels of the house, or the “Servant Life Tour” to see how the help kept things running in these extravagant homes.

Planning tip: Mansions are open at different times on different days, so check the schedule before picking which ones you’ll visit.

19. Discover Franconia Notch

The dramatic scenery of the White Mountains of New Hampshire doesn’t end at the foot of Mt Washington. A short hop from North Conway, you can travel the picturesque Kancamagus Highway, which is dotted with hiking trails and campsites. Northwest of there stretches Franconia Notch, a narrow gorge shaped over the eons by a wild stream cutting through craggy granite. 

There’s even more great hiking here, skiing in the winter and peaceful overlooks for simply taking in the views. If you feel inspired, you’re in good company: the poet Robert Frost lived in the region and wrote some of his most famous works here. His rustic home lies near several quaint towns like Littleton and Bethlehem, which preserve the beauty and independent spirit of northern New Hampshire.

Planning tip: A car is essential to explore this region, as public transit is limited. Head out early to avoid gridlock and ensure you’ll find space in the parking lot at trailheads.