Visit the New England states for four unique seasons
of tourism, vacation, and travel adventures

New England is well known to people across the United States and around the world as a beautiful and distinctly American region rich in history, culture, and natural beauty. For visitors and vacationers, the region presents four distinct seasonal personalities: lush summers to explore beaches or to bicycle along shady country lanes; brilliant autumns to drive lazily through mountains blanketed with gold-and-red fall foliage; crystal-sharp winters to ski perfect mountain slopes or poke through antique shops lining a peaceful village green; and verdant spring – the time to explore the museums and shopping of the cities or to get a head start on some cool day hikes in the mountains and countryside.

New England is composed of six states, each with its own character. Connecticut, an easy day hop for New Yorkers, has exceedingly pretty villages with their central commons and steepled churches; cultural hot spots like art museums, Yale University in New Haven, and the home of Mark Twain in Hartford; and lots of antique shops in the rolling Litchfield Hills of the northwest. Moving eastward, Rhode Island, the Ocean State, offers spectacular sandy beaches; the mansions, vineyards, and boating of Newport; and the crackle of hip nightlife along the rivers that wind through Providence, the capital city. Massachusetts extends from the magnificent sand bluffs and beaches of Cape Cod and the islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, through the metropolis of Boston – the birthplace of the American Revolution – to the blue-green mountains of the Berkshires, home of acclaimed music, dance, and art festivals.

Vermont, the Green Mountain State, is the place of forested mountains, great skiing and other winter activities, and many small towns busy with traditional pursuits like dairy farming and maple syrup production. It is the only New England state without an ocean shoreline, but most of its western border is the historic and lovely Lake Champlain. Like Vermont, New Hampshire, the Granite State, has dramatic mountains – including the imposing Mount Washington – skiing and snow sports, as well as lakes, beaches, and lighthouses. Lighthouses are scattered along the rocky, picturesque coast of Maine, the state with the longest coastline due to it many coves, estuaries, bays, and small islands. As with the other coastal states, whale watching is a major draw for visitors.

New England entertainments include wonderful dining on regional specialties from steamed lobster to clam chowder to Boston baked beans. Shopping is unparalleled: parts of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine are home to large outlets. Throughout the region, gift and craft shops offer local products from fine furniture to gourmet chocolate. Lodging businesses offer options for every taste from lavish resorts to family motels, inns, and intimate bed-and-breakfast establishments. People interested in Colonial history can start with Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts and view many places where the Revolutionary War was kindled. If it’s culture that visitors are after, the region brims with art, history, and specialty themed museums. And the number of attractions and entertainments for children is staggering, from amusement parks to petting zoos. Many adults will enjoy the wonderful New England gardens. And don’t forget the luxury spas for road-weary adults.

As visitors from all over the world have discovered, New England offers every pleasure a vacationer could desire.