A Taste Of New England

Day 1: Boston, Massachusetts

Incorporated as a town in 1630, and as a city in 1822, Boston is one of America’s oldest cities, with a rich economic and social history to match. Since its beginnings as a homesteading community, it has evolved into a centre for social and political change and is now the economic and cultural hub of New England.
In a city filled with interesting things to see and do, the historic Freedom Trail is the highlight of Boston for many visitors. The 2.5 mile red brick walking trail leads you to 16 nationally significant historic sites, everyone an authentic American treasure. Preserved and dedicated by the citizens of Boston in 1958, when the wrecking ball threatened several important places, the Freedom Trail today is a unique collection of museums, churches, meeting houses, burying grounds, parks, a ship, and historic markers that tell the story of the American Revolution.
You can walk the Trail yourself, or take one of the many guided tours available through the National Park Service. Tours begin every half hour from the park visitor centre at 15 State Street opposite the Old State House. If you prefer to ride, you can take a trolley tour, which is an unofficial guided tour, but does include many of the most important sites along the Trail including Old Ironsides, the Paul Revere House and the Old North Church. Plan to stop and eat at Faneuil Hall, once the primary meeting place for America’s revolutionaries. It is now a bustling market of restaurants and shops.
Day 2: Boston, Massachusetts
If you were unable to experience a portion of the Freedom Trail yesterday, you can complete that journey today before choosing from the myriad possibilities for exploring that Boston offers. There are always a variety of fascinating exhibits at the Boston Museum of Science. Cheers, of the famous television show, is located on Beacon Hill. The Sam Adams Brewery is a recent addition, founded in 1984.
The Boston Museum of Arts, founded in 1876, has an outstanding, world-renowned collection that includes some 450,000 items. The New England Aquarium offers special whale watching trips until October. There’s also the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, Newberry Street, with some of the best antiquing in America, and Cambridge, MA, home of Harvard University, right across the river.
2 nights Boston.
Standard: The Midtown Hotel
Select: Boston Park Plaza Hotel
Unique and Boutique: The Fairmont Copley Plaza

Day 3: To Mid Coast, Maine (112 miles)
There are many options and routes between Boston and Mid-coast Maine, but for maximum history coupled with scenic beauty, take the route through the Essex Heritage Area. Along the way, visit the Saugus Ironworks, established in 1646 and the old sailing ports of Gloucester and Marblehead. Salem was the site of the witch trials of 1694 and now also hosts the Peabody Museum, one of the best in the US. Other locations along the Essex Heritage Area Scenic Byway celebrate the early history of Massachusetts.
Be sure to visit Kennebunkport an astoundingly picturesque town in York County, The town centre is located along the Kennebunk River, approximately one-half mile (1 km) from the mouth of the river on the ocean. Historically a fishing village, in recent decades the town has become a popular seaside tourist destination with a small district of souvenir shops, art galleries, seafood restaurants, hotels, inns, and bed & breakfasts. Its reputation as a superb community comes from the numerous large seaside estates along Ocean Avenue and other coastal thoroughfares. The famous "Bush Compound" is located on Walker's Point, a peninsula visible from Ocean Avenue.
1 night Mid Coast Maine
Standard: Lodge on the Cove or Nonantum Resort, Kennebunkport
Select: Kennebunkport Inn or Boathouse Waterfront Hotel, Kennebunkport
Unique and Boutique: Breakwater Inn & Spa, Kennebunkport (Inc Continental Breakfast) or Regency Hotel, Portland
 

Day 5: To Stowe, Northern Vermont (130 miles)
The Green Mountains in Vermont played a huge role in the creation of Vermont. Because they were so hard to cross on mountains trails, the looming mountain range divided the early town into eastern and western sections. The disputes between New York on one side and New Hampshire on the other over the rugged territory helped the Green Mountain Boys bring the two sides together as the Green Mountain Republic in 1777.
The Green Mountain Byway runs on VT 100 through the towns of Waterbury and Stowe, between the spine of the northern Green Mountains to the west and the peaks of the Worcester Range to the east. Travelling along the byway provides stunning views of open meadows, farmlands and forests, all with a spectacular mountain backdrop. Historic homes, farmsteads, villages and mill sites are accessible all along the route as well as the area’s most prominent natural feature, Mount Mansfield, Vermont’s highest peak.
1 nights Green Mountains Area
Standard: Commodores Inn, Stowe
Select: Stoweflake Resort, Stowe
Unique and Boutique: Green Mountain Inn, Stowe

Day 6: To Berkshires, Massachusetts (174 miles)
The Norman Rockwell picture perfect landscapes of The Berkshires are famous worldwide for summer theatre and musical performances of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. We heartily recommend travelling the Jacob’s Ladder Trail Scenic Byway, an untouched rural roadway that runs through the Berkshires, yet connects a number of the most famous venues. Follow the byway through vistas of forested hills, the rock-strewn Westfield River, open fields, small towns, wetlands and steep rock ledges. At times, towering ledges are laced with ice or running streams.
Along the drive, you’ll be passing through several small towns and villages where a church spire is the highest building in sight. There are three entries into the Chester-Blandford State Forest where you can find parking areas for hiking, camping, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. The historic granite quarry in Becket operated into the 1950s, where the water-filled quarry, the 19th-century equipment, and vast piles of tailings are all still in place to illustrate the industry in a natural woodland setting.
Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in Becket a National Historic Landmark, hosts dance companies from around the world. The outdoor stage has a beautiful view into the Berkshire Hills. You can also attend performances of the Chester Theatre Company and the Vincent Dowling Theatre Company, which both draw actors from national and international stages to the Chester Town Hall Theatre in a National Register Historic District. Tanglewood, home of the Boston Symphony is 4 1/2 miles off the byway.
If you enjoy 19th-century architecture in its original setting, spend time in Lee Centre, which has been a movie set more than once. The smaller town centres of Chester, Russell and Huntington offer many resources, including a restored railroad station from the 1840s, an Italianate Grange Hall, two mill villages, and churches with spires that mark the horizon from different locations on the byway.
Whether viewing the landscape alone, walking on old trails in the woodland forests along the byway, or attending cultural events in unspoiled landscape settings and historic districts, you'll become a part of the pristine natural world that characterizes Jacob’s Ladder Trail Scenic Byway.
Further north in the Berkshires, we expect that you’ll find Mount Greylock one of the highlights of the region. At 3,491 feet in elevation, it is the highest point in Massachusetts and southern New England, offering fantastic panoramic views into five states. It is also one of the most scenic mountains in the Eastern United States. It is so inspirational legend has it, that Greylock's long, saddle-like shape inspired Herman Melville to write "Moby Dick". He was, by all accounts, enamoured with the mountain, and he even set up a special observation deck at his home (near Pittsfield) so he could view Greylock whenever he desired.
When you travel to Greylock, it is obvious why people believe the legend and why Melville went out of his way to keep the mountain in his sites. Greylock can be seen for miles around, and is a quite impressive site given that is rises nearly 2,700 feet above the surrounding town of Adams, Massachusetts. Furthermore, it's very colourful, and has a steep slope that shoots up into the sky, unlike most mountains you'll find of this height in New England.
After you savour the views from the mountain, savour the art at the new Massachusetts Museum of Modern Art in North Adams.
1 night Berkshires
Standard: Yankee Inn, Lenox (Inc Continental Breakfast)
Select: Berkshires Red Lion Inn, Stockbridge
Unique and Boutique: Williams Inn, Williamstown

Day 7: To Cape Cod, Massachusetts (186 miles)
Cape Cod is larger than most people imagine. Your accommodation places you right in the middle of the Cape, ready for action. The Upper Cape closest to the Massachusetts mainland is home to Sandwich and Falmouth, location of the famous Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Hyannis, of Kennedy fame, is located Mid-Cape. The narrow portion of land where it bends sharply north is considered the Lower Cape. The Outer Cape includes the Cape Cod National Seashore, forty miles of pristine sandy beach, marshes, ponds and uplands.
Lighthouses, cultural landscapes and wild cranberry bogs offer a glimpse of Cape Cod’s past. Stephen Leatherman, aka Dr. Beach, recently named Coast Guard Beach the 5th best beach in the US. Provincetown, at the very end of the Cape and long known as an art town, berths several whale watching fleets that patrol Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Several guarantee a whale sighting at the right time of year.
We suggest if time allows a trip by ferry to Nantucket Island, one of the most unique, historic and visually stunning places in the world. Originally a booming whaling port, the National Historic District of Nantucket has changed little since the 17th century, when many of the seaside cottages were built and old-fashioned whale oil lamps lit the streets. Today, nearly 40% of the remainder of the island is protected conservation land. You can walk wide sandy beaches, swim in the sparkling waters of Nantucket Sound or brave the Atlantic on the island’s south shore. If land is more to your liking, browse the many boutique shops, art galleries and museums or sign up for a tour of the island.
Even though Edgartown is the most famous town on Martha’s Vineyard, the Vineyard, another island reached only by boat, actually has six different towns that are as different as night and day. Once a thriving whaling port, the island is now home to writers, artists, architects and designers who come here to get away from the hustle and bustle of Boston. There are no chain restaurants, no shopping malls and no speed over 45 miles an hour on Martha’s Vineyard. What a great way to end your journey through New England in complete relaxation!
1 night Cape Cod.
Standard: Shoreway Acres Innm Falmouth
Select: Inn on the Square, Falmouth
Unique and Boutique: Chatham Wayside Inn, Chatham

Day 8: To Boston, Massachusetts (75 miles)
Boston’s Logan Airport is approximately 1.5 hours drive from Cape Cod and en-route you’ll have time to visit picturesque Sandwich, the Cape’s oldest town and at Plymouth the Plimoth Plantation, a living Museum of 1627 life. Time for lunch before driving to the airport.

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Pre, post or extra nights: Pre, post & extra nights within the itinerary can be added to this tour, please let us know if you would like to extend your stay anywhere and we will be happy to quote the extra nights.

Included in the tour:
Accommodation.
All hotel taxes.

Not included in this tour:
Meals.
Overnight parking charges if applicable.
Flights – Please contact us for a competitive quote on flights direct into Boston with our airline partners British Airways or Virgin Atlantic.
Car Hire - Please contact us for a competitive quote on car hire with our rental partner Alamo rent a car.

Hotel accommodations are offered on three quality levels:

“Standard” typically 2/3 star hotels providing clean and moderate accommodations with several basic facilities, some with a limited dining room and sometimes a swimming pool.

“Select” indicates a more superior style of accommodation typically of a 3/4 star quality, in a central location with extended facilities including a full service dining room and usually a swimming pool.

“Unique & Boutique” offers a high level of accommodations in unique individual and often historic properties sure to make your stay memorable. Please note that due to the historic and individual nature of some of the Unique and boutique properties it is not possible to guarantee twin bedded rooms or interconnecting rooms, the majority of these properties accept a max of 2 guests per room and have 1 bed.

Rooms in all levels of accommodation choice provide private facilities and are based on the hotels standard or lead in room type.

Should any of the above published hotels not be available an alternative property at the same level will be offered.

Accommodation Only Prices

All 'from' prices quoted are per adult person per package in £ GBP and include all taxes. 

The exact cost of the tour will depend on the date of travel and the availability at the time you book.

Please call us on 0844 80 444 80 or email us reservations@purelynewengland.co.uk 

we can then check availability and provide you with a quote for your preferred departure date including tour, flights and car hire.

Standard hotels

(Low season) 7 Night tour only from £380 per person, based on 2 sharing

(High season) 7 Night tour only from £490 per person, based on 2 sharing

Select hotels

(Low season) 7 Night tour only from £590 per person, based on 2 sharing

(High season) 7 Night tour only from £729 per person, based on 2 sharing

Unique & Boutique hotels

(Low season) 7 Night tour only from £720 per person, based on 2 sharing

(High season) 7 Night tour only from £870 per person, based on 2 sharing

Single, Double/Twin, Triple and Quad occupancy available.

 Up to two children under 12 can normally stay free when sharing the same room with two adults.