8 Loveliest Small Towns To Visit In New England This Summer
New England is an ideal summer destination for prospective travelers searching for natural scenery, cultural identity, and memorable small towns. Visitors here can enjoy quaint New England-style architecture in Exeter, New Hampshire's Swasey Park; marvel in the rocky coastlines and forested hills of Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor, Maine; appreciate the cultural vibrancy on display at the Rockport Art Association & Museum in Rockport, Massachusettes; and more. Check out these eight lovely small towns in New England for a unique and vibrant vacation this summer.
Woodstock, Vermont
Woodstock is the quaint getaway capital of central Vermont. The town is small and quiet, boasting as headline attractions the open fields of Billings Park, filled with dense forest trees and trails, and the working Billings Farm & Museum, which, in combination with the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, provides as much cultural history as it does beautiful pastures. Within the town square, it's popular to cross the Ottauquechee River via the wooded Middle Covered Bridge, stop at the Mon Vert Cafe, and catch a show at the Woodstock Town Hall Theatre. For a fun and interactive, family-friendly afternoon, stop at the Sugarbush Farm to try maple syrup tapping and cheese production.
Bar Harbor, Maine
Bar Harbor, Maine, is a prime example of Maine's varied attractions. The downtown area exudes one-of-a-kind small-town energy, offering all of the top-quality restaurants like the Side Street Cafe, marquee attractions like the Abbe Museum's lessons of native people and the charismatic Reel Pizza Cinerama, and fantastic natural scenery in centertown along the Bar Island Land Bridge. Travelers can walk the picturesque harbor, passing from Agamont Park's greenery to the Town Beach sands and continuing along the popular Shore Path. Despite the town's popular charm, the central attraction to Bar Harbor may be the neighboring Acadia National Park: a massive expanse of woodlands, forest trails, and rocky coasts.
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Within the scattered islands and inlets of the Piscataqua River, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, lies on the Maine-New Hampshire state border. Portsmouth is an energetic small town with historical dedication enough to match its extensive natural beauty. Travelers may be attracted to the stories of the living history of the Strawbery Panke Museum or the military and maritime stories of the USS Albacore Museum, complete with a life-sized Albacore submarine. Others may find refuge in colorful central greenspaces like Prescott Park, in coastal oases like the rocky coast of the Odiorne Point State Park, or the secluded walking trails of the Sagamore Creek Headlands.
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport presents an extravagant setting on Rhode Island's Aquidneck Island. The town is small but exudes vibrant energy and pristine attractions, most notably an extensive collection of historic mansions and museums such as The Elms, The Breakers, Rosecliff, Marble House, and Rough Point. Some travelers tour these memorable villas on The Cliff Walk Trailhead, often passing Gooseberry Beach and King's Beach. The surrounding oceanfront of the Newport peninsula is a must-visit: outdoor enthusiasts walk the flat cliffs of the Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge, take in the crashing waves of Brenton Point State Point, and walk the historic military structures of Fort Adams State Park.
Rockport, Massachusetts
First impressions of Rockport, Massachusetts, reveal the epitome of the small New England fishing town. Rockport Harbor is filled with this charisma, expressed through the iconic Motif #1 fishing shack and the many cafes and boutiques that line the oceanside Bearskin Neck main street. Aside from its appearance, Rockport also boasts an impressive artistic community. The Rockport Art Association & Museum provides stunning rotating exhibits of regional art and the Rockport Music-Shalin Liu Performance Center is an elegant venue that adds to any live event with a backdrop of the Atlantic waters. Relax on the sands of the centrally located Front Beach to escape the town's bustling energy.
Exeter, New Hampshire
The most prominent image of Exeter's unique small-town charm is Swasey Parkway, a long stretch of charismatic greenery and brick buildings placed along the calm waters of the Squamscott River. Walking along the parkway leaves travelers in the heart of the quaint downtown, where it is popular to enjoy top-quality restaurants like the OBA Noodle Bar and the Street or to learn colonial history at the American Independence Museum. For an escape into nature, walk the many wooded trails of the Henderson-Swasey Town Forest and experience the best of New Hampshire's natural greenery. These same woods are also home to the Word Barn, the charming site of many town events and concerts.
Ogunquit, Maine
Ogunquit is a quiet and beautiful refuge that is typical of Maine's character-filled and picturesque coast. Downtown streets are filled with memorable shops and restaurants like The Greenery Cafe and The Village Food Market. The harbor is bordered by the impressive coupling of Ogunquit Beach and Footbridge Beach, each providing incredible natural beach scenery with complete boardwalks, tall grass, and wide open sands. While the town is quiet and relaxing, it also offers a full variety of cultural and historical attractions. The Ogunquit Museum of American Art showcases a stunning display of art ranging from the 17th century to the modern-day. The Ogunquit Playhouse is a colorful live venue built in the 1930s, and the Lobster Point Lighthouse is a must-visit for its panoramic viewpoint, with travelers often continuing to the secluded Little Beach nearby.
Narragansett, Rhode Island
Following the Pettaquamscutt River through The Narrows brings travelers to the tranquil Pettaquamscutt Cove and the quiet town of Narragansett, Rhode Island. The town is renowned for the impressive stone-built historical monument known as The Towers, a strong cultural symbol of New England that looms high over the Narragansett Town Beach. There are plenty of opportunities for swimming and surfing on this calm sand bar, plentiful tide pools, and shallow sea adventures in the nearby Narragansett Sea Wall. Besides its world-class beaches, Narragansett can entertain visitors with fantastic restaurants like The Coast Guard House Restaurant or leisurely stroll around the John H. Chafee National Wildlife Refuge.
The Bottom Line
New England's variety of natural, cultural, and historical appeal is surprising to many visitors, often exceeding the expectations of even the most experienced travelers. Whether yearning for an escape to a thickly wooded farmland paradise in Woodside, Vermont; the extravagant histories of the mansions in Newport, Rhode Island; or for relaxation on secluded world-class beaches in Narragansett, Rhode Island, there's something for any summer traveler in these eight lovely small towns in New England.
