8-Nights Coastal New England

8 nights from: $2,879

Come explore the magnificent scenery and rich history of coastal New England. Visit six states, from New York to Maine, seeing both big cities and quaint towns, each with their own character and charm. This coastal adventure begins in the exciting and diverse city of New York. Enjoy a guided sightseeing tour with highlights including the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, Wall Street, and Central Park and then have time to explore the ‘Big Apple’ on your own. Stop in the delightful seaside town of Mystic, Connecticut on the way to Rhode Island, the smallest of the United States. Spend a day in Newport, the summer playground for America’s barons of industry during the Gilded Age and see the opulent mansions that were their summer homes. See Providence, the capital of Rhode Island then stop in New Bedford, Massachusetts and visit the Whaling National Historical Park to learn about this town which was one of the world’s most important whaling ports in the nineteenth century. Continue north to Plymouth, Massachusetts, site of the first Pilgrim settlement in 1620 and historic Plymouth Rock. Enjoy a day trip to Provincetown, an old whaling port transformed into an eclectic, coastal resort full of art galleries and interesting shops on the tip of Cape Cod. Experience Boston on a guided tour of all the must-see sights like Faneuil Hall and the Old North Church and then have time to walk the Freedom Trail or discover the North End, Boston’s oldest and most iconic immigrant neighborhood. Head up the coast to Maine and the seaside town of Portland with its cobblestone streets, scenic waterfront, and lobster fishermen. From the breathtaking ocean views and the big cities and charming small towns with their rich maritime history, this coastal trip to New England will provide memories for a lifetime!

About as picturesque as they come, Ogunquit has a slightly more frivolous spirit than its Kennebunk neighbors, and it is a very popular gay resort spot 60 mi/95 km southwest of Portland. Once a fishing village, the town is now something of an art center with lots of galleries and shops lining the streets. The Ogunquit Museum of American Art is highly regarded and well worth a visit (http://www.ogunquitmuseum.org). The Ogunquit Playhouse has maintained a reputation for high-quality performances since it first offered summer theatrical productions in the 1930s (http://www.ogunquitplayhouse.org). Free Ogunquit Travel
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You shouldn't miss Bald Head Cliff—you reach it by walking the Marginal Way, a winding, paved route that follows a cliff edge along the waterfront (the waves crashing against the cliff add to the drama of the scenery). Open-sided trolleys run through the center of town and as far as Footbridge Beach between July and Labor Day. Pay a visit to Perkins Cove, where you can see a drawbridge that's used exclusively by pedestrians (the only one of its kind in New England).

In nearby Wells, the Wells Auto Museum displays more than 70 antique cars, as well as vintage arcade games and other relics (http://www.wellsautomuseum.com). We found the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve at Laudholm Farm an excellent place to spend an afternoon. This 1,600-acre/650-hectare parcel of wetland provides many hiking paths, and you can see an exceptional variety of birds—herons, egrets, kingfishers, glossy ibis and Canada geese. Take along binoculars (http://www.wellsreserve.org). Nearby, the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge is a 1-mi/1.6-km loop through a white-pine forest and a salt marsh (http://www.fws.gov/northeast/rachelcarson).