Visit the New England You Never Knew
Cape Cod isn’t the only family vacation worth taking in New England. We’ve provided six alternatives that prove equally entertaining for your brood this summer.
The Other Cape
Rockport, MA
Why go: Try a different cape this summer. Forty-nine minutes north of Boston lies the town of Rockport, on Cape Ann, a lesser-known summer escape with scads of beaches and lobster shacks aplenty. It’s beauty has attracted generations of artists like Winslow Homer and Childe Hassam.
Where to stay: The Peg Leg Inn or Emerson Inn by the Sea. The first is a stone’s throw from two town beaches and all the village shops, restaurants and galleries, while the second has fine dining, gorgeous views of the ocean and a pool on site (from $150, thepegleginn.com; from $159, emersoninnbythesea.com).
Where to eat: In the morning, head over to The Red Skiff Seafood & Grille (978-546-7647). Sit at the counter with your coffee. (Make sure to order the anadama toast with your eggs.) Looking for an afternoon snack? Top Dog of Rockport (topdogrockport.com) is a must, or try a mocha chip cone at The Ice Cream Store (978-546-7557). Dinnertime already? My Place by the Sea (myplacebythesea.com) is perfect for upscale eats and sunsets. Taking the kids? Try The Lobster Pool in Folly Cove (lobsterpoolrestaurant.com; BYO like most places in town). Grab a picnic table out back to watch the sun set over Ipswich Bay. Let the kids play on the rocks and strum one of the restaurant’s guitars.
What to do: Take the kids for a pre-breakfast hike at Halibut Point (search for the point at mass.gov). Pay $2 to park your car in the lot and wander the 2.5 miles of hiking trails through old rock quarries, ending with a view of the Atlantic and the Isles of Shoals. Or, pack up the car and head over to Good Harbor Beach. Get there by 10:30 a.m., or there will be no parking in the day lot ($25 for weekends and holidays). Set up camp on the north side of the beach near the Good Harbor Beach Inn (goodharborbeachinn.com). Walk out to Salt Island at low tide for great views. Head into Rockport to visit The Country Store on Bearskin Neck (978-546-3620) for penny candy and a tune from the nickelodeon. Craving culture? Rockport Chamber Music Festival (rcmf.org) opens its new hall in June and draws artists like hometown hero Paula Cole. On Sunday nights, the Rockport Legion Band plays at the bandstand across from Back Beach. Bring a blanket and picnic dinner. (Lula’s Pantry on Dock Square has fun picnic staples; Latoff’s Farm Stand sells fruit and veggies and locally made pies.) Let the kids get popcorn from the old time vendor while you look up at the stars and figure out a way to stay forever. —Meredith Shanley
Newport 2.0
Little Compton, RI
Why go: Drink in unspoiled nature, orchards and viniculture while staying at a newly renovated historical seaside inn — all in a no-frills, coastal farming area less than four hours from Greenwich and an hour and a half from Boston. Nestled in the southeast portion of Rhode Island, Little Compton is the anti-Newport, with a humble vibe. It’s also minutes from seaside Sakonnet, a rural town gifted with a gorgeous rocky point and classic lighthouse.
Where to stay: The Stone House, a luxurious and sustainable 13-room Italian-style manse with wraparound porches. Built in 1854, the hotel features modern interior design; an in-house spa with organic-vegan products; private ocean beach; casual basement eatery that was once a speakeasy; and a well-regarded fine-dining restaurant. Each room is different — the Lantern suite brags a glass floor and 15-foot cupola with 360-degree views (from $300 to $400 in June; from $600 to $700 in July and August. 401-635-2222; stonehouse1854.com).
What to do: Take a wine-tasting tour at Sakonnet Vineyards (sakonnetwine.com), New England’s oldest running winery with 50 acres of vines. It’s celebrating its 35th anniversary this year — and known for award-winning Vinifera varietals, like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Gewurztraminer. What’s more, the winery hosts live-music nights in July and August with light fare. Try their anniversary Claret, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Beaches, boating and fishing, as well as biking and hiking trails, also abound along with an ocean-view golf course. Autumn visitors should check out Old Stone Orchard (oldstoneorchard.com) for local apples and summer veggies.
Where to eat: Pietra is the Stone House’s formal restaurant. In the summer, Culinary Institute of America-trained chef Paul Wade only serves food sourced from within a 100-mile radius; he also makes his own honey and ricotta cheese. Winning dishes include grass-fed lamb with house-made marscapone polenta and fresh crudo, the Italian form of sashimi. —Adam Baer
Land of Lakes
Casco, ME
Why go: Anyone who’s ever tried to swim in the chilly New England coastal waters knows the lake is the place to be come summertime. Sebago Lake is Maine’s deepest and second largest lake and sits 20 miles outside Portland in Cumberland County. Surrounded by woods, parks and countless other lakes and ponds, there’s plenty to do on Sebago from hiking and biking to sailing and kayaking. (And if none of that is appealing to you, there’s an Adirondack somewhere with your name on it.)
Where to stay: Since 1916, the 125-acre property at Migis Lodge has welcomed generations of families looking for an upscale, woodsy retreat. Stay in one of the property’s 35 cabins — by “cabins” we mean elegant log houses — or one of the main lodge’s six rooms. Fall asleep by the fireplace and wake to the cry of the loon (from $242 per person, per day; migis.com).
What to do: Once you’ve parked your car at Migis, you really don’t need to get in it again before checkout. There’s plenty to do steps from your cabin: tennis (on Har-Tru courts), sailing, fishing, hiking, kayaking, swimming, waterskiing and more. There’s also a kids’ program to keep the little ones busy with crafts and outdoor activities. Golfers can head to Point Sebago (pointsebago.com) five minutes down the road for a scenic 18 holes. Gearing for a day trip? Cross the street for a wine tasting at Blacksmith’s Winery (blacksmithswinery.com), head downtown to Portland’s quaint harborside Old Port, pop by L.L. Bean’s flagship in Freeport or drive through Naples to scout antiques or grab a Geary’s Summer Ale at Rick’s Café (rickscafenaples.com).
Where to eat: You could easily eat every meal at the Main Lodge (don’t miss the blueberry muffins at breakfast, and be sure the men pack a jacket for dinner) but if there’s one meal not to miss it’s the Friday night lobster bake on Cookout Point (no jacket required) during June, July and August. Have lunch delivered to you on the resort’s private island or venture into the cobblestone streets of Portland, rumored to have more restaurants per capita than any U.S. city other than San Francisco. Grab a coffee at Bard’s (bardcoffee.com) or score a table for dinner at James Beard Award-winning Fore Street (forestreet.biz) for a meal you won’t soon forget. —Nicole Gull
Mountain Town
Jackson, NH
Why go: Jackson sits eight miles outside the bustling town of North Conway — located at the foot of the Presidential Range and equipped with some of the best mountain biking, rock climbing, hiking and fishing you can find in New England.
Where to stay: Overlooking Mt. Washington and the White Mountains, The Inn at Thorn Hill offers 16 guest rooms in the main inn as well as three French Country-decorated cottages and a carriage house with six more guest rooms that have more of a woodsy, Adirondack feel. Large families or groups can rent the entire house; it sleeps up to 15 people and has an outdoor hot tub and a deck perfect for après-hike cocktails (from $360; innatthornhill.com).
What to do: Regardless of how you like to spend your time — at the inn’s spa (they’ve got everything from Reiki, yoga and pilates to massage and mani-pedis), shopping (the Settlers’ Green outlets in North Conway are killer) running around outdoors or planted on the porch with a good book — there’s plenty to keep you happy. For the super-adventurous, the EMS Climbing School (emsclimb.com) is a short ride into town and offers guided hikes, as well as bouldering and climbing lessons for even those who’ve only ever climbed the stairs. For kayaking and canoe trips on the Saco River visit the folks at Northern Extremes (northernextremes.com). They’ll take you out for the day (anywhere from three to seven hours), or ask the guides to plan an overnight camping/paddling trip.
Where to eat: The Inn at Thorn Hill has built a reputation for being quite the foodie hangout, as their menu is often times what draws guests to return. (Both Condé Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure have ranked Thorn Hill among the best in the world for cuisine.) What’s more, the inn also boasts a 3,000-bottle wine cellar that can easily double as the perfect setting for a private party or intimate anniversary dinner. If you’re out for the day and kicking around town, you might pop into the Muddy Moose Restaurant & Pub (muddymoose.com) in North Conway, offering family fare beneath antler chandeliers. — Nicole Gull
Outdoorsman Oasis
Manchester, VT
Why go: Just about four hours from Greenwich, Manchester serves up the perfect blend of luxury and adventure. Days filled with fly-fishing, canoeing and mountain biking are followed by meals of escargot and venison, and nights of fresh, mountain air and 500-thread-count sheets.
Where to stay: At the base of Mount Equinox, the tallest peak in the Taconic Mountains, stands the 157-year-old Equinox Resort and Spa. The 195-room hotel has lodged four U.S. presidents and is listed as a National Historic Place, but while the resort maintains a colonial feel, the accommodations offer the latest luxury including a full-service spa, tennis courts and golf courses, and 42-inch plasma televisions. At night, retreat to the Falcon Bar to sit by the outdoor fire pit as you sip cocktails and listen to folk singer Andy Avery pick his guitar (from $332; equinoxresort.com).
Where to eat: In the morning, head to the Little Rooster Café (802-362-3496) for a pancake breakfast. These flapjacks are legendary for their flavor and fluff and are served, of course, with real Vermont maple syrup. Get there early; it fills up fast. If you do get squeezed out, head back for lunch and order the steak sandwich. For dinner, make reservations at Mistral’s at Toll Gate (802-362-1779), a French dining experience complete with frog legs cooked so perfectly you’ll forget its amphibian. For heartier fare, head to Ye Olde Tavern for lobster-and-bacon mac and cheese and meatloaf topped with mushroom gravy. Visiting Stratton Mountain for the day? Eat at Verdé (the restaurant opens on June 16 for the season, verderestaurant.info), where chef Rogan Lechthaler cures his own meats and makes his own ice cream, including a delicious bacon-maple flavor.
What to do: If you decide to stay in Manchester, visit Hildene, the Lincoln family home built in 1905 (hildene.org). Test the latest fly rods at Orvis headquarters (orvis.com) and take your new skills to the Batenkill River, known for its foot-long brook trout, or load the kids into a canoe rented from Batenkill Riversports and Campground in nearby Cambridge, NY (brsac.com). Afterwards, head into town and grab an ice cream cone at Ben & Jerry’s, then shop one of the many retail outlets, including Brooks Brothers and Tumi. If you decide to take the 20-minute drive to Stratton, buy a $10 gondola ticket to the top of the mountain, then hike 20 minutes to the water tower for panoramic views including the Adirondacks. At Sun Mountain Adventure Park at Bromley, ride the zip line or race the kids down the alpine slide (from $39; bromley.com). Golfers can enroll in the Stratton Golf University, famous for shaving 10 to 20 strokes off anyone’s game. Cool off afterwards with a dip in Pikes Falls (ask a Stratton staffer for directions), a nearby swimming hole with 10-foot-long natural rock waterslides. —Gordy Megroz
One-Tank Escape
Morris, CT
Why go: The cool mountain lakes and pine-scented forests of Litchfield Hills make northwestern Connecticut feel like a world away from the bustle of Fairfield County, but the hour-and-a-half drive makes it an easy getaway for even just a romantic or family weekend.
Where to stay: Winvian, a private retreat that opened in 2007, offers luxury and whimsy on 113 untouched acres of woodlands in Litchfield Hills. The resort pays homage to Connecticut with its 18 cottages and one suite, all designed by 15 architects and giving the appearance of everything from a silo to a New England stable. For an eclectic look, try the Helicopter Cottage, designed around a 1968 restored Sikorsky HH37 Sea King Pelican helicopter. For a more traditional escape, the Log Cabin offers refuge in rustic luxury (from $650 a la carte or $1,250 all-inclusive; winvian.com).
What to do: You won’t have to leave Winvian’s 113 acres to find something to keep you busy. Hike or bike one of the property’s many trails. (A trip up the mountain with a picnic lunch supplied by the resort is ideal for an active morning. Or take a stroll on the “boardwalk” for an easy walk at a neighboring conservancy.) Pamper yourself in one of the resort’s six signature treatment rooms. Public or private yoga and Pilates sessions, bocce ball or croquet are also at the ready. Horseback riding through the hills and canoeing or kayaking on Bantam Lake are within a short drive, too.
Where to eat: Try the Winvian’s full breakfast (the morning pastries are a must even if you fear being too full for eggs, bacon or pancakes later). The resort will also prepare a picnic lunch for guests who want to eat outside. Don’t miss afternoon tea or the s’mores around the bonfire at night. Chef Chris Eddy’s menu, whether breakfast, international dinner menu or Sunday brunch, includes the freshest farm-to-table ingredients from traditional pizza and handmade spaghetti or gnocchi to striped bass or roasted rack of lamb. Even if you aren’t normally a fan of escargot, try it at the Winvian. Out for a day of antiquing? Stop at Peaches ’n Cream (860-496-7536) for homemade ice cream or visit Village Restaurant (village-litchfield.com) for a casual lunch. For dinner, The Woodward House (thewoodwardhouse.com) in Bethlehem puts a new twist on classic dishes like Thai-style paella. — Kristan Zimmer