Travel to New England: A Local’s Guide
I grew up just outside Boston, and after years of living abroad, I came back home and realized New England is one of the most underrated travel regions in the U.S.
We offer six small states packed with coastal towns, mountain getaways, working farms, leaf-peeping routes, and some of the best seafood in the country. It’s the kind of region where you can spend a weekend in a Vermont inn one month and Boston with the girls the next, and never run out of new corners to discover.
Whether you’re a first-time visitor planning a Boston trip, a New Englander like me looking for a quick weekend escape, or somewhere in between, this hub pulls together my favorite Pure Wander guides across all six states. Lots of these I’ve written from personal experience, others from world-class contributors who know their beat well.
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Start Here: Quick Picks for First-Timers
Not sure where to start? These are the guides I’d send a friend to first:
- Best girls weekend in the region → Newport RI Girls Trip: The Ultimate Off-Season Getaway Guide
- Best New England road trip → Boston to Maine Road Trip: Ogunquit, Freeport and Portland
- Best Boston-area weekend → Girls Weekend in Boston: A Local’s Neighborhood Guide
- Best fall trip → A Cozy Escape: Your Guide to North Conway, NH for Every Season
- Best with kids → Things to Do in Plymouth, MA: A Local’s Guide
Massachusetts: My Home Base
Massachusetts is where I do most of my “local” travel because the variety is wild. Boston’s perfect for the city days, Cape Cod and Plymouth for the coast, and the Berkshires for the mountains. There’s dozens of small towns that work for a quick overnight too.
Featured: Girls Weekend in Boston: A Local’s Neighborhood Guide
Top guides:
- Things to Do in Plymouth, MA: A Local’s Guide
- Worcester and Central Massachusetts for a Weekend
- A Classic Fall Travel Tradition: Amesbury, Massachusetts
- Plan for P-Town: 24 Hours in Provincetown, Massachusetts
- Best Day Trips from Boston
Maine: Coastal Towns and a Lot of Lobster
Maine is where I send anyone who wants New England at its most picturesque. The coast from Ogunquit up through Camden is full of harbor towns that feel like they haven’t changed much in 50 years (in the best way), and Portland has quietly become one of the best food cities in the country.
Featured: Boston to Maine Road Trip: Ogunquit, Freeport and Portland
Top guides:
- A Weekend for 30-Somethings in Portland, Maine: Rooftop Bars, Breweries and Biking
- Camden, Maine’s Delights During Shoulder Seasons
- An Overnight Ride Across the Water to Coastal Canada (Maine to Nova Scotia)
Rhode Island: Smallest State, Mighty Trip Potential
Rhode Island is a 90-minute drive from Boston and is small, yet mighty. Newport gets all the headlines (deservedly), but Providence, Block Island, and the Hammock Coast nearby-ish are all worth the drive.
Featured: Newport RI Girls Trip: The Ultimate Off-Season Getaway Guide
New Hampshire: Mountains, Lakes, and North Conway
New Hampshire is the state I’d send you to for the outdoor stuff: the White Mountains, lakes, ski towns, and proper fall foliage. North Conway is the area I know best, and it works in every season.
Featured: A Cozy Escape: Your Guide to North Conway, NH for Every Season
Top Guides:
- It’s Windy Up Here: Hiking at Mt. Adams, New Hampshire
- Boston to Maine Road Trip: The Complete Itinerary (including New Hampshire!)
Vermont: Inns, Mountains, and Maple Everything
Vermont feels like stepping into a postcard, especially in fall and winter. Stowe and Burlington are the big-name picks, but small inns scattered across the state are where the real magic is.
Featured: Embracing Joy: An Ode to Stowe, Vermont’s Delicious and Natural Wonders
Top guides:
Trip Themes: How to Travel New England
Best Girls Trips in New England
Newport is the obvious headline, but Boston, Portland Maine, and the Berkshires all hold their own for a long weekend with the group chat.
- Newport RI Girls Trip: The Ultimate Off-Season Getaway Guide
- Girls Weekend in Boston: A Local’s Neighborhood Guide
- A Weekend for 30-Somethings in Portland, Maine
Family-Friendly New England
The whole region is genuinely family-friendly, but these are the guides that lean specifically into that angle.
- Things to Do in Plymouth, MA: A Local’s Guide
- How to Spend a Perfect Day in Boston with Teens
- Worcester and Central Massachusetts for a Weekend
Fall and Foliage Travel
Peak foliage in New England runs from late September through mid-October, with the northern states hitting first. These are my picks for leaf-peeping weekends.
- A Classic Fall Travel Tradition: Amesbury, Massachusetts
- A Cozy Escape: Your Guide to North Conway, NH for Every Season
- Embracing Joy: An Ode to Stowe, Vermont
Coastal New England
If you want salt water, lobster, and a harbor view, here’s where I’d send you.
- Boston to Maine Road Trip
- Camden, Maine’s Delights During Shoulder Seasons
- Newport RI Girls Trip
- Plan for P-Town: 24 Hours in Provincetown
Ready to start planning?
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