New England (United States of America)

From MaxTravelz

New England is a six-state region in the northeast corner of the United States of America. Although it is one of the oldest settled parts of the US, most of the area (excepting the coastal areas of eastern Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and southwestern Connecticut) retains a rural charm and low population. Most of the area is well-travelled and has a thriving and somewhat corny tourist industry. But there are still hidden gems to be found in New England.

Contents 1 States 2 Cities 3 Understand 4 Other destinations 5 Talk 6 Get in 6.1 By Air 6.2 By Car 6.3 By Train 6.4 By Bus 7 Get around 7.1 By Train 7.2 By Bus 7.3 By Car 8 See 9 Do 9.1 Skiing 10 Eat 11 Drink 12 Stay safe 13 Get out

States

• Maine
• New Hampshire
• Vermont
• Massachusetts
• Connecticut
• Rhode Island

Cities

There are many cities in New England; these are some of the major ones.

• Boston
• Burlington
• Hartford
• Manchester
• Portland
• Providence

Understand

There's an expression in New England: "If you don't like the weather, wait ten minutes." New England winters are especially harsh -- if you plan to visit between November and March, be prepared for subzero temperatures, wicked winds, and chills that take a couple of cups of coffee to dent. "Dress warmly" is an understatement -- prepare for nuclear winter might be more accurate advice for travelers.

The Month of April & May is New England’s best-kept secret. In southern Vermont you will find off season rates in many historic inns, but as noted local Robert Frost once so eloquently put it, "Nature's first Green is Gold". The area is bursting with daffodils, tulips & lilacs and the temperatures are mild with cool nights, just perfect.

New England summers can range from mild to uncomfortably humid.

New England shines during autumn. New England foliage is world-renowned for displays that rival pyrotechnics for their intense colors, rapid appearance, and equally rapid disappearance. Peak season ranges from early September at the farthest north points of Maine to early November for Southern Connecticut. Combine that with local festivals, hay rides, fresh-pressed apple cider, and fruit harvesting, and you have the recipe for a wonderful time.

Weekly reports on the best locations to visit throughout the "leaf-peeping" season can be found at The Foliage Network

Other destinations

• Acadia National Park
• Bar Harbor
• Freeport

Talk

English is, as with the rest of the US, the de-facto official language. Some areas with large Hispanic populations might have a majority speaking Spanish, but most have at least basic English skills (and these are off the tourist path). French is also spoken in Northern Maine, near the Quebec/New Brunswick borders.

Get in

By Air

New England is served by several airports: Logan (Boston), TF Green Airport (Providence), Bradley International (Hartford/Springfield), Burlington International (Burlington, VT) and Manchester Airport. Logan is by far the largest, but Manchester and TF Green are growing and are designed to take some of the load from Logan. Typically flying into Manchester or Providence is less expensive.

By Car

New England is served by several interstate highways. I-95 enters from the New York City area and links five of the six states together. I-90 and I-84 both come in from the west out of Albany and southern New York. I-91 links New Haven with Hartford, Springfield and eastern Vermont. I-89 connects Burlington with Concord, NH. I-93 runs through New Hampshire, connecting St Johnsbury, VT with Boston.

By Train

Amtrak also operates several routes into New England, most notably the Northeast Corridor. Also the "Vermonter" goes from New York/DC to western Massachusetts and Vermont.

By Bus

The Chinatown Bus goes from New York to Boston for about $30 round trip. Greyhound also offers slightly more expensive bus service to and from other areas of the country. Vermont Transit offers service from Montréal.

Get around

By Train

Amtrak covers urban New England pretty extensively with the Northeast Corridor (Boston-RI-Conn), the Vermonter (West Mass-Vermont), and the Downeaster (Boston-NH-Portland). The MBTA covers the greater Boston area with it's commuter rail network, including Providence, Lowell, and Worcester.

By Bus

Greyhound has several routes in southern New England, and is affiliated with Vermont Transit that serves Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. New Hampshire and Maine are also served by Concord Trailways.

By Car

Much of rural New England is underserved by bus/train, driving could be required to visit much of Vermont, New Hampshire, Western Massachusetts, and Maine.

See

There are many historical sights in New England. Check out the universities, monuments and architecture. Stop in some of the historical mill towns (Lowell, Manchester) that have been revitalized. The history of New England is re-enacted at several collections of historical buildings: Mashantucket Pequot Museum near Norwich, Connecticut for Native American history; Plimoth Plantation near Plymouth, Massachusetts for early European settlement; Mystic Seaport near Mystic, Connecticut for maritime history; Old Sturbridge Village near Sturbridge, Massachusetts for early 19th century history; and Shelburne Museum just south of Burlington, Vermont; as well as many other locations.

In its small area New England packs a lot of natural beauty. Highlights would include: pastoral villages with white-steepled churches throughout rural New England; sandy beaches and moorlands along the southern coastal area of Rhode Island and Massachusetts, including Cape Cod and adjacent islands; the more rugged rocky coast and cliffs of Maine; the nearly alpine scenery of Vermont, northern New Hampshire, and western Maine; and dense forests everywhere.

Do

Skiing

Ski or snowboard in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, the Green Mountains of Vermont and the mountains of western and central Maine. There are tons of mountains for beginners or advanced skiers/boarders, such as:

• Jay Peak
• Killington
• Mount Washington
• Smuggler's Notch
• Stowe Mountain
• Sugarloaf
• Sunday River

Eat

Boston contains many fine restaurants too numerous to mention here. Good restaurants are also to be found in other New England cities. A few famous items of local cuisine include New Haven's pizza (Sally's Apizza 237 Wooster Street 203.624.5271, and Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana 157 Wooster Street 203.8655762), Vermont's maple syrup, Rhode Island's Portuguese cuisine, and Maine's lobster and blueberries. Avoid chain restaurants. Everywhere along New England's coast there are local restaurants offering fresh seafood, fried clams, and clam chowder. It can be kitschy, but there is a certain pleasure in spending a summer afternoon at a New England seaside restaurant eating seafood and watching boats come and go in the local harbor.

Drink

Boston is known for its pubs. (See the section in the Boston article). Microbreweries and wineries are located throughout the region.

Stay safe

New England is one of the safer regions of the country though, of course, some urban neighborhoods are unsafe. As in the rest of the US, 911 can be called for emergencies (even pay-phones).

Get out

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