New England Travel Guide: Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine

New England Travel Guide: How to See Boston, New Hampshire and Maine in 9 Days By: Heather Newgen | Twitter: @hnvoluntourist

New England is the northeastern area of the Unites States that’s comprised of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. The region is known for its Colonial history, beautiful fall foliage, rugged Atlantic coastline and of course delicious seafood. Each state has a distinct unique character with a diverse variety of things to do, making New England a premier getaway for travelers who want spectacular sightseeing, cultural attractions and an array of outdoor activities. While it’s unlikely to see all six states on one trip, you can absolutely do at least three. Here’s the itinerary I did and my New England travel guide for Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine.

Rockport, Maine Photo by: Heather Newgen

New England Travel Guide Note: While you don’t need a car in Boston, you will for New Hampshire and Maine. When renting a car, consider getting the TollPass, which is a service that allows drivers to pay tolls electronically. There are numerous toll roads in Maine and a few in New Hampshire so to avoid paying cash, this is an option to think about.

RELATED: Blue Ocean Society-Great Volunteering Day

New England Travel Guide: Day 1 Boston

You’ll fly into Logan Airport, which is a few miles away from where you’ll want to be in the city. It’s an easy airport to navigate your way around and you can grab an Uber or Lyft from any terminal. In addition, you can also take public transportation, there’s a great subway station connected to Logan that you can take into the city.

Boston Public Garden Photo by: Heather Newgen

New England Travel Guide: I took a red eye from Los Angeles and landed at 9am and then I went straight to my accommodations via Lyft and slept for a few hours. In the afternoon I went to Boston Public Garden, Beacon Hill and Dolce Vita Ristorante in the North End for dinner. For those with dietary restrictions, this restaurant, along with many others in the North End, offer gluten free pasta and dairy free entrees. For dessert head to Mike’s Pastry, which is down the street from Dolce Vita Ristorante, and have a cannoli. This is the place everyone goes in Boston for pastries. It’s cash only and usually crowed, so be prepared to wait.

New England Travel Guide: Where to Stay

Hotels and Airbnb’s are extremely expensive. It was shocking to see how pricey accommodations are in Boston, especially the closer you are in the city. Consider staying in the outskirts. I found a great two bedroom, one bath Airbnb in East Boston, which is just one subway stop away from Logan, for $150 a night. After fees I paid a little over $400 for two nights. I took Lyft into the city, which was a 15 minute drive.

New England Travel Guide: Day 2 Boston

On my first full day of the trip I was able to pack in a lot, but I didn’t feel like it was too much. I started off at Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market for clam chowder–there’s a stand that has dairy free chowder for people who can’t have or don’t want dairy. From there I went to Boston Harbor in hopes of taking a 90 minute cruise. However, it started raining, so I went to Top of the Hub restaurant to enjoy a glass of wine and amazing views of the city. I ended the day at Fenway Park for a Red Sox game and for anyone who wants a healthier snack option, there’s a vendor that has salads and veggie dogs.

New England Travel Guide Tip: Go to Top of the Hub first order a cocktail and enjoy the view. If you feel like you want to see more of a panoramic view, pay the $20 and go to Skywalk. And if you have more time in Boston, you can take a day trip to Cape Cod and Nantucket, take the Freedom Trail tour, visit Harvard Square, USS Constitution, John Hancock Tower, Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum, shop on Newbury Street, visit the Paul Revere House, the New England Aquarium, or the Waterfront. And don’t forget to have a meal at Legal Sea Foods.

New England Travel Guide: Day 3 Salem and Hampton Beach

In the morning I picked up my rental car and headed to Salem, Mass., which is about a 40 minute drive. I spent a few hours there exploring the Salem Witch Village that has museums, shops and tours. If you’re a TV buff you can check out the Bewitched statue and there’s also a lot of great restaurants–I ate at Life Alive, which is vegan. If witches and hauntings aren’t your thing, you can visit the Peabody Museum, and the Salem Maritime State Park, which is beautiful.

New England Travel Guide: After Salem I drove 50 minutes to Hampton Falls, New Hampshire to visit the Applecrest Orchard, a place I couldn’t get enough of. In the week I was in Hampton Beach, I went there three times. They have delicious apple cider, apple cinnamon donuts, fresh produce and a cute bistro where you can dine in. And you can pick apples and other fruit there! In front of the orchard is an ice cream shop where they have vegan ice cream and gluten free cone options.

New England Travel Guide: From there I went to Hampton Beach, which is just a quick 10 minute drive, and checked into my accommodations for the week at Mike’s Cottages. Situated just a block away from the beach, Mike’s Cottages is a great place for families and groups of friends traveling on a budget since each cottage can accommodate up to 12 people. If you’re looking for a welcoming, fun and convenient area to stay in, this is your spot. Mike Vagnoni, the owner, goes out of his way to assist his guests, offering them free popcorn and movies, and is available anytime. Mike’s Cottages is pet friendly, there are two grills on the property for you to use and there’s free parking.

Owner Mike Vagnoni and Dawson Photo by: Michael Lee

New England Travel Guide: Since summer is the prime season for tourists, you must rent a cottage for a week–Saturday to Saturday, and bring your own bedding. The kitchen comes equipped with a refrigerator and fully stocked with cooking supplies like pots, pans and utensils. And if you’re lucky, Mike will invite you into his office to play with his adorable dog Dawson and tell you interesting stories from his countless celebrity encounters! Mike is very sweet and you won’t find a better location for the value. I loved my time here and enjoyed getting to know Mike. As he says, “This ain’t the Four Seasons,” but it’s practical, super cute, affordable and an amazing area to spend a few days.

Mike’s Cottages Photo by: Michael Lee

New England Travel Guide: Day 4 Camden Maine

On my first full day in New Hampshire, I took the longest road trip I had planned to Camden, Maine to get it out of the way. Plus I was dying to go, so I did the 2.5 hour drive each way and had a wonderful time. On the way to Camden you’ll find the famous Red’s Eats lobster shack, which is about a two hour wait in line just to order. So if you have the time and don’t mind, go for it, otherwise walk across the street and eat at Sprague’s Lobster.

New England Travel Guide: In Camden the harbor park is beautiful and a must see, the little downtown strip is colorful and has unique shops and be sure to drive up Mount Battie for incredible views of the city. You can also kayak, take a boat tour where you’ll see lighthouses or drive 26 miles to Marshall Point Lighthouse, which is in “Forrest Gump.” After driving around Camden, I made my way to Rockport, Maine, which is equally as picturesque and had dinner at 18 Central Oyster Bar & Grill to watch the sunset.

Camden Harbor Photo by: Heather Newgen

New England Travel Guide: Day 5 Beach Day-Hampton Beach

Since we stayed near the beach, of course we had to have a day where we enjoyed the boardwalk and lounged in the sun. There’s a lot of great places in Hampton Beach to visit, but the boardwalk is especially remarkable because it elicits a nolgastic feel as you stroll along the shops filled with saltwater taffy, old-school arcades and carnival type food. It has such a throwback vibe that it’s like you’re in the 1987 film “The Lost Boys.” I loved it! The two restaurants I recommend are Lupe’s 55 Cantina–there are two separate locations on the boardwalk and Boardwalk Cafe.

New England Travel Guide: Day 6 Kancamagus Highway

One of the things you must do in New Hampshire is drive the 34 mile scenic Kancamagus Highway. It’s about an hour away from Hampton Beach and there’s beautiful hiking trails, campgrounds and places to pull over to take in the stunning views. At the end of the highway, you’ll wind up in a town called Lincoln. There you can visit the Franconia Notch State Park, hike Flume Gorge and see the ice castles if you’re there during winter. But, please do not go to Clark’s Trading Post. They have circus and bear shows, which is highly unethical. Animals are not for our entertainment purposes.

New England Travel Guide: Day 7 Kennebunkport and Portland

Maine is so beautiful and not that far from Hampton Beach, so you’ll absolutely want to go back. Kennebunkport is just less than an hour away and it’s famous for the President Bush compound, it’s natural beauty and great beaches. It’s a small town and the best way to see it is by the 45 minute trolley sightseeing tour. It’s $16.00 per person and your driver gives you interesting details and facts about the area along the way.

Kennebunkport Photo by: Heather Newgen

New England Travel Guide: Portland is just a little further from Kennebunkport and this is where you’ll see the famed Portland Head Lighthouse. It’s free to go and if you’re a local you can volunteer in the museum and gift shop, which is how travelers are able to visit at no cost. If employees are hired, there would be an entrance fee to the lighthouse, so volunteers are very appreciated.

New England Travel Guide: There are a couple other lighthouses you can see that are about a 10 minute drive from Portland Head, called Two Lights, but they are on private property and not open to the public. While you can’t approach them, you can drive by and snap a quick photo. They’re on the same street in a quiet residential area so please do not disturb the neighborhood.

New England Travel Guide: Day 8 Portsmouth and Rye

Portsmouth is a charming city that’s just 20 minutes from Hampton Beach. There you’ll find a large selection of fantastic restaurants like the popular spot Colby’s Breakfast & Lunch, endless frosty ales at numerous breweries throughout Portsmouth, boutiques, the outdoor museum Strawberry Banke and unforgettable views from Prescott Park.

Portsmouth Photo by: Heather Newgen

New England Travel Guide: Rye is another coastal town that’s located in between Hampton Beach and Portsmouth. It’s a small area that you can explore in just a few hours, but there’s a lot to Rye. The beaches are beautiful, there’s fun lobster shacks along the side of the road to stop at and the marsh is extraordinary to look at.

Rye, NH Photo by: Heather Newgen

New England Travel Guide: Day 9 Volunteer on Hampton Beach

I always try to volunteer on every trip I take and this time I worked with Blue Ocean Society, an organization that’s dedicated to protecting marine life in the Gulf of Maine. There are several projects you can choose to do, but I did the microplastic research even. “Microplastics are defined as plastics between 1-5mm in size. They can include fragments of larger plastics such as bottles, films from straw wrappers, pieces of foam, and filaments of rope or synthetic fibers,” the Blue Ocean Society website states.

New England Travel Guide: Volunteers sift through the sand on different beaches in New Hampshire collecting samples of microplastics, which is then taken to a research lab to study the damaging effects the material has on the planet. I loved the volunteer work and the organization. I went to two different beaches-Hampton Beach and Jenness Beach in Rye, which was much cleaner because there weren’t as many tourists. It was more of a local scene and the difference in how they treated the beach compared to those just visiting was instantly noticeable.

Marine life depend on the oceans for survival so I loved this project because I did feel like I made a small contribution towards protecting their environment, plus it’s free to volunteer. There’s no program fee.

I volunteered for a few hours and enjoyed the rest of the day on the beach relaxing before heading back to Boston the next morning at 5:00am for my flight back to LA.