From ‘Gilded Age’ mansions lining the thoroughfares of Newport, Rhode Island to former whaling ports in Massachusetts, New England puts its history on display in picturesque ways. 

Mansions aside, there’s a purity and simplicity about New England sights – lighthouses casting beacons out to sea, lobster traps bobbing in the water, their catch served up in seafood shacks close to the shore. Wide, unpopulated beaches, cobblestone streets and a flotilla of sailboats racing to the finish are among some of the sights that you can enjoy from the deck of your yacht in New England.

Why Go: Unspoiled coastlines, remote beaches, historic buildings, sailing as a religion.

When to Go: June – September

Essential Ports: Newport, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, Hyannis Port, Sag Harbor and Block Island.

Essential Experiences: Touring the Newport mansions, the U.S. version of a Loire Valley Chateau. Biking between the lighthouses on Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket or Cape Cod.

Local Favorite: Lobster roll at the Clam Shack in Kennebunkport. Lunch on the wide lawn facing the Atlantic at the patrician Nantucket resort, the Wauwinet.