Bram ReusenAlthough New England may not be on many people’s travel radar, it is a place that’s absolutely worth visiting—especially in autumn.
First things first though! You may wonder what New England is exactly and where it’s located. New England comprises the six northeasternmost states in the United States. Located just north of New York City, those states are Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.
Each state has its own characteristics, atmosphere and landscape. Connecticut, for instance, is home to great schools, suburban towns, nice coastal villages and Yale University, while Maine boasts a spectacular lighthouse-dotted coastline and vast black bear-inhabited inland forests. Massachusetts has its rolling hills, sandy beaches, Harvard University and MIT, and the bustling city that is Boston.
Rhode Island is the smallest state in the United States and features Great Gatsby-style mansions, harbours dotted with yachts and sailboats, and pretty coastal towns. The most rugged state of them all is New Hampshire, home to the towering White Mountains and Mount Washington, the tallest mountain in the Northeast and one of the most perilous mountains in the world. Vermont is the most rural state, its landscapes consisting of forest-covered hills and mountains, picturesque fields and meadows, iconic dairy farms and maple syrup shacks.
Of course, this brief intro provides only a limited overview of what all the different states are about, but the pictures in this post will showcase all characteristics!
Connecticut
Image credit: Patrick Franzis
The state of Connecticut is renowned for its welcoming towns and orchards. In autumn, this is where you can pick your own pumpkins and apples. This is also where the oldest steam-powered apple cider mill in the country is located. Wineries are abundant as well.
Image credit: slack12
Suggestions: cycle and hike in the Last Green Valley; and drive Route 169 to take in fields, farms and fall foliage.
Rhode Island
Image credit: Daniel DeCristo
Located to the east of Connecticut, Rhode Island also has its share of vineyards and fruit farms. Harvest festivals and roadside stalls aplenty in this tiny charming state. Autumn in Rhode Island is not as crowded as summer and is a great time of year to explore the coast as well.
Image credit: Peter Rintels
Suggestions: walk among extravagant coastal mansions in Newport; and go on a scenic boat tour on the Blackstone River.
Massachusetts
Image credit: Simon Wu
Arguably the most diverse of all six New England states, Massachusetts is where you can eat world-class seafood, visit some of the best universities on earth, canoe and hike in the hills, and road trip through the countryside.
Image credit: anslatadams
Suggestions: explore Harvard Yard; walk the Freedom Trail in Boston; eat seafood in Cape Ann; enjoy the scents of autumn in the Berkshire Hills; and drive the Mohawk Trail, the oldest designated ‘scenic road’ in the United States.
Maine
Image credit: heipei
Maine boasts two distinctly different landscapes. On the one hand, there is the stunning jagged coastline with its hundreds of islands and islets, inlets and bays, and dozens of photogenic lighthouses. On the other hand, there are the inland wilderness areas, covered with dense forests, dotted with countless lakes and ponds, and intersected by hundreds of miles of rivers and streams.
Image credit: Doc Searls
Suggestions: hike in Acadia National Park; eat a lobster roll in one of the numerous lobster shacks; canoe and spot high-profile wildlife in the Rangeley Lakes region.
Also read: Why Maine Needs to be your Next Holiday Destination
New Hampshire
Image credit: David Brossard
A plethora of attractions awaits you in New Hampshire, New England’s most rugged state. Home to the amazing White Mountains, New Hampshire has one of only a few cog railways in the world, the highest mountain in the Northeast, and plenty of lakes and rivers.
Image credit: Anthony Quintano
Suggestions: drive the phenomenal Kancamagus Highway, one of the most scenic roads in New England; head to the summit of Mount Washington on the Cog Railway; hike the spectacular Presidential Range; go for a boat cruise on Lake Winnipesaukee.
Vermont
Image credit: Chris Ford
Vermont is arguably the prettiest state in New England. Refreshingly peaceful, Vermont is home to picturesque dairy farms, rolling hills covered with fall foliage as far as the eye can see, the highest concentration of covered bridges in the United States, and picture-perfect villages.
Image credit: Steve Schnabel
Suggestions: go on a scenic cruise on Lake Champlain; drive beautiful Route 100 along the spine of the Green Mountains; and visit a craft brewery in Burlington.
