Culinary and Arts Itinerary
CULINARY & ARTS: 14-Day Itinerary
Be inspired by this six-state journey into New England’s vibrant food and culture scenes, which promises to leave travelers feeling nourished in both body and spirit.
DAYS 1 & 2: BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
Learn more about visiting Boston
Lodging ideas: Boston Marriott Copley Place, Hilton Boston Park Plaza, Studio Allston Hotel, The Revolution Hotel
Browse the intimate collection of art at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum before strolling over to the Museum of Fine Arts, whose collection of 500,000 objects ranges from early colonial crafts (look for Paul Revere’s 1768 Sons of Liberty Bowl) to world-famous masterpieces.
The food scene in Boston is equally rich and varied. Sample Old World flavors in Boston’s North End with Off the Eaten Path or Secret Food Tours, then taste what modern chefs and brewers are cooking up at the downtown food hall High Street Place.
Start day two with a pilgrimage to the original Dunkin Donuts, opened in Quincy in 1950. Then drive up to the North Shore to explore the artists’ colony and shops of Rockport’s Bearskin Neck and the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, a city whose own culinary heritage is highlighted by Salem Food Tours. For dinner, book a table at Boston’s Union Oyster House, the nation’s oldest restaurant.
DAYS 3–5: RHODE ISLAND
Learn more about visiting Rhode Island
Lodging ideas: Graduate Providence (Providence), Gardiner House (Newport), Hotel Viking (Newport), Ocean House (Westerly), Weekapaug Inn (Westerly)
In Providence, discover dozens of outdoor murals and sculptures on The Avenue Concept Public Art Tour, or dive into great local eats with Rhode Island Red Food Tours, which operates in both Providence and Newport. Check out the first-class art collection at the RISD Museum—and if there’s a WaterFire event scheduled, linger to witness this magical art installation of bonfires blazing on the river. For dinner, try the Bristol Oyster Bar, a seafood favorite located 30 minutes south of Providence.
The next day, drive down to Newport and be dazzled by the historic estates of the Newport Mansions. Alternatively, on select dates you can take a Newport Secret Gardens Tour to peek into manicured local yards. For an elegant break, sip cocktails on the lawn at Castle Hill Inn while planning dinner at The Chanler at Cliff Walk or the White Horse Tavern.
Heading toward Connecticut, take a delicious detour to Matunuck Oyster Bar to see its oyster farm; Weekapaug Inn for a lobster boil with firepit s’mores; or Ocean House for gourmet cooking lessons.
DAYS 6–8: CONNECTICUT
Learn more about visiting Connecticut
Lodging ideas: The Blake Hotel (New Haven), The Goodwin Hotel (Hartford), Hartford Marriott Downtown (Hartford), New Haven Hotel (New Haven), Spark by Hilton (Mystic), The Whaler’s Inn (Mystic)
Begin exploring the Connecticut Wine Trail at Stonington’s Saltwater Farm Vineyard, then feast on local seafood at nearby Abbott’s Lobster in the Rough. For a culture hit, Ledyard is home to the world’s largest Native American museum, the Mashantucket Pequot Museum. In East Haddam, catch a show by Goodspeed Musicals at the Victorian-era Goodspeed Opera House.
In New Haven, the Yale Art Museum and the Yale Center for British Art are musts for museum lovers, while architecture fans should beeline it to New Canaan to marvel at Philip Johnson’s iconic Glass House. Need refueling? Eat like a New Haven local at Louie’s Lunch, birthplace of the hamburger, or try New Haven–style pizza at Sally’s or Frank Pepe’s.
Finally, it’s off to Connecticut’s capital city, Hartford. Step inside the nation’s oldest continuously operating art museum, the Wadsworth Antheneum, to browse works that span 5,000 years of human creativity. The cultural safari continues at Farmington’s Hill-Stead Museum or the New Britain Museum of Modern Art before ending with dinner at Connecticut’s first-ever food hall, Parkville Market, a vibrant array of 20-plus local eateries and three bars.
DAYS 9 & 10: VERMONT
Learn more about visiting Vermont
Lodging ideas: The Essex Resort & Spa (Essex), Hill Farm Inn (Sunderland), Hotel Vermont (Burlington)
Start in Manchester with two sparkling cultural gems: Hildene, the former estate of Abraham Lincoln’s son Robert, and the Southern Vermont Arts Center, home to the state’s largest sculpture park and the reservations-only curATE Café. For more casual dining, there’s Depot 62, a globally influenced furniture store and café—or go for farm-to-table elegance at The Restaurant at Hill Farm.
Dive into Burlington’s beer scene with the experts at Burlington Brew Tours, or go exploring beyond city limits: The Essex Experience, the Ben & Jerry’s factory, Cold Hollow Cider Mill, and the Barr Hill distillery are all within an hour’s drive.
That evening, plan to attend an Adventure Dinner—held at venues including farms, inns, and vineyards—or try a nationally acclaimed restaurant like Hen of the Wood or Honey Road.
For the rest of the trip, let your interests guide you. See the folk art of Stephen Huneck at Dog Mountain or watch glassblowing artisans at Simon Pearce. Visit Upper Green Mountains breweries on an “e-bike and brew tour” with Lamoille
Valley Bike Tours, or take a cooking class at King Arthur Baking. And wherever you go in Vermont, bring maps for the Vermont Cheese Trail and the Vermont Maple Creemee Trail, so you won’t miss any opportunity to sample these signature Green Mountain State delicacies.
DAYS 11 & 12: NEW HAMPSHIRE
Learn more about visiting New Hampshire
Lodging ideas: Ash Street Inn (Manchester), Bedford Village Inn (Bedford), The Centennial Hotel (Concord), Colby Hill Inn (Henniker), Hotel Concord (Concord)
Not all the masterpieces at Manchester’s Currier Museum of Art are in its galleries: It also owns the only two Frank Lloyd Wright houses in New England that the public can visit. After checking them out, refuel at the Red Arrow Diner, enjoy a tasting at LaBelle Winery, or visit Gould Hill Farm for fresh produce, hard cider, pizza, and live music. Cruise lovers may opt for a quick trip to the Lakes Region for the Lake Winnipesaukee Dinner Cruise.
On day two, head into the countryside to Parker’s Maple Barn, a sugarhouse-restaurant in Mason, then swing by Pickity Place, which offers a gourmet restaurant, English-style gardens, and an herb shop. On your way to Maine, leave time for a Portsmouth Eats restaurant tour in the foodie city of Portsmouth.
DAYS 13 & 14: MAINE
Learn more about visiting Maine
Lodging ideas: AC Hotel (Portland), Anchorage by the Sea (Ogunquit), Residence Inn (Portland), The Wanderer Cottages (Kennebunk)
Start with a seaside stroll on Ogunquit’s Marginal Way to the art galleries and shops of Perkins Cove. The Maine Art Museum Trail, highlighting nine cultural landmarks, starts at the Ogunquit Museum of American Art. Have lunch at Biddeford’s Palace Diner, but save room for what awaits in Portland—from Maine potato doughnuts at The Holy Donut, to drinks and bites at a local brewery like Bissell Brothers, to cuisine-hopping among the Eastern Promenade food trucks.
On day two, take a walking tour led by Maine Day Ventures or hit the water with Lucky Catch Cruises or Rugosa Lobster Tours and learn all about Maine’s famous crustacean. The Maine Oyster Trail, meanwhile, leads to more than 70 places and experiences that celebrate local bivalves, including tours of farms such as Basket Island Oyster Company, located right in Casco Bay.
FOOD SCAVENGER HUNT!
A sampler of signature New England treats, with our suggestions on where to try them.
Massachusetts: Boston cream pie (Omni Parker House, Boston); cannoli (Mike’s Pastry, Boston)
Rhode Island: Johnny cakes (Jigger’s Diner, East Greenwich): Del’s Lemonade (Colt State Park, Bristol)
Connecticut: White clam pizza (Frank Pepe’s, New Haven), carpetbaggers (Match, South Norwalk)
Vermont: Vermont cheddar (Grafton Village Cheese, Grafton), Heady Topper beer (The Alchemist, Stowe)
New Hampshire: Cider doughnuts (Washburn’s Windy Hill Orchard, Greenville), clam chowder (annual Chowder Festival, Portsmouth)
Maine: Lobster rolls (McLoons Lobster Shack, South Thomaston), Moxie soda (annual Moxie Festival, Lisbon)
Itinerary created in partnership with Yankee Publishing. DATTCO Coach & Tour is Discover New England’s transportation partner.
