A New England vacation trip is a getaway your family will love

From a romantic weekend getaway to a vacation at a family resort, a trip to New England takes you to a distinctly American region rich in history, culture, and natural beauty.

New England offers four distinct seasons. In summer, you may wish to travel to the many beaches or jump aboard a river- or whale watch cruise. Fall brings colorful fall foliage and driving tours among brilliant maple groves. In winter, ski resorts welcome skiers and snowboarders of all persuasions. Spring is a time to tour the museums or to stay at a bed and breakfast for a weekend of shopping and dining. Hotels, inns, resorts, vacation rentals, and bed and breakfasts are plentiful.

New England is composed of six states, all with their own attractions for romantic or family vacations. Connecticut is an easy cruise up the shore for New Yorkers. It has pretty villages, steepled churches, and warm bed and breakfast inns. Cultural attractions include Yale University, the home of Mark Twain, and antique shops in the Litchfield region. Rhode Island, the Ocean State, has beaches that are perfect for a family vacation. Even a one-day getaway to Newport must include a tour of some of the Gilded Age mansions.

Massachusetts extends from the beaches and family resorts of Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket through the metropolis of Boston to the Berkshire Mountains in the west. Try to board a whale watch cruise out of Plymouth or the north shore region around Gloucester.

Vermont, the Green Mountain State, is the place of forested mountains, skiing, small towns, and lush family resorts. It has no ocean shoreline, but it borders the historic Lake Champlain. Tour New Hampshire if you love dramatic mountains, snow sports, and beaches. Lighthouses are scattered along the rocky coast of Maine, famous for its schooner cruises.