Cherry Blossom Celebration | New Haven

Back in 1973, New Haven’s parks department planted 72 Japanese flowering cherry trees in Wooster Square Park. The trees’ bounty of pale-pink blossoms emerges over the course of two weeks in April, an abundance marked by the Historic Wooster Square Association’s annual community event featuring music and food vendors. 4/6; historicwoostersquare.org

ColorBlends House & Spring Garden, Bridgeport

A 1903 Colonial Revival mansion in the city’s historic Stratfield district is the backdrop for a half-acre garden featuring nearly 100,000 bulbs: tulips, daffodils, crocuses, narcissus, and many more spring-flowering favorites. The garden, created by Dutch floral landscaper Jacqueline van der Kloet, was designed to inspire home gardeners, who are invited to stroll the property and tour the house and art gallery when blooms appear in early April. Check website for details; colorblendsspringgarden.com

Denison Homestead Daffodil Day | Mystic

Mystic’s 1654 Denison Homestead hosts this celebration of the surrounding nature center’s thousands of daffodils. Look for tours of the 1717 Pequotsepos Manor and its gardens, demonstrations of open-hearth cooking, and children’s activities including crafts and a scavenger hunt. Check website for details; denisonhomestead.org

Flamig Farm | Simsbury

April marks a new season at the family-owned Flamig Farm and its petting zoo, where kids can meet critters ranging from the familiar—horses, cows, sheep, etc.—to exotics such as peacocks and emus. On weekends, the farm’s ponies are saddled up for rides. Want to linger? Reserve a couple of nights at Flamig’s Airbnb accommodations, and join in the life of the farm. Check website for details; flamigfarm.com

Greenfield Hill Dogwood Festival | Fairfield

The gorgeous dogwood blossoms gracing the grounds of Greenfield Hill Congregational Church have inspired a spring festival since 1936. Highlights include live music, craft vendors, baked goods, plant sales, a history walking tour, and of course the festival’s inspiration, once described by Eleanor Roosevelt after a 1938 visit as “an avenue of pink and white dogwood such as I have never seen anywhere else in this country.” 5/10–5/11; greenfieldhillchurch.com 

May Market at Hill-Stead Museum | Farmington

During the rest of the year, the main attraction at Hill-Stead is its renowned collection of Impressionist paintings. But in springtime, art competes with the museum’s 152 acres of flowers, blossoming shrubs, and natural woodlands. May Market, held on the first weekend of the month, is the perfect time to enjoy the grounds and browse the offerings of more than 40 vendors plus Mother’s Day plants and cut flowers. Dates 5/3–5/4; hillstead.org

Best Spring Events in Maine

Aroostook County Fiddlehead Festival | Presque Isle

Fiddleheads—those tightly curled, bright green ferns freshly popped up from the damp spring earth—are a popular foragers’ quarry in Aroostook County. They’re also the centerpiece of this annual festival featuring a fiddlehead cooking contest for both amateurs and professionals, a craft fair, live music, and fiddlehead picking at a designated spot where the tasty morsels grow. 5/17; visitaroostook.com

Down East Birding Festival | Trescott

Migrating birds visit the diverse habitats of the Cobscook Bay region in late May, giving birders the chance to observe and identify some 300 species. Participants at the Cobscook Institute event comb fresh and saltwater environments for great cormorants, spruce grouse, kittiwakes, and the Atlantic puffins who frequent nearby Machias Seal Island. Feeling up to a real identification challenge? About two dozen species of warblers are springtime visitors. 5/23–5/26; cobscookinstitute.org

Maine Maple Sunday Weekend | Statewide

As spring arrives, the Pine Tree State becomes the Maple Tree State. On the weekend of the fourth Sunday in March, nearly 100 of Maine’s maple producers hold open houses to show how sap is boiled down into syrup—and to offer tastes of their sweet elixir on ice cream, as candies, and in baked goods. Many sugarhouses also have hayrides, face painting, and other activities for kids. 3/22–3/23; mainemapleproducers.com

May Day Festival | Kennebunk

The Puritans disapproved of May Day and its dancing around the Maypole, but modern New Englanders have loosened up. For proof, head to Kennebunk on the first Saturday in May for the seaside town’s festival featuring a Maypole dance, a parade, a farmers’ market, live music, basketmaking and other crafts workshops … and a lobster toss (not sure what the Puritans would have made of that). 5/3; kennebunkmaine.us

McLaughlin Garden and Homestead | South Paris

With more than 125 varieties of lilacs and gorgeous displays of phlox, daylilies, hostas, irises, primroses, and other spring-blooming favorites, one of Maine’s best-loved gardens was the vision of Bernard McLaughlin, “the dean of Maine gardeners.” Mother’s Day weekend marks the beginning of lilac season and the opening of the garden’s two acres of colorful plantings and its pond, rock, and pollinator gardens. Perennials and wildflowers are on sale from then through October. mclaughlingarden.org

Best Spring Events in Massachusetts

Cider Hill Farm Tulip Fest | Amesbury

There’s almost always something going on at Cider Hill, but this is a special time because Tulip Fest is a participatory event. That’s right: When tulips are in bloom, from late April to mid-May, farm visitors are invited to pick and purchase their own blossoms. It’s the kickoff to a spring and summer of pick-your-own strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and flowers galore. 5/3–5/4 and 5/10–5/11; ciderhill.com

Daffodil and Tulip Festival | Stockbridge

The imposing shingle-style mansion at Naumkeag, the former Joseph Choate estate, is a secondary attraction in April and May, when more than 75,000 daffodils and tulips take center stage at the Trustees of Reservations property. The blooms cover eight acres, and visitors can buy bouquets and container plants at a shop alongside the greenhouse. The first floor of the mansion will be open for self-guided tours. Advance ticket purchases are strongly recommended. Check website for details; thetrustees.org

Duckling Day | Boston

Move over, Mom, and make way for Duckling Day, Boston’s celebration of Robert McCloskey’s beloved children’s book, held every year on Mother’s Day. Children dress like ducklings and parade through city parks, with the premier event taking place at the ducklings’ literary home, the Public Garden lagoon. The procession to the famed duckling sculptures begins with games, music, and performers on Boston Common. 5/11; friendsofthepublicgarden.org

Maple Days at Old Sturbridge Village | Sturbridge

In late February and early March, Old Sturbridge Village demonstrates the entire maple sugaring process—from tapping trees to “sugaring off”—as it was done in rural New England in the early 19th century. Learn how techniques have evolved over time, from traditional Native American methods to today, and check out all the maple goodies to taste and purchase. Friday–Sunday, 2/19–3/9; osv.org

Nantucket Daffodil Festival | Nantucket

Nantucket goes daffy on the last weekend in April, when the island’s Garden Club celebrates warm days with a daffodil show at the Bartlett’s Farm greenhouses. The four-day event also features an antique car parade, a tailgate picnic in ’Sconset, and Saturday fun at Children’s Beach, where kids are invited to join in a Daffodil Hat Parade. And to add some traditional flavor to the season, Morris dancers perform at locations throughout Nantucket. 4/24–4/27; daffodilfestival.com

Swan Boats’ Opening Day, Boston

It all started with Richard Wagner’s opera Lohengrin, and its scene in which the title character rides a swan-drawn boat to a damsel’s rescue. That gave Robert Paget the idea of launching pedal-powered boats featuring stern-mounted swans on Boston’s Public Garden lagoon. Nearly 150 years later, Paget’s descendants still operate the boats, which commence their 15-minute cruises on the second weekend in April, when the gardens are full of spring blooms. Opens 4/19; swanboats.com

Best Spring Events in New Hampshire

Charmingfare Farm | Candia

The Manchester area’s biggest petting zoo and animal experience opens in May, with farm animals including dairy cows, sheep, draft horses, oxen and more ready to greet visitors. Pony rides and horse-drawn carriage rides are part of the fun, and a wildlife area (no petting!) is home to bears and a camel, a wolf, a bobcat, and a coyote. Check website for details; visitthefarm.com

Springfest at Strawbery Banke | Portsmouth

Portsmouth’s living history museum tells four centuries of stories through its remarkable collection of historic homes. Celebrate spring at Strawbery Banke with heritage-breed baby animals, heirloom gardens, and live demonstrations like oxen at work, sheep shearing, and a honey extraction. Discover the connection between animals, horticulture, and New England’s history, plus enjoy hands-on activities and take home a piece of history from the plant sale. 5/10-5/11; strawberybanke.org

New Hampshire Maple Experience | Bethlehem

March is Maple Month in New Hampshire, with sugarmakers welcoming visitors throughout the state. One of the most enjoyable events is held at The Rocks estate in Bethlehem on weekends starting in mid-March. Learn the sap-to-syrup process from tapping to collecting to boiling, and wrap up the day with pancakes and syrup. Check website for details; forestsociety.org/the-rocks

TulipFete at the farm at Wolf Pine Hollow | Hancock

Apples, grapes, strawberries, even kiwis—they all abound at Wolf Pine Hollow. But the springtime stars are tulips. Starting in late April, TulipFete brings color-starved winter survivors to the farm and what’s been called its “never-ending tulip field.” Tulips are available for sale at the farm store, or in the cutting gardens. Don’t forget to bring the kids to meet the farm’s lambs, piglets, and baby goats. Check website for details; wolfpinehollow.com

Best Spring Events in Rhode Island

Daffodil Days at Blithewold | Bristol

Blithewold, the former Van Wickle estate spread across 33 acres on the shores of Narragansett Bay, splendidly preserves the extensive gardens created by landscape architect John DeWolf at the turn of the 20th century. One of the gardens’ greatest glories is their array of more than 50,000 daffodils, in bloom during most of April. Take a casual stroll through the grounds, or reserve a spot for an afternoon tea worthy of the Gilded Age. Check website for details; blithewold.org

Fairy Garden Days | Providence

Visitors to the Roger Williams Park Botanical Center greenhouses might be forgiven for believing that those photos of garden fairies, “taken” a century ago, might not have been a hoax after all. During the last two weeks of April, the greenhouses are dotted with tiny “fairy homes” made from natural materials found in the park—shelters, furnishings, and even little fairy place settings. Along with marveling at the wee folks’ lodgings, kids can enjoy scavenger hunts, story times, and more. Check website for details; providenceri.gov

La Gondola | Providence

In Venice, gondolas operate all year. But in Providence, it’s spring that brings these romantic boats out onto the water. Authentically attired gondoliers pilot their crafts along the Providence and Woonasquatucket rivers on 40-minute trips; the price includes an ice bucket, glasses, and Italian wine biscuits to accompany passengers’ bottles. Yes, the gondoliers sing (if desired), and for a few dollars extra a musician will ride along. Check website for dates and reservations; gondolari.com

Sheep Shearing Day at Watson Farm | Jamestown

Spread across 265 acres on scenic Conanicut Island, Historic New England’s Watson Farm has been cultivated since 1657. On Sheep Shearing Day, visitors are welcome to stroll pathways along Narragansett Bay, wander fields where livestock graze, and learn about time-honored agricultural methods still practiced by the resident farmers. Check website for details; historicnewengland.org

Wicked Tulips Flower Farm | Exeter, RI; Johnston, RI; Preston, CT

Take your pick of Wicked Tulips’ three scenic outposts—which open for farm visits only a few weeks each year—when their hundreds of thousands of bulbs burst into bloom. Mother Nature determines the dates for this glorious pick-your-own event, so keep an eye on the website for updates, as well as ticket sales. wickedtulips.com

Best Spring Events in Vermont

Baby Farm Animal Celebration | Woodstock

The kids can meet the kids—not just baby goats but also lambs, chicks, ducklings, piglets, calves, and bunnies—at what’s heralded as the “cutest event of the year” at Billings Farm & Museum. Food trucks will be on hand, and the Farmhouse Scoop Shop opens for the season, too. 4/26–4/27; billingsfarm.org

Pond Skim | Killington

It’ll probably never be an Olympic event, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth watching 100 bizarrely attired skiers and snowboarders rush downhill at Killington Resort, hoping they’ve built up enough momentum to plane across a frigid pond. There are awards for best skim and biggest splash—and spectators eager to see both. 4/12; killington.com 

Spring Maple Open House Weekend | Statewide

The next-to-last weekend in March is when Vermont’s sugarmakers open their doors to maple mavens—and to anyone curious about how the spring sap flow boils down into the state’s signature product. There’ll be syrup to sample, and many producers will offer sugar on snow, a taffylike maple treat created when warm syrup touches winter’s cold remnants. And, yes, it’s traditionally served with pickles … or doughnuts, for the less adventurous. 3/22–3/23; vermontmaple.org

Vermont Maple Festival | St. Albans

At this beloved three-day celebration of sugar season, food vendors’ offerings have a maple flavor, and tastings provide a chance to sample different grades. A maple-oriented “sappy” art show, a maple cooking contest, and pancake breakfasts extend the theme, as do Saturday night’s maple banquet and Sunday’s big parade. Live music, entertainment for kids, and craft, youth talent, and fiddlers’ shows round out the program. 4/25–4/27; vtmaplefestival.org

World Migratory Bird Day | Quechee

Join in a day of learning, crafts, and activities at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) as it celebrates the long-distance fliers of the avian world. Take a tour of the songbird aviary, attend a live-raptor show, and get a bird’s-eye view of the landscape from the elevated Forest Canopy Walk. 5/10; vinsweb.org

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Blues like the deep sea, greens like the shallows. Dinner plates done in explosively imaginative designs you’d almost hate to hide with food. Vases prettier than the flowers they’re made for.

The pottery at D. Lasser Ceramics in Londonderry, Vermont, ranges from functional to purely decorative, from a full line of tableware to outdoor sculptural ceramics and even glazed garden orbs that make glass glazing balls look staid and old-fashioned. And through it all, color with a generous dollop of whimsy reigns.

“My personality is playful,” says founder Daniel Lasser, “and my personality is all over these things. You’re going to get a playful product.”

Every piece sold at D. Lasser Ceramics is made on the premises. The showroom fronts a workspace dominated by two enormous kilns, one for firing and the other for glazing, and displays of finished work spill out across the lawns. Situated on a gently rolling hillside, it’s an impossible place to miss on a drive along Route 100.

It’s surprising to learn that Lasser, 63, has been making ceramics for more than 50 years—but he got a grade school start. “When I was 11, an art teacher brought in a wheel one day so the class could try it out,” he recalls. “I never looked back. From then on, I knew just what I wanted to be.” He’s proud to show two cups he made back when he was that boy, and both look as if they’d find buyers in no time at all. 

Lasser studied ceramics at Alfred University, home of the New York State College of Ceramics, and he went into the business soon after graduating. Although he’s a veteran of the trade show circuit and formerly sold at several outlets, he’s sold his work exclusively at the Londonderry location and via his own website for the past 20 years. “I used to make things with a commercial purpose, repeating designs that were geared to sales,” he says. “But I wasn’t really in it; it was just copying. I went back to being myself.”

For Lasser, that means being focused on all the possibilities of color and on the pigments that potters use to achieve them. “My work is defined by an exploration with color,” he says. “It’s all about the chemistry, exploring what the colors can do. It’s like playing in your backyard—with a purpose.”

D. Lasser Ceramics isn’t a one-man shop. “There are usually four or five [artisans] working here, sometimes more,” he explains, “but they’re not necessarily trained in ceramics.” Lasser does the training, and all of the shop’s artisans work from his designs and color schemes.

The shop’s bestsellers are mugs and dinnerware. Pottery meant for outdoors might be second, including purpose-made large sculptural pieces—maybe even a fountain—sure to add a vibrant touch to patios or garden borders and backdrops. Decorative platters 24 inches across, too large for any but a baronial dining room, are perfect for wall mounting in a sunroom or along a piazza.

Lasser’s customers are as playful as he is. “People mix and match,” he says. “We seldom see them buying whole dinner sets with each place setting in the same pattern and colors—they buy different patterns, in different colors, and mix them up.” It’s easy to imagine a Lasser-enhanced dinner party, with guests taking seats where the table settings most intrigue them. 

It’s just as easy to suppose there are households bursting with enough Lasser ceramics to host dinners for dozens. “We meet people in the shop who tell us they’ve been buying our work for years,” Lasser says. “We’ve been here long enough that by now we have second-generation customers.”

On any given Saturday or Sunday at D. Lasser Ceramics, the number of browsers and buyers usually runs to a hundred or more. And if they miss the weekend, there’s almost every other day in the year: The business closes on just three holidays—Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter, all days when countless feasts might boast a certain special splash of D. Lasser flair.

Looking back on his love affair with clay and color that dates to that day in grade school, Lasser sums up what has mattered most in his career: “My favorite thing here is sitting at the wheel. I’m a potter by nature.” lasserceramics.com

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New England is a region where chocolate makers combine tradition with innovation, creating some of the finest confections you’ll ever taste. Whether you’re in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, or Vermont, the local chocolatiers are masters at turning simple ingredients into edible works of art. From artisanal truffles and creamy caramels to nostalgic candies and unique flavor combinations, these sweet spots offer a variety of treats that will satisfy any craving. So whether you’re searching for the perfect gift or simply indulging yourself, the chocolate shops of New England promise to delight with their high-quality, handcrafted offerings.

Connecticut Candy Stores

Bridgewater Chocolate, Brookfield

The only problem with gifting Bridgewater chocolates is that their exquisite boxes might suggest fine jewelry lies within. Any disappointment will disappear, though, when recipients dig into Swedish chocolatier Erik Landegren’s creations. His assortment of dark, milk, and white chocolates is complemented by things like chocolate-covered shortbread, peanut butter patties, and even marshmallows. Traditional English toffees, along with almond and hazelnut varieties, are a specialty. Additional locations in Westport, West Hartford, and Boston

Castle Hill Chocolate, Sandy Hook

“Too pretty to eat” comes to mind when first encountering one of the most artistically expressive arrays of bonbons in the land. Bright, colorful glazes grace Castle Hill’s ganache creations, which come in flavors such as caramelized cinnamon, salted toffee, lemon coconut, and brownie batter. Dark, milk, and white chocolate bars also boast distinctive flavors—strawberries and cream, almond toffee pretzel, and glacé orange, to name just a few.

The Chocolate Shell, Old Lyme

Given the name, there are bound to be chocolate seashells somewhere in this shop’s whimsical inventory, among a quirky collection of shapes, sizes, and flavors. Nutella colada or espresso martini truffles? Both have turned up recently. Clever packaging is also a calling card here: Along with chocolate gift boxes, there are candy olives (actually almonds covered in green chocolate) in, yes, classic martini glasses. Facebook

Fascia’s Chocolates, Waterbury

Picture an Old World–style candy kitchen with copper kettles and marble cooling slabs. That’s the scene at Fascia’s, where 60 years and the talents of one family have been devoted to handcrafting fine candies. The shop is especially known for its “meltaways,” which do just that and come in a spectrum of flavors including mocha and peanut butter. Buttery caramels are always available, as are creams, with marzipan, raspberry, and crème brûlée ranking among the favorites.

THE Litchfield Candy Company, Litchfield

The sweetest spot in the Litchfield Hills is nestled into a bright red bandbox of a building that doesn’t look as if it could possibly hold its outsize confection collection. Shelves and counters bulge with chocolates, gummies, fudge, and more, just about all of which can be hand-selected and purchased by the pound in bags, boxes, and gift baskets. Facebook

Munson’s Chocolates, Bolton

What better way to show support for UConn’s champs than with a Husky chocolate bar? They’re at Munson’s, in dark or milk, with nuts or without. Of course there’s plenty else here, including distinctive takes on classics such as fudge stuffed with peanut butter and caramel, and chocolate bark studded with macadamia nuts. Bonbons are sold by the pound or in boxes ranging from a six-piece assortment to a “create your own” 36-piece extravaganza. Additional locations statewide

Tschudin Chocolates & Confections, Middletown

In Roberto Tschudin Lucheme’s search for the perfect career, artisanal confectioner was the winner—and he’s pursued it with a passion. For him, it’s all about the ingredients: Chocolate from Central American and Caribbean cacao varietals is married with flavors found closer to home, such as mint and honey sourced right here in Connecticut. Fresh cream and butter are prime elements, though vegan options are available. Thinking about your own career switch? Tschudin also offers chocolate classes.

Maine Candy Stores

Ben & Bill’s Chocolate Emporium, Bar Harbor

Sea salt caramel truffles may seem like the perfect nibble to enjoy by the waters of Frenchman Bay—but choosing just one kind of treat is nearly impossible at this premier location of a nearly 70-year-old, family-run New England candy business. Among the emporium’s other offerings are chocolate-covered candied ginger, blueberry fudge, and scrumptious cashew brittle. There’s ice cream, too, including a flavor that another “Ben &” outfit has yet to come up with: lobster. Additional locations on Martha’s Vineyard and in Falmouth, MA;

Dean’s Sweets, Portland

Dean’s is fanatically loyal to its Maine location, its Maine suppliers, and, well, just about everything Maine. From bars and squares to nonpareils and buttercrunch, local ingredients abound. Dean’s uses organic cream from Maine dairies, beer from Portland’s Orange Bike Brewing Company for its stout truffles, Maine-roasted coffee, and even Maine-distilled vodka for a special take on the state’s classic potato candies, called Needhams.

The Goldenrod, York Beach

Since 1896, beachgoers have strolled (or eagerly sprinted) two blocks from Short Sands Beach to this iconic sweet shop. The Goldenrod—where there’s also a restaurant and an antique marble soda fountain—is famous for its saltwater taffy “kisses,” made according to founder Edward Talpey’s recipe. These taffy treats come in nearly a dozen regular flavors, plus a flavor of the week. Fudges, barks, brittles in peanut or cashew, and old-fashioned caramel corn all make that hike from the beach worthwhile. Open mid-May to mid-October

Harbor Candy Shop, Ogunquit

A handsome space lined with dark wood cabinets and shelves, Harbor Candy’s premises seem less like a shop than a jeweler’s showroom. But the gems here are fine chocolates, made daily with always-fresh ingredients. Among the specialties are chocolate bars in 16 varieties and hard-to-find divinity, marzipan, layered truffles, and fruit jellies that more closely resemble true French pâtes de fruits than everyday gummies.

Island Candy Company, Orr’s Island

Melinda Richter was once the proverbial “kid in a candy store,” and her recollections of that childhood time led her to start her own sweet shop. Today she turns out a tempting variety of barks enhanced with pistachios, cranberries, assorted nuts, and chia seeds; nut brittles and toffees; and buttercreams, fudge, and nougats. Maine Needhams are here, along with chocolate-dipped fruits and even rum fudge golf balls. Open April–December

Monica’s Chocolates, Lubec

Down East (just about as far Down East as you can go, in fact) is the direction to travel for Monica Elliott’s handmade selection of bonbons, caramels, truffles, creams, chocolate-covered fruits, and even sugar-free blueberry, cranberry, and nut clusters. Among the special treats are wintergreen chocolate hearts and Needhams perked up with almonds, pecans, or—this being Maine—blueberries. Open April–December

Ragged Coast Chocolates, Westbrook

At Ragged Coast, “local” is the watchword. Cream and butter for chocolates and caramels come from nearby dairies, and Down East farms produce the herbs, fruits, and edible flowers the chocolatiers use. Even the rye in whiskey truffles is locally distilled. Chocolate, of course, travels farther—it’s sourced from responsibly cultivated Latin American and Hawaiian trees. Top picks here: rich milk and dark chocolate barks, and truffles in flavors including lavender and hazelnut latte.

Massachusetts Candy Stores

Chocolate Therapy, Wayland

It’s not hard to find folks who believe that chocolate is indeed therapy—and who are we to disagree? Since 2011, Pam and David Griffin have been soothing countless souls with their exquisite handmade dark chocolate truffles crafted with ingredients both traditional and outside the box (cayenne, lemon, basil, etc.). For those who prefer taking the nutty route, the Griffins offer crunchy almond barks in dark, milk, and white chocolate. Try all three varieties by treating yourself to the Chocolate Therapy Trio Nut-Bark Collection, which earned a spot on Oprah’s Favorite Things list in 2024.

The Chocolate Truffle, Reading

No, not the kind of truffle hunted by pigs in Europe. These morsels are chocolates with a delightful dual personality: pillowy ganache centers in an assortment of flavors, hand-rolled and enveloped in an outer shell of rich Belgian chocolate. Four generations of Burkinshaw family confectionary experience go into the truffles as well as nut-rich turtles and other artisan specialties, including peanut brittle and caramel popcorn made with sea salt.

Hilliard’s Chocolates, North Easton

This family-owned shop reached its century milestone in 2024. Milk and dark chocolates with a variety of fillings are a mainstay, along with favorites like almond toffee crunch, barks, and truffles. Hilliard’s loves to dip (or completely immerse) popular treats in chocolate. Looking for half-dipped diced and candied apricots, pears, peaches, or oranges? They’re all here, alongside chocolate-covered raisins, cranberries, potato chips, Oreo cookies, and graham crackers. Additional locations in Norwell and Mansfield

Mrs. Nelson’s Candy House, Chelmsford

It’s been more than 70 years since Mrs. Nelson started making and selling chocolates, and though the Nelson family are no longer the house chocolatiers, a commitment to top ingredients and candy made daily is still the rule. Look for all the standbys—milk and dark chocolate, caramels, creams, nut clusters—and take out the guessing with boxes of “Hard-N-Chewy” or soft center only. There’s plenty of non-chocolate favorites here, too.

The Penny Candy Store, Sharon

Who knew? Hershey’s Kisses come in 10 foil colors—and here’s a shop that has them all. Kisses, though, are just one of a thousand candy selections, each available by the piece, by the box, or, one imagines, by the carload. Candy brands that date back decades are a specialty (remember Choo-Choo Charlie and his Good & Plentys)? Gummies, wafers, jelly beans, licorice—if it’s sweet, it’s on Merchant Street in Sharon.

Spindler Confections & Savory Delights, Cambridge

Harvard University may be at the heart of Cambridge, but for an education in chocolate, continue down Massachusetts Avenue to Spindler. Here, the major subjects include caramel nut clusters, cherry cordials, vanilla mint meltaways, barks and butter cups, and bonbon assortments scrumptious enough to bribe the crankiest professor. Plus, right on the premises is a fascinating museum chronicling the Boston area’s once-thriving confectionery industry.

YE Olde Pepper CompanIE, Salem

Named for an early proprietor rather than an unusual ingredient, this Salem institution located near the city’s historic waterfront claims to be America’s oldest candy company. Dating back to the firm’s earliest days are signature sweets such as peppermint or lemon “Gibralters” that derive their name from their rocklike consistency, and “Black Jacks,” made with molasses. There’s much more—chocolates licorice, caramels, toffee—to inspire trick-or-treat fantasies in the Witch City all year round. Additional location in North Andover

New Hampshire Candy Stores

Chutters, Littleton

At an astounding 112 feet, the Chutters candy counter takes the prize as the longest in the world. Candy lovers come from all over to marvel at the legion of glass jars brimming with more than 500 varieties of hard candies, gummies, jelly beans, and every other example of sugar’s leap into immortality, including old favorites you didn’t think they made anymore. Look for handmade chocolates and fudge, too. Additional locations in Bretton Woods (open seasonally) and Lincoln

Granite State Candy Shoppe, Concord

Look around this shop, and two things will likely come to mind: Grandma’s house and the movies. Didn’t your grandmother always have a dish of licorice allsorts on the coffee table? And weren’t sugar-sparkled spearmint leaves part of your cinema-going experience? Granite State has these and much more, starting with a full lineup of chocolates and specialties such as chocolate-covered (dark or milk) gummy bears. It goes all out with theme items for holidays, too. Additional location in Manchester

Huckleberry’s Candies, Hampton

Some confections seem to survive only in memory … and then they turn up in a shop like Huckleberry’s. Here are two such nostalgic favorites: gummy raspberries and blackberries, looking just like the real thing with their sugar-bead coatings; and chocolate-covered espresso beans, sweet and bitter at the same time. The shop is filled with just about everything else that can be covered in chocolate, plus rich milk and dark chocolates, while gummy lobsters honor the seaside location.

L.A. Burdick Chocolates, Walpole

While Burdick’s French-accented restaurant is a surprisingly sophisticated destination in this small Connecticut River Valley town, its adjoining café and chocolate shop are just as big a draw. Among Burdick’s specialties are dark, milk, and white chocolate bars studded with cocoa nibs, pistachios, and other nuts; chocolate-covered treats such as mango slices, marzipan, and pâtes de fruits; and boxed arrays of elegant bonbons including the signature handcrafted Burdick mice and penguins filled with flavored ganache. Additional locations in Boston and Cambridge, MA, and New York, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.

Lee’s Candy Kitchen, Meredith

Lee’s is three candy shops in one. It’s an outlet for handcrafted chocolates from artisan suppliers, a place to mix and match selections from jar after jar of individual candies, and a source for the candy bars (some getting a bit hard to find) that everyone remembers from afternoons at the movies or from rummaging through their jeans for quarters at the corner store. Zagnut? 100 Grand? You’ll find them here. Additional location in Plymouth;

Lickee’s & Chewy’s Candies & Creamery, Dover

New England’s only medieval-themed candy shop comes with a goofy knight-and-dragon backstory and—more important—a selection of 200-plus sweets, including classics like marshmallow peanuts, Turkish delight, and Pez. These share the shelves with chocolate bonbons, truffles, and international treats (e.g., Japan’s Pocky chocolate sticks, Germany’s Haribo gummies and sours, black licorice “Beagles” from Holland). Candies also garnish the shop’s “King Shake” ice cream extravaganzas.

Red Kite Candy, Hanover

Located just off the Dartmouth Green, Red Kite is an artisan caramel shop in an Ivy League of its own. Slow-cooked, small-batch morsels are made with cream from Vermont and New Hampshire dairies and come in classic, maple, sea salt, and four other varieties year-round, plus a gingerbread option during the holidays. Not into caramels? Try nougat made with local honey and egg whites, or turtles that actually look like turtles, with pecan heads and feet.

Rhode Island Candy Stores

Anchor Toffee, Providence

A brewery, a distillery, a produce market—what more could one short stretch of Sims Avenue offer? The answer is toffee. The English treat is made here the traditional way, from caramelized sugar and butter, and offered coated with dark chocolate in plain, almond, pumpkin spice (seasonal), and other versions, even vegan coconut almond toffee with coconut milk substituting for butter. Look for saltwater taffy and truffles, too. Additional location in Newport

Hauser Chocolatier, Westerly

For sheer variety, it’s hard to beat the array of flavors offered by the Hauser family, now in their second generation of producing fine chocolates and truffles to the exacting Swiss standards of founder Ruedi Hauser. In a truffle line of 30-plus varieties, traditional flavors like hazelnut and rum are joined by adventurous selections such as blueberry port wine, eggnog, and black vinegar.

Sweenor’s Chocolates, Wakefield

Want a reminder of your days by the sea? Sweenor’s has chocolate sailboats, sea creature pops, and even little chocolate flip-flops. And this may be the only place to buy a plaque depicting the Point Judith Lighthouse in chocolate. In the conventional-candy realm, Sweenor’s shoppers can opt for boxed assortments or curate their own selection from among dozens of varieties including caramels, turtles, truffles, clusters, barks, and chocolate-covered crackers and dried fruits. Additional location in Cranston

Sweet Lorraine’s Candy Shoppe, Barrington

Tucked into an off-the-main-drag location near scenic Brickyard Pond and its surrounding parkland, this family-owned mecca for candy lovers offers a roundup of chocolates from premier New England producers such as Lake Champlain and Sweenor’s. Sweet Lorraine’s stocks organic, sugar-free, and nut-free chocolates and other candies, and shelves are crowded with the shapes and colors of penny candies. Custom-assembled gift baskets and holiday-themed treats are specialties.

Vermont Candy Stores

Lake Champlain Chocolates, Burlington

In a state that’s pioneered the artisanal trend in everything from beer to ice cream, Lake Champlain has been the chocolate star for over 40 years. Barks, bars, and bonbons—both milk and dark—lead a lineup that includes exotics like macadamia nut caramel clusters, triple-layered peanut butter cups, and truffles made with Maker’s Mark bourbon. With a flagship store and café on Pine Street and a satellite location on Church Street, the company also offers baking chocolate and a selection of more than half a dozen hot cocoa powders. Additional locations in Waterbury and Stowe

Maple City Candy, Swanton

If you need any proof that maple is more than a pancake’s best friend, it’s here in Swanton. Vermont’s sweet elixir appears on Maple City’s shelves in the form of soft and hard candies, fudge, and taffy, and as a coating for almonds, cashews, pecans, and even popcorn. Maple cotton candy? Why not? Holiday-themed maple candies are a specialty: maple shamrocks for St. Pat’s, maple rosettes for Valentine’s Day, and, of course, maple Santas.

Middlebury Sweets, Middlebury

Is it a motel with a candy shop attached, or the other way around? Either way, here’s a place where Route 7 travelers can settle into their overnight lodgings with a box of bonbons bought on the premises. There’s no need to stay overnight, though, in order to browse Vermont’s largest selection of candies—over 1,500 varieties—and enjoy chocolates from a collection made right here in small batches.

Mother Myrick’s Confectionery, Manchester

Handcrafted using butter from Vermont’s celebrated Cabot Creamery, buttercrunch is the star attraction at this Manchester mainstay. It’s often paired with Lemon LuLu cake from Myrick’s bakery—after all, why not gild the lily? The confection menu continues past the ’crunch to include dark chocolate–dipped glacé apricots, milk or dark almond bark, fudge, sea salt caramels, a Myrick’s take on pecan turtles called “Myricles,” and a dandy hot fudge sauce.

The Sweet Spot Candy Shoppe, Quechee

Quechee Gorge Village, named for the nearby glacial gorge, is a place to browse antiques, stock up on Vermont cheese, and, well, gorge on a trove of traditional, hard-to-find, and just plain oddball candies. Nerds and Pop Rocks? They’re still around. So are sweets in liquid, squeeze, spray, and fizzy-soda forms. For fudge lovers, flavors range from basic maple and penuche to caramel sea salt, PB&J, and birthday cake.

Tavernier Chocolates, Brattleboro

The married team of Dar Tavernier-Singer and John Singer source their chocolate from ethically grown cacao trees in Ecuador, and use it as the matrix for a sophisticated line of high-cocoa-butter specialties featuring an unexpected variety of ingredients, many foraged in Vermont. The ever-changing exotic array might include truffles flavored with chanterelle or morel mushrooms, or shagbark hickory syrup; juniper spruce bonbons; and chocolate “charcuterie” kissed with miso, maple, or smoked salt.

Vermont Nut Free Chocolates, Colchester

When Mark and Gail Elvidge discovered that their young son had a severe peanut allergy, they also learned how difficult it was to find sweets made without nuts. Gail started making her own chocolates, soon launching a line of nut-free candies produced in a facility with no trace of nut, sesame, or egg allergens. Her line now includes boxed chocolates, barks, toffee, fudge, and even chocolate-coated pretzels. All are available at the factory store in Colchester, as well as in shops throughout the Northeast.

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Even as summer starts to wind down, farmers’ markets across New England remain a top draw for their last batches of fresh produce, along with the mainstay meats, seafood, eggs, cheeses, breads, baked goods, jams, syrups…the list goes on. If you’re out and about this fall (and of course, you will be), add these terrific New England farmers’ markets to your leaf-peeping itinerary.

Connecticut Farmers’ Markets

Coventry Farmers’ Market

Tucked between Willimantic and Storrs, Connecticut’s largest farmers’ market takes place Sundays at the Hale Homestead, the 1755 birthplace of patriot Nathan Hale. Locally grown produce and homemade treats abound, and the schedule is packed with special events including a pumpkin harvest celebration, a holiday market, and Dog Day, which features pup-related events and treats—and even rescue dogs to adopt. Depending on when you visit, you might also learn about 18th-century hearth cooking and the games Nathan Hale played here as a boy. coventryfarmersmarket.org

Danbury Farmers’ Market

Danbury might have earned renown as the “Hat City” in its manufacturing heyday, but farming still looms large in southwestern Connecticut. A cornucopia of local produce spills onto Danbury Green on Saturdays, with heritage growers such as South Glastonbury’s Killam & Bassette Farmstead and the ninth-generation Mitchell Farm being joined by newcomers offering microgreens, CBD salves, and fresh-ground coffee. Check the website for recipes using the latest harvests. danburyfarmersmarket.org

Greenwich Farmers’ Market

Yes, it’s a commuter parking lot, and yes, that’s I-95 across the way, but the countryside comes to Greenwich on Saturdays, bringing fresh produce, artisan breads, organic raw cold-pressed juices, microgreens and edible flowers, lamb and chicken, and—offered throughout the season as they ripen—stone fruit and berries from South Glastonbury’s Woodland Farm. The apple pie from Oronoque Farms Bakery has been voted best in Connecticut. greenwichfarmersmarketct.com

Kent Farmers’ Market

It’s not unusual for day-trippers from New York City to make the 90-mile run to the Housatonic River Valley town of Kent to load up at its Friday market. They’ll head back to the city with fruits and vegetables harvested at the gateway to the Litchfield Hills, along with handmade cheeses, organic baked goods like madeleines and scones, gourmet mushrooms, locally crafted salsa and chips, and honey from a nearby bee farm. kentct.com

Old Saybrook Farmers’ Market

One day a week isn’t enough for the folks who organize Old Saybrook’s market, held right downtown on the shoreline community’s vibrant Main Street. On Wednesday and Saturday mornings, nearly a dozen vendors offer bread and brownies, free-range eggs, farm-raised pork and chicken, herbal blends for salad dressing, soaps made with goat and sheep milk, handcrafted cheeses, and 20 kinds of pie. oldsaybrookfarmersmarket.com

Putnam Farmers’ Market

Agriculture thrives in the northeastern portion of the Nutmeg State known as the “Quiet Corner.” Eight local growers are on the vendor roster for this year’s lineup of Saturday markets, offering veggies, berries, eggs, dairy, and meat—perennial plants and cut flowers, too—with Sugarz Bakery in nearby Danielson providing oven-fresh treats. Handcrafted jewelry, soaps, and textiles help round out the artisan section. putnamct.us

Wethersfield Farmers’ Market

Just down the road from Hartford, the grounds of the 1774 Solomon Welles House are home to Wethersfield’s Thursday market, where eggs from free-range poultry, meat from pasture-raised livestock, organic produce, and small-batch cheeses star alongside fresh-cut flowers and CBD products. The schedule is sprinkled with special learning events on topics ranging from beekeeping to pizza making. wfmarket.org

Maine Farmers’ Markets

Blue Hill Farmers’ Market: There’s no shortage of good things to eat and drink at the Blue Hill Peninsula’s biggest farmers’ market-fresh produce, of course, and even homemade pasta and coffee from Maine’s first solar-powered roaster. But this Saturday event is also strong on local handicrafts, including Blue Hill Spoonworks’ wooden spoons, Creeping Thyme Farm’s handmade toys, and the region’s most famous artisan product, represented by Brooklin’s Random Pottery. bluehillfarmersmarket.com

Brewer Farmers’ Market

Over on the Brewer side of the Penobscot, the Bangor area’s largest farmers’ market takes place on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays in front of the Brewer Auditorium. Amid all the produce, maple, and honey (and bagels and international foods), there’s what we’d expect in Maine: wild blueberries in season, fresh from the barrens. Brewer also offers a crop we wouldn’t expect: Maine cranberries, in three varieties. brewermaine.gov

Camden Farmers’ Market

Just a few blocks back from the waterfront, Camden’s twice-a-week market—spring to fall on Saturdays, and Wednesdays through September—highlights such treats as Brazen Baking’s creations, made with Maine-grown and milled grains; Blue Barren Distillery’s spirits, flavored with local botanicals; and Frontier Maple Sugarworks’ syrup, aged in bourbon barrels. All this, plus an array of fresh produce … and Hubbard Brook Farm’s dozens of styles of handmade baskets. camdenfarmersmarket.org

Damariscotta Farmers’ Market

One of the central Maine coast’s most eclectic markets is a staple of summer and fall Friday mornings, with produce from the surrounding countryside complemented by cheeses from Lakin’s Gorges; Broad Arrow Farm’s pasture-raised pork, sold fresh or transformed into mouthwatering charcuterie; Slice O’ Country’s jams, pickles, and condiments; and more than 10 kinds of mushrooms from Wild Fruitings. Colombian street food from Portland’s Maiz is on hand to satisfy grazers. damariscottafarmersmarket.org

Ellsworth Farmers’ Market

Travelers heading for Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park mingle with locals at Ellsworth’s Saturday market, stocking their campsite larders with fresh fruits and vegetables, free-range meats, cheeses, preserves, and maybe a few exotic goodies (think: sourdough cinnamon rolls, chocolate babkas, Indian samosas) to munch in the car. There’s also artisan handiwork including pottery, knitwear, and note cards for travelers to bring back home. Facebook

Lewiston Farmers’ Market

Lewiston’s Sunday market, held downtown on the banks of the Androscoggin, offers all the farm-fresh produce, baked goods, meats, and cheeses that you’d expect, but with a multinational flavor. Somali immigrants, experienced in the agricultural traditions of their homeland and now adapting to having just one growing season, have joined in the local New Roots Cooperative and are amply represented at the market. lewistonfarmersmarket.com

Portland Farmers’ Market

“Since 1768,” the market folks say, and surely the produce was organic back then, just as it is now. Held at Deering Oaks Park—a place beloved by Portland native Henry Wadsworth Longfellow—the Portland market hosts more than two dozen vendors, with some setting up on Wednesdays, some on Saturdays, and other harvesting enough produce for a double appearance. There’s always humanely raised chicken, beef, and pork, and Maine’s coastal bounty shows up in the form of Emily’s Oysters. portlandmainefarmersmarket.org

Massachusetts Farmers’ Markets

Copley Square Farmers’ Market

Tucked between two icons of Boston’s Back Bay—Trinity Church and the Boston Public Library—the green space at Copley Square hosts more than three dozen farmers, bakers, and prepared-food vendors on Tuesdays and Fridays through late November. With offerings ranging from fresh organic produce to take-home meals, and from gourmet chocolates to local fish and shellfish, this is the Hub’s biggest and most popular farmers’ market. massfarmersmarkets.org

Nantucket Farmers and Artisans Market

“Nantucket grown” is the mantra of Sustainable Nantucket’s Saturday market, which showcases produce harvested from farms scattered throughout the island. Surprisingly, more than 50 thrive here, some on land leased from the Nantucket Land Bank—market shoppers can even buy cranberries from a local bog. Vendors include beekeepers, flower growers, and suppliers of artisanal salt (of which, we understand, there’s plenty close by). sustainable-nantucket.org

Newburyport Farmers’ Market

The Sunday market at Newburyport’s Tannery Marketplace brings together vendors of locally farmed produce (even organic mushrooms), smoked fish, cut flowers, handmade pasta, fresh-roasted coffee, baked treats, prepared ethnic foods, and much more. The North Shore’s artisans join in, too, with an array including goat-milk soap, sea glass jewelry, and alpaca woolens. thenewburyportfarmersmarket.org

Northampton Farmers’ Market

If it grows in the Pioneer Valley, you’ll find it in downtown Northampton on market Saturdays. Unlike many seasonal markets, this one goes beyond a plentiful offering of farm-grown foods to include garden perennials, houseplants, and bouquets—and even fig trees, courtesy of Twin Oaks Farm. Zawalick’s Sugar House’s maple syrup, cream, and candies are special treats, as are the berries and other fruits from Westhampton’s Outlook Farm. northamptonfarmersmarket.com

Orleans Farmers’ Market

Is there room for agriculture between Cape Cod Bay and the Atlantic? Since 1994, Orleans’s Saturday market has answered with a resounding yes. It features fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs from farms, greenhouses, and market gardens from Buzzards Bay to Truro. These share space with seafood vendors, artisan food producers, craftspeople, and musicians right downtown. orleansfarmersmarket.org

Pittsfield Farmers’ Market

The first teen-run farmers’ market in western Massachusetts has a triple mission: providing a retail outlet for the region’s growers, empowering young people eager to bring healthful food to the Pittsfield-area community, and improving food access for families in need. It’s all part of Roots Rising, a local organization that also gives teens a chance to work on the farms represented at the Saturday market. farmersmarketpittsfield.org

Williamstown Farmers’ Market

Home to a big name in the Little Ivies, Williamstown hosts one of western Massachusetts’s favorite Saturday markets. Look for just-harvested produce, cheeses and meats from small farms, plus Svenfish’s wild-caught seafood. Don’t miss the naturally leavened sourdough bagels from Hexagon (no, they’re not shaped like that). Berkshires artisans contribute quilts, woodenware, jewelry, ceramics, and other examples of their region’s renowned creativity. williamstownfarmersmarket.org

New Hampshire Farmers’ Markets

Keene Farmers’ Market

This Saturday market keeps it strict: All produce vendors must be based in Cheshire County or one of its surrounding counties, and all prepared products must use local ingredients. Those rules aren’t hard to follow, with organic growers from Rindge, Walpole, Westmoreland, Fitzwilliam, and other southwestern New Hampshire towns well represented. Even the crafts lean local: jewelry from Spofford, and Adirondack furniture from not the Adirondacks, but Swanzey. keenefarmersmarket.com

Lancaster Farmers’ Market

Growers from New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont gather at this Saturday market, where crafts play an equally appealing part. Before stocking up on produce (and maybe while devouring a cupcake or three from Liv’s Sweets and Treats), check out the little wooden-faced, knitwear-garbed “North Country Personalities” from Mt. Crescent Crafts, pick up a custom birdhouse, and plan a pampering with lotions and balms from Lancaster’s own Carmella’s. lancasterfarmersmarket.org

Lebanon Farmers’ Market

Colburn Park, the handsome heart of Lebanon, hosts a Thursday evening market that proves this busy stretch of the Upper Connecticut Valley still has plenty of room for organic farming, sugaring, dairying, and small-scale meat producers … and for the Bagel Lady, a perennial market presence. A party atmosphere prevails, with weekly live music, a children’s art tent, craft demonstrations, and dogs—at this market, they’re welcome. lebanonnh.gov/farmersmarket

MWV Farmers’ Market

The initials stand for Mount Washington Valley, and the 14 growers and prepared-food vendors at this North Conway market prove it’s a bountiful valley indeed. Sheilagh Flynn’s colorful, richly detailed tiles are a craft highlight, and spirits from Cathedral Ledge Distillery and Tamworth Distilling reveal a local flair for an ancient alchemy. Held on Tuesdays, the market runs till 7, so the Smokin Rednecks barbecue truck is good to have around as dinnertime approaches. mwvfarmersmarket.com

Peterborough Farmers’ Market

Wednesday is market day at the Peterborough Community Center, where southern New Hampshire’s farmers, gardeners, and small-scale meat producers share space with craft bakers (Flag Leaf’s croissants, pastries, and naturally leavened breads are a standout), artisan cheesemakers from Bending Branch Farm, and—most welcome in these days when inland seafood shops are a vanishing breed—Liberty Fish, offering sole, cod, halibut, swordfish, scallops, and more. Facebook

Portsmouth Farmers’ Market

The Saturday morning event alongside City Hall is the biggest and most varied of four markets run by Seacoast Eat Local; the others are on different days in nearby Durham, Dover, and Exeter. Arrive hungry to cruise vendor booths abounding in locally grown and harvested produce, fresh-caught seafood, and crafts, then head for a picnic table with a sampling of international specialties from Karimah’s Kitchen (Lebanese), Bucovina (Ukrainian), and Tulsi (Indian). seacoasteatlocal.org/portsmouth

Tamworth Farmers’ Market

Tamworth is a small town, but its Saturday market features one of the more eclectic arrays of local products to complement the ubiquitous vegetables, sourdough, maple, and honey. Duck eggs? Goat-milk ice cream? Mead? You’ll find them all here, along with highbush blueberries, cultivated and foraged mushrooms, organic milk and yogurt from grass-fed cows, kombucha, and even jerky for dogs. They’re serious about music, too, with regular folk, bluegrass, and blues performers. tamworthfarmersmarket.org

Rhode Island Farmers’ Markets

Block Island Farmers’ Market

If one farmers’ market a week is good, two is better. That’s the idea out on Block Island, where Wednesdays and Saturdays are market days. There aren’t all that many farms on the island (the participating 1661 Farmstead, also known for its menagerie of exotic creatures, is an exception), so fresh produce shares space with local scones, pickles, mustard, yogurt, and crafts including jewelry, pottery, and knitwear. bifarmersmarket.com

Burrillville Farmers’ Market

Balmy Rhode Island’s long growing season is why melons like cantaloupes and watermelons make an appearance here, while they’re harder to find in northern New England markets. Open Saturdays at the Stillwater Mill Pavilion in Harrisville, this market is where to find berries, too—don’t miss vendors Hickory Hill and Natural Harvest Farm. Rustic Goat and Stonehenge Farm both offer goat-milk soap, but Stonehenge ups the ante with goat-milk caramels. Sweet tooth not satisfied? Look for Gabe’s Family Kettle Corn. burrillvillefarmersmarket.org

Casey Farm Market

In Saunderstown, 300 acres of fields and farmland surround a handsome 18th-century homestead preserved by Historic New England. Maintaining nearly 400 years of agricultural tradition, the Casey Farm operates as a certified organic source of vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers, all available at a Saturday farmers’ market through the end of October, as well as through a community-supported agriculture program. Before shopping, take a guided tour of the farm. casey.farm

Hope Street Farmers’ Market

This Saturday market at Lippitt Memorial Park is a farmer-run cooperative featuring produce, pasture-raised meats, seafood, eggs, baked goods, and more. An artisan fair takes place on market days, and there’s always live music to enjoy with a picnic lunch. hopestreetmarket.com

Tiverton Farmers’ Market

The most popular farmers’ market on Rhode Island’s eastern shore roves as far afield as Wayland, Massachusetts, for the Neighborhood Farm’s just-harvested produce, and reaches right across the bay to Narragansett’s Brightside Seafood for fresh-caught fish. Each Sunday during the market season, small-batch producers sell everything from cupcakes and pasta to pet food. Shoppers can also browse Ecuadorian woolens, wooden kitchenware, and pottery. tivertonfarmersmarket.com

Vermont Farmers’ Markets

Brattleboro AREA Farmers’ Market

The Green Mountain State’s original back-to-the-landers and their successors are the soul of Brattleboro’s Saturday market, hosting nearly 60 vendors. Farms along the temperate Connecticut River Valley get a jump on the growing season, and offer their bounty along with homemade granola, artisan spirits and breads, and myriad crafts. brattleborofarmersmarket.com

Burlington Farmers’ Market

The Queen City’s Saturday market has outgrown its old City Hall Park location and is now a fixture of the South End Arts District. With more than 75 growers and food producers offering things such as grass-fed beef, English muffins, salami, ginger beer, and, yes, shrimp raised in Vermont via aquaculture—plus some three dozen artisan vendors—it’s easy to see why more room was necessary. burlingtonfarmersmarket.org

Capital City Farmers’ Market

The golden dome of the State House shines above the crowds, vendors, and musicians at central Vermont’s favorite Saturday gathering. The Montpelier market brims with organic produce, great baking, and fine craftwork, but also hosts surprises like Community Dock, purveyor of wild-caught Alaska salmon and halibut, and a world tour of eat-while-you-stroll treats. Lots of market regulars wind up skipping dinner. capitalcityfarmersmarket.com

Champlain Islands Farmers’ Market

The Champlain Islands’ surprising agricultural abundance stars on two days in two locations: Saturdays in Grand Isle, and Wednesdays in South Hero. Fresh vegetables and fruits from Pomykala Farm and other island growers share space with Black Angus beef from Dreamwalker Farm, handcrafted gelato from Paisley Scoops, black currant specialties from Vermont Currant, and wines from Snow Farm Vineyard. champlainislandsfarmersmarket.org

Norwich Farmers’ Market

More than 50 vendors take part in the Upper Valley’s biggest and most varied farmers’ market, serving Vermont locals and the Dartmouth College community across the river. Saturday’s out-of-the-ordinary offerings include Norwich Creamery’s ricotta and jerk meats from The Karibbean. Artisan products range from VT Fuzzies’ alpaca yarns and knits to Silo Distillery’s small-batch gin and vodka. norwichfarmersmarket.org

Vermont Farmers’ Market

Rutland makes it easy to combine market browsing with a downtown stroll—all the action is right in the city center. After tracking down Rutland’s famous murals, cruise the market for fresh produce, specialties like Mendon Mountain Orchards’ pies, and crafts from candles to indigo-dyed fashions. Wash down an enchilada with an agua fresca (Mexican fruit drink) and maybe have a vegan cookie. The outdoor summer markets are held Wednesday and (the big one) Saturday through the end of October. Note: The Vermont Farmers’ Market also operates in Fair Haven on Thursdays through mid-October. vtfarmersmarket.org

Waitsfield Farmers’ Market

Tucked beneath mountains famed for the Sugarbush and Mad River Glen ski areas, Waitsfield’s market is a prime Saturday destination along iconic Route 100. Shop for fruits, vegetables, and berries from farms throughout the Mad River Valley and beyond, along with artisan breads from the likes of Barre’s Rise Up Bakery, cheeses from von Trapp Farmstead, and spirits from Vermont distillers. There’s lots to nosh, and music is live through mid-October. waitsfieldfarmersmarket.com

Did we miss any of your favorite New England farmers’ markets? Let us know in the comments below!

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Tent or RV? Lakeside, oceanfront, or backwoods? Whatever your preference, discover your next great nature getaway with our curated selection of noteworthy New England camping spots.

Lakeside New England Camping Spots

Aroostook State Park | Presque Isle, ME

Maine’s northernmost state park nestles along the shore of Echo Lake, five miles south of Presque Isle. It’s small, with just 30 sites for tents and RVs, but it boasts a beach, canoe and kayak rentals, showers, a kitchen shelter, and a trail leading to the twin peaks of Quaggy Jo Mountain and expansive views of “The County.” In winter, trails are groomed for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. maine.gov/aroostook

Burlingame State Park | Charlestown, RI

Burlingame’s 700 tent sites and 20 cabins are gathered near the south shore of Watchaug Pond, one of Rhode Island’s largest bodies of freshwater. The park offers canoe rentals and access to trails lacing the adjacent Kimball Wildlife Sanctuary. For saltwater activities, it’s a short drive to three ocean beaches, including Westerly’s Misquamicut and Charlestown Beachway, renowned for surf casting. riparks.ri.gov/parks/camping

Button Bay State Park | Ferrisburgh, VT

Tucked along a hook of land on Lake Champlain and named for the pierced, buttonlike clay pebbles found on its beach, Button Bay has attractions both inside and outside its boundaries. A swimming pool, a nature center, and lakeside trails keep campers close to their tent and RV sites (lean-tos and four cabins are also available); nearby, there’s the fascinating Lake Champlain Maritime Museum and golfing at Basin Harbor Resort. vtstateparks.com/buttonbay.html

Lake Waramaug State Park | Kent, CT

Connecticut’s second-largest natural lake is a jewel of the Litchfield Hills, and this state park offers the only campsites along its shores. Many of the 76 tent and RV sites and six rustic cabins overlook the lake, named “place of good fishing” by the native Wyantenock. The name still rings true for bass anglers, who can rent canoes and kayaks at the park. Other recreational opportunities include an eight-mile bicycle circuit around the lake. ctparks.com/park-finder

North Beach Campground | Burlington, VT

In most states, camping in their largest city isn’t a top vacation draw. But Burlington’s North Beach is far from downtown’s bustle, and its 137 sites—some with full hookups for RVs, others accommodating tent campers—enjoy a parklike setting along a sandy Lake Champlain beach. Bring a bike for an easy ride on the Burlington Greenway, then settle in at the lake’s edge to watch the sun set over the Adirondacks. enjoyburlington.com/north-beach-campground

Sebago Lake State Park | Casco and Naples, ME

The northeast side of Maine’s second-largest lake, a scant hour’s drive from Portland, is the locale for a 1,400-acre state park featuring 250 campsites, sandy beaches, meandering forest trails, and boat launches. Glacially gouged and more than 300 feet deep, Sebago harbors two of the state’s premier freshwater game fishes—landlocked salmon and lake trout, locally known as togue—along with a dozen other species. maine.gov/sebagolake

Tully Lake Campground | Royalston, MA

Island-strewn Tully Lake and its surroundings make for a classic, quiet, tents-only camping destination. The 200-acre lake, created in 1966 as a flood-control project, is ideal for paddlers, as powerboats are limited to 10hp. Most of the 35 campsites are accessible only by foot, with carts available at the entrance. Canoes and kayaks are available for rent, and the 7.5-mile trail circling nearby Long Pond is popular for hiking and mountain biking. thetrustees.org/tully 

White Lake State Park | Tamworth, NH

It isn’t a big body of water—the circling footpath is only two miles long—but this glacial lake 20 miles from North Conway has a following among swimmers and trout anglers. It’s also a favorite with New Hampshire’s treasured loons. Nearly 200 wooded tent and RV sites are divided into two sections, each with distinct advantages: Area 2 is closer to the beach, while Area 1 contains 19 nonreservable sites. nhstateparks.org/find-parks-trails

Oceanside New England Camping Spots

Cobscook Bay State Park | Edmunds, ME

The bay named “boiling tides” by the Passamaquoddy is about as Down East as it gets. Surrounded on three sides by water with an average tidal range of 28 feet, Cobscook has special allure for birders, as some 200 species—including Maine’s greatest concentration of bald eagles—are attracted to the abundance of protein that the tides provide. With 106 sites, the 888-acre park welcomes both tent and RV campers. maine.gov/cobscookbay

Fishermen’s Memorial State Campground | Narragansett, RI

Ideally located within a short drive of three state beaches—Roger Wheeler, Scarborough, and Salty Brine—and just a mile from the Block Island ferry dock, this popular campground near the tip of Point Judith features 147 trailer and RV sites, plus 35 sites for tenting. A special attraction is the nearby Galilee Bird Sanctuary, a 130-acre salt marsh breeding ground for sharp-tailed sparrows, willets, plovers, and many other avian species. riparks.ri.gov/campgrounds

Hammonasset Beach State Park | Madison, CT

Connecticut’s biggest and most visited beach is a gentle two-mile arc of sand on a peninsula reaching into Long Island Sound. The eight cabins and 550 tent and RV campsites located slightly inland provide easy access to swimming and surf casting, launching spots for kayaks and small boats, and a three-quarter-mile beach boardwalk. Campers can explore the park’s Meigs Point Nature Center, with touch tanks and information on birding trails. ctparks.com/park-finder

Rocky Neck State Park | Niantic, CT

With a tidal river on one side, a salt marsh on the other, and frontage on Long Island Sound, Rocky Neck is New England’s oceanfront diversity in a nutshell. Accommodations include 160 tent and RV sites and three rustic two-room cabins. The stone-free white sand beach, five miles of hiking trails, paved bike paths, and marsh viewing platforms for birders provide a varied camping experience. ctparks.com/park-finder

Sandy Neck Beach Park | West Barnstable, MA

There’s only one place on Cape Cod’s beaches where it’s legal to pitch a tent. That’s Sandy Neck, where the town of Barnstable has set aside a park on a pristine stretch of bayside barrier beach. While most overnighters stay on the beach in their own permitted, self-contained campers capable of driving on the sand, there are five tent sites within a quarter mile of the bay (be prepared to walk, though, as those sites are more than three miles from the park entrance). town.barnstable.ma.us/sandyneckpark

Schoodic Woods Campground | Acadia National Park, ME

Of the four campgrounds in Acadia National Park, Schoodic Woods is the newest—and the farthest from Bar Harbor, about a one-hour drive away. Unless that town is a priority destination, though, this is a great option for campers preferring the more tranquil Schoodic Peninsula to busy Mount Desert Island. Of the 89 campsites, 41 are reserved for RVs and 13 for tent campers, with nine secluded spots accessible only by hiking or boating in. nps.gov/acadia 

Wolfe’s Neck Oceanfront Camping | Freeport, ME

A mere five miles from downtown Freeport, yet serene in its own 600-acre-plus waterside world, Wolfe’s Neck has tent and RV sites, along with three well-equipped cabins. There are hiking trails, bikes and kayaks for rent, a café serving light meals made with organic produce, and the chance for kids to help with gardening and animal care at farm camp. freeportcamping.com 

New England RV Camping Spots

Ashaway RV Resort | Bradford, RI

One of two Zeman RV Resorts locations in New England (the other is in Kennebunk, Maine), Ashaway is close to beaches, Watch Hill, and Napatree Point, as well as Connecticut’s Foxwoods Casino. But there are plenty of reasons to stay put, including a pool, mini golf, an arcade, and courts for tennis, pickleball, and basketball. RV sites offer full hookups and cable; nicely outfitted cottages are available, too. zemanrv.com/resorts/ashaway-pines-rv-resort 

Cannon Mountain RV Park (Franconia Notch State Park) | Franconia, NH

On the other end of the spectrum from giant RV parks, this tiny state park facility has just seven spaces but boasts a splendid location near the beaches of Echo Lake and the ski trails of Cannon Mountain. Plus, it’s open all year—and despite its small size, it offers water, sewer, and electric hookups in summer and early fall. No pets are allowed, and early reservations are a must. nhstateparks.org/find-parks-trails

Hampton Beach State Park | Hampton, NH

There’s another, lesser-known lottery in New Hampshire—the one that parcels out reservations for the 28 coveted RV campsites at Hampton Beach State Park. The smallest campground for RVers on New England’s shortest state coastline, it’s located just south of Hampton Beach and offers easy access to the historic cities of Portsmouth and Newburyport. The sites are all RV—no tents—and are open to vehicles that can connect to water, electric, and sewage hookups. nhstateparks.org/find-parks-trails

Normandy Farms Family Camping Resort | Foxboro, MA

The accent here is on “resort.” Normandy Farms is like a big outdoor hotel, set on a 100-acre site that accommodates more than 350 RVs. Alternatively, guests can lodge in luxuriously equipped cabins and yurts, or in safari tents and pop-up campers. There are indoor and outdoor pools, sports fields for just about everything that involves a ball, a bike park, disc golf, and even yoga classes and massages at the wellness center. normandyfarms.com 

Pine Lake RV Resort and Cottages | Sturbridge, MA

Sociability and community spirit are bywords at this central Massachusetts park, just minutes from Old Sturbridge Village. Barbecues, “meet your neighbor” happy hours, hayrides, and movie nights—it’s hard not to make new friends here. Pine Lake has a beach and good fishing; kayaks and paddleboards are available for rent. Rainy day? Stay inside at the fitness center or billiard room. Studio and one- and two-bedroom cottages supplement 200 RV sites. pinelakervresortandcottages.com 

Sugar Ridge RV Village | Danville, VT

There are RV mega-resorts, and then there’s Sugar Hill: a laid-back, 150-site property amid 68 acres of woodland. Choose from sites ranging from no hookups to the works; all come with use of two pools, a fishing pond, 18-hole mini golf, and sports courts including horseshoes (perhaps using the footwear from the big Belgians that pull the wagon rides). Nearby attractions include the St. Johnsbury Athenaeum and the Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium. sugarridgervpark.com

Boat-In New England Camping Spots

Burton Island State Park | St. Albans, VT

Burton Island is only 10 minutes by ferry from the mainland’s Kill Kare State Park, but there’s an international feel to this island destination in northern Lake Champlain. That’s because its 100-slip marina is popular with boaters from Quebec, as well as stateside voyagers. Along with tent sites, lean-tos, three cabins, and hiking trails, 253-acre Burton boasts a bistro serving breakfast and lunch. Those tasty omelets might just be part of the international appeal. vtstateparks.com/burton.html 

Green River Reservoir State Park | Hyde Park, VT

Green River Reservoir’s clear waters and 19 miles of undeveloped wooded shoreline have been attracting paddlers, wilderness campers, and anglers seeking bass and pike since long before being protected within a state park. A launch site for canoes and kayaks is the starting point for reaching 27 remote tent sites, some two miles distant. Powerboats and Jet Skis are prohibited; nesting loons approve. vtstateparks.com/grriver.html

Knight Island State Park | North Hero, VT

Two miles offshore from the town of North Hero and light-years from the outside world, the six lean-tos and single tent site on this wooded island in Lake Champlain’s Inland Sea are accessible only by private boat or water taxi. The shoreline sites have composting outhouses, though no potable water. Kayakers and canoeists can arrange parking at Hero’s Welcome General Store in North Hero. vtstateparks.com/knightisland.html

Peddocks Island | Hull, MA

Stars twinkle over many a campsite, but campers here get to see the sparkle of the Boston skyline, eight miles away. Part of Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park, Peddocks offers furnished yurts with electricity, as well as individual and group tent sites. Trails link campsites with the remains of Fort Andrews, active through World War II. Access is by a three-mile ferry ride from Hingham. bostonharborislands.org

Three Mile Island Camp | Lake Winnipesaukee, NH

Since 1900, the Appalachian Mountain Club has made a home away from its Boston home on a 43-acre island in New Hampshire’s largest lake. You don’t have to be an AMC member to reserve one of 47 lakeside cabins, equipped with simple furnishings, bedding, and solar shower; each has its own dock for private craft, or you can arrive by camp launch. Campers enjoy three hearty meals a day in the main house. threemileislandcamp.org 

Umbagog Lake State Park | Errol, NH

Loons seem to call louder at lakeside camps accessible only by boat. Way up on the New Hampshire–Maine border, Umbagog features 33 remote tent sites and four remote cabins, all well away from the main, hookup-equipped sites and reached by canoe, kayak, or, by arrangement, the park’s motorboat. For real isolation, reserve the site on Sunday Cove Island, situated in a cove near the 11-mile-long lake’s northeast corner. nhstateparks.org/find-parks-trails

Warren Island State Park | Isleboro, ME

If island camping seems too tame, try camping on an island off an island. Warren Island is a stone’s throw from Isleboro, which lies three miles out in Penobscot Bay. Ferry to Isleboro, then kayak to the park; there are limited moorings for larger craft. (Don’t have a boat? There’s water taxi service, too.) Among the spruces are 12 tent sites and three lean-tos, and a hand pump for water. A ranger sells firewood. maine.gov/warrenisland

New England Camping Spots With Trail-Access

Baxter State Park | Millinocket, ME

Baxter State Park isn’t a camping destination with hiking trails—it’s a 210,000-acre hiking destination with campgrounds. The northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail, this sprawling park is threaded with 215 miles of wilderness footpaths organized into 10 trail systems, including the AT itself and trails that ascend 5,269-foot Mount Katahdin and its fabled Knife Edge. Camping facilities range from tent sites to lean-tos, cabins, and shared bunkhouses. baxterstatepark.org 

Dolly Copp Campground | Gorham, NH

For many who come to tackle the peaks of the Presidential and Carter-Moriah ranges, the camp of choice has long been Dolly Copp. The 177-site campground, largest in the White Mountain National Forest, is a starting point for the 3½-mile Daniel Webster Scout Trail leading to Mount Madison via the Great Gulf Wilderness. Not a hiker? Stay close to camp and fish for brook trout on the Peabody River and Culhane Brook. recreation.gov

Dry River Campground (Crawford Notch State Park) | Bartlett, NH

Vast Crawford Notch State Park has just one campground: Dry River, with 36 spacious, wooded tent sites. Located off Route 302 near the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Highland Center, it’s popular with hikers setting out on White Mountains footpaths including the easy Ripley Falls Trail, leading to a spectacular 100-foot waterfall; the Willey Pond/Saco River Loop; and the more challenging trail to dramatic Frankenstein Cliff. nhstateparks.org/find-parks-trails

George Washington Memorial Camping Area | Chepachet, RI

No, George Washington didn’t sleep here. But if he showed up today with a tent or RV, he’d find an especially peaceful retreat in a scenic, lightly used primitive campground tucked into his namesake 4,000-acre state wildlife management area. Twelve of the 76 sites are hike-in only, and four cabins are available. Swim, fish, and kayak at the adjacent Bowdish Reservoir. riparks.ri.gov/campgrounds

Savoy Mountain State Forest | Florida, MA

Covering more than 10,000 acres in northwestern Massachusetts’s Hoosac Mountains, Savoy is crisscrossed with some 50 miles of trails. Favorite routes lead to Bog Pond, with its floating peat islands and carnivorous pitcher plants; Tannery Falls, plunging more than 60 feet; and the summit of Spruce Mountain, with its expansive views of the surrounding countryside. Campers can choose from 45 tent sites and four woodstove-equipped log cabins overlooking South Pond. mass.gov/locations/savoy-mountain-state-forest

Smugglers’ Notch State Park | Stowe, VT

Ideally situated where Vermont’s twistiest mountain roadway and the famed Long Trail meet, this is a hiker’s park. Climb the steep, one-mile trail to Sterling Pond (at 3,000 feet, it’s one of the state’s loftiest bodies of water), take an easier trek to beautiful Bingham Falls, or follow the Long Trail itself for breathtaking vistas at the summit of Mount Mansfield. Twenty tent sites and 14 lean-tos are available for overnighters. vtstateparks.com/smugglers.html 

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Vermont’s southwestern corner was the state’s original tourism draw. In this region dubbed “the Shires,” superlative experiences abound along and around Route 7. Start on Route 11 just east of Manchester, though, with an invigorating ride down a Green Mountains slope.

OUTDOOR RECREATION
Bromley Mountain Alpine Slide, Peru

It was too good a mountain to save just for winter. Bromley’s ²⁄3-mile-long Alpine Slide invites summer fans of the vertical drop to pilot wheeled sleds down one of the world’s longest runs. There are three tracks, the most thrilling of which takes riders through a snaky series of banked turns. Yes, there are brakes. bromley.com

CASUAL DINING
The Little Rooster Café, Manchester

A favorite spot for locals and visitors alike, this cheery diner near the outlet malls is the place to fuel up for the rest of your day’s ramble. Hearty is the word here—look for stacks of pancakes with Vermont maple syrup, corned beef hash with béchamel sauce, and sandwiches including a terrific Reuben. Facebook

There’s much more to Manchester than outlet shopping. Two stately summer homes invite you in.

ART MUSEUM
Southern Vermont Arts Center, Manchester

Treasures from the American Regionalist movement have no better home than this 120-acre museum complex, created by and for Vermont artists. Ten galleries in a 1917 mansion show off a permanent collection of 1,000-plus paintings, etchings, and sculptures. The center also hosts rotating exhibitions, concerts, and theatrical performances and maintains the largest sculpture garden in Vermont. svac.org

HISTORIC HOME
Hildene, Manchester

One summer sojourner lured by southwestern Vermont was Robert Todd Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln’s son. The railroad car executive chose Manchester as the site for Hildene, his 1905 neo-Georgian retreat. Unlike many mansions of the era, this one seems cozily livable. It’s furnished in period style, from parlors to servants’ quarters, and is graced by formal gardens. A sumptuously restored 1903 Pullman sleeping car is preserved on-site. hildene.org

Options for overnighting abound in the Shires. Go big at a legendary resort, or head a short way up Route 30 for cozy quarters and live theater.

GRAND HOTEL
The Equinox Golf Resort & Spa, Manchester

Behind the colonnade on Route 7A stands Vermont’s earliest grand hotel, evolved from a pre-Revolutionary inn to a 1,300-acre resort with a full-service spa, an 18-hole golf course, and exhilarating recreational options including a Land Rover driving experience. Dine at the Chop House, where steak and seafood star, or the informal Marsh Tavern, an homage to the resort’s colonial origins. equinoxresort.com

HISTORIC INN
Dorset Inn, Dorset

Vermont’s oldest hostelry in continuous operation has welcomed guests since 1796. Several of the 24 rooms and suites are located in the original building facing the village green. Many have gas fireplaces, four-poster beds, and whirlpool tubs. Breakfast and dinner, served indoors or on the patio, reflect the inn’s membership in the Vermont Fresh Network, committed to forging relationships between farmers and chefs. dorsetinn.com

SUMMER THEATER
Dorset Theatre Festival, Dorset

Nearly a century ago, theater lovers summering in Vermont cobbled together a playhouse out of two 18th-century barns and began a tradition of presenting new plays and repertory favorites. Since 1977, the Dorset Playhouse has been home to a professional equity festival committed to that tradition and dedicated to nurturing more than a dozen new works each year. dorsettheatrefestival.org

Yesterday, you rocketed down one mountainside; now ascend another at a statelier pace.

SCENIC DRIVE
Mount Equinox Skyline Drive, Arlington

Drive to the pinnacle of the Taconic Range on a 5.2-mile paved road. Vistas along the way and at the 3,848-foot summit reach east toward Vermont’s Green Mountains, south into Massachusetts and the Berkshires, and west to the Adirondacks in New York. The mountain is owned by Carthusian monks, whose granite charter house is visible along the drive. equinoxmountain.com

Continue south to one of Vermont’s oldest settlements, a town that gave its name to a turning-point battle in the American Revolution.

HISTORIC MONUMENT
Bennington Battle Monument, Bennington

The 1777 Battle of Bennington was actually fought just across the New York border. But it was an American supply depot here that the British unsuccessfully sought—thus the name, and the 306-foot limestone obelisk dedicated in 1891. Other than communication and wind turbine towers, it’s the tallest structure in Vermont, and the top is accessible by elevator for views extending into New York and Massachusetts. benningtonbattlemonument.com

Nearby, seek out Robert Frost’s poetic gravestone at Old First Church. Then, tuck yourself in just north of Bennington after a hearty dinner at a lively local spot.

LOCAL HANGOUT
Madison Brewing Company, Bennington

Thirty years on, this college-town stalwart remains a template for the Vermont brewpub idea: Start with a solid line of well-crafted brews ranging from thirst-quenching lagers to powerful stouts and porters (and, of course, IPAs), and add a menu built around burgers, big sandwiches, and comfort-food standbys like pot roast and fish-and-chips. There’s a full bar, too. madisonbrewingco.com

ROMANTIC STAY
The Arlington Inn & Spa, Arlington

An 1848 Greek Revival mansion is the centerpiece of this three-building complex. Several rooms in the Main and Carriage houses have gas fireplaces; two Parsonage units feature private patios; all accommodations include a continental breakfast in a sunny solarium. Relax with a craft cocktail in Deming Tavern or with a solo or couple’s massage. arlingtoninn.com

The post 2024 Summer Weekend in the Vermont Shires | Travel Guide appeared first on New England.

Few things in life have the power to immediately instill a calming, cozy vibe like browsing at your local independent bookstore, and New England is home to many fine examples.

7 Independent Bookstores in Connecticut

Athena Books, Old Greenwich. Lots of bookstores provide the wherewithal for local book clubs, but Athena goes one better: For a modest fee, clubs can reserve the store for their evening meetings, complete with cozy seating, music, and discounts on the titles selected. There are also story times for kids, and a full schedule of author readings and discussions. athenabooksog.com

Bank Square Books, Mystic. Wandering down Main Street in the historic seafaring town of Mystic, you’ll find the entrance to Bank Square Books marked with, appropriately enough, a sculpture of a whale (colorfully painted by Connecticut artist Pamela Zagarenski, a two-time Caldecott winner). Inside, look for the area’s best selection of books, with a special emphasis on independent publishers. banksquarebooks.com

The Book Barn, Niantic. It’s a secondhand bookshop that couldn’t stop growing: There’s the three-level barn itself, with its dollar annex and gardens (complete with cats and goats); nearby Chapter Three; and Book Barn Downtown. Altogether, the Barn complex houses an inventory of 350,000 gently used books, neatly arranged by subject and fed by an inflow of purchases that sometimes reaches 14,000 books a week. bookbarnniantic.com

Byrd’s Books, Bethel. Located across from the Bethel Public Library, Byrd’s carries new releases in all categories, as well as a selection of deeply discounted books. The shop sponsors history, science fiction/fantasy, and general book clubs, as well as occasional writing workshops where participants might use fine-quality Blackwing pencils and eco-friendly Decomposition notebooks, available right here. byrdsbooks.com

Possible Futures, New Haven. The name speaks volumes, and the volumes on the shelves run strongly toward social justice and sustainability, with what the store calls “historically underrepresented” authors and topics being well represented. More than a bookstore, the shop serves as a community gathering place and reading room, hosting groups and events such as a Radical Thinking Book Club and a Youth Day Neighborhood Block Party. possiblefuturesbooks.com

RJ Julia, Madison. “Putting the right book in the right hand” is the goal of this shop, honored as a Publishers Weekly Bookseller of the Year. They’re serious about making personal connections, partnering with book clubs and offering a “Just the Right Book” program, in which subscribers receive books based on preference profiles they submit. Even casual browsers can be sure that every book on the shelves has been hand-selected by staff. rjjulia.com

Whitlock’s Book Barn, Bethany. The turkeys and sheep were evicted 75 years ago, replaced by a vast and eclectic array of books. Whitlock’s 50,000 volumes are divided into an under-$5 group, housed in the upper barn, and rarer, more expensive books in the lower. There’s also an antique map department, strong in local coverage but also ranging across 21 states and numerous foreign countries. whitlocksbookbarn.com

6 Independent Bookstores in Maine

Big Chicken Barn, Ellsworth. The trick is getting past the first floor, where book browsers can easily get sidetracked by 11,000 square feet of antiques and collectibles. There are 150,000 volumes up above, though, so press on—and don’t miss the Maine Room, a trove of books by regional authors. A special attraction is the Barn’s massive inventory of magazines, including extinct titles like Life, Look, Collier’s, and many more. bigchickenbarn.com

Carlson Turner Books, Portland. The age of print is alive and well at this traditional shop that not only stocks a finely curated selection of more than 40,000 antiquarian and scholarly volumes—nautical, Civil War, and Maine history are among the specialties, along with maps, manuscripts, and prints—but also offers bookbinding, repair, and letterpress printing services. It’s a place to stock a private library and keep it in top condition. carlsonturnerbooks.com

Green Hand, Portland. This small shop on the fringe of Portland’s lively downtown carries new and used titles in a broad variety of categories, with a special emphasis on classics and new releases in science fiction, fantasy, and horror, including rediscovered works published by indie Valancourt Books. There’s a good selection of books on Maine subjects, a children’s section, and an ample assortment of tarot decks and books. greenhandbookshop.com

Gulf of Maine Books, Brunswick. Independent bookstores were popping up in college towns across America in the 1970s, when poet Gary Lawless and his wife, Beth Leonard, founded Gulf of Maine Books just down the street from Bowdoin College. Surviving most of them and still going strong—and still run by Lawless and Leonard—the shop is robustly stocked with regional-interest books, poetry, and tomes on environmental, spiritual, and Native American subjects, along with current popular literature. If you are lucky when you stop in, you might spot best-selling author Elizabeth Strout, who lives a short walk away. bookshop.org/shop/gulfofmaine

Harding’s Books, Wells. Harding’s is the literary equivalent of a corn maze—any serious browser will start wondering if there’s actually a way to get out. The shop’s 14 rooms house 100,000-plus volumes, and while the proprietors advertise strength in Americana and New England subjects, there’s hardly any field that isn’t well represented. Maps and prints dating back centuries are also on offer. hardingsbooks.com 

Sherman’s Maine Coast Book Shops, multiple locations. Originating as a Bar Harbor printing and stationery shop in 1886, Sherman’s now has stores in nine Maine communities—that’s more than three times as many as a certain national chain. In 2016, acquisition of Damariscotta’s Maine Coast Book Shop brought that great trove of Down East–related titles—and its Barn Door Baking Company Café—into the Sherman’s family. shermans.com 

7 Independent Bookstores in Massachusetts

Bedlam Book Cafe, Worcester. Don’t be put off by the name: Things are actually quite calm at this literary oasis in a part of the state that had been lacking a serious bookshop before Bedlam’s 2018 arrival. Offerings include new, used, and remaindered books, with an emphasis on titles in the arts and humanities and a fine poetry selection enhanced by frequent readings. The cafe part? After book browsing, enjoy an organic smoothie. bedlambookcafe.com

Brattle Book Shop, Boston. When you visit this downtown landmark and one of the oldest and best-known used and antiquarian bookstores in the country, you will likely first browse dozens of bargain titles stacked on carts outside. But inside there are first-edition treasures in a special room that may go for thousands of dollars, as well as hours of browsing for both famous and all-but-forgotten treasures on the floors below. brattlebookshop.com

Frugal Bookstore, Roxbury. Boston’s sole African American–owned bookstore has become the retail star of Nubian Square, business hub of the city’s Roxbury neighborhood. Works by people of color are given special emphasis, though the shelves are stocked with books of all descriptions, from today’s best-sellers to the classics. A strong selection of children’s and young-adult books underscores the owners’ mission to promote reading at all levels. frugalbookstore.net

Grolier Poetry Book Shop, Cambridge. After nearly a century as a Harvard Square literary mainstay—and as a shop devoted exclusively to poetry since 1976—the Grolier remains unique among bookstores in the Boston area, both for its extensive small-press poetry offerings and its respected series of readings by poets of local and international reputation. grolierpoetrybookshop.org

Harvard Book Store, Cambridge. It’s the … well, it’s the Harvard of bookstores, and the second-most-important establishment on the eponymous Square. The staff has a sharp eye for important new releases, to the advantage of members of the store’s Signed First Edition and New Voices in Fiction clubs, and a frequent-buyers program offers 20 percent off weekly best-sellers. And it’s the place to buy all things Crimson, from hats to blankets. harvard.com

Montague Bookmill, Montague. Sprawling in and around an 1842 gristmill in the Pioneer Valley, this mammoth emporium of used and publishers’ remainder books stocks academic and general-interest volumes, promising “If we can’t find the book you’re looking for, we’ll find you a better one you didn’t know you wanted.” The bookstore shares its premises with the Sawmill River Arts gallery, Turn It Up! (CDs and vinyl), and two fine eateries. maq.ujw.mybluehost.me

Odyssey Bookshop, Hadley. What started as a drugstore with a paperback section has evolved over 60 years into a vital part of the Mount Holyoke College community—in fact, the shop sells the books and art supplies for college courses. Along with its comprehensive fiction and nonfiction inventory, Odyssey is known for its program of more than 125 literary events a year, and for its First Editions Club, with members receiving a signed first edition each month. odysseybks.com

6 Independent Bookstores in New Hampshire

Gibson’s Bookstore, Concord. Having just celebrated its 125th year in business, Gibson’s is not only the capital’s oldest bookseller, it’s the city’s oldest retailer. Along with the extensive selection of fiction and general interest titles, there’s an in-store book club and a children’s department enhanced by the incorporation of indie toy store Imagination Village. A new café serves breakfast and lunch, so there’s no reason to stop browsing till dinner. gibsonsbookstore.com

Portsmouth Book & Bar, Portsmouth. There are restaurants with books as decor, and bookstores that shout “No Food and Drink.” At this downtown bookshop and eatery, the books are for browsing, and patrons can peruse with a cocktail in hand. Over 10,000 used volumes in just about every category line the shelves, the menu has a Latin/Asian flair, and there’s a lively schedule of events running from standup to music to poetry readings. bookandbar.com

RiverRun Bookstore, Portsmouth. The name honors the opening line of James Joyce’s Finnegans Wake, and the shop honors the way writers used to write: Books share the shelves with vintage typewriters. What’s more, writers who still work that way can bring their machines here for repairs. But books—new and used—are the main focus, and RiverRun even offers a publishing plan for anyone who wants to put their freshly oiled keys to work. riverrunbookstore.com

Sheafe Street Books, Portsmouth. Just a few blocks from Strawbery Banke, Ken Kozick curates a shop with all the charm and quirks of a comfortable old house filled with books. Amid shelves filled with current best-sellers, literary classics, well-chosen cookbooks, and vintage paperbacks, look for the shop’s signature collection: books by and about the literary lights of the Beat Generation. And be sure to say hello to Petunia the cat. bookshop.org/shop/sheafestreet

Toadstool Bookshops, Peterborough and Keene. Family-run since its founding in 1972, and changing hands just this year to a young local man who grew up bringing home books from the store, Toadstool’s two Monadnock Region shops maintain their half-century tradition of carefully selected inventory and a staff chosen for knowledgeability and literary passion. Both locations continue to present a busy series of readings by local and nationally known authors. toadbooks.com

White Birch Books, North Conway. “Small, quaint, and independent,” say the proprietors about their shop—true on all counts, although the Mount Washington Valley’s premier bookseller isn’t too small and quaint to stock a fine collection of standbys and new releases. Visitors also love the snug children’s nook and the used and bargain section. Open to all are a monthly Thursday Night Book Club and a twice-monthly Mystery Book Group. whitebirchbooks.com

4 Independent Bookstores in Rhode Island

Commonwealth Books, Newport. Behind the handsome Georgian facade of Washington Square’s 1750 Buliod-Perry House, once owned by naval hero Oliver Hazard Perry, is an antiquarian browser’s treasury of books, prints, and maps spanning five centuries of literature, fine and applied arts, naval and military history, and humbler modern paperbacks. An ever-changing inventory reflects Commonwealth’s policy of welcoming sellers of single volumes, sets, and entire collections. cwbnewport.blackwidowpress.com

Island Bound, New Shoreham. Begun nearly 30 years ago as a tiny shop in one of Block Island’s Victorian hotels, Island Bound has long since graduated to its own premises and a position as New Shoreham’s sole bookseller. It’s the place to shop for anything in print related to Block Island, but it also carries a full range of the current and the classic, and even offers summer art classes. islandboundbookstore.com

Paper Nautilus, Providence. The shelves at this East Side shop are a reminder that its neighbors include Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design. New and used titles run heavily to fine and applied arts, along with the humanities in general and local history. Since this is his hometown, horror aficionados can expect a generous stock of books by one Mr. Howard Phillips Lovecraft. papernautilusbooks.com

Twenty Stories, Providence. In 1917, Christopher Morley published Parnassus on Wheels, about a horse-drawn mobile bookstore. That’s the idea behind the bookmobile (no horse) based out of this Fox Point shop. Spring through fall, it visits a different city location each weekend, selling books from a carefully curated inventory. The shop name? Every month, the owners choose 20 titles to add to their offerings. twentystoriesla.com

7 Independent Bookstores in Vermont

The Eloquent Page, St. Albans. This handsome shop opposite the Rail City’s Taylor Park keeps a 35,000-volume inventory of new, used, and rare books, with a special emphasis on Vermont history—including original and reproduction maps and postcards—as well as considerable offerings in science fiction, military history, mysteries, children’s literature, and fashion and costume history. Local authors frequently appear for readings and book signings. theeloquentpage.com

Everyone’s Books, Brattleboro. “Raising Hell Since 1984” might not be the usual bookstore motto, but this is Brattleboro, where Vermont’s relatively genteel brand of hell-raising has long been part of the local brand. Books with a progressive bent by no means dominate the inventory—after all, this is everyone’s shop—but the shelves do reflect the proprietors’ deep commitment to peace, climate, and social activism. everyonesbks.com

Green Mountain Books, Lyndonville. Even the smallest of college towns deserves a good bookstore, and the Lyndonville campus of Vermont State University scores with this modest-size but amply stocked shop. Launched more than 40 years ago as a secondhand bookstore, it now features an eclectic new and used inventory, with excellent coverage of Northeast Kingdom history and Vermont authors (spanning writers as diverse as Bernie Sanders and Howard Frank Mosher), many of whom have given readings here. greenmtnbooks.com

Monroe Street Books, Middlebury. It’s a low-slung, unassuming building on the outside, but inside is a warren of aisles to get lost in. Vermont’s biggest emporium of used, rare, and out-of-print books houses 100,000 volumes, with half again as many available online. Subject by subject, the ever-changing inventory is superbly organized, making a visit to Monroe Street like getting lost … with a map. monroestreetbooks.com

Northshire Bookstore, Manchester. The Green Mountain State’s largest independent bookstore features 300,000 new and used titles in all categories of fiction and nonfiction, including a 5,000-volume treasury of rare, signed, and/or first editions. An anchor of Manchester’s retail center (there’s also a branch in Saratoga Springs, New York), Northshire has expanded its inventory to include new vinyl record releases, children’s games, housewares, and gifts crafted by local artists and artisans. northshire.com

Norwich Bookstore, Norwich. A white-frame structure opposite a classic village green features two floors of intelligently stocked inventory reflecting the sophisticated tastes of the Dartmouth College community that calls Norwich home. The children’s section runs broad and deep, as if stocked for tots with professor parents. There’s a lively schedule of events, often featuring pairs of writers in conversation on topics of mutual interest. norwichbookstore.com

The Vermont Book Shop, Middlebury. This year marks the 75th anniversary of this classic college-town bookstore, which continues to offer the personal service that attracted its most famous customer, Ripton summer resident Robert Frost. Frost’s works are, of course, among the wide selection of regional authors that the shop is known for, joining works by writers such as Julia Alvarez, Chris Bohjalian, and Bill McKibben—all of whom have given readings here. vermontbookshop.com 

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Looking to support local New England makers, artisans, and shops this holiday season? From sweet treats and fine jewelry to home decor and colorful wearables, these thirty-nine New England businesses have something for everyone on your list.

Massachusetts | Candy, Soaps, Lanterns & Bowls

Erickson Silver Shop, Gardner. Heir to a family tradition of craftsmanship, master silversmith Peter Erickson creates flatware entirely by hand, tempering and hammering his elegantly simple place settings and serving utensils without dies or machinery. Timeless, uncluttered designs are the shop’s trademark, and his pierced serving pieces are exceptional works of art. Erickson also crafts jewelry for men and women, including wedding rings that are a worthy alternative to gold. ericksonsilver.com

Just Soap, Ashfield. Frederick Breeden launched his own industrial revolution when he harnessed a bicycle to power the mixing paddles in his soap vats. Pedal power blends olive, palm, and coconut oils, along with herbs, spices, and essential oils for scent and soothing qualities. Breeden’s soaps and rosemary shampoo bars are pressed and cut by hand, and are available individually or in five-bar sets. Just the thing for lathering up … after a bike ride. justsoap.com

Mrs. Nelson’s Candy House, Chelmsford. Now in its seventh decade, Mrs. Nelson’s continues to craft handmade candies from the finest chocolate, butter, cream, honey, nuts, and fruits. Treats like chocolate-covered cherries or pretzels and novelty chocolate shapes are offered by the pound, and bonbon lovers can skip the “wonder what this one is” mystery by choosing “Hard-N-Chewy” or all soft-center boxes. There’s even a sugar-free milk chocolate assortment. mrsnelsonscandyhouse.com

New England Shirt Company, Fall River. Carrying on a New England garment-making tradition that’s now all but lost to foreign production, cutters and tailors working in a historic Fall River mill transform fine linen and cotton fabrics into classic, long-wearing dress and casual shirts in solids, stripes, checks, and plaids. Denim and chambray lines feature the deep blue that only natural indigo dyes can provide. newenglandshirtco.com

Queen Adeline, Lowell. The vibrant colors and bold patterns of wax print fabrics are characteristic of Queen Allotey-Pappoe’s native Ghana. Queen’s collection of dresses in flowing, comfortable, and strikingly original designs are crafted from fibers sustainably sourced in Africa, on principles of fair trade with small-scale artisans. Shop online or check the website for pop-up retail and open studio events. queenadelinecollection.com

Sandwich Lantern, Sandwich. Handcrafted of brass or copper in a variety of finishes, Sandwich’s signature “onion” lanterns—so called because of their plump glass globes—provide a warm front-door welcome, or lighting compatible with traditional interior design. Also available are anchor lights, with cylindrical globes in clear or “red on port, green on starboard” colors, as well as wall sconces and an extensive collection of chandeliers. sandwichlantern.com

Spencer Peterman, Gill. Castoffs from locally harvested hardwoods—cherry, black walnut, and the “Ambrosia maple” given its tiger-stripe patterns by the Ambrosia beetle—are fashioned into bowls and cutting/serving boards in a variety of silky oil and wax finishes. Oval or round bowls are offered in smooth or “live edge” rims that reflect the outer edge of the logs they were turned from; boards are available with or without handles. spencerpeterman.com

Vermont | Pottery, Leather, Toy Trains & Cheese Boards

Bergamot + Amor, Williamstown. Premium American-sourced cowhides—many from New England tanners—are cut and stitched into durable tote bags, laptop bags, and more, all copper-riveted and available in waxed or oiled finishes. Next door to Bergamot’s workroom is a gallery featuring work by local crafters, alongside bags in a variety of sizes. Special orders, including belts made to fit, are always welcome. bergamotamor.com

D. Lasser Ceramics, Londonderry. Daniel Lasser is a potter with a passion for color. Driving past his studio, it’s hard not to stop at the sight of his outdoor displays, and his dozens of online offerings are just as eye-catching. Lasser’s vivid dinnerware, goblets, serving pieces, vases, and even sculptures for the garden feature bold abstract designs and a color palette that banishes earth tones back to the ’70s. lasserceramics.com

Farmhouse Pottery, Woodstock. The name says a lot about the simple, clean-lined stoneware crafted by the potters at Farmhouse: These are just the kinds of elegantly utilitarian crocks, mugs, plates, bowls, and pitchers, in shades of beige and cream, that might be found in a tidy, old-fashioned farmhouse. There’s also an extensive line of woodenware, glass, and enamelware, which you can peruse in person at the Woodstock store. farmhousepottery.com

JK Adams, Dorset. If it’s made of wood and meant for the kitchen, chances are it’s made by the artisans at JK Adams. Select Vermont hardwoods go into an extensive line of long-lasting, professional-grade cutting boards, cheese boards, serving bowls, wine racks, and utensils. Cookware, gourmet treats, Vermont maple syrup, and all things kitchen round out the offerings. jkadams.com

Mad River Glass Gallery, Waitsfield. For over 30 years, Melanie and David Leppla have fashioned and displayed their gorgeously imaginative glass creations at their Waitsfield workshop and gallery. Their vases and bowls venture far from utility into art, drawing on a luminous color palette and motifs ranging from flowers to undersea life. Their purely decorative pieces—especially a series of delicately balanced glass cairns—are truly museum quality. No surprise the Lepplas’ work graces several museum collections. madriverglassgallery.com

Maple Landmark, Middlebury. Plastic simply isn’t part of the Vermont brand, especially for toys. For more than 40 years, Maple Landmark has been crafting hardwoods into toys for kids of all ages—from teething rings to building blocks, and trucks to trains, including the company’s signature “name trains” that spell out a child’s name as little hands guide them down their wooden tracks. maplelandmark.com

Simon Pearce, Quechee. In the years since Irish native Simon Pearce brought his pottery and glassmaking skills to Vermont, his eponymous glassblowing studio and retail store has set the state standard for artisanship. Classic, uncluttered design and impeccable execution mark bowls, vases, carafes, and drinkware that makes a martini look invisibly clear. Pottery, woodenware, and special holiday items are among Pearce’s offerings, and many items are available as boxed gift sets. simonpearce.com

New Hampshire | Chocolate, Pewter, Textiles & Sleigh Bells

Buue, Wilmot. “B-yoo” was the way a certain toddler said “blue,” and her mother, Melissa McKeagney, started making clothing for her when she couldn’t find just what she wanted. Melissa now sews colorful block-printed cotton fabrics into an adorable line of skirts, pants, and flouncy little dresses in sizes from toddler up to 6. buuestudio.com

Frye’s Measure Mill, Wilton. Water has powered the Frye’s mill since 1858, turning the belt-driven machinery that artisans still use to create classic trays and round or oval boxes true to Shaker design. The “measure” in the company name refers to early containers sized for specific amounts, but these simple wooden boxes look lovely holding fruit, dried flowers, or nothing at all. fryesmill.com

Hampshire Pewter, Somersworth. “Every special occasion deserves a little pewter,” say the Hampshire folks, and for these pewterers, special occasions abound. They offer pewter Christmas ornaments, spoons and porringers for the new baby, and goblets for wedding and anniversary toasts; they’ll even work from clients’ custom designs. To make any dinner a special occasion, select from bowls, plates, mugs, and serving pieces in traditional designs. hampshirepewter.com

Handweaving by Nancy, Ashuelot. Weaver Nancy O’Connor’s cotton rugs, placemats, tea towels, pillows, and table runners—all fashioned on her hand-operated floor looms—add a bright, textured note to home decor. O’Connor also weaves colorful shawls using soft, breathable bamboo fibers, and scarves woven in a combination of bamboo and alpaca. Find online or at six retail outlets in New Hampshire and Vermont. handweavingbynancy.com

L.A. Burdick Handmade Chocolates, Walpole. Swiss-trained chocolatier Larry Burdick started with a simple idea, to elevate American chocolate craftsmanship to an art form based entirely on fresh ingredients in their natural state: cocoa from the finest beans, cream, butter, vanilla beans, whole fruits, and never extracts or artificial flavorings. Taste the results in six shops, including Burdick’s Walpole café, or in a mouthwatering array of bonbons for order online. burdickchocolate.com

New England Bells, Bradford. “He gives his harness bells a shake,” wrote Robert Frost, and they were probably bells like the ones this outfit makes in New Hampshire. Here are strap bells, dog collar bells, bear bells for hikers, and door hanger bells that sound a lot nicer than a buzzer, all fashioned from brass (some available in nickel plate) with high-quality leather on strap models. newenglandbells.com

Shanware Pottery, Rumney. Richard Wetterer’s 50-plus years of experience as a potter stands behind a line of stoneware and porcelain useful and extensive enough to entirely outfit a kitchen. Bowls, lidded casseroles, dinnerware, mugs, and goblets are all oven-, microwave-, and dishwasher-safe, and their deep, rich glazes are lead-free. Beyond the kitchen and dining room, Shanware vases, baskets, planters, and even clocks might find a place throughout the house. shanware.com

Maine | Tourmaline, Sail Bags, Doormats & Walking Sticks

Cross Jewelers, Portland. Cross has worked with tourmaline, Maine’s state gemstone, for more than a century. The firm’s artisans employ a full array of precious and semiprecious stones, but tourmaline—mined in the mountains of southwestern Maine—has a special place here. Rings, pendants, earrings, bracelets, and more appear in the gem’s color palette of greens, blues, and the distinctive pink variety that couple with a naturally occurring rim of green in Cross’s “Watermelon Patch” line. crossjewelers.com

Greyfeather Woodcraft, Isleboro. Staffs are great for hiking—but what about walking? Get into the right rhythm, and a walking stick can actually help propel you along. Greyfeather’s Steve Miller fashions both staffs (no handles) and walking sticks (capped with handles). They’re made from wood sourced on Isleboro, and no two are alike. Choose from the inventory, or have a custom model made to a specified length, with brass, rubber, or pointed tip. greyfeatherwoodcraft.com

Little Salty Rope, Deer Isle. The problem with doormats is that they get treated like doormats. Most last just a couple of seasons—but not rope doormats, a clever by-product of the Down East lobster fishery. Woven from the tough polypropylene rope that tethers lobster traps, they’re all but indestructible. Little Salty’s father-daughter team make their mats in Maine, offering them, along with matching woven-rope baskets, in an array of cheerful color combinations. littlesaltyrope.com 

North Country Wind Bells, Round Pond. North Country’s Maine-made bells are inspired by the sounds of the seacoast, and their collection of buoy bells reproduces the distinctive tones—each one different from the others—heard in harbors from Down East to Charleston, and even along the Pacific. An extensive selection of “windcatchers” brings the bells to life with a touch of breeze, summoning memories of foggy mornings and sharp salt air. northcountrywindbells.com

Sea Bags, Portland. There’s recycling and then there’s “upcycling,” which is what this Maine company does with the tough textiles that have propelled sailing vessels Down East and beyond. Sails that have finished their useful life, many still bearing nautical insignia, are fashioned into totes, pillows, and home accessories ranging from wine bags to deck chairs in workrooms on a historic Portland wharf. Shop online or at one of 50 locations throughout the Northeast. seabags.com

Seacolors Yarnery, Washington. Seacolors’ blankets aren’t just made in Washington, Maine—they’re grown there. The sheep at Meadowcroft Farm yield wool that’s dyed in seawater using natural colors, and woven on antique looms just a few miles from the meadows where the animals graze. Distinctively striped blankets in a lush twill weave come in king, queen, and “napper” sizes, all soft, lustrous, and sure to become family heirlooms. Sweaters, yarn, and unspun fleece are also available. getwool.com

Connecticut | Kitchenwares, Knots, Pies & Soaps

Goatboy Soaps, New Milford. Milk from the soapery’s goats combine with olive, palm, and coconut oils, and vitamin-rich shea butter to create soaps mild enough for the most sensitive skin. Choose from 30-plus scents, ranging from patchouli to “Manly Man,” in 5-ounce bars, 11-bar “logs,” and bargain, end-cut “Scrapples.” Available online and at select shops in Connecticut and Rhode Island. goatboy.us

Kinship Glassworks, Milford. Vivid colors, textured surfaces, and custom artistry are hallmarks of Kinship’s line of functional and decorative glassware. All orders are custom—vases, drinking glasses, paperweights, ornaments, votive candle holders, and more—and are crafted at the studio and gallery by master glassblower Christopher Demott and his team. Enrollment in a class, with a finished product to take home, is a great gift idea for anyone who has always wanted to try glassblowing. kinshipglassworks.com

Meb’s Kitchenwares, Woodstock. In their solar-powered workshop in Connecticut’s “Quiet Corner,” Meb and her husband, Tom, fashion free-form kitchenware out of locally sourced hardwoods including cherry, curly maple, beech, apple, and black walnut. Their bowls, cutting and serving boards, knives and spreaders, and even table utensils are sanded to a lustrous smoothness and finished with linseed oil. As seen on Weekends with Yankee. mebskitchenwares.com 

Michele’s Pies, New Canaan. Here’s the headquarters for a life of pie: fruit pies, nut pies, cream pies, savory pot pies, and even quiche. They’re handcrafted by Michele Stuart and her dedicated baking team with fresh, locally sourced, and seasonal ingredients. Yes, there are National Pie Championships, and Michele’s has won 33 first-place awards. Shipping is via Goldbelly, and “Pie of the Month” gift cards are available. michelespies.com

Mystic Knotwork, Mystic. Old-time sailors with time on their hands elevated the knack of creative knotting to an art form, which survives today in Mystic’s line of wearables, household goods, and more. Look for bracelets and anklets, necklaces and barrettes, trivets and napkin rings, woven bowls and wreaths, and even tightly woven balls to toss to the dog. Lanyards? Of course—just like what you made at summer camp, only better. mysticknotwork.com

Nutmeg + Honey, West Hartford. An intrepid search for Connecticut-made gifts could involve traipsing all over the state … or a simple online scroll through Nutmeg + Honey’s vast trove of specialty foods, housewares, luxury soaps and facial treatments, and more, all carefully curated and attractively presented in theme gift boxes, baskets, and bags with a seasonal focus. nutmeghoney.com

Woodbury Pewter, Woodbury. Pewter, the material of everyday housewares in colonial times, has enjoyed a revival as a less expensive alternative to silver. Calling on time-honored methods—and, for some pieces, molds hundreds of years old—Woodbury’s artisans use today’s lead-free pewter alloys of tin, antimony, and copper to craft modern and reproduction cups, pitchers, teapots, plates, serving utensils, and decorative pieces available in bright or satin finishes. woodburypewter.com

Rhode Island | Coffee, Cornmeal, Wampum & Pottery

Clancy Designs, Jamestown. Glass-blowers David and Jennifer Clancy create uncannily accurate, vividly pigmented sculptures of aquatic and botanical subjects, fashioning fish that look as if they’re ready to swim away, and flowers that seem kissed with morning dew. The Clancys’ functional pieces—bowls, pitchers, tumblers, martini and margarita glasses, all hand-blown—are splashed with bright, happy colors. clancydesigns.com

Dave’s Coffee Syrup, Narragansett. Rhode Island’s state drink, coffee milk, is made with cold milk and a few dollops of a sweet elixir known as coffee syrup. At the Dave’s roastery in Narragansett, this Ocean State staple is crafted from cold-brewed Brazilian coffee, cane sugar, and cassava root. If the Dave’s locations in Providence and Charlestown are too far a drive, the company’s syrup and coffees are available online. davescoffee.com

Kenyon’s Grist Mill, West Kingston. In Rhode Island, cornmeal means johnnycakes, and Kenyon’s has ground meal for the Ocean State’s iconic flapjacks for 327 years. The current mill was built in 1886, and corn (pesticide-free and non-GMO) is still ground between the original stones. Buy yellow, red, blue, or white cornmeal—some from rare Rhode Island flint corn—along with pancake and johnnycake mixes online or at the mill store. kenyonsgristmill.com

Peter Pots Pottery, West Kingston. Since 1948, the crafters at Peter Pots have created durable, stylish stoneware at remarkably reasonable prices. The colors are classic: Mugs, tableware, bakeware, and lamps all appear in the company’s signature blue, green, and brown, easing into a warm cream base tone. Of special interest to retro fans is a vintage line of designs from the ’50s through ’70s—perfect complements to midcentury modern interiors. peterpots.com

The Purple Shell, Charlestown. For the indigenous Narragansett people of New England’s southern coasts, “wampum” has a specific meaning: It refers to the purple portions of hard-shell clams, from which ceremonial and exchange beadwork was made. Narragansett Allen Hazard fashions wampum into exquisite bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and medallions in traditional designs, all on display at his retail shop. Facebook 

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Vermont isn’t the kind of place that touts miles of splashy holiday lights along big city boulevards; instead, towns across the Green Mountain State find their own ways to shine, large and small. From tractors to a waterfall, from a historic steamship to a blazing Yule log on a village green, Vermont has no end of wonderful, unique displays to brighten the holiday season.

Winter Lights at Shelburne Museum | Shelburne

Shelburne Museum had a big hit on its hands when it debuted Winter Lights in 2021, so it’s no surprise the event has kept coming back more sparkly than ever. Visitors can explore an extravaganza of illumination throughout the museum’s campus in Shelburne, including the Lake Champlain steamer Ticonderoga — high, dry, handsome, and bedecked with lights. Special events include an Ice Bar evening for 21+. Select dates Nov. 24, 2023–Jan. 6, 2024; see website for details.

A Forest of Lights | Quechee

Although wild critters are the undisputed stars at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS), the landscape itself steps into the spotlight during A Forest of Lights, when the VINS Forest Canopy Walk and surrounding woodland are dressed in thousands of twinkling bulbs. Visitors are invited to stroll through the immersive illuminated forest and experience its peace and wonder. Select dates Nov. 24, 2023–Jan. 3, 2024; see website for details.

Spruce Peak Lights Festival | Stowe

Held at the Lodge at Spruce Peak at Stowe Mountain Resort, the Spruce Peak Lights Festival offers evergreens laden with tiny lights as the picture-perfect background for the evening’s Christmas tree lighting, while the mountaintop itself is the launch locale for a spectacular fireworks display. While waiting for the pyrotechnics, watch professional ice dancing performances — or take to the ice yourself — and look for a visit from Santa. Dec. 16, 2023.

Festival of Trees | St. Albans

St. Albans enjoys one of the state’s loveliest downtown green spaces, Taylor Park. Graced with a magnificent fountain, it also has dozens of stately trees that are illuminated for the weeklong Festival of Trees, which includes a dazzling laser light show during the kickoff on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Plus, all December long, visitors are invited to take a “Tree Walk” to view decorated trees in downtown shop windows. Nov. 25–Dec. 3, 2023; see website for other event details.

Church Street Marketplace | Burlington

All along its bustling four blocks of shops and restaurants, Church Street Marketplace is decked out for the holidays, with garlands of lights weaving overhead and businesses vying to outdo each other with window displays. Take it all in on the day after Thanksgiving, with the Santa Parade and the lighting of a towering evergreen at the head of this popular pedestrian mall, and look for other events ranging from live music performances to kids’ train rides. Parade and tree lighting Nov. 24, 2023; see website for other event details.

Very Merry Middlebury | Middlebury

Any town can light its streets, but how many get to light a waterfall? During December’s Very Merry Middlebury celebration, this college town’s central water feature, the falls of Otter Creek, is spectacularly illuminated in an array of glowing colors. Not that the rest of downtown will be in the dark — holiday lights abound, reaching a bright crescendo at the town Christmas tree in the Marble Works Riverfront Park. ”First Saturday” fun includes free wagon rides and photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, while “Midd Night Strolls” feature specials, promotions, food trucks and pop-ups around the downtown. First Saturday Dec. 2, 2023; Midd Night Strolls Dec. 7 and 14, 2023; see website for other event details.

Christmas Lights at the Joseph Smith Birthplace | South Royalton

At the Joseph Smith Birthplace in South Royalton, the extensive grounds surrounding a monument to the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints blaze with color each holiday season. Tens of thousands of tiny lights cast nearly every tree in a different color, while visitors make a slow circuit of the site’s paved drives to take it all in. Nov. 24, 2023–Jan. 1, 2024.

Manchester Merriment | Manchester

To be sure, Manchester will be adorned with plenty of holiday lights that stay serenely in one place during its annual monthlong holiday celebration, Manchester Merriment. But to really catch the spirit of the town, the place to be is along the roadside to watch the lights roll by at the annual Lighted Tractor Parade, featuring more than two dozen tractors, with floats in tow, illuminated to the nth degree and competing for prizes. Lighted Tractor Parade Dec. 2, 2023; see website for other event details.

Winter Lights in the Park | Essex Junction

Beginning on Thanksgiving and running till New Year’s, Winter Lights in the Park in Essex Junction is truly a signature holiday celebration. Trees throughout Maple Street Park, just a few blocks from the village’s Five Corners center, glitter with lights as speakers play seasonal tunes. Special ornaments are hidden in the trees, and visitors are challenged to spot them in a merry scavenger hunt. Nov. 23, 2023–Jan. 1, 2024.

Wassail Weekend | Woodstock

Woodstock’s streets are bedecked with lights all through the Yuletide, but the best time to visit is Wassail Weekend. Village homes show off their decorations during a house tour, Billings Farm basks in the glow of old-fashioned lighting and decorations, and the town green is the scene for the most spectacular light of all: the lighting of 400 luminaries. Dec. 8–10, 2023

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What makes a New England getaway romantic? Each of us has our own answers, but there are a few constants that go into the recipe when you’re choosing an inn or hotel for a romantic stay. A fireplace would be nice. So would candlelight dinners right on the premises. Adults only? Always a plus. As for location, New England is blessed with country inns, beachside retreats, grand estates in the mountains, and even intimate hotels in big-city destinations.

The Most Romantic Getaways in New England

Rabbit Hill Inn | Waterford, Vermont

One Vermont hideaway that ticks all the boxes is the Rabbit Hill Inn, tucked into the charm-filled village of Waterford near the banks of the Upper Connecticut River. Each of the 19 rooms and suites has its own special romantic character (we like the rustic Cedar Glen room, with its massive, rough-hewn four-poster bed); most have gas fireplaces, and several feature White Mountain views from private balconies. Dine on site at 24 Carrot, or enjoy a light bite at the pub. Both—and the entire inn—are just for adults.

Stone Hill Inn | Stowe, Vermont

Stowe’s Stone Hill Inn offers the luxury of seclusion in one of Vermont’s most popular resort towns. Set within nine manicured acres, the inn’s nine rooms offer fireplaces in bedrooms and baths, along with Jacuzzi tubs for two and private access to the gardens.It’s even possible to book an in-room couples massage. Rates include a sumptuous three-course breakfast; later in the day, enjoy Vermont cheeses and charcuterie, wine, and local artisan beers on tap. And it’s all couples only. 

Notchland Inn | Hart’s Location, New Hampshire

New Hampshire’s White Mountains are the backdrop for the Notchland Inn, an 1860s mansion with a welcoming parlor designed by Arts and Crafts master Gustav Stickley.Set on 100 acres along the Saco River in the tiny settlement of Hart’s Location, theromantic inn features woodburning fireplaces in all rooms and suites. For added seclusion, choose one of two cottages. Breakfast is included; a four-course dinner is a wise guest option, given the vast array of appetite-building outdoor activities in the area.

Sugar Hill Inn | Sugar Hill, New Hampshire

Sugar Hill Inn, in the White Mountains town of the same name, began modestly as a 1789 farmhouse. Later additions to the age-14-and-over property made room for gas fireplaces, big whirlpool tubs, rooms with spectacular views, and—in some accommodations—a private deck overlooking perennial gardens. Full breakfasts and white-tablecloth dining focus on local cheeses and produce, and there’s a cozy tavern with a blazing hearth. Sore after hiking the Presidential Range? Book a massage, right in your room.

Pentagöet Inn | Castine, Maine

Not all of northern New England’s romantic lodgings are out in the woods. Just two blocks from the harbor in Castine, Maine, small coastal town charm is the special ingredient in a getaway at the Pentagöet Inn. This turreted Queen Anne, built as a summer hotel in 1894, harbors cozy, antique-filled rooms, as does its century-older next-door annex. Maine seafood and produce are foundations of the dinner menu. Mister’s Pub is the spot for small plates and libations, and there’s jazz on the porch on summer Tuesdays.

Black Point Inn | Prout’s Neck, Maine

Artist Winslow Homer’s beloved Prout’s Neck is home to the rambling, shingle-style Black Point Inn, a nearly 150-year-old resort where more than two dozen rooms and suites offer some of Maine’s finest ocean-view accommodations. Ramble along three miles of sandy beach, take a dip in the geothermally heated pool, or wander off by bike or kayak. Dine indoors or out at the Chart Room, where there’s always a freshly caught seafood special.

The Lenox | Back Bay, Boston, Massachusetts

Hotels large and small have been built in Boston in recent years, but none have quite the cachet of The Lenox, which calls itself the city’s original “boutique” hotel. No need for the trendy appellation—this is a hotel that does a fine turn as a smart urban pied-a-terre, with an extra dollop of romance. The star accommodations at the Lenox are the Executive Fireplace Rooms, where a wood-burning hearth and Back Bay views create the perfect romantic Boston retreat. Dine downstairs at City Table… or have dinner sent up to enjoy fireside.

Wheatleigh | Berkshires, Massachusetts

Stately homes with an opulent past convert into splendid romantic accommodations, and Wheatleigh in the Berkshires is a prime example. This Tiffany-windowed palazzo, built in Lenox by a financier in the 1890s, stands within grounds designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. There are only nine guest rooms—the junior suites with fireplaces and the two-level Aviary Suite are standouts—so there’s a maximum of privacy with a minimum of bustle. And the dining room is straight out of the Gilded Age.

Winvian Farm | Litchfield, Connecticut

Winvian Farm in Connecticut’s Litchfield Hills might be the last word in romantic privacy, New England style. Eighteen distinctive, architect-designed cottages are spaced discretely apart, and these themed refuges offer amenities like fireplaces, wet bars, waterfall showers, and… well, how to describe a “cottage” with a restored helicopterinside? There’s a luxurious on-site spa and a dining room that draws not only on local suppliers but Winvian’s own gardens.

Mayflower Inn & Spa | Washington, Connecticut

Three stand-alone cottage accommodations are also among the posh options on offer at Mayflower Inn & Spa in Washington, Connecticut. Suites range up to 1,200 square feet; several have gas fireplaces and private balconies. Pampering awaits at The Well (as in “wellness”), where spa treatments, skin care, fitness classes, and outdoor adventurespopulate an expansive service menu. Opt for health-centered fare here, or enjoy dinner with a New England accent at the restaurant or pub.

Castle Hill Inn | Newport, Rhode Island

Castle Hill Inn, a long-time favorite for couples seeking romance, is set above a half-mile of coastline in Newport, Rhode Island. The choice here is between the airy, private accommodations in beach cottages, situated right along the sands, or the seven spacious rooms and suites in the sprawling Queen Anne mansion. A gorgeous bi-level turret suiteis the ultimate splurge, but gas fireplaces, rich wood paneling, and sweeping sea viewsmake all of the mansion rooms enchanting. Celebrating an anniversary? A six-coursedinner menu is served indoors or al fresco. 

Weekapaug Inn | Westerly, Rhode Island

Down in the Ocean State’s southwestern corner, the Weekapaug Inn occupies an exquisitely reinvented 1899 property on a protected Westerly cove. Accommodations range from rooms in the rambling, Shingle Style main building to the ultimate in privacy: carriage house suites with outdoor soaking tubs and kitchen/dining areas or grand, 1,800-square-foot suites with a kitchen, a gas-fireplaced den, and water views in all directions.Why would you cook, though, when there’s a farm-to-table restaurant on the premises?

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“New England is a finished place,” Bernard DeVoto once wrote. It seems that some of its residents, though, never finish residing here. From eerie cemeteries to old hotels to sites of brutal murders, Yankee spirits have found plenty of places to haunt. Here’s a ghost seeker’s guide to the most haunted places in New England.

Most Haunted Places in Vermont

Emily’s Bridge in Stowe, Vermont

In Vermont, few locals cross Emily’s Bridge (also known as Gold Brook Covered Bridge) without wondering if there really was an Emily, and if she really hung herself from this covered bridge in Stowe after being jilted by her lover. Someone once claimed they’d made up the tale–but what of the mysterious lights, the disembodied cries, and the scratchings against cars and pedestrian alike?

Laurel Hall and Mausoleum in Cuttingsville, Vermont

Or what about that strange mausoleum down in Cuttingsville, Vermont, where a marble statue of a mournful man seems to seek entrance to the tombs within? That’s John Bowman, whose wife and two daughters are entombed here. Hallways in the mansion he built across the way–where he thought his family would reappear one day–are said to echo with an infant’s plaintive cries. Visit Laurel Hall and Mausoleum if you dare.

Most Haunted Places in New Hampshire

Nancy Brook in Jefferson, New Hampshire

Again the jilted lover… one of New Hampshire’s most enduring ghost stories concerns Nancy Barton, who on a bitter night in 1778 took off into the woods near Jefferson in pursuit of her supposed fiancé, who had disappeared with her life savings. She was found soaked and frozen at the side of a brook and was buried there. Nancy Brook, it’s called today, and the woods around it are said to still resound with her desperate shrieks.

The Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire

Another New Hampshire ghost haunts far more comfortable surroundings. Carolyn Stickney was the widow of Joseph Stickney, builder of the sumptuous Mount Washington Hotel. After her second husband’s death in 1922, she came to live at the hotel, and some say she never left. Her spirit has been seen standing on an interior balcony and sitting on a bed in her former suite. Are the tower suite’s lights turning on and off by themselves? Or is Carolyn concerned about the electric bill? Check into what may be New England’s most haunted grand hotel, and brace yourself for odd occurrences.

Most Haunted Places in Maine

Mount Hope Cemetery in Bangor, Maine

If Maine seems a hospitable place for the uncanny, credit a certain horror writer. Stephen King’s old home town of Bangor has been burying its dead in Mount Hope Cemetery since 1836–but just how dead are some of those folks? Visitors have heard footsteps in the cemetery when no one is around and felt cool air inexplicably intruding on the warmth of a summer day. (To add to Mount Hope Cemetery’s eerie charm, it was even used as a location site for the movie version of King’s Pet Sematary.)

The Kennebec Arsenal in Augusta, Maine

Maine’s capital, Augusta, boasts what many consider the spookiest place in the state. So much the better that the Kennebec Arsenal was once a mental institution: a locale that figures in many a haunting tale. The grim structure was built as an arsenal more than two centuries ago, but tales of the torment of inmates in its early hospital days is said to account for today’s phantom screams and apparitions.

Most Haunted Places in Massachusetts

The Joshua Ward House in Salem, Massachusetts

Salem, Massachusetts, summons thoughts of the supernatural, though of course none of the poor souls tried and executed here in the 1690s were really witches. Their tragic persecution, though, gives rise to a persistent story of hauntings. The Joshua Ward House stands where witchcraft suspects were once interrogated and, some say, tortured. Is it the spirit of the jailer or one of the accused who leaves warm candle wax in rooms where there are no candles, or tightens ghostly hands around the necks of visitors?

The Lizzie Borden House in Fall River, Massachusetts

There’s a trim Greek Revival house in Fall River that witnessed perhaps the most famous double murder in American history. This is where Lizzie Borden allegedly “took an ax, and gave her mother forty whacks,” then similarly did in her father. Lizzie was acquitted, but not by history, nor in the public imagination. The Lizzie Borden House is now a B&B and museum, where some guests have reported ghostly footsteps, a strange floral scent, and the appearance of a woman’s face on a basement wall. It’s even been alleged that daddy Andrew Borden’s spirit will let you be if you leave money on the dresser in his old room.

Most Haunted Places in Rhode Island

Southeast Lighthouse on Block Island, Rhode Island

A lively Rhode Island ghost story adds the mystery of a remote location to a true tale of murder. Over a century ago, the keeper at Block Island’s Southeast Lighthouse threw his wife down the stairs during an argument. He went to jail, but “Mad Maggie” stayed at the lighthouse, at least in spirit. And an angry spirit she is: she’s said to have thrown things at keepers and visitors, locked them in rooms, and chased them out of bed. And all of her victims have been men.  

Seaview Terrace in Newport, Rhode Island

Among the elaborate “cottages” of Newport, Rhode Island, the term “haunts of the wealthy” takes on a literal meaning, if we are to believe the stories surrounding Seaview Terrace. The privately owned mansion was built in Washington, D.C., by distiller Edson Bradley, who remarkably moved it to a site on Newport’s Cliff Walk in 1923. It supposedly harbors the spirit of Bradley’s wife, Julie. She died in 1929… but has since been seen several times playing the organ in the mansion’s music room.

Most Haunted Places in Connecticut

Union Cemetery in Easton, Connecticut

Easton, Connecticut’s Union Cemetery has a history dating back to the colony’s earliest English settlement. With some 400 years of interments, it’s no surprise that some of the permanent residents seem to have unquiet spirits. The “White Lady,” in her trademark gown and bonnet, roams along Route 59, the graveyard’s eastern boundary, and on one occasion even leapt in front of a car (she had nothing to fear, being already dead). “Red Eyes” is a bit more scary: There’s nothing to this specter but those piercing red orbs, which stare at evening visitors and sometimes even pursue them among the tombstones.

Bara-Hack in Pomfret, Connecticut

Although ghost towns don’t figure much in New England lore, they aren’t just a Western phenomenon. In a wooded corner of Pomfret, Connecticut, a few crumbling ruins and cellar holes are all that remain of Bara-Hack, a tiny 1780s settlement built around a flax mill. Abandoned before the Civil War, Bara-Hack (Welsh for “breaking of bread”) has been left, say some, to a ghost baby in a tree, phantom horse-drawn wagons, and disembodied voices.

Would you add anything to our list? Tell us your stories of haunted places in New England in the comments below!

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Spanning 2,000 square miles, the northeast corner of Vermont is home to some of the state’s most beautiful scenery – especially during New England’s annual fall foliage. With Canada to the north and New Hampshire to the east, the region earned its “Northeast Kingdom” nickname in a 1949 speech by Vermont governor George D. Aiken. It’s an apt description. Teeming with outdoor adventures, delicious dining, cozy lodging, and a thriving cultural scene, the Northeast Kingdom is the ideal New England getaway destination. Here’s how to help make your visit a memorable one. 

Guide to the Vermont Northeast Kingdom

Vermont Northeast Kingdom Dining

Bentley’s Bakery, Danville: Owner Tarah Fontaine’s baked goods with fresh-roasted Vermont coffee is a favorite eye-opener for locals, who then head back for the lunchtime sandwiches. bentleysbakeryvt.com

Cucina di Gerardo, Island Pond: Chef-owner Gerardo Grieco offers the authentic cuisine of his southern Italian homeland, including a large selection of pizza and calzones. cucinadigerardo.com

Hill Farmstead Brewery, Greensboro Bend: Many cultures regard beer as essential food, and simply put, the best handcrafted beer in the world is right here. hillfarmstead.com

Hobo’s Café, Island Pond: Hobo’s serves breakfast all day but is best known for slow-cooked BBQ and smoked baked beans that tempt diners to lick their plates. Facebook

Miss Lyndonville Diner, Lyndonville: For nearly a half century, the most beloved eatery in this college town has served up traditional diner fare, from buttermilk pancakes to meat loaf, and everything in between. misslyndonvillediner.com

The Parker Pie Co., West Glover: The Northeast Kingdom’s premier pizzeria stays where it started, in back of a country store. Poutine? Nachos? They’re on the menu, but the site-made dough and impressive choice of toppings (e.g., Bayley Hazen blue cheese) make pizza the star. parkerpie.com

Peacham Café, Peacham: Today’s modern country store now features sandwiches and plates inspired by local fresh produce, and this café exemplifies that. peachamcafe.org

Willey’s Store, Greensboro: The famed cheeses of Jasper Hill Farm are made in deep vaults right in Greensboro, and their “unofficial” retail outlet is this local country-store landmark. Pick up fresh cheese to rival any in the world, then head up to Hill Farmstead to pair it with fine beer. Facebook

Vermont Northeast Kingdom Lodging

Essex House, Island Pond: A surprising small-town find: a vintage hotel, smartly renovated with accommodations ranging all the way up to a full-kitchen suite. A hearty array of lunch and dinner specialties are served in a casual tavern atmosphere. essexhouseandtavern.com

Highland Lodge, Greensboro: There’s a timeless, homey feel to this rambling inn, which boasts 10 comfortable rooms, four all-season cabins, and a dining room serving traditional fare with an innovative touch. Canoe and kayak on Caspian Lake, then settle into the cozy pub. highlandlodge.com

WilloughVale Inn, Westmore: With eight handsomely furnished rooms and suites in the inn and three lakeside cottages, this is the only full-service place to stay on Lake Willoughby. The Robert Frost Tavern (Frost camped here in 1909, and mentioned Lake Willoughby in a poem) serves burgers, sandwiches, and tacos alongside wine, spirits, and Vermont beers. willoughvale.com

Vermont Northeast Kingdom Activities

Bread and Puppet Museum, Glover: The enormous masks and puppets that highlighted decades of Bread and Puppet Theater’s parades, demonstrations, and celebrations fill an ancient barn to the rafters. breadandpuppet.org

Dog Mountain, St. Johnsbury: A 150-acre mountaintop retreat and dog chapel created by artist Stephen Huneck and his wife pay tribute to the canine world. Few visit the chapel, with its photos of pets who have passed on, without tears but also joy when they see the living dogs romping just outside. dogmt.com

Kingdom Trails, East Burke: Mountain bike enthusiasts know these hundreds of miles of interlocking trails to be among the best in the country. Bikes to rent, food, lodging—they’re all here. kingdomtrails.org

Museum of Everyday Life, Glover: “Glorious obscurity” is the self-proclaimed mission of this quirkily curated collection of things we all know and use, but seldom think about. museumofeverydaylife.org

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