Lonely Planet - Lonely Planet New England’s Best Trips

WELCOME TO NEW ENGLAND

Steeped in Colonial history, graced with gorgeous mountains and coastlines , and packed with culinary and cultural attractions, New England is an irresistible road trip destination.

The trips in this book embrace the thrill of the open road, taking in both well-known travel hot spots and off-the-beaten-track treasures. Come cruise the fabled coastlines of Maine and Cape Cod, the White Mountains spectacular granite summits and the fiery fall foliage of the Berkshires and Green Mountains.

From historic sites such as Plimoth Plantation and Nantucket to big cities and contemporary art museums, these trips wind past pumpkin patches and cranberry bogs, red barns and white-steepled churches, covered bridges and lighthouses. Along the way, sample cuisine from the best clam shacks, lobster joints and farm-to-table eateries, while staying at cozy B&Bs, vintage hotels and classic roadside motels. And if youve only got time for one trip, make it one of our Classic Trips, which take you to the very best of New England.

Vermont Hardwood forest in the Green Mountains
RON AND PATTY THOMAS PHOTOGRAPHY / GETTY IMAGES

NEW ENGLAND HIGHLIGHTS

New Englands best sights and experiences, and the road trips that will take you there.

Cape Cod National Seashore

The outer edge of Cape Cod is a collage of sand dunes, salt marshes and seaside forest, home to prolific bird and marine life. Since the 1960s, this wild world is all preserved under the auspices of the Cape Cod National Seashore. Drive along the shoreline on Trip 5: Cape Cod & the Islands, stopping to climb historic lighthouses, swim at wind-whipped beaches and stroll along scenic boardwalks.

Trip

Cape Cod National Seashore Beach on Cape Cod
CO LEONG / SHUTTERSTOCK

Fall Foliage

New England is radiant in autumn, when entire mountainsides burst into a mosaic of red, gold, orange and crimson leaves, juxtaposed against verdant meadows and granite crags. On Trip 2: Fall Foliage Tour or Trip 15: Vermonts Spine: Route 100, drive through vivid streamers of seasonal foliage stopping to sample fresh-pressed cider before the earth goes to sleep under a thick blanket of snow.

Trip

Fall Foliage Sugar maples in Peacham
RON AND PATTY THOMAS / GETTY IMAGES

Acadia National Park

The Precipice. The Beehive. Thunder Hole. Is this a James Bond movie or Acadia National Park? The dilemma on Trip 26: Acadia National Park: stop to explore or keep on driving? Park Loop Rd, with its gentle curves and crafted viewpoints, was designed with drivers in mind. It tugs you forward. But the adventures pull you sideways. So drive it twice first without stopping, then to explore.

Trip

Appalachian Trail

The AT traverses 14 states and more than 2100 miles. Five of those states and 730 of those miles are in New England. Trip 7: Berkshire Back Roads offers access to the lush slopes of western Massachusetts; Trip 20: White Mountains Loop hits New Hampshires majestic granite peaks; and Trip 28: Great North Woods traverses yes the Great North Woods of Maine.

Trip

BEST BEACHES

Herring Cove Miles of secret Cape Cod dunes for strolling and sunbathing. Trip

Hammonasset Beach Long pine-backed beach set amid salt marshes and meadows. Trip

Ellacoya State Beach Family fun on the shores of New Hampshires favorite lake. Trip

Sand Beach Ponder the Milky Way over the Atlantic at an evening ranger talk. Trip

Westons Beach Kayak, canoe or tube to this sandy bend along Maines Saco River. Trip

Lighthouses

More than 60 lighthouses pepper Maines coast, with dozens more in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. Their historic importance is evident on Trip 25: Maritime Maine, which curves past fishing villages, ports and maritime museums. But their vital connection to local lives doesnt truly grab you until you visit on a fog-thick morning, with foghorns wailing and waves smashing against the rocks.

Trip

Lighthouses West Quoddy Light, Lubec
MELINDA MOORE / GETTY IMAGES

White Mountains

Gamblers have Vegas. Gourmands have San Francisco. And hikers have the White Mountains, a region of soaring peaks and lush valleys that covers one quarter of New Hampshire. More than 700,000 acres are protected in the White Mountain National Forest. As youll see on Trip 20: White Mountains Loop , this wilderness is made accessible by the Appalachian Mountain Club, which manages the hut-to-hut hiking network.