New England has a beautiful shoreline, and alongside the best way, you may additionally discover some quaint small cities stuffed with historic websites, seashores, native retailers, artwork galleries, and museums. Whether or not you’re taking a highway journey visiting a number of cities or wish to select only one or two, there’s a lot to see and do alongside the New England coast.

Remember the fact that summer time is mostly one of the best time to go to, though there will likely be extra crowds and costs will likely be increased. Within the off-peak season, nevertheless, you may discover that some points of interest and eating places are solely open seasonally and could also be closed. Listed below are among the finest New England coastal cities on your subsequent household trip.

Disclosure: We have obtained complimentary stays and attraction tickets through the years in a few of these locations all through the New England states. All opinions are my very own. This put up comprises affiliate hyperlinks, and a purchase order or click on by means of one in all these hyperlinks could end in a fee paid to us at no extra value to you.

The Finest New England Coastal Cities For Households

Portsmouth New Hampshire

Portsmouth, New Hampshire (to not be confused with the one in Rhode Island), is a seaside city situated in a small coastal space of New Hampshire between Maine and Massachusetts. Points of interest in Portsmouth embody Water Nation Water Park, Strawbery Banke Dwelling Historical past Museum, and a number of other out of doors parks. There are additionally waterfront retailers and eating places in a pleasant downtown space.

Portsmouth is situated about an hour exterior of Boston, and the closest airports are Boston Logan Airport or Manchester Airport. Widespread motels embody the Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside Lodge, the Hampton Inn and Suites, and the Residence Inn Portsmouth Downtown/Waterfront.

We love visiting Portsmouth as a day journey from our dwelling exterior of Boston. It is an ideal spot to get a pleasant lunch and do some procuring.

Kennebunkport, ME

This coastal Southern Maine city is called the summer time dwelling of the Bush household. It provides artwork galleries, quaint retailers, eating places, seashores, crusing journeys, and extra.

Kennebunkport is about an hour and a half to 2 hours from Boston. It’s also possible to entry it on the Amtrak Downeaster practice. In case you are flying in, it is closest to Portland Airport or Boston Logan Airport.

Extremely-rated motels embody the Tides Seashore Membership, the Boathouse Waterfront Lodge, and the Nonantum Resort.

Rockport, MA

The primary time I visited Rockport, Massachusetts, I used to be stunned to search out that such a quaint coastal city was near my dwelling. I really like visiting there and attempt to go a minimum of as soon as per summer time season.

The most well-liked factor to do in Rockport is go to Bearskin Neck, a pedestrian space with artwork galleries, recent seafood eating places, retailers, and ice cream retailers. You possibly can seize lobster rolls from Roy Hook and eat them exterior, going through the water.

Remember to take a photograph of Motif No. 1, a reproduction fishing shack. Rockport additionally has a number of seashores, and you may go to Gloucester close by to go to one in all its stunning seashores.

Rockport is situated in Cape Ann, on the North Shore of Massachusetts. Boston Logan is essentially the most handy airport. It is about an hour North of Boston. It is a lot simpler to entry than Cape Cod and has a lot of the identical coastal appeal.

There aren’t many motels in Rockport, however two choices are the the Bearskin Neck Motor Lodge and the Cove At Rockport.

Ogunquit Maine

Ogunquit is a small coastal Maine seaside city in southern Maine. It is not too removed from Boston, making it a perfect location on your New England summer time trip.

Whereas there, you possibly can go to the varied artwork galleries, reward retailers, and eating places situated in Perkins Cove, proper on the waterfront. There’s additionally Marginal Method, an attractive path working alongside the waterfront that’s enjoyable to stroll. After all, you possibly can’t miss Ogunquit Seashore.

Ogunquit can also be recognized for its artwork neighborhood, and the Ogunquit Playhouse provides musicals, exhibits, and different performances. As a result of parking might be difficult within the space, visitors can take a seasonal shuttle to get round.

Throughout our journey to Ogunquit, we loved staying on the Meadowmere Resort, a brief stroll from the motion.

I really like Ogunquit in the summertime. It’s the quintessential seaside city, with eating places, retailers, galleries, and extra. It is probably the greatest coastal cities within the space.

Provincetown, MA

On the very tip of Cape Cod is Provincetown, a vibrant neighborhood particularly widespread in the summertime months. Provincetown provides among the finest seashores in Massachusetts (together with the Cape Cod Nationwide Seashore), museums, retailers, theater, boat excursions, and a lot extra. Industrial Road is the place a lot of the motion is, so it is best to search out parking and stroll round.

In the summertime, ferries from Boston can take you to Provincetown for a day journey. In any other case, the drive from Boston could be a little lengthy for a day journey. There’s an airport in Provincetown served by Cape Air and JetBlue.

Throughout our in a single day journey to Provincetown, we stayed on the Harbor Lodge. It is a trendy motel on the quieter aspect of Provincetown. I would advocate staying a minimum of one evening, since a day is not sufficient, particularly with the lengthy drive.

Nantucket, MA

Nantucket Island, situated off the coast of Cape Cod, nearly appears like a special nation. This small island is accessible through ferry or aircraft and provides seashores, eating places, retailers, museums, and extra. Do not miss a visit to the Nantucket Whaling Museum, which showcases the historical past of whaling within the space.

A number of motels, resorts, and trip dwelling choices can be found within the space. Throughout one in all our stays, we loved a weekend on the White Elephant Lodge within the heart of city. You can spend per week enjoyable in Nantucket, however an extended weekend can be excellent.

Hyannis, MA

Situated on Cape Cod, Hyannis is a village in Barnstable. It is extra of a metropolis than a village and is the place you may discover many chain shops on the Cape, like Goal, Residence Depot, and Kohl.

Nonetheless, past these chains is an attractive harbor the place you possibly can take ferries to the islands, constitution a fishing boat, or board a whale-watching cruise. Alongside the waterfront, there are artist shanties with handicrafts from native crafters. I really like strolling alongside the harbor in Hyannis in the summertime.

Hyannis additionally has a small airport referred to as Barnstable Municipal Airport. JetBlue, Cape Air, and Nantucket Airways service it. Native motels embody Cape Codder Resort and Spa, The Hyannis Harbor Lodge, and The Anchor In.

Mystic, CT

The fishing village of Mystic, CT, dwelling of Mystic Pizza, is situated over the Rhode Island border. It is about 2 hours from Boston, although Windfall Airport is the closest.

Points of interest in Mystic embody Mystic Seaport, the biggest maritime museum in the USA, the Mystic Aquarium, and Olde Mistick Village. Most of those points of interest are outside, so it is best to go to when the climate is good.

After we stayed in Mystic, we loved an in a single day keep on the Hilton Mystic. It is situated throughout from the aquarium and Outdated Mistick Village and has an indoor pool.

Mystic Aquarium is my favourite aquarium within the space. With each indoor and out of doors displays, it provides rather a lot. Younger youngsters particularly adore it.

Chatham, MA

This elegant coastal New England city is situated on the “elbow” of Cape Cod. Along with a enjoyable fundamental road space with retailers and eating places, Chatham provides different points of interest.

These embody the Chatham Lighthouse, seashores, and the Fish Pier the place you possibly can watch seals play within the water proper earlier than you. In case you are contemplating staying in a single day, the Chatham Bars Inn is a luxurious resort situated proper on the waterfront in Chatham.

After we store on Cape Cod, we usually go to Chatham. There’s a good number of unbiased and small-chain retailers.

Gloucester, MA

The city of Gloucester made widespread by the TV present Depraved Tuna and the film The Excellent Storm, is situated adjoining to Rockport in Cape Ann. It provides seashores, whale-watching cruises, scrumptious eating places, parks, fishing charters, and extra.

We like to remain in a trip dwelling in Gloucester, however there are additionally some well-reviewed motels. These embody The Ocean Home Lodge, the Beauport Lodge, and the Atlantis Oceanfront Inn.

Newport RI

Rising up in Rhode Island, I all the time liked to go to Newport. This attractive city on Aquidneck Island is lower than a two-hour drive from Boston and was as soon as the summer time trip vacation spot for prosperous American households just like the Vanderbilts. Their Gilded Age summer time houses at the moment are open seasonally to touring visitors.

Past the historic houses, different actions in Newport embody sailboat rides, the Worldwide Tennis Corridor of Fame, Fort Adams State Park, the three ½-mile-long Cliff Stroll, seashores, and procuring. Newport can also be host to a number of widespread summer time reside music festivals, together with the Newport Jazz Competition and the Newport People Competition. When visiting the world, take a scenic drive on Ocean Drive by means of the historic district.

We advocate staying on the Lodge Viking, which is situated inside strolling distance of the retailers and eating places on Thames Road.

Newport is one in all my favourite locations to go to in the summertime.

Kittery, ME

Kittery, Maine, is situated proper previous Portsmouth, NH, over the New Hampshire border. It is widespread for its outlet retailers, all situated on Route 1. Different actions embody Take Flight Adventures and Fort McClary State Park. Remember to cease at Yummies, a sweet store stuffed with all kinds of candy treats.

Our favourite eating places are Robert’s Maine Grill and Uncooked Bar, and Bob’s Clam Hut. Bob’s particularly will get very busy in the summertime, so go to early.

The Hampton Inn and Suites is a brand new resort situated close to the shops. Alternatively, vacationers can keep in close by Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Bar Harbor, ME

Wish to go to Acadia Nationwide Park? Bar Harbor Maine is one of the best city to remain in on your Acadia journey. Households also can do boat excursions, water sports activities, procuring, and extra.

Acadia provides a wide range of actions, together with mountain climbing, biking, birdwatching, swimming, boating, and extra. It is a particularly widespread vacation spot in the summertime.

Bar Harbor is nearly 5 hours from Boston. A small airport, the Hancock County–Bar Harbor Airport, is close by. JetBlue and Cape Air service it.

Portland, ME

In case you are in search of a New England coastal vacation spot with ocean views, museums, eating places, retailers, boat rides, baseball, and extra, Portland could be the excellent place to go to. This Maine metropolis is hottest in the summertime, however we often go to within the winter and adore it.

Widespread actions embody the Youngsters’s Museum and Theatre of Maine, the Portland Museum of Artwork, the Portland Head Gentle, and the Casco Bay Strains. Within the spring and summer time, it’s also possible to see the Portland Sea Canine, a minor league Double-A affiliate of the Boston Crimson Sox.

We’ve stayed in a number of motels in Portland – listed below are our favorites.