An epic New England holiday – see all 6 states in 15 days

Day 6 saw the longest leg of our driving time, in total it is about a 5-hour drive between destinations, what you’ll notice is that the distance seems shorter than the drive time, this is down to the strict speed limits in the area, and in some places the type of country roads you are travelling on. We did find driving relatively easy though and everything is signposted clearly.

A GPS is a worthwhile addition to your car hire to make navigating your New England holiday easier.

We broke up the journey with several stops, firstly Mystic Seaport made famous by the Mystic Pizza movie, we thought The Mystic Seaport Maritime Museum looked worth a visit, but it was drizzly when we were there so we didn’t stop long.

By the time we reached Stockbridge & Lenox both lovely quaint small towns to see we were pleased that the sun was shining again, warning - there are two towns named Woodstock so get your coordinates right!

Our first night in Vermont was spent at the Equinox Hotel & Spa lying at the foot of Taconic Mountains, it is a nice hotel in the green mountains, but probably not worth the money we spent for just 1 night there. Manchester is posh, Hildene, the estate of Abraham Lincoln’s son Robert is the main attraction and even the pavements are made of marble.

It is a shopper’s paradise with outlets and small shops lining the streets and the area is a ski resort in the winter months. We noticed the temperature dropped dramatically here.

We attempted to drive the Mount Equinox Skyline drive, the longest privately owned paved toll road in the U.S. Described as an unforgettable scenic drive to the summit of the highest peak in the Taconic Range. Sadly, for us the weather did not play fair and it was too overcast and cloudy to see anything, so we had to move on to our next stop of Woodstock.

Woodstock - Vermont

A picture postcard town in Vermont, Woodstock is a town not to be missed on your New England Holiday tour. There is a lot to see here including a traditional covered bridge, Billings Farm & Museum a functioning dairy farm with an 1890’s farmhouse that creates 19th century farm life.

The surrounding area is a photographers dream, with a few farms being some of the most photographed and posted on Instagram.

These farms take some finding and are tucked out of the way in rolling countryside and colour changing tree’s. Sleepy Hollow Farm and Jenne Farm are the most popular, be prepared to drive about 15 minutes outside of Woodstock and take your chances on the bumpy farm tracks.

We stayed in another traditional boarding’s - The Jackson House Inn, built in 1890 is as historic as they come, from the squeaky wooden floorboards to the classic bedroom styling, you are getting to sample a piece of New England living.

Breakfast was again included and is uniquely inspired by sourcing only the freshest local ingredients, you do not get a choice however so this might not suit some people.

We enjoyed our time here although in hindsight we may have just stopped for a visit and not stayed the night. It was a convenient place midway between destinations though.

Kancamagus Scenic Byway to Lake Winnipesaukee  – New Hampshire - Days 8-9

We drove the hour and a half journey to Lincoln to start the stunning “Kanc” as its lovingly known locally, It covers a 34.5 mile scenic drive in Northern New Hampshire, ending in Conway and is well known as one of the best Fall Foliage viewing areas in the world, it winds its way through the majestic White Mountains with many sights to stop explore and hike.

I can only imagine how jaw dropping this area is in full Fall colour, as we drove through, the colours were just changing mostly bright yellows and coppers, with the odd tease of a burst of the deep red that was to come.

There are many vistas, scenic photo stops, waterfalls, covered bridges and viewpoints to see as you take in the natural beauty that is all around you.

In full season, which is around for only a few weeks and varies according to the years weather, the area draws in millions of visitors, so whilst we didn’t get to see it in all its glory we also didn’t have to deal with the crowds and traffic jams. Parking was pretty packed even during our visit so It must be chaos at full capacity.

After exiting at Conway we drove down to the lakes area of Winnipesaukee and Winnisquam ,or as you might know it “On Golden Pond” located at the foothills of the White Mountains it gives a pleasant break from the driving and there is something calming about lakes with the mesmerising reflections, especially at this time of year.

As with any lakeside vacation spot, there is an abundance of things to do, fishing, boat trips, nature spotting or just chilling listening to the water lapping on the lake shore. It is a year round resort with the skiing and snowboarding in the nearby mountains.

We could have spent several days here if we had had time to visit the nature reserves and take a boat trip.

Portland and Maine Coast – Maine – Days 10-11

City life beckoned, and we arrived in Portland, a fairly compact city, set on a peninsula spreading out into Casco Bay. The Old Port waterfront features working fishing wharves and converted warehouses with mostly seafood restaurants and enticing shops. You need to like seafood here, especially lobster rolls and clam chowder. There are other choices but it is predominantly seafood. There is also a big beer culture here, and the locals describe themselves as real foodies.

Nearby, the Western Promenade is a public park right on top of a bluff, with awesome river and mountain views, we spotted chipmunks darting in and around the trees, and hiding under surf boards stacked up at the beach.

Its surrounding district, the West End, is full of Victorian-era homes, including the Victoria Mansion museum.

This seaside city has a big history including many fires in which large parts of it were destroyed and rebuilt. We toured the area in a converted and restored traditional fire engine, this was a fun way to get the history and get our bearings and the conductor gave us a humour filled narration as we drove around.

Whale watch tours depart from the docks and you can visit nearby islands within Casco Bay. We found a full day and two evenings here enough to see what we wanted to.

Plum Island – Massachusetts – Days 11-12

You can’t miss the many coastal towns and villages and of course lighthouses that line the Maine coast and into Massachusetts.

We stopped to see; Cape Elizabeth, Fort Williams Park, Kennebunkport which we loved, a quirky small coastal town, a nice place to stop for a coffee, with beautiful beaches.

then on to Ogunquit, we would have loved to have spent more time here, and would have spent a night here instead of two in Portland if we had known how lovely it is. Of course, there is a also a lighthouse to explore. The surrounding neighbourhood is upmarket with stunning houses with a beachy feel, and lovely cafes and shops. The type of cafes we had missed until this part of our New England Holiday. We enjoyed some freshly made sandwiches sat outside a cafe in the sun.

Plum Island is a little slice of paradise, we were in need of a bit of R&R before our final destination of Boston, and we were stunned by the beauty of the beach that was literally on our doorstep at the Blue Inn On the Beach, our home for two nights.

We especially loved this accommodation as our mini apartment opened onto a large deck with a hot tub with steps straight onto the beautiful sandy beach. In fact, we could lie in bed with the view of the ocean through our doors, we went to sleep and woke to the sound of the waves lapping the shire, Idyllic.

This really was the perfect New England holiday haven. Just a ten minute drive from the lively town of Newburyport full of shops and restaurants and just an hour’s drive from Boston.

The Parker River National Wildlife Refuge originating in 1942 takes up the southern two thirds of Plum Island, It is a stopover for over 300 species of migratory birds, providing them the ideal habitat to flourish. You can swim, hike, surf and birdwatch here.

We would highly recommend staying at the Blue Inn on the Beach, it is off the beaten track and a welcome break to relax and chill before returning to the hustle and bustle of city life and the most relaxing of our stays. Each morning we were left a picnic basket with freshly made egg salad and baked goods with a hot flask of coffee to enjoy. The communication and friendliness of the staff here was excellent.

The last leg of our New England holiday was to return to Boston for our final 3 days, on the way we stopped at the delightful fishing town of Rockport, right at the tip of the Cape Ann peninsular and showcasing picture perfect scenery.

We strolled around Manchester by the sea, watched the waves gently lapping onto Singing Beach before having lunch in Salem, a historic coastal town famous for its 1692 witch trials. The House of Seven Gables is a popular tourist spot to visit, built by a wealthy merchant in 1668 it has become one of Americas most loved historic homes.

The Salem Witch trials, an extraordinary event that made this illustrious town what it is, hanged 19 innocent people as the courts believed in the devil at that time, but thankfully these trials were abandoned at a later date and those awaiting execution were pardoned.

In today’s Salem, modern day witches still reside here through the community’s emphasis on the importance of human rights and acceptance. The town is full of witchy merchandise and we saw many people dressed up, although I’m not sure if this was on account of their visit or their usual attire.

Salem is the base for many movies and TV shows such as Hocus Pocus.

We then dropped our car back at the car hire company, and got an Uber to our hotel in the theatre district and near to Chinatown for our final few days of exploring on our New England holiday.

To read out about our time in Boston please check out my 48 hours in Boston guide coming soon.