Just a short hop across the pond takes clients to road-trip paradise, writes Jo Cooke
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If clients want autumn colours, sending them to New England is a no brainer. But there are numerous other reasons to visit the six states that make up this upper East Coast region.
Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine each have their own personality, and are small enough, and close enough together, that clients can get a taste of each on a single road trip.
A wide range of operators, including Hayes & Jarvis and Western & Oriental, can create bespoke fly-drive itineraries tailored to your clients’ whims, as well as offering off-the-peg tours that cover a selection of must-sees.
For those who prefer someone else to take the wheel there are escorted tours, too. Boston is the transatlantic gateway to this wholesome, picturesque region. It’s a little under seven hours from London and the route is well serviced with direct flights from airlines including American Airlines, British Airways, Delta and Virgin Atlantic making New England easily accessible to boot.
New Hampshire
No sales tax, no common-sense laws such as wearing a helmet on a motorbike – in New Hampshire you’ll sense an upbeat, independent spirit that reflects the ‘Live free or die’ state motto.
This is prime driving country with a network of roads cutting through mesmerising natural beauty. The state is home to Mount Washington, the highest peak in the North East, at 6,288ft. You can take the cog railway, or better still drive, to the summit, for a view of the entire state.
Then there’s the Kancamagus Highway that leads you on a winding, undulating, trail through the White Mountains National Forest. Hiking opportunities abound along the way, such as the easy amble to Sabbaday Falls, or the rocky descent into cavernous Flume Gorge.
The ultimate New Hampshire dining experience is aboard the Conway Scenic Railroad. Upon leaving the beautifully restored Victorian station, enjoy a three-course meal while enjoying the countryside from a vintage carriage.
Rhode Island
The smallest state in the union, Rhode Island certainly packs a punch when it comes to desirable residences. Send clients to Newport for a look at the, opulent former retreats of America’s well-to-do families. The Vanderbilts, Astors and their peers built palatial summer residencies in the 1900s, on and around the clifftops of Bellevue Avenue.
The owners spent just a couple of weeks each year here, but no expense was spared on the interiors or gardens. Now many are open to the public, and you can marvel at the exquisite antique furnishings, art work, grounds and views that could give Buckingham Palace a run for its money.
Newport’s downtown area is a little less flash, but just as stylish. There’s an attractive waterfront to stroll along, and plenty of boutiques and one-of-a-kind stores to browse.
Sports fans should also pop into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. It has a museum housed in a beautiful Victorian building and pristine grass courts that can be booked for play by visitors.
Vermont
Vermont offers tranquil, rural bliss. A patchwork of farmland with grazing cattle, clapboard barns and houses is dotted with picture-perfect towns such as Weston and Stowe.
The latter is brimming with art galleries and stores selling Americana. It’s also close to Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Factory where visitors can take tours and try special flavours. An introductory video shows how the eccentric Ben and Jerry became ice cream supremos, then you’ll get to see how the stuff is made before finishing with a taste test.
Another attraction certain to please those with kids is the Trapp Family Lodge. This alpine-style resort, perched on a mountain top, is run by descendants of the Von Trapp family, made famous by the movie The Sound of Music. Film memorabilia lines the walls of the restaurants and bars, plus there are hiking and mountain bike trails galore, with cycle hire available.
Massachusetts
History buffs and beach lovers will have a ball when visiting Massachusetts. In the capital, Boston, a two-and-a-half mile, self-guided tour with information boards, known as the Freedom Trail, takes you around the city’s historic points of interest and recounts America’s journey to independence.
There’s more on the birth of the nation in Plymouth to the south. This is where the courageous pilgrims landed in 1620 to start a new life in America. You can climb aboard a replica of their trusty vessel the Mayflower, visit the town’s Pilgrim Hall Museum and Plimoth Plantation to see how they lived during those early years.
Heading further south, scenic Route 6 takes you to Cape Cod, a peninsula that curves back on itself. It’s blessed with long, sandy beaches and swanky island retreats Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard.
At the tip of this landmass is quirky, laid-back Provincetown. Whale-watching trips leave from here to an off-shore marine park where these majestic mammals thrive in number.
Maine
Maine is synonymous with lighthouses and lobster. The first dot its rugged coastline between rocky bays. The latter are plucked from the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean that lap the state’s shores. They’re said to be the sweetest and most succulent in the world.
Maine lobster is inexpensive too and their tails are served as a fast-food sandwich on a soft roll with mayo. Dining at harbour-side shacks in fishing towns such as Camden and Kennebunkport is a Maine must -– as is a trip north to Acadia National Park.
A loop road leads you to the lakes, mountains, forests, granite cliffs and beaches in the park, with well-marked hiking trails. In Bar Harbor, a lively and pretty resort town bordering Acadia, clients can pick up sunset cruises aboard restored schooners that sail around the outlying islands.
Connecticut
Taking its name from the river that runs through it, Connecticut is the third-smallest state in the union and home to the third oldest university in the US, Yale. Former graduates include Bill Clinton and George Bush, and clients can take a free, guided tour of the campus.
Much of Connecticut is a short hop from New York City, giving it a more cosmopolitan feel than its neighbours. However, its most alluring attraction is Mystic Seaport, the recreation of a 19th-century fishing community.
This huge, open-air, maritime museum includes a village of period houses, where staff dressed appropriate to the era demonstrate seafaring crafts of the time. There’s also a collection of ocean vessels in the harbour that features tall ships, a wooden whaling ship, oyster sloop and steamboat.
Sample product
1st Class Holidays offers a 15-day Classic New England fly-drive visiting all six states from £1,549 in August including car hire, flights and standard accommodation.
North America Travel Service offers a 14-night Best of New England fly-drive visiting all six states from £2,975 based on August travel. The price includes flights from Heathrow, accommodation and car hire.
Virgin Holidays’ Grand New England is a 10-night fly-drive visiting Boston, Cape Cod and Newport starting from £1,699 including flights from Heathrow, accommodation and car hire for a September departure.
Collette Worldwide offers a seven-night Islands of New England escorted tour from £2,429 for September departures including flights from Heathrow, accommodation, some meals, door-to-door UK airport transfers and a tour manager. The itinerary visits Newport, Boston, Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.
