The historic beauty and charm of New England cannot be denied. This region, comprised of 6 states in America’s northeast, also lays claim to having one of the oldest and most visited National Parks in the country: Acadia National Park.

Bass Harbor Lighthouse of Acadia National Park

Since we already call the east coast home, we were able to make this a massive, 14-day road trip through through the New England region, but for those coming across the country, JFK International Airport serves as an excellent starting point to explore the area.

Our journey through New England began with a drive up I-95N to Rhode Island. We made a quick stop in New Haven, CT for some breakfast before continuing to Providence, RI. While the diversity of Providence provides a big city feel with the convenience of a small town, we headed to historic Newport, RI to view the impressive Gilded Age era mansions that line the impressive Cliff Walk.

While Newport embodies the rich (literal) history of the Ocean State, we chose to spend the night a short 30 minute drive away in the quaint, quiet town of Bristol, RI. The tight knit community of this town of 23,000 is immediately felt upon entering. The fantastic green spaces combined with the beautiful views of the Mt. Hope Bay makes this a perfect place to enjoy the real charm of Rhode Island.

After our 1.5 days in the Ocean State, it was time to leave the small town charm of Bristol, RI and head north into Boston, MA. Before heading straight into “Beantown”, we made a quick stop in Plymouth, MA to see the namesake Plymouth Rock, enjoy the beauty of Cape Cod Bay, and walk around The National Monument to the Forefathers.

The short 30 min drive up MA 3-N from Plymouth brought us right into the heart of Boston. We chose to stay directly in downtown Boston, just a few steps away from the incredible Boston Common. Activities abound at Boston Common, and walking through this deeply historic city provides endless sites that provide an intimate view into the people and events that shaped Boston.

We spent 2 days in Boston, which gave us ample time to explore its Beacon Hill, Downtown, Fort Point, North End, and South Boston districts. We also chose to do a whale watching tour, which took us 30 miles off the Boston coast and provided excellent views of these majestic creatures in their natural habitat!

A humpback whale breaching off the coast of Boston… as you can see, the weather was by no means bright and sunny

After a fun-filled few days in Boston, we continued our journey north up I-95N towards Portland, ME. The incredible coastal town of Portland is culturally rich, exudes a youthful exuberance, and has a seemingly endless array of food options that is sure to please any visitor!

Enjoying some lobster rolls in Portland, ME

Once we filled up on some clam chowder and lobster rolls, we continued our drive up I-295N to Mt. Desert Island, home of Acadia National Park. The immediate decrease in vehicle traffic once you are north of Portland is a shocking, yet welcome sight from the typically crowded east coast highways.

Bass Harbor Lighthouse in Acadia National Park

The 47,000 acre Acadia National Park can be divided into two section: The Southwest Harbor, known as the “Quiet Side”, and the Bar Harbor section of the park. While a bit further from many of the well known sights and trails within the park, we chose to stay at an Airbnb just across from Echo Lake on the Quiet Side of the park. The tranquility and beauty of the park really shines through on the Quiet Side in contrast to the typically crowded areas in and around Bar Harbor.

We were able to spend 4 full days within the park. During our stay, we explored the entire Jordan Pond, Southwest Harbor, Bar Harbor, and Eagle Lake regions of the park, as well as the impressive Cadillac Mountain. Be aware that 20 miles of Park Loop Road are one-way, and the road can get extremely crowded, especially during summer months when street parking is permitted. Additionally, access by vehicle to Cadillac Mountain now requires a permit, so be sure to check with Reservation.gov for permit requirements.

The view from Cadillac Mountain at Acadia National Park

In addition to hiking and exploring Acadia National Park by foot, we also opted for a lobster boat tour through the Cranberry Isles off the coast of the park. Lulu’s Lobster Boats provided one of the best tours of any kind we have ever experienced, and took us out to the Baker Island Lighthouse while we continuously pulled up lobster. Seals and Bald Eagles are known to frequent this area.

Baker Island Lighthouse off the coast of Acadia National Park

The interactive tour was a complete blast, and the convenience of taking off from Bar Harbor cannot be denied. After our time on the water, we grabbed some lunch in town before heading back to the Quiet Side for a lobster dinner at Thurston’s Lobster Pound.

The Boardwalk on the Jordan Pond Trail at Acadia National Park

After 4 busy days of exploring this fantastic National Park, we drove through the heavily forested wilderness of Western Maine into the imposing White Mountains of New Hampshire. We chose to stay in the small town of Gorham, sitting just at the base of mighty Mt. Washington.

While we planned to ride the Mt. Washington Cog to the summit, we were met with the mountain’s unpredictable weather. Our June trip to the region left us unprepared for the sub-30 degree weather at the summit of Mt. Washington. While our 2 days in New Hampshire gave us the opportunity to see countless Moose through its forested landscape, we had to continue our journey and set off on Route 2 W toward Burlington, VT.

The Original Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream in Vermont

We started our time in Vermont with an ice cream breakfast at Ben and Jerry’s before heading up to to the quintessential mountain town of Stowe, VT. A quick stop to a few of Vermonts’ world renowned breweries, and then we continued to the lakefront city of Burlington.

The chilly, windy banks of Lake Champlain

We enjoyed two full days soaking in the culture and attractions of northern Vermont before heading south along Route 22A into the Lake George region.

The must-see Shelburne Farms in Shelburne, VT

While a few hours’ rest stop in Lake George was a much appreciated break from the hundreds of miles of driving through New England and after nearly 2 weeks exploring this incredibly historic, and culturally rich region of America, we were ready to head home as we took I-87S back into PA.

Lake George and the picturesque Adirondack Mountains

The diversity, cultural, and untouched beauty of New England makes it one of the truly unique areas in America. Add to that the rocky and majestic landscape of Acadia National Park, and this is an experience that provides a lifetime’s worth of memories!

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