New England in brief
- Six states: Boston and Cape Cod in Massachusetts, the coast of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Connecticut.
- Fall foliage peaks from late September in the north to late October on the coast.
- Best from June to October: summer for beaches and islands, autumn for the colours.
- Boston is about 7 hours from London, and 4 hours from New York by road or rail.
New England is where America began: six small states in the north-east corner of the USA, with colonial towns and white clapboard churches, lighthouses on rocky headlands, lobster shacks, covered bridges and, every autumn, the most famous fall foliage in the world. It is easy to reach from the UK, with Boston about seven hours away, and easy to explore by car. This guide covers where to go in New England, Boston, Cape Cod and the islands, Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire, when the leaves turn, the best time to visit, getting there and around, where to stay and sample routes.
Where is New England?
New England is made up of six states: Massachusetts, with Boston and Cape Cod; Maine, the largest and most rugged; Vermont and New Hampshire, the mountain states; and little Rhode Island and Connecticut on the coast towards New York. Together they are about 1.4 times the size of England, and you can drive from Boston to the Canadian border in about four hours. The English explorer John Smith named the region in 1616, English settlers followed from 1620, and many of the town names will be familiar: Plymouth, Portsmouth, Cambridge, Manchester, Bath.
Where to go in New England
Cape Cod and the islands
Dunes, seaside villages and lighthouses, with Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket a ferry ride away.
Cape Cod →
Maine
Rocky coast, fishing harbours, Portland’s food scene and the granite mountains of Acadia.
Maine →
Vermont
Rolling hills, dairy farms, maple syrup and the prettiest villages, at their best in autumn.
Vermont →
New Hampshire
The highest peaks in the north-east, the Kancamagus Highway and lakes for summer.
New Hampshire →
Rhode Island and Connecticut
The Gilded Age mansions of Newport and Connecticut’s old whaling and shipbuilding ports.
Rhode Island →Boston
Boston is one of America’s oldest cities and one of its easiest to enjoy: compact, walkable and packed with history. Follow the Freedom Trail, a red line in the pavement that links 16 sites of the American Revolution over about 4 km (2.5 miles), from Boston Common past the Old State House, Faneuil Hall and Paul Revere’s house to the warship USS Constitution in Charlestown.
Wander the gaslit lanes of Beacon Hill, eat in the Italian North End, and walk the Public Garden and the Back Bay’s brownstone streets. The Museum of Fine Arts and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum are both excellent. Across the river, Cambridge is home to Harvard and MIT. In summer, take a harbour cruise or a whale-watching trip, and catch a baseball game at Fenway Park.
Day trips: Salem, of the 1692 witch trials, about 40 minutes north; Lexington and Concord, where the Revolution began; Plymouth, where the Pilgrims landed in 1620; and the fishing harbours of Rockport and Gloucester on Cape Ann.
New England fall foliage: when and where
New England in the fall is one of the great travel experiences: whole hillsides of maples turn scarlet, orange and gold, framed by white churches, red barns and covered bridges. The colours move from north to south and from the hills down to the coast over about six weeks, so you can follow them. Exact timing changes a little every year with the weather, and each state publishes foliage reports through the season.
| Where | Usual peak | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Vermont and New Hampshire, northern Maine | Late September to early October | Stowe, Smugglers’ Notch, the Northeast Kingdom, Franconia Notch |
| Central Vermont, the White Mountains, inland Maine | Early to mid-October | Woodstock, the Kancamagus Highway, the Mount Washington Valley |
| Southern Vermont and New Hampshire, the Berkshires | Mid-October | Manchester (Vermont), Lake Sunapee, the Mohawk Trail |
| Coastal Maine and Acadia | Early to mid-October | Acadia’s lakes and Cadillac Mountain |
| Boston, Cape Cod, Rhode Island, Connecticut | Mid to late October | Concord, Newport, the Litchfield Hills |
Where to see the best colours: drive the Kancamagus Highway through the White Mountains, Vermont’s Route 100 through the Green Mountains, and the back roads between Woodstock and Stowe. The first two weeks of October are the safest bet for a fall foliage trip, and also the busiest: country inns in the mountains fill a year ahead and charge peak rates, so book early. Later in October, head for southern New England and the coast.
Covered bridges are a New England icon: wooden bridges with a roof to protect the timber from snow. Vermont alone has around a hundred. Many are still in use, and some of the most photographed are in Woodstock and around Conway.
Autumn extras: pick-your-own apple orchards, farm stands selling cider and doughnuts, pumpkin patches, harvest fairs and, at the end of October, Halloween, which Salem celebrates all month.
Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket
Cape Cod is the hook-shaped peninsula south-east of Boston, about 1.5 to 2 hours’ drive away, and New England’s favourite summer escape. The Cape Cod National Seashore protects some 65 km (40 miles) of beaches, dunes and cliffs along the outer Cape, with walking and cycling trails and historic lighthouses. Chatham is a classic fishing and seaside town, and Provincetown, at the very tip, is lively, artistic and the base for whale watching on Stellwagen Bank from spring to autumn.
Ferries cross from the Cape to the islands. Martha’s Vineyard has the whaling-captain houses of Edgartown, the colourful gingerbread cottages of Oak Bluffs and the clay cliffs at Aquinnah.
Nantucket, further out, is a perfectly preserved whaling town of cobbled streets and grey shingles, with superb beaches and a whaling museum. Both islands are best from June to September.
Cape Cod is very busy in July and August; June and September are quieter, and the sea is warmest in August.
Maine
Maine’s coast is all rocky headlands, lighthouses, fishing harbours and islands. Portland, about two hours north of Boston, is a small port city with cobbled streets and one of the best food scenes in America; Portland Head Light, just outside, is perhaps the most photographed lighthouse in the country. South of it, Ogunquit and Kennebunkport have long beaches and clifftop walks; north along Route 1 are the harbour towns of Boothbay Harbor, Camden and Castine.
Acadia National Park, on Mount Desert Island near Bar Harbor, is the highlight: granite mountains rising straight from the sea, lakes, a cliff-top loop road and around 70 km of car-free carriage roads for walking and cycling. Drive or hike up Cadillac Mountain, the highest mountain on the US Atlantic coast, for sunrise; in season, driving to the summit needs a timed vehicle reservation, made in advance. Walk the Ocean Path past Thunder Hole and the easy loop around Jordan Pond.
Vermont
Vermont is New England at its most rural: the Green Mountains, dairy farms, red barns, maple sugarhouses and villages built around a green and a white church. Stowe, below Mount Mansfield, is the best-known base, with hiking and a gondola in summer and autumn, and skiing in winter. Woodstock is perhaps the prettiest village in New England, with a covered bridge, a working historic farm and the only national park in Vermont. Drive scenic Route 100 down the spine of the state, visit a cheese maker or a cider mill, and stop at a sugarhouse to see how maple syrup is made (the sugaring season itself runs from about late February to April). Burlington, on Lake Champlain, is a relaxed university town with lake views across to New York State’s Adirondacks.
New Hampshire
The White Mountains are the wildest part of New England. Mount Washington, at 1,917 m the highest peak in the north-east, is famous for some of the worst weather on earth; you can drive up, hike, or ride the steam-and-diesel cog railway in season. The Kancamagus Highway, about 55 km (34 miles) between Lincoln and Conway, is the classic foliage drive, with waterfalls and short walks along the way. Franconia Notch has the Flume Gorge walk and an aerial tramway up Cannon Mountain. To the south, Lake Winnipesaukee is the summer lake district, and the old port of Portsmouth has a short stretch of coast between Massachusetts and Maine.
Rhode Island and Connecticut
Newport, Rhode Island, was the summer playground of America’s richest families in the Gilded Age, and their vast mansions, which they called “cottages”, are open to visitors. Walk the Cliff Walk between the mansions and the sea, then watch the yachts in one of the world’s great sailing harbours. In Connecticut, Mystic has a living maritime museum of tall ships and an old shipbuilding village, and the Litchfield Hills are quietly beautiful in autumn. All three are on the way if you are driving between Boston and New York.
Food and drink
New England’s food is about the sea and the seasons. Try a lobster roll (cold with mayonnaise or warm with butter), clam chowder, fried clams and oysters from Wellfleet or Maine; a clambake or lobster bake on the beach in summer; and maple syrup on everything, from pancakes to ice cream. Autumn brings apple cider and cider doughnuts. Boston has excellent seafood restaurants and Italian food in the North End, and Portland, Maine, punches far above its size. Vermont is known for cheddar, craft beer and farm-to-table cooking.
Best time to visit New England
The best time to visit New England is from June to October. Late September to mid-October is the most popular time, for the fall foliage, crisp sunny days and harvest fairs; it is also the most expensive and needs booking well ahead. July and August are warm (around 25 to 29°C in Boston) and the time for beaches, islands and lakes, but also the busiest on the coast. June and early September are a sweet spot: warm, green and quieter. Winters are cold and snowy, especially inland, which is ideal for skiing in Vermont and New Hampshire but not for touring; late October and November are quiet and cheaper once the leaves have fallen, and some seasonal coastal businesses close until spring. Spring comes late and can be wet.
| Month | Boston | Bar Harbor (Acadia) | Burlington (Vermont) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3°C / -5°C · 95 mm | 1°C / -7°C · 120 mm | -1°C / -10°C · 70 mm |
| Feb | 4°C / -6°C · 95 mm | 1°C / -7°C · 105 mm | 0°C / -10°C · 70 mm |
| Mar | 7°C / -2°C · 95 mm | 3°C / -4°C · 90 mm | 4°C / -6°C · 70 mm |
| Apr | 13°C / 4°C · 105 mm | 9°C / 2°C · 110 mm | 11°C / 2°C · 95 mm |
| May | 20°C / 10°C · 75 mm | 15°C / 8°C · 80 mm | 19°C / 9°C · 85 mm |
| Jun | 25°C / 15°C · 85 mm | 19°C / 13°C · 100 mm | 23°C / 14°C · 115 mm |
| Jul | 29°C / 19°C · 115 mm | 23°C / 16°C · 95 mm | 26°C / 18°C · 105 mm |
| Aug | 28°C / 19°C · 75 mm | 23°C / 17°C · 90 mm | 26°C / 17°C · 100 mm |
| Sep | 24°C / 15°C · 105 mm | 20°C / 14°C · 105 mm | 22°C / 14°C · 80 mm |
| Oct | 18°C / 9°C · 130 mm | 14°C / 9°C · 130 mm | 15°C / 8°C · 120 mm |
| Nov | 11°C / 2°C · 90 mm | 8°C / 2°C · 110 mm | 7°C / 1°C · 90 mm |
| Dec | 6°C / -1°C · 120 mm | 4°C / -3°C · 140 mm | 2°C / -4°C · 90 mm |
Average daily high / low and monthly rain or snow (as water), 10-year ERA5 data. Rain falls evenly through the year; snow is usual from December to March, deepest in the mountains.
Getting to New England from the UK
Fly to Boston: direct flights from London take about seven hours out and six home, and Boston’s airport is just across the harbour from the city centre. Many people combine New England with New York, which is about four hours from Boston by car or by fast train, so you can fly into one and home from the other. For a foliage trip that starts in Canada, Montreal is about an hour from the Vermont border.
Getting around
- Hire car: essential outside Boston, and the roads are quiet and easy once you leave the city. Pick it up as you leave Boston rather than on arrival: the city is best on foot and by subway, and parking is expensive.
- Distances: Boston to Cape Cod 1.5 to 2 hours; to Portland, Maine, 2 hours; to Bar Harbor 5 hours; to Stowe 3.5 hours; to the White Mountains 2.5 hours; to Newport 1.5 hours.
- Trains: fast trains link Boston, Providence and New York; another line runs from Boston to Portland, Maine.
- Ferries: to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket from the Cape; book car spaces well ahead in summer, or go as a foot passenger.
Where to stay in New England
- Boston: Back Bay and Beacon Hill for elegant streets and walking to everything; the Waterfront and Seaport for harbour views.
- Country inns: the classic New England stay is a historic inn or bed and breakfast with a fire and a big breakfast, in a Vermont village or the White Mountains.
- The coast: seaside inns in Kennebunkport, Camden or Bar Harbor in Maine; Chatham or the outer Cape on Cape Cod; Edgartown or Nantucket town on the islands.
- Mountain resorts: Stowe and the Mount Washington Valley have resort hotels with spas, pools and mountain views, good in every season.
Tell us your style and budget and we’ll find the right inns and hotels along your route. For foliage dates, ask us early: the best places fill months ahead.
Sample New England routes
New England in the fall
- Boston (3 nights)
- Woodstock, Vermont (2)
- Stowe (2)
- White Mountains (2)
- Portland or Kennebunkport, Maine (1)
The classic foliage loop, from the mountains back down to the coast. Late September to mid-October.
The New England coast
- Boston (3 nights)
- Cape Cod (3)
- Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard (2)
- Portland, Maine (1)
- Bar Harbor and Acadia (3)
Beaches, islands, lighthouses and lobster. Best June to September.
Boston, New England and New York
- Boston (3 nights)
- Stowe (2)
- White Mountains (2)
- Acadia (2)
- Newport (1)
- New York (4)
Two great cities with the mountains and coast in between. Fly into Boston and home from New York.
Ways to see New England with us
Our escorted tour above combines Toronto, Niagara Falls, Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City with Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Washington. For the countryside, the best way is a tailor-made New England holiday: a fly-drive with country inns, planned around the foliage or the summer coast, and easily combined with New York. For history further south, see America’s historic trail and New York, which visits Washington, Virginia and Philadelphia; or browse all our escorted tours of the USA.
Practical tips
- Entry: British visitors travelling under the Visa Waiver Program need an approved ESTA before they travel; if you are not eligible, you need a visa. Check the FCDO USA travel advice and its entry requirements before you go. The FCDO does not advise against travel to any part of the USA.
- Book foliage trips early: late September and early October are the busiest weeks of the year in the mountains.
- Layers: autumn days can be warm and sunny, but mornings are cold, especially in the mountains.
- Tipping: around 18 to 20% in restaurants; sales tax is added at the till.
- Insurance: medical care in the US is very expensive, so make sure your travel insurance has generous medical cover.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to see the fall foliage in New England?
Usually from late September in northern Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine to mid or late October in Boston, Cape Cod and southern New England. The first two weeks of October are the safest bet.
What is the best time to visit New England?
June to October. Late September to mid-October is best for autumn colours; July and August for beaches, islands and lakes; June and early September are warm and quieter.
How many days do you need in New England?
Ten nights covers Boston and a loop through Vermont, New Hampshire and coastal Maine. Allow two weeks to add Cape Cod and the islands, Acadia or New York.
Where is the best place in New England for autumn colours?
Vermont, especially around Stowe and Woodstock and along Route 100, and New Hampshire's White Mountains, with the Kancamagus Highway. Acadia in Maine adds the coast.
How long is the flight from the UK to Boston?
Direct flights from London take about seven hours to Boston and about six hours back.
Can you combine New England with New York?
Yes. New York is about four hours from Boston by car or fast train, so many trips fly into one city and home from the other.
Do I need an ESTA to visit New England?
British visitors travelling under the Visa Waiver Program need an approved ESTA before they travel; if you are not eligible you need a US visa. Check the FCDO USA entry requirements before booking.
Keep planning
- USA holidays
- Escorted tours of the USA
- Canada holiday guide
- Escorted tours of Canada
- New York and Las Vegas
- Hawaii holiday guide
- Tailor-made holidays
- Escorted tours
Plan your New England holiday with a Travel Designer
Tell us when you’d like to go and we’ll plan your route, flights, hire car and country inns, timed for the autumn colours or the summer coast, in one ATOL-protected booking.
Make an enquiry USA holidays
