New England
When it comes to holiday destinations, New England has it all. Autumn – or Fall as they call it in the States – is an excellent time to go, when the leaves on a million trees turn a vibrant tapestry of scarlet, gold, purple and orange. The colours start to turn in the northern states of Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire around mid-September, peaking around mid-October. In the southern states of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut, the change starts later and the incredible colours often last until November. These are perfect months for self-drive itineraries, with the air crisp and cool and the farm stalls piled high with apples and swollen pumpkins.
But New England is more than a one-season wonder. The long coastline is an ideal summer playground, with opportunities for everything from whale-watching tours to swimming and sea kayaking. From Maine’s rocky shoreline and Acadia National Park, past the stylish seaside resort of Kennebunkport to the broad sandy beaches of Cape Cod and upmarket islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, New England’s coast is ripe for exploration.
There is history, too. New England has born witness to many a nation-forging moment. The Pilgrim Fathers (and Mothers) landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1620. The first shots of the Revolution were fired just outside Boston in 1775. And Fenway Park, the country’s oldest baseball stadium, opened for the Red Sox in 1912.
Boston makes for a wonderful city break at any time of year, offering harbour cruises, world-class museums, galleries and concert halls, as well as the famous Freedom Trail that links the city’s historic sites. But it’s also the gateway to the wider region. From Boston you can head out onto the quiet leafy backroads, exploring scenic villages with steeple-topped churches, clapboard houses and iconic covered bridges, where historic inns and boutique hotels guarantee a warm welcome.
Then there is the food, regarded as some of the finest in America. It was New England chefs that piloted the farm-to-fork movement and right across the region you’ll find fresh local produce being championed in restaurants, hotels, markets and farm stores. The seafood is especially sublime; the lobster rolls are quite possibly worth the price of a plane ticket alone.
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Fairmont Copley Plaza
This stately landmark is the grand dame of Boston hotels. While the exterior is commanding, the interior is spectacular, complete with glittering chandeliers, gilded mirrors and columns of Italian marble. Rooms and suites are mod [...]
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Chatham Bars Inn
Set on a vast sandy beach with arresting views of the Atlantic Ocean, Chatham Bars Inn is one of the oldest and best of Cape Cod’s luxury hotels. Some of the most atmospheric rooms occupy the photogenic main house, built in 191 [...]
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The Vanderbilt
Everything here is a delicious reminder of Newport’s heyday 100 years ago, when the town was the essential summer destination to see and be seen. Gilded Age touches are everywhere, from the wood-panelled walls and the books in [...]
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