New England (United States of America) Travel Guide
From Wikitravel
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 (except the coastal areas of eastern Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and southwestern Connecticut) retains a rural charm and low population. Most of the area is well-traveled and has a thriving tourist industry. Although some of the popular attractions may seem corny to some people, there are many hidden gems to be found in New England.
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States
Cities
There are many cities in New England; these are some of the major ones.
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. Generally, the only areas of New England that are somewhat comfortable in the winter are the southern coastlines of Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, as being within a mile or two of the water provides some warmth.
The months 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. They provide a beach season of mid-June to mid-September. Most warm weather tourist destinations have a season from mid-May to mid-October. Areas right along the shoreline are often cooler and more temperate than inland areas.
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.
As in upstate New York and along the Eastern Seaboard, many New England towns grew up around textile mills or other kinds of factories. When those industries relocated and/or shut down during the 1900s, several of those towns fell into a depression, where they remain.
Other destinations
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, as well as many parts of New Hampshire and northern Vermont. There is a rich French-Canadian heritage in Manchester, New Hampshire's largest city. Though the demographics are changing, it is still possible to find shops that cater to French speakers and churches that conduct Mass in French.
Get in
By Air
New England is served by several airports: Logan International in Boston, TF Green Airport Warwick, RI, Bradley International Windsor Locks (near Hartford, CT, and Springfield, MA), Tweed New Haven in New Haven, Burlington International Burlington, VT, and Manchester, NH 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, VT 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, which connects New York City to Boston via New Haven and Providence. Also the "Vermonter" goes from New York/DC to western Massachusetts and Vermont. New York City's Metropolitan Transit Association's MetroNorth trains run between Grand Central Station in midtown Manhattan and New Haven, stopping in many Connecticut towns en route.
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. MTA Metro North provides very frequent and affordable service between New York City and New Haven; at New Haven there are numerous connections to points north and east.
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, including many colleges, universities, monuments and architecture. Yale University in New Haven and Harvard University in Cambridge, MA are destinations, offering a variety of interesting museums, as well as nonstop cultural activities.
The history of New England is re-enacted at several collections of historical buildings: Mashantucket Pequot Museum in Ledyard, Connecticut for Native American history; Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth, Massachusetts for early European settlement; Mystic Seaport in Mystic, Connecticut for maritime history; Old Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge, Massachusetts for early 19th century history; and Shelburne Museum just south of Burlington, Vermont; as well as many other locations. New Hampshire offers colonial-era re-enactments and revitalized buildings at Strawberry Banke in Portsmouth and the Fort at No. 4 in Charlestown.
Stop in some of the historical mill towns like Lowell, Massachusetts and Manchester, New Hampshire that have been revitalized.
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, Connecticut 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 and summer mountain activities
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 many ski areas for everyone from beginners to advanced skiers/boarders. Many areas extend their seasons to year round by providing alpine slides and summertime activities. See the state articles for ski area listings.
Eat
New England's cities and tourist areas have a wide variety of excellent restaurants. A few famous items of local cuisine include New Haven's pizza, Vermont's maple syrup, Rhode Island's Portuguese cuisine, and Maine's lobster and blueberries. 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, including the Cheers bar of TV fame. (See the section in the Boston article). New Haven is home to hundreds of bars and restaurants, and has a thriving scene including the Playwright, the largest Irish Pub on the East Coast, a huge space holding two thousand people built out of church parts salvaged from Ireland. In addition, several other cities in the region have an active nightlife. Microbreweries and wineries are also located throughout the region, and many can be visited by travelers.
Stay safe
New England is one of the safest regions of the country overall, but it is no stranger to crime. All of the region's towns and cities, regardless of their size, have areas that should be traveled with caution at night. Larger cities are the most well-known for crime due to media publicity (for example, Boston has nearly 100 murders per year) but most crimes in big cities occur among friends and acquaintances. Random acts of violence can happen anywhere, even in smaller towns. It is also best not to hitchhike.
Furthermore, as with other areas of the country, take care while driving. You are 200 times more likely to be injured or killed in a car accident than in any random act of violence. Particular areas to use caution are small, winding roads away from major interstates where cars can travel erratically and at high speeds.
As in the rest of the USA, 911 can be called for emergencies, even from pay-phones.
Get out
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