Best New England Tours

      Comments Off on Best New England Tours

Looking for a fun tour of New England that visits all the best spots? Check out this list of the best New England tours.

Many of these tours explore more of Massachusetts than just Boston and, on the longer tours, visit all or most of New England.

These tours range from day trips to week-long tours. Some of these tours are all-inclusive while others only cover accommodations and ground transportation.

A few of these are tours of New England from New York while others are New England tours from Boston.

Whatever type of tour you’re looking for, there is a New England tour for you:

(Disclaimer: Purchases made through the links in this article help support the History of Massachusetts Blog.)

1 Day New England Seacoast Tour from Boston:

Take Tours offers a one day New England Seacoast tour from Boston. This 9-hour tour takes you to the seacoast of New Hampshire and Maine to explore the local sites.

The tour begins with a morning pickup at your hotel in Boston or at a pre-arranged location. You’ll then take a drive to Hampton Beach, New Hampshire where you’ll explore the area on your own before reboarding the bus and driving along the rocky coast to see the famous Nubble Lighthouse in York, Maine.

Nubble Lighthouse, York, Maine

Nubble Lighthouse, York, Maine

Next, you’ll continue on to nearby Kennebunk Village and Kennebunkport and view former President Bush’s summer home from Walker Point. After, you’ll return to Kennebunkport for a two-hour shopping & lunch trip on your own.

The tour concludes with a drive back to Boston at 5:30pm.

6 Day New England Bus Tour: Boston, Rhode Island, Acadia National Park & Portland:

Tours4Fun offers a six day New England Bus Tour. The tour explores Maine, Rhode Island, Boston and Cape Cod.

The tour starts with airport pickup and hotel check in followed by some sightseeing in Boston.

The second day begins with an early morning drive to Provincetown, Cape Cod where you’ll visit the sandy beaches and then make a stop at the Whydah Pirate Museum to see treasures and pirate booty from a local sunken pirate ship, the Whydah.

The tour continues on to Plymouth for a whale watch excursion followed by a visit to the Pilgrim Tower Monument.

The third day involves a day trip to Newport, Rhode Island where you’ll visit the Breakers mansion and view the 19th century architecture of Newport’s famous mansions.

Newport, Rhode Island.

Newport, Rhode Island.

The fourth day involves a day trip to Maine to visit Acadia National Park where you will tour Mount Desert and then view Eagle Lake on the way to the top of Cadillac Mountain.

In the afternoon, you’ll visit Bar Harbor and check out the village where you can sample the local cuisine before taking a boat tour, either a nature cruise or a lobster-fishing trip, You’ll finish the day with a visit to the sand beach and Thunder Hole.

Day five involves a visit to Portland to visit the Portland Head Lighthouse followed by a trip to York’s Wild Kingdom Zoo. In the afternoon, you’ll take a trip to Boston where you’ll enjoy a lobster dinner.

Day six involves a trip to Cambridge, Mass where you will visit Harvard University and later enjoy a cruise on Boston harbor. Then you’ll go sightseeing in Boston and see Trinity Church, the Hancock building, Prudential Center, Boston Public Library and the State House.

In the afternoon, you’ll visit Quincy Market where you can sample the local cuisine and do some shopping. After lunch, you’ll be taken to the airport for your flight home.

The tour includes:
Complimentary airport pick-up and drop-off
5 night hotel accommodations
Ground transportation
A professional guide

Meals and admission to attractions and museums not included.

6 Day New England Deluxe Tour from New York:

Take Tours offers a six day New England Deluxe Tour from New York. The tour explores New York, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Rhode Island.

The tour begins in New York city where you will visit Wall Street, the Empire State Building, Times Square and take a sightseeing cruise down the Hudson River to get a view of the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge before continuing on to the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

On Day 2 you’ll take a morning trip to New Haven, Connecticut where you’ll visit Yale University and Mystic Village. In the afternoon, you’ll take a drive to Newport, Rhode Island to visit the Breaker’s Mansion before continuing on to Providence for dinner.

On Day 3 you’ll visit Plymouth in the morning to see Plymouth Rock and check out Plimoth Plantation. Afterwards, you’ll take a drive to Boston to visit the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum.

Then you’ll take a Boston Duck Tour before visiting the Harvard Museum of Natural History and the campuses of Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. You’ll end the day with a lobster dinner at Quincy Market.

On Day 4, you’ll visit Merrimack, New Hampshire for a tour of the Anheuser-Busch Budweiser Brewery before visiting the Merrimack Valley Premium Outlets for lunch and shopping. After lunch, you’ll head to the Portland Head Lighthouse in Portland, Maine.

On Day 5, you’ll visit the White Mountains in New Hampshire where you’ll be able to check out the Flume Gorge, take a ride on the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway, explore the White Mountain National Forest and then take a ride on the Mount Washington Cog Railway.

Mount Washington Cog Railway in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

Mount Washington Cog Railway in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

On Day 6, you’ll visit Hartford, Connecticut to take a tour of the Mark Twain House and Museum.

The tour concludes with a drive back to New York City.

The price includes:
5 nights hotel accommodations
Transportation
Tour guide
Taxes

The price does not include:
Admission fees to the museums or attractions
Meals
Service fees

6 Day New England Summer Leisure Tour from Boston with airport pickup:

Take Tours offers a six day New England summer leisure tour from Boston. The tour explores Massachusetts, Maine and Rhode Island.

The tour starts with complimentary airport pickup at Logan airport and transportation to your hotel.

On day 2, you’ll board a deluxe motorcoach or minibus for a drive to Plymouth to see Plymouth rock and take a tour of Plimoth Plantation, the Plimoth Grist Mill and the Mayflower II.

Plimoth Plantation, Plymouth, Mass

Plimoth Plantation, Plymouth, Mass

Later, the tour continues on to Newport, Rhode Island where you’ll take a tour of the famous Breakers Mansion before returning to Boston.

On day 3, you’ll take a drive to Plymouth again to visit the Pilgrim Hall Museum before boarding the express ferry to Provincetown.

In Provincetown you’ll visit the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum and take a Dune Tour of the Provincetown Cape Cod National Seashore protected lands before returning to Boston.

On day 4, you’ll take a drive to Portland, Maine to visit the historic lighthouse Portland Head Light and then take a walk through Acadia National Park to see Thunder Hole, which is the blowhole of a submerged underwater cave, and visit Cadillac Mountain.

On day 5, you’ll explore Bar Harbor, Maine and take a cruise of the harbor.

On day 6, you’ll tour Cambridge and Boston where you’ll see the campuses of Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before moving on to Boston to see the Massachusetts State House, Trinity Church, Quincy Market, the New England Aquarium before stopping for a lobster meal. Afterwards, you’ll take cruise of Boston Harbor.

At the end of the day you’ll be dropped off at Logan Airport for your return flight home.

Price Includes:

Round trip airport transfer
5 nights hotel accommodations
Transportation via a deluxe motocoach or minibus
Tour guide
Taxes

Price does not include:

Admission fees to the museums and attractions
Meals
Airfare
Service fees

7 Day Best of New England Tour:

Viator offers a seven day Best of New England Tour. The tour explores New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

The tour starts in Merrimack, NH where you’ll have your choice of a visit to either the Premium Outlets or to the Anheuser Bush Brewery for a tour and tasting. Then you’ll enjoy drinks and dinner.

On day 2, you’ll visit coastal Maine and explore the Light House Trail. First you’ll make a stop at the Nubble Lighthouse. Then you’ll enjoy a New England lobster lunch. In the afternoon, you’ll visit Portland and the famous Portland Head Light as well as other lighthouses in the area.

On day 3, you’ll take a cruise on Squam Lake and enjoy views of the scenery and local wildlife.

On day 4, you’ll visit Vermont and make a stop at the Cabot Creamery Annex to sample some of the local cheeses. The tour continues onto Montpelier for a stop at the Vermont State House. You’ll make a stop at Cold Holler for lunch at the Apple Core Restaurant.

A covered bridge in scenic Vermont.

A covered bridge in scenic Vermont.

Then, you’ll visit Morse farm to see how Maple Sugar is produced and taste some samples. The last stop is at the Cold Hollow to taste the local jams, jellies, cider and mustard.

On day 5, you’ll travel to the top of Cannon Mountain in Franconia, NH via an aerial tram. In the afternoon, you’ll travel the Kancamagus Highway and see the beautiful views and picturesque covered bridges.

On day 6, you’ll visit Newport, Rhode Island and sail on a schooner around Newport Harbor. Then you’ll take a tour of one of the historic Newport mansions.

On day 7, you’ll tour Boston where you’ll see the historic USS Constitution, Old North Church and the Paul Revere House. Then you’ll stop at Quincy Market for shopping and lunch. After lunch, you’ll see the Massachusetts State House, Boston Common, Trinity Church and other historic sites.

At the end of the day you’ll be dropped off at Logan Airport or the train station for your return trip home.

Price includes:

6 nights accommodation at the Holiday Inn Express
Driver/tour guide
Motorcoach transportation
Hotel pickup
Admission fees to attractions and museums
Meals as per itinerary (6 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 5 dinners.)
Taxes

Price does not include:

Personal expenses
Meals not included in itinerary
New Hampshire pick up outside of Nashua or Bedford

7 Day New England Deluxe Tour from New York with airport transfers:

Take Tours offers a seven day New England Deluxe Tour from New York with airport transfers. The tour explores Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and Maine.

The tour starts with a complimentary airport pick up at any of the major New York City area airports and transportation to your hotel.

If you arrive at JFK or LGA before 5pm, you’ll be able to join a tour of Flushing, NY and visit the nearby Queens Crossing, Macy’s Shopping Center.

If you arrive at the EWR airport before noon, you’ll be able to visit the Jersey Garden Outlets Mall. Anyone who arrives before 4:30pm will be able to join the optional NYC Night Tour.

On day 2, you’ll tour New York City, beginning with Wall Street and a trip to the top of the Empire State Building to take in the views on the observatory deck.

Then, you’ll visit Times Square and take a sightseeing cruise down the Hudson River where you’ll enjoy sights of the State of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge, After the cruise, you’ll visit the USS Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

On day 3, you’ll visit the campus of Yale University in New Haven, CT and Mystic Village. After lunch, you’ll visit Newport, RI to tour the Breakers Mansion. You’ll then continue on to Providence for dinner.

On day 4, you’ll visit Plymouth, Mass to tour Plimoth Plantation and Plymouth Rock. After, you’ll head north to Boston to tour the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum and take a Boston Duck Tour.

Then you’ll visit the Harvard Natural History Museum and the campuses of Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Last but not least you’ll end the day with a lobster meal at Quincy Market.

On day 5, you’ll visit New Hampshire for a tour of the Anheuser-Busch Budweiser Brewery before visiting the Merrimack Valley Premium Outlets for lunch and shopping. Afterwards, you’ll take a trip to Portland to visit the Portland Head Lighthouse.

On day 6, you’ll visit the White Mountains in New Hampshire for a trip to the Flume Gorge. After lunch you’ll take a ride on the aerial tramway to the top of Cadillac Mountain.

The White Mountains of New Hampshire.

The White Mountains of New Hampshire

After, you’ll explore the White Mountain National forest where you will take the cog railway to the summit of Mount Washington.

On day 7, you’ll drive to Hartford, CT to tour the Mark Twain House and Museum. The tour then concludes with a return trip to New York City.

Price includes:
Airport pickup and drop off and transportation to and from hotel
6 nights hotel accommodation
Transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle
Tour guide

Price does not include:
Admission fees to museums and attractions
Meals
Service fees

8 Day New England Getaway Tour from New York:

Take Tours offers an eight day New England Getaway Tour from New York. The tour explores Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island, New Hampshire.

The tour starts with a morning drive from New York City to Boston, Massachusetts to visit the New England Aquarium and take a Boston Duck Tour.

Nightime skyline of Boston, Massachusetts

Nightime skyline of Boston, Massachusetts

On day 2, you’ll head north to New Hampshire to visit Lake Winnipesaukee and take a two-hour cruise on the lake. Then you’ll head to Franconia Notch State Park to take a ride on the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway before returning to Boston.

On day 3, you’ll take a drive to Cape Cod where you’ll take a ferry to Martha’s Vineyard. Once there, you’ll enjoy a mini-island tour which includes a visit to an Alpaca farm and trip to the villages of Oak Bluffs and Edgartown before returning to Boston in the evening.

On day 4, you’ll return to the cape to visit Plymouth, Ma where you will see Plymouth Rock, visit Plimoth Plantation, the Plimoth Grist Mill and the Mayflower II and learn about the history of the local Wampanoag Native-American tribe.

After Plymouth, you’ll continue on to Newport, Rhode Island where you will visit the Breakers Mansion before returning to Boston.

On day 5, you’ll return to Plymouth and have the option of visiting the Pilgrim Hall Museum before boarding a ferry to Provincetown to visit the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum and take a Dune Tour of the Provincetown Cape Cod National Seashore. At the end of the day, you’ll return to Boston.

On day 6, you’ll travel to Maine to visit Acadia National Park and the Portland Head Light in Portland, Maine. You’ll then spend the evening in Portland.

On day 7, before turning to Boston, you’ll make a stop at Bar Harbor, Maine where you will take a cruise of the harbor.

On day 8, you’ll explore Boston with an in-depth tour of Harvard University and a visit the Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus and the Massachusetts State House.

After, you can either take a self-guided tour of Boston or enjoy a Boston Harbor cruise. You’ll also visit Trinity Church, Quincy Market and enjoy a lobster meal.

At the end of the tour, you’ll have the option to return to New York.

Price includes:
7 nights hotel accommodation
Transportation via a deluxe air-conditioned motorcoach or minibus.
Tour guide
Taxes

Price does not include:
Admission fees to the museums and attractions
Airfare
Meals

10 Day New England Traditions Tour from New York:

Take Tours offers a 10 Day New England Traditions tour from New York. The tour explores New York, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Rhode Island.

The tour starts with the tour group meeting up in New York for a Q & A with the tour director. After, the tour group is free to explore New York City on their own.

On day 2, you’ll drive to Newport, Rhode Island to visit Breakers Mansion. The day will end in Plymouth, Mass.

On day 3, you’ll explore Plymouth with a visit to Plymouth Rock and a tour of Plimoth Plantation. Then you’ll enjoy a whale watching cruise. After, you’ll spend the night in Plymouth.

On day 4, after continuing to explore Plymouth in the morning, you’ll head to Boston in the afternoon where you’ll be able to explore the city on your own for the rest of the day or take one of the local Boston history tours.

On day 5, you’ll explore Boston by visiting Beacon Hill, Boston Common and Quincy Market before heading off to Ogunquit, Maine for the night.

On day 6, you’ll head to the White Mountains of New Hampshire to visit Ellacoya State Park to take a boat tour of the beautiful Lake Winnipesauke. After, you’ll spend the night in North Conway, NH.

On day 7, you’ll visit Vermont where you’ll make a stop at the capital city of Montpelier. Then, you’ll visit a local maple syrup farm and cider mill. After, you’ll spend the night in Burlington, Vermont.

On day 8, you’ll take a ferry across Lake Champlain into New York state where you will visit the town of Lake Placid.

On day 9, you’ll be able to explore the town of Lake Placid on your own in the morning before continuing your tour of upstate New York with a lunch stop at Saratoga, NY, Then, you’ll spend the night in Albany, NY.

On day 10, you’ll head back to New York City where you will be dropped off at the airport for your return flight home.

Price Includes:

Nine nights hotel accommodations
Six continental breakfasts
Admission fees to museums and attractions
Transportation via a motorcoach or minivan

Price Excludes:
Airfare
Optional tours
Airport drop off: $20 per person

In addition, if you live in New York and you’re more interested in exploring Boston, you might want to explore some of the Boston tours from New York.

Sources:
Arnold, Kathy. “10 Amazing Ways to See New England.” Telegraph.co.uk, Telegraph Media Group Limited, 9 Feb. 2017, www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/tours/incredible-ways-to-see-new-england/
“Tours in New England.” Lonely Planet, n.d., www.lonelyplanet.com/usa/new-england/tours/a/pa-tou/361984
“The Grand Tour of New England.” New England Inns & Resorts,
www.newenglandinnsandresorts.com/grand-tour-new-england-intinerary/
Brosnahan, Tom. “6-to-10-Day North New England Tour.” New England Travel Planner,
newenglandtravelplanner.com/tours/6_10_days_north.html
Dunlap, Barbara. “Escorted New England Tours.” USA Today,  traveltips.usatoday.com/escorted-new-england-tours-27568.html

Pin it for later:

Best New England Tours

About Rebecca Beatrice Brooks

Rebecca Beatrice Brooks is the author and publisher of the History of Massachusetts Blog. Rebecca is a freelance journalist and history lover who got her start in journalism working for small-town newspapers in Massachusetts and New Hampshire after she graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a B.A. in journalism. Visit this site's About page to find out more about Rebecca.