Jen Rose Smith - Moon New England Road Trip: Boston, Acadia National Park, White Mountains, Berkshires, Newport, and Cape Cod

JEN ROSE SMITH

From pebble beaches to valley farms, clam shacks to Revolutionary War sites, a New England road trip is a drive through American history.

The coastline wraps around lonely lighthouses, Ivy League campuses, and the oldest mountains in the world, while country roads lead to time-lost villages. This is the land of the Wampanoag and Abenaki tribes, Pilgrims, whalers, and the founders of the United States.

But for all the well-worn trails and heritage, the Northeast is full of surprises. The White Mountains are wild and rugged, with howling weather and plants found nowhere else on earth. In big cities and rural communities, creative chefs are remaking Yankee cuisine with ingredients from the farm, sea, and forest. And there are endless ways to experience New Englands landscapes, whether on a bicycle, schooner, or surfboard.

Pick and choose from the best the Northeast has to offer. Wander dirt trails or indulge in hipster chic. Dream up an easygoing getaway near the shore. Plan a whirlwind adventure to the edge of the map. This book is an invitation to hit the road and make a trip thats all your own.

Revolutionary history is layered with immigrant heritage and urban culture in this brassy, wisecracking city. Add in some of the best art museums in the country, the sound of bats cracking at Fenway Park, and academic giants, and Boston begins to feel like that shining city upon a hill Puritan settlers hoped to foundbut with cannoli.

Maines 3,478 miles of coastline encompass sandy beaches, the hip and vibrant downtown of the states largest city, and endless rocky coves. Life happens on the water here: Cozy harbors bristle with the masts of sailboats and tall ships, while many locals earn a living with fishing poles and lobster traps. Take to the sea to spot humpback whales and puffin colonies, paddle a kayak past wave-whipped points, and dive into the bracingly cold North Atlantic.

Wild scenery is set off by old-world elegance in this island park. Carriage trails wind through the bare, stone peaks, grand bridges arc across forest streams, and historic hotels overlook the shifting tides. Make a predawn drive up Cadillac Mountain to catch the countrys first sunrise, go tidepool-hopping on the Park Loop Road, then head into the town of Bar Harbor for a very Vacationland blend of tourist shops, ice cream, and lobster meals.

The gentle Appalachians erupt into jagged peaks in the White Mountains, and Mount Washington towers above them all. This range is remarkably accessible to visitors who can drive, ride, or walk to the top of New Hampshires highest peak and hike along the blustery, alpine ridge linking the iconic Presidential Range. And while the Granite States Old Man of the Mountainthose landmark granite cliff ledgescrumbled in 2003, theres plenty of rock left over to explore, along with winding rivers, caves, and scenic drives.

Take back roads and byways through Vermont at its most bucolic, and slow down to the pace of life in this tiny state. The trip from the starchy, small-town center of Woodstock to the funky galleries of Brattleboro passes picture-book villages and winding rivers, rolling orchards, and destination-worthy craft breweries.

This countryside retreat offers refreshing contrasts: Old-fashioned charm abounds, but the Berkshires overflow with cutting-edge art and culture, including the glorious Tanglewood Music Festival in the summer months. In recent years, the Berkshires have become a hot culinary destination, and young chefs are drawing in crowds with New American fare sourced from the regions farm and barns.

Newport is an unlikely setting for Renaissance palazzos and Greek Revival chateaux, but when 19th-century U.S. elite built summertime cottages, they piled all their glamour and gaud into this charming colonial city. Those sprawling mansions are remarkably well preserved, and a trip through the lavish properties is a fascinating glimpse of Gilded Age high society.

Bostons Harvard University

Newports harbor

a serene scene in southern Vermont.

Cape Cod and the Islands

Just a few hours from downtown Boston, Cape Cod and the islands of Nantucket and Marthas Vineyard are a world unto themselves. Generations of artists, writers, and free spirits have escaped to their dune shacks and beach retreats, adding color to a centuries-old fishing community. Nantuckets