Overview
From Boston, head to Cape Cod and its islands (Martha's Vineyard & Nantucket). After Newport and its mansions, continue to the Berkshires , then Lake Champlain and Vermont, the little Switzerland of New England. The journey gains altitude with Mount Washington and the White Mountains ranges in New Hampshire. Then from green to the Atlantic blue, with the wild coast of Maine and the magnificent Acadia National Park. After charming coastal villages, the itinerary ends in Portland, on the Atlantic.
Itinerary
Day 1 • Arrival in Boston, MA
Flight to Boston.
Arrive in the afternoon in the city of the Founding Fathers, the historic cradle of the United States. Transfer to your hotel. Enjoy the end of the day and stroll around Beacon Hill or Back Bay to soak up the atmosphere of this wonderfully charming city.
Overnight in Boston.
Day 2 • Boston, MA
Follow the Freedom Trail, a major city highlight, and visit the Old State House, the oldest public building in Boston, where the Declaration of Independence was first read on July 18, 1776.
Get some fresh air in Boston Common & Public Garden, the local Central Park. Beyond Beacon Hill and the charm of its cobbled lanes and Georgian brick houses, the redeveloped Seaport district is also enjoyable, with the museum dedicated to the Tea Party and the green promenade of Fan Pier Park.
Another idea: cross the Charles River to Cambridge, home to renowned Harvard University.
Art lovers will enjoy Boston too: the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts, with superb Impressionist collections, are among the finest in the country.
Overnight in Boston.
Day 3 • Boston - Cape Cod, MA (150 km)
Leave Boston for Plymouth on the coast. For many Americans, it’s a pilgrimage to the roots of the nation’s history: the Mayflower, carrying English religious exiles, anchored here by chance on December 11, 1620.
The town carefully preserves this key episode, and Plymouth Rock marks the spot where the settlers are said to have landed.
Arrival on the Cape Cod peninsula. The south side concentrates many accommodations and is the departure point for the islands (Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard). Chatham, a former whaling port, is the most charming village.
Overnight in Hyannis (or nearby).
Note: Cape Cod is very busy in summer, with sometimes sky-high prices. If you can, avoid July and August.
Day 4 • Cape Cod - Newport - Mystic, CT (220 km)
Drive to Newport, in the small state of Rhode Island. Newport is a renowned seaside town and major yachting harbor, birthplace of the America’s Cup.
The city is famous for its “mansions”: elegant 19th-century homes belonging to wealthy families. The Breakers and Marble House are the most impressive. In total there are 11 properties, 7 of them designated National Historic Landmarks. Some can be visited.
After very posh Newport, head to Mystic, in Connecticut, one of the most charming small towns in New England. Don’t miss the Mystic Seaport Museum on the Mystic River, with many historic vessels — including a replica of the Amistad, symbol of the early 19th-century fight against slavery. The harbor village of Stonington, a little farther east, is also very nice.
Overnight in Mystic (or nearby).
Day 5 • Mystic - Berkshires, MA (265 km)
Cross the Thames River to reach New London, a pleasant town where ferries depart to (and arrive from) Long Island.
This bucolic route crosses the Connecticut River and passes north of New Haven. Interested travelers can visit the campus of prestigious Yale University. Mark Twain fans may choose a detour north to Hartford, where the writer’s beautiful home has been turned into a museum.
After the charming town of Kent, the route climbs into the green Berkshires in western Massachusetts. Hills, forests, lakes and picturesque villages await, such as Stockbridge, home to the Norman Rockwell Museum. In autumn, the colors are spectacular.
Overnight in Lenox or nearby.
Note: you can add an overnight stop en route in Hartford or New Haven if you’d like to extend the visits.
Day 6 • Berkshires - Green Mountain - Woodstock, VT (245 km)
Continue through the northern Berkshires, via Pittsfield and North Adams on the Hoosic River. The town hosts a fascinating museum, MASS MoCA.
It is the largest contemporary art center in the United States, housed in former industrial buildings. If you enjoy this kind of art, it’s a must.
Take the Mohawk Trail, named after the Mohawk tribe who traced a path through the forest 300 years ago. It’s the country’s oldest scenic route, and in autumn the colors are incredible.
Detour to the beautiful Arthur A. Smith covered bridge, then head into the Green Mountain Forest in Vermont. You’ll pass a few small ski areas. Arrival in Woodstock, one of the prettiest small towns in New England (not to be confused with the Woodstock festival town in New York State).
Overnight in Woodstock, VT.
Day 7 • Woodstock - Lake Champlain - Stowe, VT (235 km)
The route crosses the Green Mountain National Forest. You pass near Mt. Ellen (1,244 m). Along with Mt. Abraham (1,221 m), these are two of the three highest peaks in the Green Mountains.
Vast Lake Champlain forms the natural border between Vermont and New York State (which is not part of New England). You’re only 70 km from Québec!
On the eastern shore, Burlington is a very pleasant (and upscale) small city. Stroll along the waterfront and around Church Street, the main pedestrian street lined with shops.
Then head toward Mt. Mansfield, Vermont’s highest peak (1,339 m), before reaching Stowe. Welcome to postcard country…
Overnight in Stowe.
Note: you can add a second overnight in Stowe.
Day 8 • Stowe - Montpelier - White Mountains, NH (210 km)
After a short drive to Waterbury, home to the very first Ben & Jerry’s factory (a fun visit — with tasting, of course), head to Montpelier on the Winooski River. It is the capital of Vermont. The elegant State House topped with its golden dome can be visited.
Cross the Groton Forest before entering New Hampshire at Wells River. The road is scenic and follows the Ammonoosuc River.
After Lincoln and the Loon Mountain ski area, take the beautiful Kancamagus Highway, with great viewpoints along the way. You enter the White Mountains, home to the highest peaks in New England.
After the ski area of Bartlett, reach the charming village of Jackson.
Overnight in Jackson (or nearby).
Day 9 • White Mountains, NH
The White Mountains are home to the highest peaks in the Northeast (48 summits above 1,200 m). A trip to Mt. Washington, the highest point at 1,917 m, is a must.
You have two options: from the west, take the Cog Railway, a small rack railway that climbs close to the summit — an impressive ride. Or take the scenic toll road from the east, which brings you above the clouds (but it’s expensive).
Farther west, in the beautiful Franconia Notch area, the “Old Man of the Mountain” is a rock formation resembling an elderly man’s face, perched 400 m above Profile Lake.
One of the region’s most famous resorts is Bretton Woods, known for the Bretton Woods Agreements that led to the creation of the IMF and the World Bank.
Overnight in Jackson (or nearby).
Day 10 • White Mountains - Acadia National Park, ME (340 km)
Leave the New Hampshire mountains and head for the rugged, wild Maine coastline, and more specifically the fabulous Acadia National Park on the northeastern shore.
Acadia is the only national park in New England. It covers much of Mount Desert Island, “discovered” by Champlain in 1604 and connected to the mainland by a bridge.
Bar Harbor, a great little town popular in summer, is located on Mount Desert and makes an ideal base to explore the park.
Founded in 1763, it features galleries, hotels, shops and restaurants. Hikers and water-activity lovers will be delighted. Whale-watching cruises are possible.
Overnight in Bar Harbor (or nearby).
Day 11 • Acadia National Park
Spend the day exploring Acadia National Park and its varied, superb landscapes: beaches, wild coves, freshwater lakes, saltwater pools, dense forests…
A drive to the park’s highest point, Cadillac Mountain (470 m), is the best way to enjoy a panoramic view of the islands and the ocean (advance reservation required — it’s busy).
Swept by the wind, the summits are fairly barren, contrasting with the lush vegetation lower down, which also shelters abundant wildlife: moose, coyotes, white-tailed deer, beavers, bald eagles…
The “Loop Road” is a scenic drive around the park with stunning viewpoints and beaches.
Overnight stays in Bar Harbor (or nearby).
Note: you can add a third night to explore Acadia further.
Day 12 • Acadia - Boothbay Harbor, ME (265 km)
Head south along the coast. The Maine coastline is full of deep coves, rugged headlands and granite-sculpted peninsulas. Look out for the many lighthouses sweeping the night with their beams — they are the soul of Maine!
After Belfast, the route reaches two of the prettiest fishing villages: Camden and nearby Rockport. Not far away, Rockland is a pleasant coastal town facing Vinalhaven Island.
The Owl’s Head Lighthouse and, further south, Marshall Point Lighthouse (where ferries depart for the lovely Monhegan Island) are two detours we particularly like.
A bit farther south, make another loop to Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, one of Maine’s most iconic.
Arrival in Boothbay Harbor, another postcard-perfect coastal town.
Overnight in Boothbay Harbor (or nearby).
Day 13 • Boothbay Harbor - Bath - Portland, ME (100 km)
This short stage gives you the chance to spend time in Bath, “the City of Ships”, on the banks of the Kennebec River. Its small historic district is charming, with 19th-century brick houses.
South of town, the excellent Maine Maritime Museum is dedicated to the state’s rich maritime heritage and culture. The museum even offers cruises to admire two iconic Maine lighthouses from the water.
Continue to Portland, an ocean-facing city that has kept its small-town charm.
Its historic district with red-brick facades and its waterfront are very pleasant.
To the south, Portland Head Light is the oldest lighthouse in the country still in operation. Portland is, of course, lobster heaven — like all along the Maine coast!
Overnight in Portland.
Day 14 • Departure from Portland, ME
Depending on your flight time, drive to Portland airport.
Return your rental vehicle.
Return flight to Europe (arrival the next day).
Travel extension (via NYC for example) or itinerary changes: please contact us
Good to know
Displayed price
The prices shown in the table are indicative. They may vary depending on your travel dates, your choices and/or the availability of accommodations, the booking timing... The refined price is indicated in the offer we send you, based on the parameters we have.
When to go?
This itinerary can be done year-round, but the ideal period is between May and October. Colors are especially beautiful during “Indian summer” (roughly the first half of October...), in wooded areas and forests. Some roads on the described route may be closed during winter due to snow (mainly in the White Mountains, home to New England’s highest peak, Mount Washington). We may therefore partially adjust the route depending on the chosen travel period. Please consult us.
Rooms in the USA
With the notable exception of large cities, the price of a hotel room varies little depending on the number of occupants. Bed dimensions are indicative. The vast majority of hotels allow a maximum of 4 people per room (2 beds).
Driving in the USA: there are no particular risks and it is easy. At intersections without traffic lights, the rule is “first come, first served”. In other words, there is no priority-to-the-right rule: you proceed in order of arrival. By default, when you reach a traffic light, you may turn right even on red—however, you do not have priority! You will need to deal with the imperial system: distances are measured in miles (1 mile = 1.6 km), and speed in miles per hour (“mph”). Beware of speeding: fines are steep...
