Accessible travel in New England is more vibrant than ever, with barrier-free boardwalks, adaptive outdoor adventures, and sensory-friendly cultural experiences welcoming all visitors. Whether you’re cruising the waters of Lake Champlain, exploring a scenic forest trail, or enjoying live music under the stars, this curated guide highlights the best summer spots that prioritize inclusion, accessibility, and unforgettable fun for everyone.

Visit the beach. Go for a carriage ride. Listen to music under the stars. Summer fun in New England is accessible, no matter how you get around or interact with new environments. Here, we round up one-of-a-kind experiences that are especially welcoming to wheelchair users and visitors with disabilities. It’s time for everyone to get out and enjoy the best our region has to offer.

Accessible Travel in New England: 10 Inclusive Adventures

On the Water | Accessible lakes, beaches, and adaptive sailing programs.

Lake Williams Trail Boardwalk | Marlborough, MA

It used to be that the only way to experience Lake Williams was from the shore … until the city of Marlborough installed a half-mile-long floating boardwalk across the northern part of the lake. Wide enough to accommodate any mobility device, the ADA-friendly boardwalk allows you to feel as though you’re actually walking (or rolling) on water. Approached from the courthouse side, the boardwalk is a great spot to get wrapped up in the morning mist, catch a glimpse of local wildlife, or see the sky turn pastel at sunset.

Community Sailing Center | Burlington, VT

With 435 square miles of flat, sparkling water, Lake Champlain is a dream destination for sailors new and old—and, thanks to the Burlington-based Community Sailing Center, those with cognitive or physical disabilities, too. The center’s Adaptive Watersports Program offers three-hour group sails aboard a custom 23-foot Sonar keelboat designed with accessibility in mind, while private lessons emphasizing adaptive teaching methods are available on smaller Martin 16s. And with both boat types available as rentals, experienced skippers are invited to take the helm.

Treks & Trails | Barrier-free nature paths, adaptive outdoor centers, and inclusive biking.

Wallace Barnes Accessible Nature Trail | Bristol, CT

A new addition to the Harry C. Barnes Memorial Nature Center, this trail might just be the most accessible mile in all of Connecticut. Those using mobility devices will relish the smooth surfaces of its boardwalks and soft gravel paths. Meanwhile, a series of offset, high-handled benches—protected under timber-framed shelters—creates spaces for rest and reflection. Watch songbirds flit through the trees, listen to Freeman Hill Brook babble under one of the trail’s bridges, or wait patiently for a heron to appear out of the reeds.

Adaptive Outdoor Education Center | Carrabassett Valley & Brunswick, ME

With the founding of AOEC in 2015, Bruce and Annemarie Albiston brought their vision of a more accessible Maine wilderness to life. The all-inclusive programming across the state is truly Maine’s all-access pass to the great outdoors. Watersports your thing? Try a weekend waterskiing trip, or sail around the islands of Casco Bay. With rentals (bikes especially) available from their adaptive-equipment library, outdoor adventure options feel limitless.

The Driving Range | Bolton, VT

Built by scores of volunteers over the span of two years, this latest addition to Vermont’s renowned collection of mountain biking trails opened in 2024 as the first course of its kind in the state. Berms, descents, flows, jumps—they’re all here, on a trail network specifically designed for adaptive riders. Part of a mission to make mountain biking more welcoming and accessible, the Driving Range encourages everyone, regardless of ability or equipment, to immerse themselves in the beauty of the Green Mountains.

Sights & Sounds | Sensory-friendly arts, accessible cultural sites, and scenic viewpoints.

Boston Symphony Orchestra | Boston & Lenox, MA

Creative programming and thoughtful amenities help draw everyone into the wonder of one of New England’s most cherished musical institutions. The paved pathways of Tanglewood, the BSO’s summer home in Lenox, allow scooters and wheelchairs to navigate the rural campus with ease. Concert programs are available in large print and Braille, and hearing aids are provided upon request. Exploring Boston? Check the Symphony Hall schedule for special performances featuring lower lighting and sound levels, noise-reduction headphones, and other aids for autistic or sensory-sensitive concertgoers.

Acadia by Carriage | Acadia National Park, ME

Acadia’s 45 winding miles of historic carriage roads have long brought visitors into the heart of this showstopping national park, filled with pristine forests and ocean views. Now, thanks to a partnership between the Friends of Acadia and tour operator Acadia by Carriage, free horse-drawn carriage rides are available for wheelchair travelers who want to explore these famous pathways. The special carriage uses a heavy-duty ramp to accommodate many types of mobility devices, with room for two or three friends or family members to come along. Note: Be sure to book well in advance.

WaterFire | Providence, RI

This beloved public art experience draws people from far and wide to see the three rivers in downtown Providence transformed by the ethereal glow of more than 80 bonfires. Though the city’s Riverwalk—which includes ramps and an elevator—is generally navigable for those in wheelchairs or scooters, there’s also a WaterFire viewing area on Memorial Boulevard specifically reserved for visitors with disabilities that provides unimpeded views of the blazing displays. Alternatively, the festival’s Access Boat (by reservation) gets those with physical disabilities onto the water for an up-close look at the magic of WaterFire.

Castle in the Clouds | Moultonborough, NH

When shoe tycoon Thomas Plant built the Lucknow mansion in the early 20th century, he likely wasn’t expecting his estate to become one of the most popular destinations in New Hampshire. Sitting atop 5,000-plus acres of preserved Ossipee Mountains woodlands, the Arts and Crafts–style stone mansion is reached via an accessible trolley that runs every 15 minutes. The fully accessible first floor and gardens are open for rambling, and a video tour of the second floor is available upon request. Afterward, enjoy a delicious lunch or dinner at the wheelchair-accessible Carriage House Restaurant, all while drinking in a wide-angle view of Lake Winnipesaukee.

Old Man of the Mountain Historic Site | Franconia, NH

Visitors in wheelchairs or scooters can “view” the Old Man of the Mountain, thanks to an interactive art installation that allows folks at differing heights (from 3 to 7 feet) to once again—or for the first time—see where the iconic “Great Stone Face” originally stood. From here, wend your way south on the eight-mile recreation trail through Franconia Notch. Or, head north to the wheelchair-accessible Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway (cannonmt.com) to take in the sweeping views. So bring your adventurous spirit, and get ready to explore this storied White Mountains destination.

Let us know your favorite spots for inclusive outdoor adventures and accessible travel in New England below.

This feature was originally published as “All-Access Pass” in the May/June 2025 issue of Yankee Magazine.

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A few miles north of Kingfield, Maine, there is a curve in Route 27 where the trees edging the narrow roadway suddenly part. People call this the “Oh my gosh!” corner—because when faced with the spectacular visage of Sugarloaf Mountain rising out of the North Woods, what else can you say?

That kind of exclamation, that catching of the breath, is one way we know we are experiencing beauty. We have all felt it, and indeed it’s one of the reasons we travel to new places. We grow more alert, we look more closely, we await being astonished. We are open to all that we find.

These pages will take you to the grand sweep of the ocean, to skies burnished by sunset or speckled with stars so bright they seem to burn a hole from another world. You will soar above craggy bluffs rising from the sea, and over a tiny island in a shimmering lake. There’s a covered bridge, too, inviting you to see beauty in an enduringly simple, perfectly engineered way for villagers to get where they needed to go.

More than anything, look through these photos and then find their equal wherever you may travel in New England: villages, cities, woods, waterways, orchards, farms. Be alert for even the smallest moments of beauty, as when you stroll through a green and lovely cemetery and then there you are, by the tomb of the poet Longfellow, and you are in two worlds—his and yours. Such encounters are waiting for you throughout this region, where travelers have come for generations to find themselves seeing with wide-eyed wonder and the inevitable “Oh my gosh!” —Mel Allen

12 Beautiful Places to Visit in New England This Year

What would you add to our list of beautiful places to visit in New England? Let us know below.

This feature was originally published as “The Beauty of It All” in the May/June 2025 issue of Yankee Magazine.

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Of all the months, May has the heaviest lift when it comes to transforming the New England landscape. More color emerges each day on the path from barren to blossoming, and it’s a treat to anticipate buds bursting into leaves, seemingly overnight. 

Nothing excites me more in May, though, than the release of Yankee‘s annual Travel Guide to New England. This year’s May/June issue is a keeper, filled with more travel ideas than you could possibly pack into one summer, even if you start this month. If you haven’t already made plans for Mother’s Day Weekend, Memorial Day Weekend, and the rest of May, I’ve got plenty of ideas.

Weekend of May 3-4, 2025

Kentucky Derby Doings in New England

We may be far from Churchill Downs, but on Saturday, May 3, there are plenty of places to celebrate the 151st Kentucky Derby here in New England including:

~ The Vanderbilt in Newport Rhode Island, which is hosting “Day at the Races” activations including a live bluegrass band, lawn games, a Kentucky Derby headpiece contest, a race lottery, cash bar, and food stations (book online).
~ Mohegan Sun FanDuel Sportsbook in Connecticut, where the race will be shown on a 140-foot video wall, the largest in the Northeast, and there’ll be prizes for best dressed and best Derby hat (reservations required: book online).
~ Revere Hotel in Boston, where a Derby on the Rooftop Watch Party in the Lantern Lounge features Woodford Reserve mint juleps, live Derby coverage on the big screen, and a hat contest with a fabulous grand prize: an overnight stay (purchase party tickets online).

Weekend of May 10-11, 2025

Mother’s Day Weekend in New England

Celebrate your mom or her finest creation… you! I can’t think of a more fitting place than The Beatrice in Providence, Rhode Island: The whole hotel’s a tribute to developer Joseph R. Paolino Jr.’s late mom, Beatrice Temkin, a lifelong Rhode Island resident, community leader, and philanthropist. Book a Mother’s Day weekend stay (call 401-443-2960), and all moms receive complimentary welcome gifts including Seacoast Sweets chocolates, BeeKind bath amenities, and a signature bellini cocktail. Make reservations, too, at Bellini Providence, the hotel’s Italian restaurant.

If Mom taught you frugality is a virtue, take her to one of these New England attractions where moms are admitted free on Mother’s Day:

~ Charmingfare Farm, Candia, NH
~ Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Boothbay, ME
~ Connecticut Science Center, Hartford, CT
~ Franklin Park Zoo / Stone Zoo, Boston / Stoneham, MA

Weekend of May 17-18, 2025

ArtWeek Berkshires | various western Massachusetts locations

The 11-day ArtWeek Berkshires celebration is in full swing starting this weekend: There are more than 100 events planned between May 16 and 26. Visit galleries and artists’ studios, attend a demo or performance, and even try your hand at something new.

Trade Secrets | Lakeville, CT

It’s the garden event to beat all New England garden events! Trade Secrets famously attracts celebrities like Martha Stewart, and you’ll understand why as you shop for rare plants and garden antiques on Sunday, May 18, at Lime Rock Park. Tours of private and public gardens in western Connecticut and eastern New York on Saturday, May 17, are also a highlight. Purchase tickets online in advance for this popular weekend’s events.

Brimfield Outdoor Antiques Show | Brimfield, MA

Join the treasure hunters at the first Brimfield Outdoor Antiques Show of 2025, which runs May 13-18. This enormous gathering of sellers and seekers has been a tradition since 1959.

Weekend of May 24-26, 2025

It’s Memorial Day weekend, and in addition to remembering those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, New England greets the unofficial arrival of summer with too many events to count.

Spring Open Studio Weekend | Vermont statewide

It’s Spring Open Studio Weekend in Vermont: a fun excuse for a road trip. There are 15 local tour loops to choose from on May 24 and 25, each showcasing members of the Vermont Crafts Council and their handcrafted works.

Wildquack Duck Race & Music Festival | Jackson, NH

On Sunday, May 25, the annual Wildquack Duck Race & Music Festival in Jackson, New Hampshire, is a solid day of free fun. Plus, if you buy a duck, you might waddle away with a fabulous prize.

Robin Hood’s Medieval Faire | Harwinton, CT

Make merry at Robin Hood’s Medieval Faire in Harwinton, Connecticut, where the fun is “joust” getting started during this opening weekend. Festivities continue Saturdays and Sundays through June 22, and cosplay is, of course, encouraged.

May’s Best Travel Deals

~ It’s Gonna Be MAY! Great Wolf Lodge has teamed up with *NSYNC’s Joey Fatone and Lance Bass for a special promotion in honor of the 25th anniversary of the band’s iconic song, It’s Gonna Be Me. On May 1 only, families can save up to 51% off stays at Great Wolf Lodge properties (there are two here in New England) by using promo code BEMAY when they book online for stays during the annual Summer Camp-In celebration, May 24 through August 25.

Yankee Out & About in May

Join me at Canyon Ranch in the Berkshires May 1-4 for Besties Weekend. As I learned during last year’s Besties Weekend, Wellness is Better Together. I’m looking forward to meeting new friends and teaching a workshop, The Lost Art of Letter Writing, on Friday afternoon.

What are you excited to do this May in New England? Let us know in the comments below!

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New England’s museum collections span history, time, and even space. Within these cultural treasure chests you’ll find famous art and artifacts, but also under-the-radar gems you didn’t know you needed to see … until now.   

24 Crowd Favorites and Hidden Gems in New England Museums

Vermont Museums

Shelburne Museum | Shelburne, VT

The Crowd-Pleaser: Board the 220-foot steamship Ticonderoga in its landlocked berth, and explore the four decks, pilothouse, and crew’s quarters. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the ship’s arrival at the Shelburne Museum—a feat of maritime preservation.

The Cool Surprise: Created as part of a 1960s national ad campaign to promote Vermont’s granite industry, Norman Rockwell’s The Craftsman sketch is one of three works by the legendary illustrator newly acquired by the Shelburne Museum from the Rock of Ages quarry. (The name “Norwell” engraved on the headstone is a playful self-reference.)

Bonus Pick: St. Johnsbury Athenaeum | St. Johnsbury, VT

The Crowd-Pleaser: Benefactor Horace Fairbanks added a room specifically for The Domes of the Yosemite oil painting, featuring it prominently in what today is the oldest unaltered gallery in the country. The giant 10×15-foot landscape depicts the grandeur of the Yosemite Valley and is based on artist Albert Bierstadt’s visits to the West Coast in the mid-1860s.

The Cool Surprise: Within the masterpiece of this building (a National Historic Landmark), look for the library’s two spiral staircases (no longer in use). The risers feature delicate scrollwork, and walnut balusters support a sheening banister curving to a second-floor balcony. It’s a good reminder that architecture is as much an art as the framed pieces that hang on the walls.

Massachusetts Museums

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston | Boston, MA

The Crowd-Pleaser: Paul Revere himself made the celebrated Sons of Liberty Bowl in 1768 at his Boston workshop, likely by melting down old silver coins. The secret society of Revolutionaries who commissioned the bowl used it for serving rum punch at their meetings.

The Cool Surprise: For another perspective on U.S. history, look for the large stoneware storage jar crafted in 1857 by an enslaved South Carolina man named David Drake. Adding a line of verse and his name, “Dave,” to his work was a daring move for someone who had to learn to read and write outside the law.

Bonus Pick: Norman Rockwell Museum | Stockbridge, MA

The Crowd-Pleaser: Freedom From Want, Freedom From Fear, Freedom of Speech, and Freedom of Worship: These iconic images were inspired by a 1941 address to Congress by President Roosevelt. Today, the Four Freedoms oil paintings by Norman Rockwell are a cornerstone in the museum’s permanent collection, and just as relevant as when they were first conceived.

The Cool Surprise: On the floor next to the painting easel in Rockwell’s studio, a brass bucket held paint rags and dumped pipe ashes. But sometimes that combination created small fires; the bucket would quickly get thrown outside and took some dings and dents to show for it.

New Hampshire Museums

Currier Museum of Art | Manchester, NH

The Crowd-Pleaser: Think the Currier is a small-town museum? Think again. One of many well-known pieces in its collection is Monet’s The Bridge at Bougival, an 1869 oil painting of a tranquil scene outside Paris. You’ll also find works by Calder, di Suvero, Matisse, Picasso, Sargent, Andrew Wyeth, and more.

The Cool Surprise: Installed just this year, Judy Pfaff’s Glazed and Confused: Rockin’ Lobster Majolica wall sculpture gives a modern nod to Victorian-era pottery with its jumble of cardboard, wire, and fake flowers in an organic shape and its mix of bold colors.

Bonus Pick: Canterbury Shaker Village | Canterbury, NH

The Crowd-Pleaser: In 1834, Elder Micajah Tucker used pine and birch from the village to create a low-back Windsor-style Shaker dining chair. It fits neatly beneath the table, and allowed the Sisters to more easily clean up after their meals for 150 people. You can view two on display: one in the furniture exhibit in the Carriage House (visitor’s center) and another in the Dwelling House.

The Cool Surprise: The Canterbury Shakers did not invent built-in cabinetry, but they excelled in designing and constructing such convenient storage solutions. Built-ins opened floor space in the community’s many shared rooms and required less dusting. The impressive example of built-in cabinetry in the Deaconess Retiring Room forms one wall in the 1793 Dwelling House.

Maine Museums

Maine Mineral & Gem Museum | Bethel, ME

The Crowd-Pleaser: Known as NWA 12760, the largest piece of the moon on display anywhere in the world is the highlight here. The meteorite weighs 128 pounds! (Although this specimen is strictly no-touch for visitors, you can hold a sizable piece of moon rock elsewhere at the museum.)

The Cool Surprise: Named for its unusual pink or red core and green exterior, watermelon tourmaline was first identified in 1910 at a quarry in Maine. This example of Maine’s state mineral—and its most popular gemstone—has been cut to show off that stunning color.

Bonus Pick: Maine Maritime Museum | Bath, ME

The Crowd-Pleaser: This original Fresnel lens, from the east tower at Two Lights in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, once shone its light 20 miles out to sea. Now see up close how the light reflects and refracts thanks to the hundreds of pieces of glass artfully constructed in a beehive shape.

The Cool Surprise: This clipper ship didn’t return to its home port, Portland. But, lucky for us, a section of its bow was uncovered in the 1980s and brought back to Maine. The Snow Squall shipwreck is the sole remaining example of these mid-nineteenth-century, American-built trade ships known for their speed.

Connecticut Museums

Yale Peabody Museum | New Haven, CT

The Crowd-Pleaser: Sprawling 16 feet high and 110 feet long, Rudolph F. Zallinger’s The Age of Reptiles mural dominates the newly renovated Burke Hall of Dinosaurs—and proves that while our understanding of these creatures may have changed, their powerful hold on our imagination has not.

The Cool Surprise: By expanding the range of expertise showcased in its galleries, the Yale Peabody aspires to create a more welcoming, engaging, and relevant museum. Case in point: Eternal Cities, a mesmerizing sculptural art piece created in 2023 by local Syrian American artist Mohamad Hafez.

Bonus Pick: Wadsworth Athenaeum | Hartford, CT

The Crowd-Pleaser: The St. Francis of Assisi in Ecstasy oil painting, on display at the oldest continuously operating public art museum in the United States, is the first-known religious composition by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. Note the strong contrasts between the shaft of light at the center and the dark shadows. His technique was groundbreaking for the time, and became a “defining characteristic of Baroque art.”

The Cool Surprise: This gilt shell with a figure riding a top it, patiently making its way, sits in the Cabinet of Art and Curiosity gallery. The Nautilus snail collectible, donated by J. Pierpont Morgan, dates to the 1630s when personal displays of “universal learning,” featuring a mix of art and nature, were popular.

Rhode Island Museums

RISD Museum | Providence, RI

The Crowd-Pleaser: A stellar example of the museum’s wide-ranging collection, this 12th-century Buddha statue—the largest Japanese wooden statue in the United States—stands 10 feet tall and commands its own gallery. Legend has it that the statue was stored for centuries in a farmhouse after its original temple burned.

The Cool Surprise: Made of honeybee wings sourced humanely from RISD’s campus hives, artist Luci Jockel’s Bee Wing Lace Neckpiece honors the natural world and highlights the importance of pollinators. The design was inspired by lace in the museum’s collection.

Bonus Pick: Newport Car Museum | Portsmouth, RI

The Crowd-Pleaser: In a word: performance. The centerpiece of the museum’s American collection, the 1965 Ford Shelby 427 SC Cobra sports car is only 1 of 31 ever sold through dealerships—at a price of $9,600, which that year was twice the average U.S. household income. Feast your eyes on the side pipes, riveted hood scoop, and flared fenders.

The Cool Surprise: Meanwhile, your eyes might bug out at the 2006 Bugatti Veyron, a French luxury sports car. The Veyron has a top speed of 250 mph and is priced at $1,250,000. As the auto designer Ettore Bugatti once said, “Nothing is too beautiful and nothing is too expensive.” Or is it?

Let us know your favorite hidden gems in New England museums!

Parts of this article were originally published as “Double Feature” in the May/June 2025 issue of Yankee Magazine.

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Looking for the best things to do in Boston this summer? Whether you’re craving city-spanning adventures, sky-high relaxation, or flavors from around the globe, this curated list of 10 can’t-miss experiences has you covered. From feasting in the North End and catching Shakespeare under the stars to pedaling through the Emerald Necklace or sipping cocktails on a tiki boat, these are the most unforgettable ways to soak up summer in the Hub—whatever your perfect day looks like.

10 Best Things to Do in Boston This Summer

1. Join the Party in the North End – Celebrate Italian heritage at Boston’s lively summer street festas.

The colorful, flavorful, and semi-chaotic glory of the North End’s festas (or feast days) celebrates the southern Italian heritage of honoring beloved saints and martyrs with processions, music, food, and prayer. Streets fill with revelers, live music echoes off brick buildings, and the air is scented with savory sausage and peppers. Two of the largest are the Fisherman’s Feast, August 14–17, and Saint Anthony’s Feast, August 28–31, but all are worth checking out.

2. Dine by the Water in Eastie – Savor Italian fare with million-dollar skyline views.

The best-kept secret in waterfront dining is East Boston, where the million-dollar views of Boston’s skyline seem to outshine any other on the harbor. Water taxis board at Fan Pier or Long Wharf on the Boston side and disembark on the Eastie side just steps from Mida, chef Douglass Williams’s award-winning Italian restaurant, where the meatballs, gnocchi cacio e pepe, and clam pizza hold their own against the scenery.

3. Pedal the Parks – Explore Boston’s green gems by bike on a guided or DIY ride.

Don’t get so distracted by the harbor’s sapphire waters that you forget the city’s Emerald Necklace. Urban AdvenTours runs a four-hour guided bike tour through the beautiful string of parks designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. From the Esplanade to the Southwest Corridor Park and the Arnold Arboretum, you’ll cover more than 15 miles and several of the city’s most beloved urban oases. Or, strike out on your own with a rented e-bike from the network of Bluebikes parked all over Boston, and you’ll barely break a sweat.

4. Soak Up Free Culture – Enjoy outdoor concerts and Shakespeare under the stars.

The Boston Landmarks Orchestra hosts open-air concerts at the Hatch Shell throughout the summer. Grab snacks and a beer before the show at the Esplanade’s Night Shift Brewing beer garden. Alternatively, Free Shakespeare on the Common presents performances of As You Like It from mid-July through early August on Boston Common. Nab picnic supplies at the newly opened Flour Bakery at the nearby Concession Pavilion and savor a repast beneath the stars.

5. Catch a Tropical Wave – Sip tiki cocktails while cruising Boston Harbor.

Tiki Boat Boston operates a fleet of three pontoon boats, all decked out in full tiki bar fashion with palm roofs and tropical silk flowers arranged around a full bar complete with bartender and DJ. Parties of up to 24 can sip mai tais and palomas while cruising Boston Harbor and soaking up views of iconic landmarks on the 90-minute trip. Private and corporate reservations are available, too.

6. Get Your Licks In – Take a scoop-filled tour of Boston’s best ice cream spots.

Take inspiration from the Massachusetts Ice Cream Trail, which highlights 100-plus sweet spots across the state, to plot your own scoop-filled journey across Greater Boston. Emack and Bolio’s in Charlestown and the Back Bay, Gracie’s in Somerville, and Honeycomb Creamery in Cambridge are all worth a visit, along with locally owned mainstays like New City Microcreamery, Toscanini’s, and Christina’s in Cambridge; Boston Ice Cream Factory in Dorchester; Crescent Ridge at the Boston Public Market; and vegan specialist FoMu in the South End, Fenway, and Quincy Market.

7. Take a Sky-High Dip – Lounge poolside above the city at the Colonnade Hotel.

The Colonnade Hotel boasts a lovely rooftop pool with views of the Back Bay and the South End, food and drink service, and cabanas to rent. It’s open to the public Monday through Thursday and on Sunday afternoons for a fee of $55, which seems fair for a full day of waterside luxury in the heart of the city.

8. Chow Down in Chinatown – Eat your way through a neighborhood rich in flavor and history.

Along with roughly 7,000 residents, Chinatown is home to legacy eateries and newcomers, plus bakeries, barbecue spots, and enough other treasures to fill a weekend itinerary. Boston Chinatown Tours, led by longtime resident Jacqueline Church, takes you to the best of the best, with delicious bites and deep insights along the way.

9. Go ‘Fourth’ and Conquer – Celebrate Independence Day the Boston way.

There’s more to Independence Day in Boston than the Pops and fireworks. Attend the annual reading of the Declaration of Independence from the balcony of the Old State House in the morning, then head to the Seaport to view the turnaround cruise of the USS Constitution. In the afternoon, head to Downtown Crossing for an ice cream social and the reading of Frederick Douglass’s electric 1852 speech “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?”

10. Roll with It – Enjoy the ultimate lobster roll with harbor views to match.

A great lobster roll eaten by the water is the ultimate expression of the form. ReelHouse Oyster Bar sits at the very end of Fan Pier, and its lobster roll, served cold with mayo or hot with butter, is excellent. The restaurant is upscale, with seafood towers and caviar service (along with Neapolitan-style pizzas for the seafood-averse). Looking for a seafood-shack vibe? James Hook & Co. has all the classics—hot and cold rolls, lobster pie, chowder—just a stone’s throw from the spot where Fort Point Channel meets the harbor.

See More: 2025 Boston Travel Guide | Hotels, Dining & Attractions

What tops your list of the best things to do in Boston this summer? Let us know!

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Looking for the best things to do in Connecticut this summer? Whether you’re in the mood for cultural deep dives, coastal bites, or cool mountain escapes, this curated list of 10 can’t-miss experiences has you covered. From following a Christmas movie trail in July to catching drive-in double features, splashing around at a brand-new water park, or dining with skyline views in Hartford, these are the most memorable ways to explore the Nutmeg State—whatever your summer style.

10 Best Things to Do in Connecticut This Summer

1. Find Christmas in July – Follow Connecticut’s new holiday movie trail through real-life storybook towns.

More than 20 holiday movies have been filmed in Connecticut, and you don’t have to wait for actual flurries to fly (the directors don’t!) to open your heart to a bit of magic. Follow a stretch of the new Connecticut Christmas Movie Trail (ctvisit.com/articles/christmas-movies-in-connecticut), and you’ll encounter screen-worthy towns, cozy eateries, attractive inns like Wethersfield’s Silas W. Robbins House (silaswrobbins.com), and maybe that old flame you’ve never erased from your brain. You never know.

2. Delight in the Museum – Explore 200 years of history (and coffee!) at Hartford’s reimagined cultural hub.

The Connecticut Museum of Culture and History looks as much to the future as the past in its “Then, Now, Next: 200 Years and Counting” exhibition, opening May 22 in the midst of a yearlong bicentennial celebration for this Hartford institution. There’s a jolt of energy that’s fueling museum programming, expansion plans, and events that you’ll sense even before you wander through the multisensory exhibition “Coffee: A Connecticut Story,” also on view through early 2026.

3. Catch a Drive-In Double – Watch movies under the stars at the retro-cool Mansfield Drive-In.

The Mansfield Drive-In turned 70 last year, and with nightly double features on three outdoor screens, it’s as robust as ever. Affordable ticket prices make it easy to splurge on fresh-popped corn, fried dough, and slushies. Your quiet canine is welcome to join you for an under-the-stars night of entertainment. If you’d like to make a weekend of it, the dog-friendly Daniel Rust House is eight minutes away in Coventry.

4. Make a Splash at Great Wolf – Dive into Connecticut’s newest indoor water park in Mashantucket.

Rain or shine, it’s a water-play day at Great Wolf Lodge. This new indoor water-park resort in Mashantucket will welcome its first families on April 25, so get there while grand-opening deals are available and the hoopla is at a high. Kids will love the nonstop entertainment and log-lodge-style rooms, while their parents find the 21-and-up North Hot Springs inviting. Word is there’ll be a waterslide here unique in the Great Wolf universe.

5. Take It to the Top – Dine above the skyline at Jeff Lizotte’s hot new Hartford restaurant, The Foundry.

One of Connecticut’s premier chefs is back on top of the world, and you can be among the first to savor what Jeff Lizotte is cooking up in his window-walled space atop the Hartford Steam Boiler building. At The Foundry, expect an always-changing, seasonally inspired menu of dishes that exist only here at this moment in time. All signs indicate this will be summer’s toughest reservation to score, so plan accordingly.

6. Chill Out in Norfolk – Escape the heat with hikes, concerts, and cool mountain air.

Norfolk is known as the “icebox of Connecticut,” and naturally cooler temperatures make this an ideal escape for hiking at Dennis Hill State Park and Haystack Mountain State Park, as well as for spreading out a blanket on the green for free Friday-night concerts. Stay at the comfortably regal Manor House Inn and you might bump into acclaimed musicians who are here to play in Yale School of Music’s enduring Norfolk Chamber Music Festival.

7. Eat to the Beat in Madison – Pair beachfront dining with free Thursday-night concerts.

Toes in the sand, drink in hand—be sure to allow time for a private-beach stroll before your reservation at The Wharf Restaurant at Madison Beach Hotel. Who knew some of the highest-caliber free summer concerts are in Madison on Thursday nights? You do now, so reserve a table on the porch and listen in as you devour grilled swordfish or a hot lobster roll. Lighter bites are available for purchase on the lawn on show nights if you’d rather bring your own chairs. Our Weekends with Yankee crew met up at The Wharf with Connecticut-based vegan chef Chrissy Tracey for Season 9 (check your local PBS listings).

8. Shuck and Sip Along the Trail – Slurp your way through the new Connecticut Oyster Trail.

Thanks to the 2024 debut of the Connecticut Oyster Trail, you now have a handy map to the Nutmeg State’s bevy of bivalve farms and the restaurants that serve their salty-sweet harvest. Only have time for one stop? Make it Fair Haven Oyster Co., overlooking the lovely Quinnipiac River, where you can trust that chef Emily Mingrone is serving the best raw-bar selections, along with clever cocktails and savory plates including what Gwyneth Paltrow has hailed as “one of the best cheeseburgers of my life.”

9. Get Cooking Again – Learn from the pros at the revived Silo Cooking School in New Milford.

Dormant for years since the days when it attracted celebrity-chef teachers like Martha Stewart and Jacques Pépin, The Silo Cooking School in New Milford is making a comeback. Register for a public class or book a private session for your group, and experience the inspiring environs of Hunt Hill Farm as it aims to become Connecticut’s culinary epicenter once again.

10. See the Sun Rise – Catch WNBA action as the Connecticut Sun light up Mohegan Sun Arena.

Just when you’re missing March Madness, the Connecticut Sun season is heating up at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville. From mid-May through mid-September, every WNBA star will make an appearance in this arena, but do consider cheering for the home team—the only pro-level squad in Connecticut.

The post 10 Best Things to Do in Connecticut This Summer 2025 appeared first on New England.

Whether you’re craving coastal views, culture, or culinary surprises, Rhode Island delivers in a big way this summer. From sipping bubbly at Castle Hill Inn to watching world-class polo matches in Newport and diving into the food scene at Providence’s new Track 15, these can’t-miss experiences prove that the Ocean State is small but seriously mighty. Explore our top picks for the best things to do in Rhode Island this summer—including beach strolls, pinball palaces, and a sunset toast or two.

10 Best Things to Do in Rhode Island This Summer

1. Drink in a Sunset at Castle Hill Inn – Raise a glass to golden hour from Newport’s most iconic lawn.

If there’s a more glorious slope of lawn in New England than the one at Newport’s Castle Hill Inn, it’s probably not open to everyone—but Castle Hill’s is. Claim an Adirondack chair (first come, first served), and order bubbly or a glass of crisp white wine. You have everything you need to chef’s kiss the sun goodnight.

2. Have a Sand Blast in Charlestown – Atlantis Rising returns with epic art—and a new summer vibe.

South County’s fun-for-all Atlantis Rising International Sand Sculpture Competition returns after a one-year hiatus, and it’s relocating to a new venue and moving up from October to May. Yay! Head to Ninigret Park in Charlestown May 30–June 1 to marvel at massive, intricately carved sand creations. Live music, food, photo ops, and locally made goods add to the festive energy—and keep an eye out for the two ginormous troll sculptures tucked into the 227-acre park last year by Danish recycling artist Thomas Dambo.

3. Eat Your Way Through Track 15 in Providence – Union Station’s next act? A sizzling new food hall.

Providence’s new Track 15 food hall transforms historic Union Station into an exciting dining hub with indoor-outdoor seating for you and about 400 friends you haven’t met yet. Savor diverse fare from seven all-star vendors: Dolores (Mexican); Dune Brothers (seafood); Giusto PVD (Italian); Little Chaska (Indian); Mother Pizzeria (pizza); There, There (burgers); and Tolia (Turkish).

4. Get in the Game at the Tennis Hall of Fame – Newport’s hallowed tennis grounds debut a bold new look.

Newport has deep tennis roots, and that’s just one aspect of the game that will be getting extra love when the International Tennis Hall of Fame reopens in May following a multimillion-dollar transformation. Be among the first fans to engage with an augmented-reality sculpture in the Celebration Gallery, which toasts the sport across generations. The new Hall of Famers’ Gallery features a cast racquet representing each legendary inductee. Even the Roger Federer hologram is serving up some new surprises.

5. Obsess Over Every Bite at Pizza Marvin – One of New England’s best pizzas is right here in Providence.

Chef Robert Andreozzi of Providence’s Pizza Marvin made a Caprese with bluefin tuna, tomato gelée, stracciatella, and pepperoni vinaigrette for the annual A Taste of New England event that was unreal. A year later, I still think about it—obsessively. No surprise: This year Andreozzi has been named a James Beard Foundation semifinalist for Best Chef–Northeast for the second time. If you’re a pizza-loving foodie, you know what you must do.

6. Wing It to Blithewold’s Bamboo Bird Exhibit – Bristol’s giant sculptures fly away soon—don’t miss your shot.

Big Beautiful Bamboo Birds … you don’t have to be able to say it 10 times fast to appreciate how remarkable these six towering bird sculptures by artists The Myth Makers are. They landed last summer at Blithewold in Bristol, and they’re flying away after August 11 this year, so wing your way to this multifaceted waterfront estate, where the largest giant sequoia on the East Coast will also make you look remarkably small in photos.

7. Step Right Up for Newport Polo – International matches, dapper tailgates, and divot stomping await.

“Stomping divots” isn’t the name of a punk band—it’s an amusing thing you’ll get to do when you attend a Newport Polo match. You’re encouraged to bring your own picnic food and wine, and at $25 for lawn seats (children 15 and under are admitted free), you can’t beat the value for the upscale vibes. Each match has a theme: It’s an excuse to dress your summer-chic best to cheer on the ponies and players. Yet for all the frivolity, the June–September schedule features serious international competition. USA’s rematch with Scotland on June 21 is bound to be a highlight of this biggest-ever season. Expect bagpipes.

8. Play All Day at Electromagnetic Pinball Museum – $10 unlocks unlimited retro fun in Pawtucket.

Unlimited pinball, Skee-Ball, and arcade games … no quarters, no tokens. That’s what $10 buys at Pawtucket’s Electromagnetic Pinball Museum and Restoration, where you can play your way through time and space as you wander a collection of 100-plus games that date from the ’40s to today. Curious about their history? Or how they work? The team here will indulge your desire to geek out. If your eyes are glued to the flippers of a rare game, though, they get that, too.

9. Twirl Your Fork at Ida’s in Middletown – 5,000 pounds of fresh pasta can’t be wrong.

Federal Hill in Providence is known for its Italian eateries, but over in Middletown, the Puerini family quietly made and served more than 5,000 pounds of fresh pasta last year at their unassuming little Ida’s Restaurant. That’s the weight of a smallish adult elephant! If you’re in the Newport area, try this local favorite for espresso martinis, mac and cheese with homemade cavatelli, and lasagna stacked so high it leans like that tower in Pisa.

10. Reach the Beach in Little Compton – Stone House Inn leads you to the edge of the Ocean State.

With 16 cool suites, Stone House Inn in Little Compton feels like such a secret hideaway. Especially when you wander across the back lawn, turn left, and follow the road and the siren call of waves crashing against rock outcroppings. In minutes, you’ll be at Rhode Island’s very edge, sharing the brown-sugar sands of Tappens Beach with precious few souls.

The post 10 Best Things to Do in Rhode Island This Summer 2025 appeared first on New England.

Whether you’re bound for Cape Cod, the White Mountains, the Maine coast, or any other summer-fun destination in our six-state region, our annual travel guide proves one thing’s for sure: You won’t run out of ideas to jump-start your travels.

Massachusetts

2025 Massachusetts Travel Guide | Hotels, Dining & Attractions
10 Best Things to Do in Massachusetts This Summer 2025

Boston

2025 Boston Travel Guide | Hotels, Dining & Attractions
10 Best Things to Do in Boston This Summer 2025

Maine

2025 Maine Travel Guide | Hotels, Dining & Attractions
10 Best Things to Do in Maine This Summer 2025

New Hampshire

2025 New Hampshire Travel Guide | Hotels, Dining & Attractions
10 Best Things to Do in New Hampshire This Summer 2025

Vermont

2025 Vermont Travel Guide | Hotels, Dining & Attractions
10 Best Things to Do in Vermont This Summer 2025

Connecticut

2025 Connecticut Travel Guide | Hotels, Dining & Attractions
10 Best Things to Do in Connecticut This Summer 2025

Rhode Island

2025 Rhode Island Travel Guide | Hotels, Dining & Attractions
10 Best Things to Do in Rhode Island This Summer 2025

The post Best of New England 2025 | Summer Travel Guide appeared first on New England.

Spring might officially arrive in March, but April is when the itch to road trip around New England really flares up. It’s also the month when our national PBS television show Weekends with Yankee begins its ninth broadcast season on public television stations nationwide. This year’s first episode takes you to Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts, where this month’s commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the opening battles of the American Revolution is expected to draw unprecedented crowds.

If you’re looking for inspiration to get you on the move, here are our weekend-by-weekend tips on where we’d go in April 2025 if we were you.

Weekend of April 5-6, 2025

Newport Night Run | Newport, RI

If you’ve been feeling cooped up on chilly nights, head to Newport, Rhode Island, on Saturday, April 5, for an after-hours 5K. Grenon’s Newport Night Run under the stars is a fundraiser for the Newport Public Education Foundation, and you’ll be glowing by the time you finish walking or runniing the course, even if you’re not wearing a complimentary glow stick around your neck.

The Elephant’s Trunk | New Milford, CT

The largest weekly flea market in New England, the Elephant’s Trunk Country Flea Market in New Milford, Connecticut, anticipates an April 6 kickoff to its 2025 season of deal- and vintage-hunting Sundays. Pro Tip: Drive your biggest vehicle because you’re going to find more here than you bargained for (I once went home with a table made from an entire tree trunk). Serious shoppers pay a premium to begin browsing as early as 5:30 a.m., but you don’t have to be an early bird to be wowed by the array of goods offered by upwards of 400 vendors.

Weekend of April 12-13, 2025

A Titanic Weekend | Salem, MA

Party like it’s 1912 as the Hawthorne Hotel in Salem, Massachusetts, hosts a trio of events celebrating the pre-iceberg merriment and excess aboard the RMS Titanic. You can book a Grand Voyage package or purchase tickets for individual events including the Titanic Masquerade Ball on Saturday, April 12.

Easter on the Green | North Conway, NH

Free activities await young families from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 12, at Settlers Green in North Conway, New Hampshire, so get a hop and a jump on the holiday during Easter on the Green. There’ll be free coffee for grownups during Easter Bunny Meet & Greets; local artist Brandie Markgren will lead a drop-in craft activity; and there’s an Easter basket full of goodies waiting for every child who completes the Easter Treasure Trail.

Monster Jam 2025 | Foxborough, MA

For the 11th year, Gillette Stadium embraces mud season by welcoming daredevil drivers and their 12,000-pound trucks back to Foxborough. Get your Monster Jam tickets for Saturday, April 12, and make a day of visiting Patriot Place and attractions like the Patriots Hall of Fame and the Gillette Stadium Lighthouse.

Brick Fest Live | Hartford, CT

Is setting a Guinness World Record on your bucket list? Want to meet LEGO Masters from the popular TV show? Then you need to be at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford this weekend, where Brick Fest Live runs both days, April 12 and 13. Of course, this is for kids, too—not just AFOLs (Adult Fans of LEGO). The glow-in-the-dark building area sounds wicked cool, but helping to set a world record by clicking bricks into a massive floor mosaic might be the most memorable thing you do this month.

Weekend of April 19-21, 2025

Patriots’ Day is Monday, April 21, so if you live in Maine or Massachusetts, you likely have a three-day holiday weekend. And if you don’t, why aren’t you lobbying your state representatives?

Massachusetts 250 | Lexington, Concord, and Arlington, MA

The 250th anniversary of “the shot heard round the world” and the outbreak of the American Revolution will be marked with myriad reenactments and events in Lexington, Concord, and Arlington, Massachusetts, throughout the weekend. This year’s anticipated crowds mean you’ll benefit from advance planning, such as reviewing public transportation and shuttle bus options. Keep in mind, too, that many programs and exhibitions will continue during the year ahead, such as the Concord Museum’s Whose Revolution exhibition, which runs through September 1.

>>> More Ways to Experience Revolutionary History in the Just North of Boston Region

Boston Marathon | Boston, MA

Head to the Boston Marathon Fan Fest this weekend. It runs Thursday, April 18, through Sunday, April 20, ahead of Monday’s 129th Boston Marathon. Yankee is proud to partner with the BAA to produce the Boston Marathon Official Program.

Kingdom Maple Festival | St. Johnsbury, VT

The iconic flavor of maple is celebrated in the sweetest ways possible at the annual Kingdom Maple Festival in the Maple Center of the World (aka St. Johnsbury, Vermont). Be there on Saturday, April 19, for pancake breakfast (of course), a Sweet Street Fair, and a maple history tour at 1 p.m. There’ll be “maple menu takeovers” at local restaurants all weekend long.

Weekend of April 26-27, 2025

Nantucket Daffodil Festival | Nantucket, MA

Daffodils are fêted on Nantucket like nowhere else in New England the last weekend in April. Nantucket Daffodil Festival celebrations are guaranteed to be sunny, no matter the weather, so make plans early to be there for four days of events including traditions like the Antique Car Parade & Tailgate Picnic, the Daffodil Hat Pageant, and the Dog Parade.

Vermont Maple Festival | St. Albans, VT

Nothing eclipses Vermont maple! So head to St. Albans April 25-27 for the 58th annual Vermont Maple Festival, and enjoy sugarhouse tours, pancake breakfasts, a Sappy Art Show, a parade, carnival rides, the annual Sap Run 8.5-mile race, and more syrupy goodness.

New England Folk Festival | Marlborough, MA

The 81st annual New England Folk Festival in Marlborough, Massachusetts, is a celebration of traditional dance, music, food, and crafts from diverse cultures. With close to 1,000 performers, you’ll be entertained every moment. More than 50 artisans and vendors will sell their wares at the Festival Marketplace. Look for more opportunities than ever to get on your feet or make something with your own hands.

Newburyport Literary Festival | Newburyport, MA

Celebrating its 20th year in 2025, the Newburyport Literary Festival runs April 25-27, but the big day is Saturday, when there are free author readings and other events all day, all over town. If you’re an aspiring writer, check out Sunday’s roster of workshops. Make an immersive weekend of it by reserving tickets for Friday’s Supper with the Authors—they’re just $25.

Fine Art & Flowers | Hartford, CT

America’s oldest continuously operating public art museum, Hartford’s Wadsworth Atheneum, shows off floral artistry in two and three dimensions during the 42nd annual Fine Art & Flowers exhibition. You’ll see magnificent fresh arrangements by floral designers alongside the art masterpieces that inspired them. Make a weekend of it by checking out the budding culinary scene in West Hartford.

April’s Best Travel Deals

~ This is not a prank! For 24 hours only on April 1 (April Fools’ Day), take 20% off a 2025 stay at one of Kennebunkport Resort Collection’s Maine hotels.

~ Seamark Seafood & Cocktails at Encore Boston Harbor is celebrating its first birthday this month, but the gifts are for you! Prove you were born in April, and you’ll receive a complimentary Seamark Sundae, plus the restaurant will donate $10 in your name to support cancer research in Boston. Everyone can get lucky April 6-13 during the Golden Oyster Promotion, where one lucky oyster served each night will reveal a surprise golden ticket underneath. Guests who order a dozen oysters and find golden tickets will win $100 Seamark gift cards. 

Yankee Out & About

Boston Bestie Bus to Canyon Ranch | Lenox, MA

Make your reservations this month to join Yankee aboard the Boston Bestie Bus to Canyon Ranch, New England’s premier wellness destination in the Berkshires, for an unforgettable escape May 1-4, 2025. You and your bestie will bond over healthy meals, fun indulgences, wellness activities, spa experiences, outdoor adventures, and exclusive surprises. If your BFF’s not available, come solo, and I’ll be your backup bestie as we take a deep breath and remember how important it is to care for ourselves. Book Now, or call 866-494-9279 for details.

What are you excited to do this April in New England? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Things to Do in New England in April 2025 appeared first on New England.

In April 2025, Weekends with Yankee, the beloved lifestyle series celebrating New England, returns for its ninth season! Produced by GBH and Yankee magazine, this season takes viewers on a journey through the region’s cities, small towns, and hidden gems, showcasing its rich culture, history, and natural beauty. Focused on New England’s vibrant entrepreneurial spirit, the season introduces artisans, chefs, farmers, innovators, and craftspeople who are deeply passionate about their craft.

Check local listings for airdates and times on your local public television station.

SEE MORE! Season’s Greetings: Featured Recipes from Season Nine of “Weekends with Yankee”

The post Coming Soon! “Weekends with Yankee” Season 9 appeared first on New England.

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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From D. Lasser Ceramics’ whimsical designs to Salmon Falls Stoneware’s classic salt-glazed pieces, each of the New England pottery studios in this collection has a distinct style, including nature-inspired, coastal, and modern.

D. Lasser Ceramics | Londonderry, VT

The pottery at D. Lasser Ceramics 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.

Lucy Fagella | Greenfield, MA

The bucolic surroundings of Fagella’s studio—a popular stop on the Asparagus Valley Pottery Trail, which she helped found—are reflected in her line of mugs, lidded urns, and vases decorated in flowers and leaves that seem to live on the surface of the clay.

Salmon Falls Stoneware | Dover, NH

For nearly 40 years, Salmon Falls has been turning out the kinds of classic salt-glazed pieces with hand-drawn patterns that have long been staples of the farmhouse kitchen. At the heart of the collection are ovenware and place settings, but you’ll also find lamps, vases, planters, and even birdbaths.

Sheepscot River Pottery | Edgecomb, ME

Sheepscot’s artisans create pottery that could come only from Maine. Lobsters, pine trees, loons, and coastal scenes adorn dinnerware, mugs, and, of course, chowder bowls. Even in non-pictorial pieces, the colors of sea and forest are pure Down East. Satellite locations in Damariscotta and Portland.

Tim Scull Ceramic Studio | Canton, CT

Scull’s work reflects the remarkable variety of glazes and surface textures that traditional wood-fired kilns can produce. A specialty is raku-fired pottery, made using Japanese fast-firing, fast-cooling techniques that create signature crackled glazes.

Pottery Wheel | North Kingstown, RI

Elegantly simple designs and soft, harmonious colors characterize the stoneware by potter Mike Chatterley. His collection honors function as well as form, featuring practical pieces such as casserole dishes, soup crocks, chips-and-dip platters, and a clever corkless salt shaker. Visit by appointment, or shop at the nearby Honey Gallery.

Which New England pottery studios would you add to the list?

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