The Top 10 Places to visit in New England

New England doesn’t garnish the attention that it deserves, with its beautiful mountain ranges, scenic ocean drives and ever-changing landscape here at the TOP 10 things to do in New England. The east coast has so many great places to visit and is often overlooked.

The top places to visit in New England consists of 6 states which include: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. I recently went on a two-week solo road trip up to New England to explore the small towns, go hiking and see what these states had to offer.

These states aren’t known the most popular tourists destinations, but they are gorgeous and not overcrowded like other popular states. Nestled up in the northeastern corner of the United States these states have so much to offer with the hundreds of miles of coastline to being a backpackers dream. Here are the TOP 10 places to visit in all of New England.

10 – Baxter State Park

This is the most remote wilderness in the Northeast. It is also famous for being the end of the Appalachian trail northbound where it ends at Mt. Katahdin which is the pinnacle of the state park. I know that most state parks are nothing special…but trust me, Baxter is on a whole new level and you won’t believe how big it is. There is hiking trails all across the park the range from easy to challenging such as Knifes Edge!

That’s me – Top of Mt. Katahdin at 4:30am.

9 – Bar Harbor Maine

Bar Harbor is located on Mount Desert Island which is also home to Acadia National Park which you will see later on this list. It’s an amazing little town with so many places to eat and shop. There is a location museum also to learn about the history of the town as many famous people used to own homes here. Summer and Fall are the busiest times of year and I still didn’t think it was that crowded during peak season. It gives of that small town feel but with a lot of activities and adventures awaiting.

8 – Salem Massachusetts

Everyone knows of Salem for the Salem Witch Trials but, there is much more to see in this town than just that. Salem is a must visit during Halloween for kids and adults but is also a beautiful northern town. Salem is also about a 30 minute drive from the shoreline incase you want to escape to the beach for a couple of hours. There is plenty of things to do with the local shops, buildings to spend a weekend here exploring.

7 – Newport Rhode Island

Absolutely amazing town that has so much to see and do from the center of town to the rocky shores. Fort Adams State Park resides here which is an old military fort that is now open to the public. The town of Newport is huge and will take a couple of days to discover all it has to offer. Depending on what type of tourist you are this could very well be your top spot for the best places to visit in New England. There are so many shops and galleries to look at with amazing food to try around every corner. There are also a few beaches to go swimming at even though the water is cold in the summer. I recommend a drive along the coastline of Newport as there are beautiful views the entire drive. Newport is also known for its massive 17th Century mansions along the coast, of which some are open to the public. Newport would rank higher on this lists if it wasn’t so expensive. Want to go on a weekend trip to Newport Rhode Island?

6 – Portland Maine

Old Port is the heart Portland and is the center of the historic town which still has cobblestone streets. Casco Bay Island is also apart of Portland and is another beautiful way to discover all Portland has to offer.There is so much to do in Portland from shopping, to hiking, to spending a day on the beach. A day trip from Portland can be made to Cape Elizabeth which is 9 miles south and is home to stunning lighthouses and scenic beaches.

5 – White Mountains

The White Mountains of New Hampshire which also roll over into Maine are most famous for Mount Washington. You can either hike to the top of Mount Washington or drive up in your car on the 7 mile road while paying a small entrance fee. I highly recommend going to the top as the highest ever recorded wind speed was here in 1934. There is plenty of activities to do also with multiple small towns around Mt. Washington. In the winter there are ski resorts nearby, as well as snowmobile rentals for a decent price.

4 – Lake Champlain

Lake Champlain has a lot to offer in upstate NY, as there is Cumberland valley state park and Alburg dunes state park in the area. This area of upstate New York is famous for hiking, great eats and cozy towns. There are numerous airbnb options to take advantage of for less than $70 per night! The winter time makes the area even more fun as activities like snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and ice fishing.

3 – Adirondack Mountains

The Adirondack mountains could easily be the top spot for the top 10 places to visit in New England. The Adirondacks cover over 18,000 square miles and have amazing hikes, scenic car rides, amazing food and family fun activities. One of the most popular things to do in the Adirondacks is going for a motorcycle ride throughout the region as there is so much beauty to take in. There are also a bunch of breweries and wineries to check out along your journey throughout the region. If you want to hike the area Lake George and the famous “100 mile view” is the thing to do!

2 – Finger Lakes

Finger lakes which consist of the famous Watkins Glen and Ithaca offer activities, shopping, hiking, snowmobiling, and relaxing canoe rides. After staying at Lamoka Lake airbnb which is only 20 minutes away from Watkins Glenn I would 100% recommend it! There are outlet malls located an hour north of Watkins Glenn. Watkins Glenn State park in the Winter is beautiful but also dangerous because of all the frozen ice. To learn more about this region check out our blog about a winter getaway in New York.

1 – Acadia National Park

Acadia National park was the obvious choice for the #1 spot for the top places to visit in New England. The area is absolutely gorgeous and there is so much to do on Mt. Desert Island. The history about the area is very interesting as people like Henry Ford and other famous people have had homes on the Island. There is also incredible beaches, hikes and car rides in the nation park. Cadillac Mountain is also great for people who love the views but don’t love driving because there is a road that goes to the top. Catching sunset is a must do at Acadia national park but beware of the wind! Outside of the national park there is a small town called Bar Harbor which is very touristy but offers a bunch of different unique places to eat. For a complete rundown on the park check out our blog!

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Top 10 places to visit in New England (Outdoor Adventure)

The Top 10 Places to visit in New England