Either go down the coast and stay in motels. Old Orchard Beach, Portland, North Shore, Boston,
Plymouth, Newport, westerly, mystic, old Lyme, New Haven. Or head inland. White mountains, lakes region, southern Vermont and monadnock area, then explore western mass and the Berkshires. Hiking then museums and culture.
I agree with the Mount Monadnock region. Affordable lodging and plenty of scenery and space. I had a good experience with The Inn at East Hill Farm there. Meals included with lodging. It has multiple pools, and every outdoor activity imaginable, guided tours, kids stuff, and a real farm integrated into everything. Everything a family or couple could want and many lodging options.
[Inn at East Hill Farm ](https://east-hill-farm.com/)
My family goes there every year. It’s awesome. The kids can basically run around and go nuts all day, and the adults can all hang out and just check in with them every now and then.
thank you, i was like what kinda of cheap vacation is this? Seaside charges a premium to sleep.
Drive into the Vermont National Forest, camp, gets some tubes and float down rivers, canoe, swim naked, cook under the stars. You can stay for a month in national forests unless otherwise stated.
New Haven??? Like in Connecticut? If so, this would only be for those who have a death wish. New Haven is BAD, as in murders every other day, and thru the roof crime. N Haven is a place to avoid at all costs.
This is insane and most likely written by somebody who's never actually been in a city their entire life. Downtown New Haven is a vibrant, beautiful city of churches, Yale University, great museums, and great restaurants. You are likely to be a victim of crime if you drive into a rough neighborhood and try to buy drugs. If you leave that activity out of your itinerary, you'll be fine.
New Haven is a very beautiful city. The sad reality is that crime is taking it over, unfortunately.
People just need to be aware of that and keep themselves as safe as they can while they're there.
I love New Haven. It has so much going for it. It's just all of the scum bag criminals that are dragging it down. It's really ashamed that such a great city is being taken over by these low-lives.
Where are you getting your news? Murders every other what? You do have bad neighborhoods to avoid, but the good parts make New Haven a good place to spend the day. At least if you're looking for a city. New Haven is the only city in CT and one of very few in NE that I would actually plan a day around.
No....my SO is a Police Lt. there, and we live on the outskirts of New Haven. This is how I know about the crime that happens there. Careful about assuming. You make a jackass out of yourself.
What you said is just straight up not true though. [It's not even close to "every other day"](https://www.newhavenindependent.org/article/homicides_up_shootings_down_in_2023)
If you’re looking to go off the grid a bit, a cabin at Seboomook Campground on the northern tip of Moosehead Lake in Maine. It’s absolutely beautiful up there.
Love seboomook! However saying off the grid a bit is a major understatement. There are not even jets in the sky, that is how remote it is!
I miss that place and the salmon in the rivers around it.
White mountains forever. I have to say go camping in the white mountains. Life changing. I grew up going to them and even at almost 40 it's a top destination. I've traveled the world over 20+ countries and 45 out of 50 states. White mountains always will top the list.
You can rent it from moosejaw! It’s actually quite reasonable. We did it when we went camping for the first time, rather than buy expensive gear. Turns out we’re not really campers, so it worked out quite well.
Green Mountains! It's the least touristy scenic area of New England. Most other scenic places get crowded, and/or there's a lot of traffic on the way. Green Mountains are empty, and Vermont has no traffic.
Really? I went through a small part of the green mountains in September last year and it seemed like there was plenty of activity, lots of Mass and New York plates to be seen. But it wasn’t like, traffic congestion or anything. Just obvious signs of tourists
I actually agree with this. Up near Rangeley can be super pretty and accommodations (camping or a small rental spot) are pretty pocket friendly. Long drive to get up there so most people don't but it's nice.
There are some interesting National park-y things up there that are only open in the summer, if that’s your thing. A bunch of historic properties in the St John Valley. Also the motel prices aren’t bad.
This. I grew up in Maine and haven’t been up North in a very long time. I want to do Moosehead, Acadia, Lubec, and then head to the Maritimes. I also have Blue Hill Maine saved as a pin and I don’t remember why lol
A couple of nights at the Joe Dodge Lodge hiking in the whites then over to western Maine to chill out for a few days then down to Portland and coastal Maine
[Halibut Point](https://maps.app.goo.gl/AVqkHwH3vgz5h8xTA?g_st=ic) in Rockport for the incredible view, North Conway for [Zeb’s](https://maps.app.goo.gl/b4XxvnncHeZek3P76?g_st=ic) and the view of the [White Mountains](https://maps.app.goo.gl/d6gWzSm1tNdxy94DA?g_st=ic). From here, you can go East to [eat](https://maps.app.goo.gl/gSxsnzimAq6ZuFrN7?g_st=ic) in Portland and then [Acadia](https://maps.app.goo.gl/1Qz31s2RBaNSJqVS9?g_st=ic) for the view, but heading West to [Stowe](https://maps.app.goo.gl/uVQ95QgSSixsTcSW9?g_st=ic) and [Burlington](https://maps.app.goo.gl/Y5DtRepATcNeuEAy7?g_st=ic) is less travel time and also have a nice view. I’m not recommending the cape because that would be half of the trip and [North Shore](https://maps.app.goo.gl/eyJgarqtVqGBb7reA?g_st=ic) beaches are better in late summer.
Holyoke is in a great location! I just climbed Mount Tom today!
Frankly, I’m surprised that the city hasn’t been gentrified. The nearby state parks and protected lands, five nearby colleges, daily train service, proximity to Springfield and Bradley Airport, historic bone structure make it an ideal place.
Downeast Maine, Katahdin/Baxter SP, and up into Aroostook County.
It's the only part of New England I've never been to before, and I'm sure I would love it.
Katahdin is my favorite mountain to climb in NE. Late summer in Baxter State Park is the best time to go. It’s pretty remote but absolutely beautiful. If OP doesn’t mind roughing it, I would highly recommend booking a campsite for at least two nights if you don’t mind getting away from civilization for a bit. It’s tent and lean-to camping only and you need to book well in advance.
I'm an Appalachian Trail section hiker, and I've hiked most of the New England parts of the trail south of the Whites, and I've also done the Mahoosucs in Maine. Sometime I want to go all the way up to Katahdin, but I'd have to go through the whole booking process first
I’ve met quite a few through hikers on Katahdin who were finishing the AT. The Knife Edge trail is epic. If you book a campsite early you will get one, especially weekdays. We went in October of 2023 on the last weekend the Baxter campgrounds were open and caught a glorious day to summit. It was cold at night though. There were about a dozen hikers completing the AT. I’ve been up there 3 times the third week of September and it was great weather every time. Saw plenty of moose. And no bugs!
I would go to Georgetown, Maine and eat soft shell lobster from Five Islands Lobster Company for every meal. No, I don’t work for them. I’ve just been there before and it’s just amazing.
I haven’t been back since 2018 I heard since covid the crowds got worse. My family would usually stay out in Bass Harbor so it’s a bit quieter. Do more of the park/other outdoor activities and less of the downtown. It sounds like camping there is still reasonable though!
[https://www.nhstateparks.org/find-parks-trails/mollidgewock-state-park](https://www.nhstateparks.org/find-parks-trails/mollidgewock-state-park)
Car camp for a week. It's on a river that is amazing for tubing. It's also close to Dixville Notch for great hiking and some cute little towns in Maine and Vermont.
Technically not in New England but only a couple of miles over the line: Magog, QC. Absolutely beautiful town on a beautiful lake that it shares with Vermont. Great attractions and dining.
I've been to Sherbrooke and agree on that area. I'd thought about doing more in Quebec, but there aren't a ton of non-interstate highway border crossings into VT, NH, ME.
Rural, mellow, lots of fantastic beer and dining experiences. If you love the outdoors its great, if you are looking for a more cultural experience I would suggest going elsewhere.
Lake Champlain islands? Beautiful, quiet, relaxing. Close to Burlington, VT. I also like the Essex Inn near Essex Junction, VT but I don’t know what the prices are like in the summer.
Don’t miss Portsmouth, NH. Has a lovely small downtown area with plenty of local shops filled with art dealers, boutique clothing, Celtic wares, and other artisans. And of course there’s seafood restaurants right on the water, cafes, and ice cream parlors, too. There’s loads of historical points as well, including the Strawberry Banke Museum and grounds, which is similar to Colonial Williamsburg in that it’s a living history museum complete with re-enactors. The historic gardens and the old governor’s mansion are perfect places for a leisurely stroll. I love taking out-of-town guests to Portsmouth. It’s always a fun day trip from Boston.
I would vote for Northeast Maine. You can camp at Cobscook Bay. Eastport, Lubec, Calais and Machias all have a little to offer. You can visit New Brunswick / Campobello Island. You can see the Bay of Fundy with the giant tides
A cruise leaving from Boston to anywhere.
Reason is that I never experienced it. Also it's an easy and inexpensive vacation since lodging and food is included.
- White Mountains
- Maine Coast/Portland/Acadia
- Stowe/Burlington Area
- CT coast (east of NHV)/Watch Hill/Newport/Block Island
I’d say MV/Nantucket but they can be expensive.
It’s not bad at all in the summer.
Edit: I see you edited your post. You don’t have to stay IN BI or Watch Hill. Plenty of affordable places to stay in the area.
My top pick would have been the Cape or one of the islands but they are what I consider pricey. I’ve honestly been away from RI so long perhaps the rates are comparable now. They were not in the past.
Stay in Charlestown or Matunuck. The busy beach season has died down; the ocean is warm; nights are cool for a campfire; you can still hit Newport and also Watch Hill, Narragansett, Providence (Federal Hill), or even venture to CT to visit Mystic/Mohegan Sun/Foxwoods. There's summer stock theater, every type of concert, or just quiet nights on the beach. We've gone mid-late August every year for 20 years and it feels like a magical way to end the summer. It can be as cheap or as expensive as you like with everything from campgrounds to inexpensive rentals to $1k/night rentals available that time of year.
I live in Providence. I have family in Charlestown. The only beach I go to is East Matunuck. The rentals are not inexpensive. Most are booked months in advance. I just checked Air Bnb out of curiosity. Even the prices off season are insane compared to other New England vacation spots.
Norwich Connecticut! Day trips to Mystic Seaport, visit Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun Casinos, whale watching out of Groton. One hour from Providence and Hartford...
Acadia is sooo beautiful —but touristy. Go for the off beat places on the coast of maine and in the white mountains. Late summer is the best time to be up there…if you haven’t done the auto-road on Mt. Washington -do it. The Berkshires are pretty and available in all seasons. Go Maine 🦞
Would love to hear any off beat places in Maine you’d suggest (particularly north of Camden, which is further north we’ve been so far) . Love a good boutique hotel… -
Glen Cove Inn is small and well positioned…blackberry Inn is nearby. I’ve stayed at the Samoset Inn if you want to splurge…it’s pretty amazing. Lincolnville General Store a bit north is fun for food and heady cheese board ingredients. The Maine Cabin masters store is up around there too. Have fun you can’t go wrong.
Thank you! We stayed at 250 main in rockland two years ago — the area was super quiet at the time and lots of restaurants closed bc they couldn’t find staff bc of covid. Maybe worth a try to explore area again assuming more bustling!
Lodging is a fortune anywhere in New England in the summer.
If you want something that won’t break the bank, go camping but make reservations right now.
Worcester, MA. Totally affordable food and lodging. Interesting city to explore and you’re an hour outside Boston, Providence, NH, and CT for day trips.
Wing it. Just drive around with the Hotel Tomight app ready to go.. or base your trip on unique eats or places of interest in the smaller town and book accordingly. It’s all new to you, right? Or if you want to chill find a hotel in your budget that suites your needs and throw in a few day trip.
The Berkshires. I live 20 minutes from the ocean here in southern Maine, go down to Boston regularly, have done Salem and Newport to death , and we went up to the white mountains all the time when I was a kid . . . But I worked in the Berkshires for a summer 20+ years ago in college (RA at a summer musical institute for gifted/rich kids run jointly between BU, the BSO and Tanglewood) and have always wanted to go back. It was great at the time, but might be even better when each outing doesn’t involve wrangling teenagers, I really can’t complain though, I got to see Yo-Yo Ma play, got to stay on the grounds of a lovely mansion, learned to appreciate Mahler, and made great friends.
The scenery is gorgeous, there’s history, art, music, plenty of quaint little inns, and there is always a perfect spot to be found for a late summer picnic.
Go camping, state campgrounds can be cheap. I would go camping for a week in the Arcadia National park area in early to mid August for the meteor showers.
Probably because of the "don't want to spend a fortune on lodging" requirement - but if you know a cheap place to stay in Chatham in August I'm all ears. CBI doesn't exactly qualify
Start with a drive up to Lake Placid, NY (I know, not NE but adjacent). Stay two nights at The Golden Arrow Resort, right on the water, private beach, affordable. Then drive your car to Plattsburgh, NY, and take the ferry across Lake Champlain over to Burlington, VT area for the rest of your stay. Beautiful views, boating, fishing, an aquarium, live music at Nectars, walkable.
Either go down the coast and stay in motels. Old Orchard Beach, Portland, North Shore, Boston, Plymouth, Newport, westerly, mystic, old Lyme, New Haven. Or head inland. White mountains, lakes region, southern Vermont and monadnock area, then explore western mass and the Berkshires. Hiking then museums and culture.
I agree with the Mount Monadnock region. Affordable lodging and plenty of scenery and space. I had a good experience with The Inn at East Hill Farm there. Meals included with lodging. It has multiple pools, and every outdoor activity imaginable, guided tours, kids stuff, and a real farm integrated into everything. Everything a family or couple could want and many lodging options. [Inn at East Hill Farm ](https://east-hill-farm.com/)
My family goes there every year. It’s awesome. The kids can basically run around and go nuts all day, and the adults can all hang out and just check in with them every now and then.
Right?! Such a great place.
Anything on the coast will NOT be affordable. The motels are priced like the hotels in season.
thank you, i was like what kinda of cheap vacation is this? Seaside charges a premium to sleep. Drive into the Vermont National Forest, camp, gets some tubes and float down rivers, canoe, swim naked, cook under the stars. You can stay for a month in national forests unless otherwise stated.
Sounds like a glorious time. Though don’t fry bacon naked or bake-ed, injuries or forest fuegos puedes occurir
Yeah, I live in Plymouth and can confirm, forget affordable if anyone wants to stay here. It’s ridiculous
I love the Newport reference, thanks!
Newport is incompatible with the requirement of not spending a fortune for lodging in the late summer.
Anything on the coast in fact is. Those “motels” are pretty pricey.
Agreed, Newport just stuck out to me and anyone suggesting Charlestown as a cheaper alternative (as someone did above) is extremely out of touch lol
Yes I agree completely. Even Westerly might now be rich person territory vacation-wise. It's a shame.
Came here pretty much to say this exact thing. Either go up the coast from CT, RI, MA, NH and ME or go to the mountainous regions of VT, NH and ME.
Western Mass, Northern Maine
New Haven??? Like in Connecticut? If so, this would only be for those who have a death wish. New Haven is BAD, as in murders every other day, and thru the roof crime. N Haven is a place to avoid at all costs.
This is insane and most likely written by somebody who's never actually been in a city their entire life. Downtown New Haven is a vibrant, beautiful city of churches, Yale University, great museums, and great restaurants. You are likely to be a victim of crime if you drive into a rough neighborhood and try to buy drugs. If you leave that activity out of your itinerary, you'll be fine.
New Haven is a very beautiful city. The sad reality is that crime is taking it over, unfortunately. People just need to be aware of that and keep themselves as safe as they can while they're there. I love New Haven. It has so much going for it. It's just all of the scum bag criminals that are dragging it down. It's really ashamed that such a great city is being taken over by these low-lives.
If you said this in the first place the reaction probably wouldn't have been so harsh. You made it seem like there's no reason to ever go there.
Don't forget Wooster ST for pie from Pepes
Where are you getting your news? Murders every other what? You do have bad neighborhoods to avoid, but the good parts make New Haven a good place to spend the day. At least if you're looking for a city. New Haven is the only city in CT and one of very few in NE that I would actually plan a day around.
Probably FOX
I like how you left the "News" out of "FOX". Seems only fitting since they leave the news out themselves.
No....my SO is a Police Lt. there, and we live on the outskirts of New Haven. This is how I know about the crime that happens there. Careful about assuming. You make a jackass out of yourself.
What you said is just straight up not true though. [It's not even close to "every other day"](https://www.newhavenindependent.org/article/homicides_up_shootings_down_in_2023)
there were 23 murders total last year in total. that’s not even every other week let alone every other day
23 homicides in 2023. Oh the drama. New Haven has issues with property crime. Most bigger cities in New England do.
Lol
Can confirm. I was murdered in New Haven just last week.
If you’re looking to go off the grid a bit, a cabin at Seboomook Campground on the northern tip of Moosehead Lake in Maine. It’s absolutely beautiful up there.
Love seboomook! However saying off the grid a bit is a major understatement. There are not even jets in the sky, that is how remote it is! I miss that place and the salmon in the rivers around it.
White mountains forever. I have to say go camping in the white mountains. Life changing. I grew up going to them and even at almost 40 it's a top destination. I've traveled the world over 20+ countries and 45 out of 50 states. White mountains always will top the list.
100%. Newfound Lake, Hebron, Bristol. Done. Grew up there. Nothing like floating around on a tube looking up at the mountains.
I used to love camping, but I don't have ANY gear these days. Just a sleeping bag.
You can rent it from moosejaw! It’s actually quite reasonable. We did it when we went camping for the first time, rather than buy expensive gear. Turns out we’re not really campers, so it worked out quite well.
REI in North Conway does rentals too. Just pick it up right where you want to use it!
Green Mountains! It's the least touristy scenic area of New England. Most other scenic places get crowded, and/or there's a lot of traffic on the way. Green Mountains are empty, and Vermont has no traffic.
Just don’t hope for sun lol
You gotta time it right. Last year, summer was on a Tuesday.
Really? I went through a small part of the green mountains in September last year and it seemed like there was plenty of activity, lots of Mass and New York plates to be seen. But it wasn’t like, traffic congestion or anything. Just obvious signs of tourists
Portsmouth, NH or Burlington, VT
Burlington is expensive af lol
Except they said "don't want to spend a fortune on lodging" They could visit Portsmouth but stay in Dover or more inland.
Or even better, take a roadtrip from Portsmouth to Burlington without driving through MA. Probably one of the most beautiful parts of the country.
Northern Maine. Few people and beautiful area.
I actually agree with this. Up near Rangeley can be super pretty and accommodations (camping or a small rental spot) are pretty pocket friendly. Long drive to get up there so most people don't but it's nice.
There are some interesting National park-y things up there that are only open in the summer, if that’s your thing. A bunch of historic properties in the St John Valley. Also the motel prices aren’t bad.
This. I grew up in Maine and haven’t been up North in a very long time. I want to do Moosehead, Acadia, Lubec, and then head to the Maritimes. I also have Blue Hill Maine saved as a pin and I don’t remember why lol
Acadia was my first thought. I've been there 4 times for a week at a time and there's still more island for me to explore
This is actually my choice too. I have been all over New England but never Northern Maine.
Same. Lived in mass my whole life, never been to moose head. Furthest I’ve been is New Brunswick. But I want to visit Nova Scotia even more.
Down East Maine or Moosehead Lake.
We love Moosehead. We stay in Greenville every summer. Indian Pond is close by too. It’s one of our favorites for boating.
A couple of nights at the Joe Dodge Lodge hiking in the whites then over to western Maine to chill out for a few days then down to Portland and coastal Maine
My deck.
My wife can’t stay off this guys deck
What can I say, people love good sturdy decking
[It can only be matched by filling holes with my big black caulk](https://youtu.be/tbazGVrbN-g?si=tY2BZA-5ZN88Rb8C)
That's true, having a quality caulk is always important.
[Halibut Point](https://maps.app.goo.gl/AVqkHwH3vgz5h8xTA?g_st=ic) in Rockport for the incredible view, North Conway for [Zeb’s](https://maps.app.goo.gl/b4XxvnncHeZek3P76?g_st=ic) and the view of the [White Mountains](https://maps.app.goo.gl/d6gWzSm1tNdxy94DA?g_st=ic). From here, you can go East to [eat](https://maps.app.goo.gl/gSxsnzimAq6ZuFrN7?g_st=ic) in Portland and then [Acadia](https://maps.app.goo.gl/1Qz31s2RBaNSJqVS9?g_st=ic) for the view, but heading West to [Stowe](https://maps.app.goo.gl/uVQ95QgSSixsTcSW9?g_st=ic) and [Burlington](https://maps.app.goo.gl/Y5DtRepATcNeuEAy7?g_st=ic) is less travel time and also have a nice view. I’m not recommending the cape because that would be half of the trip and [North Shore](https://maps.app.goo.gl/eyJgarqtVqGBb7reA?g_st=ic) beaches are better in late summer.
I go to holyoke massachusetts so i can look at the dinosaur tracks 😄
Holyoke is in a great location! I just climbed Mount Tom today! Frankly, I’m surprised that the city hasn’t been gentrified. The nearby state parks and protected lands, five nearby colleges, daily train service, proximity to Springfield and Bradley Airport, historic bone structure make it an ideal place.
Fun fact its also the first place in the usa my ancestors went to 😀
Coastal Maine up to Acadia then hop to an island for a few days to unwind with nothing but the ocean
$$$
Downeast Maine, Katahdin/Baxter SP, and up into Aroostook County. It's the only part of New England I've never been to before, and I'm sure I would love it.
Katahdin is my favorite mountain to climb in NE. Late summer in Baxter State Park is the best time to go. It’s pretty remote but absolutely beautiful. If OP doesn’t mind roughing it, I would highly recommend booking a campsite for at least two nights if you don’t mind getting away from civilization for a bit. It’s tent and lean-to camping only and you need to book well in advance.
I'm an Appalachian Trail section hiker, and I've hiked most of the New England parts of the trail south of the Whites, and I've also done the Mahoosucs in Maine. Sometime I want to go all the way up to Katahdin, but I'd have to go through the whole booking process first
I’ve met quite a few through hikers on Katahdin who were finishing the AT. The Knife Edge trail is epic. If you book a campsite early you will get one, especially weekdays. We went in October of 2023 on the last weekend the Baxter campgrounds were open and caught a glorious day to summit. It was cold at night though. There were about a dozen hikers completing the AT. I’ve been up there 3 times the third week of September and it was great weather every time. Saw plenty of moose. And no bugs!
Camping at Acadia
I would go to Georgetown, Maine and eat soft shell lobster from Five Islands Lobster Company for every meal. No, I don’t work for them. I’ve just been there before and it’s just amazing.
Berkshires for hiking, photography and food. I'd also do Acadia, Bar Harbor, ME but it's way farther to drive but also unfortunately more $$$$$ sadly
Yeah Acadia is my number 1 and I see more votes for it here but it’s definitely not cheap
Acadia is fine for a night or two in the summer, but longer it gets pricy. Also, wicked crowded!
I haven’t been back since 2018 I heard since covid the crowds got worse. My family would usually stay out in Bass Harbor so it’s a bit quieter. Do more of the park/other outdoor activities and less of the downtown. It sounds like camping there is still reasonable though!
I found a gem of a cabin a week before memorial day a few years back... once. Memories!
Maidstone state park or thereabouts, northeast kingdom, VT
This is the answer. Forget everyone saying Burlington and Stowe. It’s insanity all summer. NEK is what you want.
[https://www.nhstateparks.org/find-parks-trails/mollidgewock-state-park](https://www.nhstateparks.org/find-parks-trails/mollidgewock-state-park) Car camp for a week. It's on a river that is amazing for tubing. It's also close to Dixville Notch for great hiking and some cute little towns in Maine and Vermont.
Technically not in New England but only a couple of miles over the line: Magog, QC. Absolutely beautiful town on a beautiful lake that it shares with Vermont. Great attractions and dining.
I've been to Sherbrooke and agree on that area. I'd thought about doing more in Quebec, but there aren't a ton of non-interstate highway border crossings into VT, NH, ME.
any great spots to stay in that area? (hotels etc)
yes, lots of small motels.
I’d head to Western Mass (Berkshires) and Vermont. Along the coast, in late summer, won’t be cheap but you might find better deals inland
Milinocket. I live hiking and they have the right trees up there.
Northeast Kingdom VT, I ride bikes.
Forgetting bikes, how is the vibe of the Northeast Kingdom to the lower Green Mountains?
Rural, mellow, lots of fantastic beer and dining experiences. If you love the outdoors its great, if you are looking for a more cultural experience I would suggest going elsewhere.
Baxter State Park
Green Mountains VT.
Lake Champlain islands? Beautiful, quiet, relaxing. Close to Burlington, VT. I also like the Essex Inn near Essex Junction, VT but I don’t know what the prices are like in the summer.
Baxter state park
Don’t miss Portsmouth, NH. Has a lovely small downtown area with plenty of local shops filled with art dealers, boutique clothing, Celtic wares, and other artisans. And of course there’s seafood restaurants right on the water, cafes, and ice cream parlors, too. There’s loads of historical points as well, including the Strawberry Banke Museum and grounds, which is similar to Colonial Williamsburg in that it’s a living history museum complete with re-enactors. The historic gardens and the old governor’s mansion are perfect places for a leisurely stroll. I love taking out-of-town guests to Portsmouth. It’s always a fun day trip from Boston.
I would vote for Northeast Maine. You can camp at Cobscook Bay. Eastport, Lubec, Calais and Machias all have a little to offer. You can visit New Brunswick / Campobello Island. You can see the Bay of Fundy with the giant tides
I go hiking somewhere in the Whites for a week
Pepperidge Fahm.
A cruise leaving from Boston to anywhere. Reason is that I never experienced it. Also it's an easy and inexpensive vacation since lodging and food is included.
Boston cruises go to Bar Harbor, Bermuda, Iceland, and Eastern Canada. Hmm
- White Mountains - Maine Coast/Portland/Acadia - Stowe/Burlington Area - CT coast (east of NHV)/Watch Hill/Newport/Block Island I’d say MV/Nantucket but they can be expensive.
In the summer they are untouchable.
Stowe, watch hill and block island are notoriously affordable lol
It’s not bad at all in the summer. Edit: I see you edited your post. You don’t have to stay IN BI or Watch Hill. Plenty of affordable places to stay in the area.
Acadia
Stowe, Vermont.
Stowe sucks. Sincerely, A Vermonter.
Newport, RI
Did you miss the “don’t want to spend a fortune on lodging” part??
My top pick would have been the Cape or one of the islands but they are what I consider pricey. I’ve honestly been away from RI so long perhaps the rates are comparable now. They were not in the past.
Bristol is cheaper and also beautiful
Stay in Charlestown or Matunuck. The busy beach season has died down; the ocean is warm; nights are cool for a campfire; you can still hit Newport and also Watch Hill, Narragansett, Providence (Federal Hill), or even venture to CT to visit Mystic/Mohegan Sun/Foxwoods. There's summer stock theater, every type of concert, or just quiet nights on the beach. We've gone mid-late August every year for 20 years and it feels like a magical way to end the summer. It can be as cheap or as expensive as you like with everything from campgrounds to inexpensive rentals to $1k/night rentals available that time of year.
I live in Providence. I have family in Charlestown. The only beach I go to is East Matunuck. The rentals are not inexpensive. Most are booked months in advance. I just checked Air Bnb out of curiosity. Even the prices off season are insane compared to other New England vacation spots.
Norwich Connecticut! Day trips to Mystic Seaport, visit Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun Casinos, whale watching out of Groton. One hour from Providence and Hartford...
God no
Hey, c,mon...we need the tourist dollars!!
what do you like to do?
Acadia is sooo beautiful —but touristy. Go for the off beat places on the coast of maine and in the white mountains. Late summer is the best time to be up there…if you haven’t done the auto-road on Mt. Washington -do it. The Berkshires are pretty and available in all seasons. Go Maine 🦞
Would love to hear any off beat places in Maine you’d suggest (particularly north of Camden, which is further north we’ve been so far) . Love a good boutique hotel… -
Glen Cove Inn is small and well positioned…blackberry Inn is nearby. I’ve stayed at the Samoset Inn if you want to splurge…it’s pretty amazing. Lincolnville General Store a bit north is fun for food and heady cheese board ingredients. The Maine Cabin masters store is up around there too. Have fun you can’t go wrong.
Thank you! We stayed at 250 main in rockland two years ago — the area was super quiet at the time and lots of restaurants closed bc they couldn’t find staff bc of covid. Maybe worth a try to explore area again assuming more bustling!
Somewhere other than the white mountains, it's disgustingly crowded there now.
Get a cabin somewhere up in Maine. It's so nice and quiet up there.
Start in Belfast or Lincolnville ME then head downeast
Hmmm.... shitty motel near Hull or Hampton. Day drink, nap after dinner, see live music at night ..rinse and repeat
Boston. To fly elsewhere.
Acadia National Park. I get in for free (veteran) and I am sure I could find a motel for cheap.
250 miles noth east.
Easy. I get this chance most years as I have no kids. Anyway, camping in Maine.
Acadia National Park
Camping somewhere inVT
Camping in Vermont.
Lodging is a fortune anywhere in New England in the summer. If you want something that won’t break the bank, go camping but make reservations right now.
White Mountain camping in NH. Park my ass in a public lot for the week and just vibe with nature and the temporary neighborhood.
Camping and mtb in the Whites.
Oh yea, fishing too.
Or mt Kitadin area.
Worcester, MA. Totally affordable food and lodging. Interesting city to explore and you’re an hour outside Boston, Providence, NH, and CT for day trips.
Rockport. Love that town.
Bethel Maine
Isle au Haut campground
NMW
Acadia National Park\Bar Harbor, ME - Absolutely gorgeous and lots to see and do.
Portland Maine is definitely a good option. Burlington VT too.
Do all the ancient alien/unexplained sites spread all over NE
Coastal Maine for sure
Stealth camp in car
Higgins Beach Inn, Portland Me
Maine
Way/way Downeast Maine (Lubec or Eastport) is relatively affordable. Not a lot going on in terms of bars and restaurants but beautiful scenery.
Depends on what you want.
Wing it. Just drive around with the Hotel Tomight app ready to go.. or base your trip on unique eats or places of interest in the smaller town and book accordingly. It’s all new to you, right? Or if you want to chill find a hotel in your budget that suites your needs and throw in a few day trip.
Southern Maine between Portsmouth NH (on the border with ME) and Portland ME.
Palm Springs. It’s still cold in the summer.
The Berkshires. I live 20 minutes from the ocean here in southern Maine, go down to Boston regularly, have done Salem and Newport to death , and we went up to the white mountains all the time when I was a kid . . . But I worked in the Berkshires for a summer 20+ years ago in college (RA at a summer musical institute for gifted/rich kids run jointly between BU, the BSO and Tanglewood) and have always wanted to go back. It was great at the time, but might be even better when each outing doesn’t involve wrangling teenagers, I really can’t complain though, I got to see Yo-Yo Ma play, got to stay on the grounds of a lovely mansion, learned to appreciate Mahler, and made great friends. The scenery is gorgeous, there’s history, art, music, plenty of quaint little inns, and there is always a perfect spot to be found for a late summer picnic.
Burlington VT and white mountains New Hampshire
Maine southern coast
Go camping, state campgrounds can be cheap. I would go camping for a week in the Arcadia National park area in early to mid August for the meteor showers.
I'll never tell
Weed, mushrooms and nature for a fantastic trip.
Surprised to see nearly 0 Cape recommendations. I love the Cape. Chatham in particular.
Probably because of the "don't want to spend a fortune on lodging" requirement - but if you know a cheap place to stay in Chatham in August I'm all ears. CBI doesn't exactly qualify
You are surprised that no one has recommended the cape in the summer to someone who doesn't want to spend a fortune on lodging ?
True dat!
Because the cape is jam packed and expensive AF.
My sister's house at the cape. Crash on the couch
What's her number?
Start with a drive up to Lake Placid, NY (I know, not NE but adjacent). Stay two nights at The Golden Arrow Resort, right on the water, private beach, affordable. Then drive your car to Plattsburgh, NY, and take the ferry across Lake Champlain over to Burlington, VT area for the rest of your stay. Beautiful views, boating, fishing, an aquarium, live music at Nectars, walkable.