New England – DIY Travel
There is probably no place in the United States with more charm than New England. Best time to visit is the early fall. Here are some of our favorite places to visit when the leaves start to change. Also, most of the summer crowd has returned to their homes in New York and other states throughout the country.
Cape Cod/Martha’s Vineyard/Nantucket
A trip to New England is never complete unless you make the trip to Cape Cod and the neighboring islands of Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket. Some of our favorite Hidden Gems on the Islands are shown below. The Sankaty Head Light House and the shops on Main Street are interesting places to visit on Nantucket. Martha’s Vineyard’s fishing village at Menemsha Public Beach on the western end of the island and Spike Lee’s home, at the Farm Neck Golf Club waving its NY Yankee flag at the Boston Red Sox fans, are two special treats on that island. While you are in Martha’s Vinyard, take a short ferry ride to Chappaquiddick and that infamous bridge .
Back on Cape Cod, we find Chatham, with its classic small-town bandstand and patriotic monuments, to be a wonderful place to visit. A real Hidden Gem is the Church of the Transfiguration, a beautiful non-denominational church in Orleans.
Provincetown, Massachusetts
At the extreme tip of Cape Cod, is Provincetown. P-town, as it is often called, is a very colorful town. Anthony Bourdain started his career in the restaurant business at The Lobster Pot. With a focus on different types of international restaurants, interviews with local residents and unusual food, he told great stories. Because of Anthony, we became interested in travel and becoming more familiar with different food cultures.
New England’s Best – Maine
When you think about Maine, what comes to mind? Lobsters, light houses and rocky shores. For lighthouses, starting at the top of the gallery of pictures, we have Portland Head Light, followed by the Pemaquid Point Light House in New Harbor, and near the bottom of the gallery the Sohier Park Lighthouse in York. The lobster flag and the biggest lobster roll that Robin has ever eaten was in Stonington, not an easy place to get to from land.
Stonington, on Deer Isle, is known for its massive lobster fleet of more than 300 boats and is a major commercial lobster distributor. The seal statue is in Rockport which was the home of the famous Andre the Seal. The rocks are from Acadia National Park and the water hole is Thunder Hole, one of the most visited sites in the park. Another beautiful place and a true Hidden Gem in Boothbay is the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens which are highlighted in our Favorite Gardens post.
One of our favorite things to do is to find a local lobstermen coop, sit on a picnic bench with our bottle of wine and salad while eating freshly caught lobster steamed right there. We also love going to Glidden Point Oyster Farms (near Damariscotta) and shucking a dozen or so oysters. Maine has some amazing oyster farms….
For more detail on restaurants in Mid-Coast Maine, please visit our post 19 Best Restaurants Mid-Coast Maine: Rockport etc.
Kennebunkport
One of the more famous towns in Maine is Kennebunkport. The town was made famous by the 41st President of the United States, George Herbert Walker Bush. Pictured below is his home and the beautiful St. Ann’s by the Sea Episcopal Church.
New Hampshire
The White Mountains of New Hampshire make New Hampshire one of the most scenic places in New England. They do an amazing job with their road system; Kancamagus Scenic Highway is a treat. Tuckerman’s Ravine on Mount Washington, and Franconia Notch are two great places to visit. The Cog Railway climbing Mt. Washington is the world’s first mountain climbing cog railway. Franconia Notch is a major mountain pass through the White Mountains. The Notch was the home of the famous Old Man on the Mountain. Nathaniel Hawthorne and Daniel Webster immortalized the stone face on the mountain. Sadly, the Old Man’s face fell but is still a great memorial. A great easy hiking opportunity is at the Flume Gorge, shown below.
Boston-Fenway Park, The Home Stadium for New England
Okay, it pains Cos as a New Yorker to point out anything good about the New England sports teams. Nevertheless, he must admit that the Fenway Baseball Park is truly a Gem, although it is not really hidden. See his favorite photos from his last visit. This was only the second time that he was able to attend a game there. Please note that it is a famous Yankee, Derek Jeter is at bat. This was one of his final appearances in Fenway.
