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Can you really know New England without visiting these 10 towns?

Geography

Image: Phil Evenden

Image: Phil Evenden

Can you really know New England without visiting these 10 towns?

New England’s coastline is all about charm and peace. For travelers seeking a blend of culinary scenes, rugged maritime history, and the kind of quiet beauty found only on a foggy pier, these ten towns represent the pinnacle of the coastal New England experience. Which of these escapes fits your ideal vacation?

Portsmouth sits gracefully on the Piscataqua River, serving as a sophisticated gateway to the Maine border. It is a scenic stop with a deep-water port boasting a history dating back to 1623.

Portsmouth manages to feel both ancient and incredibly modern. For example, the Strawberry Banke Museum is the town's crown jewel, offering a ten-acre outdoor history museum that preserves four centuries of domestic life. So, in this town you can spend the morning walking through 17th-century gardens and the evening in a high-end tapas bar.

Located at the tip of Cape Ann, Rockport is the quintessential New England fishing village. It is famous for Motif No. 1, a red fishing shack that is arguably the most painted and photographed building in the United States. The town’s light has drawn artists for over a century, leading to the creation of the Rockport Art Association. You can also walk down Bearskin Neck, a narrow stretch of land packed with galleries, boutiques, and ice cream shops.

Fun fact: Rockport was a dry town for over 150 years—from 1856 to 2005—following a revolt led by a local woman who destroyed the town’s liquor barrels with a hatchet.

The Abenaki word Ogunquit translates literally to "beautiful place by the sea," and the town lives up to its name. Ogunquit’s primary attraction is Marginal Way, a mile-long paved cliff walk that offers breathtaking views of the Maine shoreline and the Atlantic.

If you’d like to spend some time on the beach, this beautiful town is one of the few places in the state where you can find soft, white sand rather than just the rocks characteristic of the Maine coast.

Did you know? The Pilgrim Monument towers over Provincetown, marking the spot where the Mayflower actually first landed before moving to Plymouth.

"P-Town", as it is affectionately known, sits at the extreme northern tip of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. It is a place of contrasts, where wild sand dunes meet a vibrant, eclectic downtown. The town has a long history as a sanctuary for the arts and LGBTQ communities, giving it a bohemian energy. In fact, it’s the oldest continuous arts colony in the United States.

Mystic, Connecticut, has nothing to do with the divine. In fact, its name derives from the Pequot word Missituk, referring to a "great tidal river". The thing is, this town’s relationship with the water is paramount. The Mystic Seaport Museum is the largest maritime museum in the world, featuring the Charles W. Morgan, the last wooden whaling ship in existence. After visiting the museum, grab a slice or a pie at Mystic Pizza, a parlor that inspired the 1988 romantic comedy starring a young Julia Roberts.

Newport is the sailing capital of the world and was a longtime home of the America’s Cup (from 1930 to 1983). It is most famous for the Newport Mansions, the summer cottages of the Vanderbilt and Astor families that represent the peak of Gilded Age opulence. For a sneak peek at these grand residences, you can take the Cliff Walk, a path that provides a front-row seat to both the ocean and the back of the mansions’ lawns.

Fun fact: Did you know Newport is home to the Touro Synagogue, the oldest Jewish synagogue building still standing in the United States, dedicated in 1763?

While many visitors know Kittery only for its outlet malls, the town’s real charm lies in Kittery Point. As the oldest incorporated town in Maine (founded in 1647), it boasts historic forts and quiet, winding roads that feel a world away from the shopping craze. To start, you can visit Fort McClary State Historic Site, which provides a look at 19th-century coastal defense and offers stunning views of the Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse.

Bar Harbor is the ultimate destination for the outdoors-oriented traveler. For instance, it is one of the best places in the world for whale watching and eating fresh lobster directly on a pier. It also serves as the entrance to Acadia National Park, where mountains meet the sea. Visitors flock here to drive or hike to the summit of Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the North Atlantic seaboard. If you visit from October to March, it is the first place in the United States to see the sunrise.

Thirty miles off the coast of Cape Cod lies Nantucket, an island that feels preserved in the mid-1800s. Its strict architectural codes mean you won’t see a single neon sign or chain store; instead, you’ll find cedar-shingled houses and cobblestone streets.

Did you know that in the 1840s, Nantucket was once the whaling capital of the world, a status that inspired Herman Melville to write Moby-Dick? To learn more, you can visit the Whaling Museum at New Bedford—a ferry ride away—, which tells the story of how this tiny island once lit the world with whale oil.

Portland was the original capital of Maine before it was moved to Augusta in 1832. It is the largest city in this list, but its Old Port district feels like a small town. Cobblestone streets are lined with 19th-century brick buildings that house some of the best restaurants in the country. In fact, Portland consistently ranks as one of the top foodie cities in the U.S. One thing not to miss: Portland Head Light, to some, the most iconic and beautiful lighthouse in New England.