New England has a stunning shoreline, and alongside the best way, you may additionally discover some quaint small cities full of historic websites, seashores, native outlets, artwork galleries, and museums. Whether or not you’re taking a street journey visiting a number of cities or wish to select only one or two, there’s a lot to see and do alongside the New England coast.
Remember the fact that summer season is usually the perfect time to go to, though there can be extra crowds and costs can be larger. Within the off-peak season, nonetheless, you may discover that some sights and eating places are solely open seasonally and could also be closed. Listed below are among the finest New England coastal cities on your subsequent household trip.
Disclosure: We have obtained complimentary stays and attraction tickets over time in a few of these locations all through the New England states. All opinions are my very own. This publish accommodates affiliate hyperlinks, and a purchase order or click on via considered one of these hyperlinks might end in a fee paid to us at no further price to you.
The Greatest New England Coastal Cities For Households
Portsmouth New Hampshire
Portsmouth, New Hampshire (to not be confused with the one in Rhode Island), is a seaside city positioned in a small coastal space of New Hampshire between Maine and Massachusetts. Points of interest in Portsmouth embrace Water Nation Water Park, Strawbery Banke Residing Historical past Museum, and a number of other outside parks. There are additionally waterfront outlets and eating places in a pleasant downtown space.
Portsmouth is positioned about an hour exterior of Boston, and the closest airports are Boston Logan Airport or Manchester Airport. Well-liked resorts embrace the Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside Lodge, the Hampton Inn and Suites, and the Residence Inn Portsmouth Downtown/Waterfront.
We love visiting Portsmouth as a day journey from our dwelling exterior of Boston. It is an amazing spot to get a pleasant lunch and do some procuring.
Kennebunkport, ME
This coastal Southern Maine city is named the summer season dwelling of the Bush household. It gives artwork galleries, quaint outlets, eating places, seashores, crusing journeys, and extra.
Kennebunkport is about an hour and a half to 2 hours from Boston. You can too entry it on the Amtrak Downeaster practice. In case you are flying in, it is closest to Portland Airport or Boston Logan Airport.
Extremely-rated resorts embrace the Tides Seashore Membership, the Boathouse Waterfront Lodge, and the Nonantum Resort.
Rockport, MA
The primary time I visited Rockport, Massachusetts, I used to be stunned to seek out that such a quaint coastal city was near my dwelling. I really like visiting there and attempt to go not less than as soon as per summer season season.
The most well-liked factor to do in Rockport is go to Bearskin Neck, a pedestrian space with artwork galleries, contemporary seafood eating places, outlets, and ice cream outlets. You may seize lobster rolls from Roy Hook and eat them exterior, dealing with the water.
Remember to take a photograph of Motif No. 1, a duplicate fishing shack. Rockport additionally has a number of seashores, and you may go to Gloucester close by to go to considered one of its stunning seashores.
Rockport is positioned in Cape Ann, on the North Shore of Massachusetts. Boston Logan is probably the most handy airport. It is about an hour North of Boston. It is a lot simpler to entry than Cape Cod and has a lot of the identical coastal allure.
There aren’t many resorts in Rockport, however two choices are the the Bearskin Neck Motor Lodge and the Cove At Rockport.
Ogunquit Maine
Ogunquit is a small coastal Maine seashore city in southern Maine. It isn’t too removed from Boston, making it an excellent location on your New England summer season trip.
Whereas there, you possibly can go to the varied artwork galleries, reward outlets, and eating places positioned in Perkins Cove, proper on the waterfront. There’s additionally Marginal Approach, a phenomenal path working alongside the waterfront that’s enjoyable to stroll. After all, you possibly can’t miss Ogunquit Seashore.
Ogunquit can be identified for its artwork group, and the Ogunquit Playhouse gives musicals, reveals, and different performances. As a result of parking could be difficult within the space, visitors can take a seasonal shuttle to get round.
Throughout our journey to Ogunquit, we loved staying on the Meadowmere Resort, a brief stroll from the motion.
I really like Ogunquit in the summertime. It’s the quintessential seashore city, with eating places, outlets, galleries, and extra. It is top-of-the-line coastal cities within the space.
Provincetown, MA
On the very tip of Cape Cod is Provincetown, a vibrant group particularly common in the summertime months. Provincetown gives among the finest seashores in Massachusetts (together with the Cape Cod Nationwide Seashore), museums, outlets, theater, boat excursions, and a lot extra. Industrial Road is the place a lot of the motion is, so it is best to seek out parking and stroll round.
In the summertime, ferries from Boston can take you to Provincetown for a day journey. In any other case, the drive from Boston is usually a little lengthy for a day journey. There’s an airport in Provincetown served by Cape Air and JetBlue.
Throughout our in a single day journey to Provincetown, we stayed on the Harbor Lodge. It is a fashionable motel on the quieter aspect of Provincetown. I might advocate staying not less than one evening, since a day is not sufficient, particularly with the lengthy drive.
Nantucket, MA
Nantucket Island, positioned off the coast of Cape Cod, virtually appears like a distinct nation. This small island is accessible by way of ferry or aircraft and gives seashores, eating places, outlets, museums, and extra. Do not miss a visit to the Nantucket Whaling Museum, which showcases the historical past of whaling within the space.
A number of resorts, resorts, and trip dwelling choices can be found within the space. Throughout considered one of our stays, we loved a weekend on the White Elephant Lodge within the heart of city. You might spend every week stress-free in Nantucket, however an extended weekend can be excellent.
Hyannis, MA
Positioned on Cape Cod, Hyannis is a village in Barnstable. It is extra of a metropolis than a village and is the place you may discover many chain shops on the Cape, like Goal, House Depot, and Kohl.
Nevertheless, past these chains is a phenomenal harbor the place you possibly can take ferries to the islands, constitution a fishing boat, or board a whale-watching cruise. Alongside the waterfront, there are artist shanties with handicrafts from native crafters. I really like strolling alongside the harbor in Hyannis in the summertime.
Hyannis additionally has a small airport known as Barnstable Municipal Airport. JetBlue, Cape Air, and Nantucket Airways service it. Native resorts embrace Cape Codder Resort and Spa, The Hyannis Harbor Lodge, and The Anchor In.
Mystic, CT
The fishing village of Mystic, CT, dwelling of Mystic Pizza, is positioned over the Rhode Island border. It is about 2 hours from Boston, although Windfall Airport is the closest.
Points of interest in Mystic embrace Mystic Seaport, the biggest maritime museum in the US, the Mystic Aquarium, and Olde Mistick Village. Most of those sights are open air, so it is best to go to when the climate is sweet.
Once we stayed in Mystic, we loved an in a single day keep on the Hilton Mystic. It is positioned throughout from the aquarium and Previous Mistick Village and has an indoor pool.
Mystic Aquarium is my favourite aquarium within the space. With each indoor and outside displays, it gives loads. Younger youngsters particularly find it irresistible.
Chatham, MA
This elegant coastal New England city is positioned on the “elbow” of Cape Cod. Along with a enjoyable most important road space with outlets and eating places, Chatham gives different sights.
These embrace the Chatham Lighthouse, seashores, and the Fish Pier the place you possibly can watch seals play within the water proper earlier than you. In case you are contemplating staying in a single day, the Chatham Bars Inn is a luxurious resort positioned proper on the waterfront in Chatham.
Once we store on Cape Cod, we sometimes go to Chatham. There’s a good number of impartial and small-chain outlets.
Gloucester, MA
The city of Gloucester made common by the TV present Depraved Tuna and the film The Excellent Storm, is positioned adjoining to Rockport in Cape Ann. It gives seashores, whale-watching cruises, scrumptious eating places, parks, fishing charters, and extra.
We like to remain in a trip dwelling in Gloucester, however there are additionally some well-reviewed resorts. These embrace The Ocean Home Lodge, the Beauport Lodge, and the Atlantis Oceanfront Inn.
Newport RI
Rising up in Rhode Island, I at all times liked to go to Newport. This beautiful city on Aquidneck Island is lower than a two-hour drive from Boston and was as soon as the summer season trip vacation spot for prosperous American households just like the Vanderbilts. Their Gilded Age summer season houses are actually open seasonally to touring visitors.
Past the historic houses, different actions in Newport embrace sailboat rides, the Worldwide Tennis Corridor of Fame, Fort Adams State Park, the three ½-mile-long Cliff Stroll, seashores, and procuring. Newport can be host to a number of common summer season reside music festivals, together with the Newport Jazz Pageant and the Newport People Pageant. When visiting the realm, take a scenic drive on Ocean Drive via the historic district.
We advocate staying on the Lodge Viking, which is positioned inside strolling distance of the outlets and eating places on Thames Road.
Newport is considered one of my favourite locations to go to in the summertime.
Kittery, ME
Kittery, Maine, is positioned proper previous Portsmouth, NH, over the New Hampshire border. It is common for its outlet outlets, all positioned on Route 1. Different actions embrace Take Flight Adventures and Fort McClary State Park. Make sure you cease at Yummies, a sweet store full of all types of candy treats.
Our favourite eating places are Robert’s Maine Grill and Uncooked Bar, and Bob’s Clam Hut. Bob’s particularly will get very busy in the summertime, so go to early.
The Hampton Inn and Suites is a brand new lodge positioned close to the retailers. Alternatively, vacationers can keep in close by Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
Bar Harbor, ME
Wish to go to Acadia Nationwide Park? Bar Harbor Maine is the perfect city to remain in on your Acadia journey. Households may also do boat excursions, water sports activities, procuring, and extra.
Acadia gives a wide range of actions, together with mountaineering, biking, birdwatching, swimming, boating, and extra. It is an especially common vacation spot in the summertime.
Bar Harbor is nearly 5 hours from Boston. A small airport, the Hancock County–Bar Harbor Airport, is close by. JetBlue and Cape Air service it.
Portland, ME
In case you are on the lookout for a New England coastal vacation spot with ocean views, museums, eating places, outlets, boat rides, baseball, and extra, Portland would be the excellent place to go to. This Maine metropolis is hottest in the summertime, however we often go to within the winter and find it irresistible.
Well-liked actions embrace the Kids’s Museum and Theatre of Maine, the Portland Museum of Artwork, the Portland Head Mild, and the Casco Bay Strains. Within the spring and summer season, you can too see the Portland Sea Canines, a minor league Double-A affiliate of the Boston Pink Sox.
We’ve stayed in a number of resorts in Portland – listed below are our favorites.
