The Northeast U.S. is one of my favorite regions in the country because there’s something for everyone – national and state parks, beach towns, large cities, historical sites, and incredible scenic drives.

The Best Getaways in New England

So from outdoor adventures and rural retreats to dreamy coastal towns and historic cities, I’ve got the perfect destination for you.

Here are the best getaways in the Northeast United States!

Boston, MA

Known For: baseball, the Freedom Trail, water activities.

Come Here If You Want To: explore a big city, go on food tours, visit galleries and museums, do walking tours.

Top Activity Recommendations: walk the Freedom Trail, catch a game at Fenway Park, tour the Samuel Adams Brewery, explore Beacon Hill, and take a Boston Harbor boat tour.

Best Accommodations: The Newbury Boston (historical), The Verb Hotel (budget), Boston Harbor Hotel (waterfront), The Liberty, a Luxury Collection Hotel (a jail-turned-boutique hotel).

Acadia National Park, Maine

Known For: being one of the most popular national parks in the United States.

Come Here If You Want To: hike, do water sports, get away from it all, do scenic drives.

Top Activity Recommendations: drive the Park Loop Road, see the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse, rent motorized bikes to bike the Carriage Roads, explore Bar Harbor, take a puffin cruise, or go on a sea kayak tour.

Best Accommodations: The Claremont Hotel (off-the-beaten-path), Bar Harbor Inn (luxury), The Primrose (boutique), Balance Rock Inn (historical).

Known For: boat-filled harbors, restaurants, its historic city center.

Come Here If You Want To: shop, enjoy small-town America, see historic sites.

Top Activity Recommendations: visit the outdoor Strawbery Banke Museum, eat at La Maison Navarre, shop in the historic downtown area, get a drink at the Portsmouth Book & Bar, and stroll in the waterfront Prescott Park.

Best Accommodations: Martin Hill Inn (bed and breakfast), The Sailmaker’s House (boutique), Ale House Inn (beer hotel).

Stowe, Vermont

Known For: Mount Mansfield, hiking trails, covered bridges, skiing, and other winter activities.

Come Here If You Want To: do outdoor activities, ski, see beautiful fall foliage.

Top Activity Recommendations: drive up to the peak of Mount Mansfield, hike the Stowe Recreation Path, explore Smugglers’ Notch State Park, chase waterfalls in Sterling Falls Gorge, visit Emily’s Covered Bridge, snowshoe and snowmobile if it’s winter.

Best Accommodations: Trapp Family Lodge (managed by the family that inspired The Sound of Music), The Lodge at Spruce Peak (ski-in/ski-out resort), Stoweflake Mountain Resort and Spa (spa retreat).

Portland, Maine

Known For: craft beer, its foodie scene, sailing, parks, the Portland Head Light.

Come Here If You Want To: do water activities, explore a historic city, eat and drink.

Top Activity Recommendations: visit the Portland Head Light, go on a schooner cruise, explore the Old Port, stroll along the Eastern Promenade, do a craft brewery tour, spend a day at Willard Beach.

Best Accommodations: The Press Hotel (has some of the best rooftop views in the city), Inn By The Sea (waterfront), Portland Harbor Hotel (nautical themed), Blind Tiger (boutique).

Known For: small towns and villages, outdoor activities, fall foliage viewing, a farm-to-table food scene, its art scene.

Come Here If You Want To: eat and drink, reconnect with nature, do outdoor activities, get away from it all.

Top Activity Recommendations: see a Performance at Tanglewood, hike, chase waterfalls, visit one of the region’s museums, visit Naumkeag, wine and dine yourself.

Best Accommodations: Wheatleigh (Tuscan-style mansion), Miraval Berkshires Resort & Spa (wellness retreat), The Williams Inn (boutique), The Kemble Inn (historical).

New York City

Known For: the Statue of Liberty, Broadway, Central Park, being one of the fashion, art, and food capitals of the world.

Come Here If You Want To: see a show, explore a huge city, walk, shop, wine and dine.

Top Activity Recommendations: take a ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, see a comedy or Broadway show, walk or bike across the Brooklyn Bridge, explore Central Park, eat at a rooftop restaurant, go to the Top of the Rock observation deck at night.

Best Accommodations: The Chatwal, a Luxury Collection Hotel (Art Deco, theatre-inspired), Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown (luxury), The Mark (modern hotel in the Upper East Side), Freehand New York (budget).

Cape Cod, MA

Known For: beaches, lobster rolls, laid-back coastal towns, lighthouses.

Come Here If You Want To: rest and relax, wine and dine, sail, bike, go on scenic drives.

Top Activity Recommendations: bike a portion of the Shining Sea Bikeway, visit the Nobska Lighthouse, visit the Kennedy Museum, go on a whale watching tour, marvel at the Cape Cod National Seashore, visit Rock Harbor, do a wine tasting at Truro Vineyards, explore Provincetown, watch the sunset at Race Point Beach.

Best Accommodations: The Coonamessett (mid-range), Chatham Bars Inn (luxury), AutoCamp Cape Cod (glamping), The Mansion at Ocean Edge Resort and Golf Club (ocean views).

The Catskills, New York

Known For: mountains, waterfalls, hiking, skiing, being the setting for Dirty Dancing.

Come Here If You Want To: hike, ski, do water activities, escape it all.

Top Activity Recommendations: sample craft beer and cider on the Catskills Beverage Trail, do a zipline canopy tour, go skiing, see the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse, hike Slide Mountain, visit the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, relax at the alpine spa at Windham Mountain.

Best Accommodations: YO1 Health Resort (wellness retreat), The Gray Barn at Woodstock Farm Sanctuary (pet friendly), The Roxbury at Stratton Falls (fairytale-themed rooms).

Known For: the Liberty Bell, Rocky, cheesesteaks, its revolutionary history, and being the “City of Brotherly Love.”

Come Here If You: are a history buff, want to explore a large city, walk, shop, wine and dine.

Top Activity Recommendations: see the Liberty Bell, visit the famous Revolutionary War sites, bike around Rittenhouse, shop at the Reading Terminal Market, do a self-guided tour of the Philadelphia Distillery Trail.

Best Accommodations: Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center (luxury), Kimpton Hotel Monaco Philadelphia (historic with modern amenities), The Rittenhouse (perfectly located).

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