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New England is the perfect place for a road trip. Whether you are traveling as a couple, with kids, or solo, there is activity for everyone! Fall is the perfect time for beautiful leaves and scenery, winter is great for snowy activities, and spring and summer are wonderful for hiking and exploring. Just be sure you are prepared for the weather, because it ranges from hot to freezing, depending on what time of year you get to visit.

Enjoy your New England road trip! Here are 5 must see cities on your trip.

New to planning road trips? Read this article to plan a perfect New England road trip: Planning the Perfect Road Trip.

5 Cities Perfect for Your New England Road Trip

Mystic, Connecticut

Mystic, Connecticut is a historic waterfront city and is the perfect stop on your New England road trip. Whether you are there for the history, the shopping or the famous Mystic Aquarium, there is something for everyone in your group!

Start your day at the Mystic Aquarium and hang out with the cutest sea lions and beluga whales. There are guides along the way, telling you about all of the animals, and I even got to see a feeding of some baby stingrays. After your time at the aquarium, stop by the Olde Mistick Village, a 1700s style shopping center, with plenty of local shops. PS it’s dog friendly!

After your busy morning, you’re probably hungry, so stop by the famous Mystic Pizza for a tasty lunch. Now you can go explore downtown Mystic or head to the Mystic Seaport Museum for an interactive experience, and the chance to climb onto the last wooden whale ship left in the world!

Things to Do in Mystic:

• Climb aboard the Mystic Seaport Museum
• Visit my favorite sea lions at the Mystic Aquarium
• Get your vintage and modern shopping done at the 1700s style Olde Mistick Village
• Have your (pizza) pie and eat it too at Mystic Pizza

Providence, Rhode Island

Providence, Rhode Island is home to over 8 college campuses, making it the one of the coolest college towns around. I could be biased, it is my college town, but I love it, and I encourage everyone to go see it. The amount of amazing restaurants alone should be incentive to go visit.

Have your breakfast in the form of a sweet, sweet donut at my favorite place PVDonuts. Just be sure to account for a line, there is literally always a line. Bring your box of donuts (I know you’re going to buy a box, they’re irresistible) to the new Providence Pedestrian Bridge, and admire the skyline while you snack.

If you’re into history, head to the Rhode Island State House for a free tour of the capitol building. Maybe I’m just obsessed with history, but I love a free tour, too. If you want to do a bit of shopping, head to Thayer Street for some cool shops, and plenty of places to eat. (East Side Pockets is one of my favorites.) Stop by Brown University Campus if you want to do a bit of exploring.

End the day with a Providence Ghost Tour. I have been on two, and each time it was different, super interactive, and had a great narrator to some spooky stories. I really can’t recommend them enough! The tour starts and ends at Prospect Park, where you will see a gorgeous view of the city, and you get there just in time for sunset.

Things to Do in Providence:

• Shop the unique stores and eat some tasty food on Thayer Street
• Get spooked on ghost tour of downtown Providence
• Savor the famous donuts from PVDonuts
• Stop by the Rhode Island State House for a free tour and see the world’s fourth largest self-supported dome

Boston, Massachusetts

Boston, Massachusetts is famous for the tea party and, of course, baseball and beer. It’s a must stop on your New England road trip, especially for the history buff. But also the baseball fan.

On top of your list of things to do in Boston is a tour of Fenway Park. Start your day here, and take in the beauty (listen, I don’t know, I’m not a sports person) of the home of the Boston Red Sox. After that, if you want a bit of history, head towards the red line on the sidewalk, and start the Freedom Trail. You can do a self-guided or led tour of the Freedom Trail, which stops along the historical sites in the city.

Along your Freedom Trail tour, stop at Fanieul Hall and Quincy Market for a bite to eat. and some shopping. For a spot a little less touristy, head towards the Boston Public Market. The Market offers dining options that are all locally sourced, as well as local artisans and shops. These are all small businesses, so it’s right up my alley.

I always love walking along the waterway in Boston. Even in winter, it’s a gorgeous place to take a break and take in all of the views that Boston has to offer. The New England Aquarium is right along the wharf, so if you didn’t get enough sea life in Mystic, this is a great stop for you.

Things to Do in Boston:

• Shop and dine at the local spots in Boston Public Market
• Tour the historic Freedom Trail and maybe see a historical figure along the way
• Make your baseball dreams come true and tour Fenway Park

Burlington, Vermont

Burlington is small, but fun city, with plenty of activities that will bring a bit of fun to your New England road trip. The best, and silliest place to start your trip is at the World’s Tallest Filing Cabinet. Who knew that even existed? My friends and me, apparently. It’s really just a 15 minute stop, but fun to see nonetheless.

After that, head over to Lake Champlain Chocolates where you can tour the factory (get there early, we got there just as the last tour left), and get a sample of chocolate. They also have a cafe, and be sure to stop in the store to bring home some chocolatey goodness to your friends and family (if you’re feeling generous). Then head over to the chocolate’s namesake Lake Champlain and walk or bike the boardwalk there and take in the gorgeous scenery of the lake.

Then bring your adventure over to Church Street Marketplace for some shopping and eating. They have plenty of unique stores to stop in, and plenty of breweries and distilleries to end your night with a lovely beverage.

Things to Do in Burlington:

• Visit the silliest spot in the city, the tallest filing cabinet
• Take in the sights at the Waterfront Park at Lake Champlain
• Snack on some tasty chocolates and take a (free) tour at Lake Champlain Chocolates

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Portsmouth is an extremely historical city, but still has some great modern shopping and dining to check out. It’s an old city with streets lined by hundreds of years old brick buildings. It almost transports you back in time.

The most popular stop in Portsmouth is the Strawberry Banke Museum. The museum is highly interactive, with multiple buildings featuring different eras, and costumed storytellers. This is a great spot for kids of all ages, and adults to get a taste of historic Portsmouth.

After your tour of the Strawberry Banke Museum take a walk at Prescott Park, which runs along the waterfront, and has beautiful flowers. Fun fact: it was opened by two sisters. We love some girl power, baby! Head into the downtown Portsmouth area to get some good shopping in. If you’re a book nerd (like me!), snuggle into a good book and a drink (!) at Portsmouth Book & Bar (both alcoholic and caffeinated are available).

When you’re ready for a new view, the Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse is great place to take it all in. If you’re there in the summer, you can climb up the lighthouse stairs, but if not, it’s still a great view from the outside.

Things to Do in Portsmouth:

• Shop the brick building lined streets of downtown Portsmouth
• Be transported back in time at the Strawberry Bake Museum
• Take in the views from the top of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse

Bar Harbor, Maine

Bar Harbor is the perfect place for anyone looking for some outdoor adventure, because it is home to Acadia National Park. But it is also a super fun town with a great atmosphere and even better seafood.

For an even more detailed itinerary for Acadia, check out this post: 3 Perfect Days in Beautiful Acadia National Park

If you go to Bar Harbor, you must spend at least a day in Acadia National Park. If nothing else, drive Park Loop Road and hike The South Bubble, a moderate 1 mile hike. And don’t forget to stop for popovers at Jordan Pond House.

Another must do in Bar Harbor is a lobstah roll (as the locals call it) covered in butter! You will never have better lobster anywhere else. Blueberries are also an extremely popular snack, and they even have their own blueberry soda!

Stop for some shopping and ice cream, at one of many ice cream parlors on Main Street. Stroll down by the waterfront, and maybe even take a lobster boat tour from the harbor.

Things to Do in Bar Harbor:

• Shop and eat some delicious ice cream on Main Street
• Clim The Bubble at Acadia National Park and admire the views (and how sore your legs are)
• Enjoy a local lobster roll doused in butter

Your New England road trip will be perfect if you visit all of these cities! You will find history, gorgeous scenery and amazing food and best of all, you will have an amazing time exploring some new places.

Save this post for later, and let me know where you go on your next road trip!