Summer in New England is my absolute favorite, well it’s tied with fall, but summer is pretty epic here! I moved to Boston in the summer and now 13 years later, I feel pretty well versed in New England destinations worth the visit. Sharing my 8 must visit destinations that I have been to, some more than others, that I think you should visit too!
Ogunquit, ME || If you want an idyllic New England summer town, Ogunquit is just that! Sandy beaches, best seafood. You MUST visit Ogunquit Lobster Pound and stay at the cutest B&B, the Puffin Inn!
Chatham, MA || The Cape is full of amazing towns to visit, but Chatham is my favorite! Beaches that make you feel like you’re in the Caribbean, cute shopping streets with delicious restaurants at every corner. If you can, stay at the Chatham Bars Inn – one of the most beautiful luxury resorts!
Kennebunkport, ME || Want to vacation like the Kennedys? Then you should probably visit Kennebunkport! Between sailing, whale watching and hiking, there is something for everyone.
Nantucket, MA || Pretty sure Elin Hildenbrand made everyone want to visit Nantucket! I’ve only visited once because getting there can be a pain between driving and taking a ferry, but once you’re there, you really are on island time. It is beyond the perfect summer destination and you will probably want to extend your vacation by a few days when you have to leave. Plenty of different beaches to choose from, great shopping and lots of good food!
Newport, RI || Probably one of my favorite summer destinations in New England! I have been countless times because of how close it is to Boston. We have gone for romantic weekend getaways, day trips with friends and most recently I did a sister’s weekend escape! Between the Cliff Walk, mansion tours and Castle Hill Inn – you will have so much to do, see and eat, but also lots of time to relax.
Westbrook / Mystic, CT || We stayed at Waters Edge Resort in Westbrook that could have easily been a resort in Caribbean! About 30 minutes away you can visit the famous coastal town of Mystic, CT that not only has that famous pizza place, but an awesome aquarium! A really great vacation spot about 2.5 hours from Boston and New York!
Boston, MA || Okay, I can’t really have a must visit New England list without including my favorite city, Boston! There is SO much to do here and the best part is that it is the most walkable city! You have history, you have museums, you have sports and you have an abundance of great food! I wont go into too much detail because my blog is basically an homage to Boston and all that I love about it! BUT, should you find yourself in Boston, you can easily visit every other place on this list for a day or a weekend!
Rockport, Glouster & Newburyport MA || I added these three towns together because while you could visit one or all three, they really don’t need that much time to explore. Each has great beaches that we frequent a lot in the summer and Newburyport happens to be one of my favorite places to go with the kids to walk around and enjoy lunch outside by the water.
I’m hoping to add a few more New England destinations to my list, including a few in Maine! Have you ever visited any of these spots?
Yes please! We were married at Waters Edge 12 years ago next week, and we’ll be in Chatham for my cousin’s wedding in September. All of my favorite spots – and next you need to check out Block Island. My absolute fav <3
I have never been anywhere in the Northeast other than NYC and New Jersey so I’d love to visit any of these places! One of these days I’m going to get up there!
I can hear Chatham and not think of Summer Catch!!! And I definitely would love to visit Nantucket sometime after all the Elin Hilderbrand books I have read. So many good places to add to the bucket list!
We are headed to Boston with the family in August so this is some great information. Do you happen to know a good resource that helps navigate day trips from the city (I assume train is the best option since we are flying in)? We are staying in an Airbnb for the week but would like to do a few day trips – beach, charming towns, etc. Thanks so much!
Author
Yes, definitely recommend taking the commuter rail if you want to do some day trips – for instance there is one that goes directly to Newburyport. If you guys are up for it, then renting a car would be good for a couple days as well since you wont be tied to any schedules!
Newport is one of my favorites too! We keep trying to get to Mystic but something always comes up. Hopefully in the fall!
Jill – Doused in Pink
All these places sounds amazing! Thanks for this list.
xoxo
Lovely
wwww.mynameislovely.com
Love this fun trip. Love these pictures. Thanks for sharing.