Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts make up half of the northeastern states that are part of New England. Boasting with a rich history, an Atlantic coastline and lush mountains, this part of the U.S. doesn’t get as much hype as its Western counterparts, and yet it didn’t cease to amaze me.

A few things come to mind when I hear the word Boston: Strong, unapologetically real, Bostonian accents (that I personally find awesome). The Boston Red Sox (admittedly not a sports fan here, but I know of the team). The Salem Witch Trials (history I learned about as a kid that I always found intriguing). And last but not least, the prestigious Harvard University. Other than that, Boston is a city that I knew little about and had never been to. Until now.

I’m always down for a U.S. road trip and I (along with my partner who joined me on this adventure) decided Boston was the perfect spot. Located on the coast of the Atlantic between New Hampshire and Rhode Island, we knew fresh seafood and small coastal fishing towns would feed our souls. I began to work on an itinerary. First and foremost, finding a scenic route to Boston was important to me. After all, part of the adventure is getting there. Enter Vermont and New Hampshire, two other states I knew little about and had never been to.

Four states. Three full days of exploring. Two happy guys.

Day 1: Toronto, Ontario (through Quebec) -> Newark, Vermont.

I found a perfect little Airbnb in Vermont, close to the Quebec border. We arrived late at night which was expected and it was a travel day through mostly familiar territory. The Airbnb was located in the countryside so it was pitch black when we arrived. We had no clue what we were waking up to, which was kind of exciting.

Day 2: Newark Vermont -> Drive through Vermont and into New Hampshire for a few hikes-> Drive to Boston late afternoon

Day 2 was a day I was really looking forward to. The first stop was about 1.5 hours from Newark, Vermont. I should start by saying that when I think of mountains, I think of the West Coast. Vancouver, Calgary, the mid western states, California. NOT the Eastern part of the states. The White Mountains of New Hampshire consist of beautiful, lush mountain peaks, dense forests and ‘moose crossing’ signs throughout. National Park signs were straight out of a ‘Yogi Bear’ cartoon and state police wore classic ranger uniforms with brim khaki hats. Sounds like a dream, right? It was. It was a nature lover’s dream. Even the butterflies seemed perfectly in sync with the abundance of wild flowers that lined the highway, as if they were welcoming us into their home.

Highlights

Mount WIllard. The first stop in New Hampshire was mount Willard. A two hour uphill mountain hike lead us to the most breathtaking view (arguably the best in the state, according to many New Hampshireites). A beautiful valley nestled between mountains, parting ways like a curtain, revealing more mountains in the distance. I overheard a local next to me explaining to his wife that it was the most painted spot in New Hampshire. Makes sense. I’m not a painter but if I lived here I’d take up a course with the sole purpose of painting this. Snapping a photo almost felt like I was demeaning it. A view THIS beautiful deserves to be painted. Overall the hike was about two hours and a perfect segway into the long weekend ahead.

Flume Gorge. New Hampshire State Parks describes The Flume as “a natural gorge extending 800 feet at the base of Mount Liberty. The walls of granite rise to a height of 90 feet and are 12 to 20 feet apart”. This was well worth the $16 entrance fee. I’ve never seen anything like it. Picture-perfect covered bridges, giant boulders from the ice age, waterfalls flowing through narrow cracks in the earth, that tumbled into fresh pools of water. There are no words.

Side note: I’m a sucker for a covered bridge. There’s just something romantic and nostalgic about them and there are TONS in New Hampshire.

Food: Yankee Lobster. We arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in the late afternoon. First thing on the list? “Hey Google, where can I find the best lobster roll in Boston?”. With Boston being situated right next to the Atlantic Ocean, seafood was at the top of my list. Enter Yankee Lobster. Nothing like a perfectly toasted, buttered roll with chunks of meaty fresh lobster smothered in a light mayonnaise base. Yum. The clam chowder (surprisingly) stole the show. Creamy. Chunky. Delicious. Seafood craving is kept at bay. For now.

Day: 3

Highlights

Cape Ann Whale Watching. I’ve been whale watching twice before, but neither was successful with only one orca spotting in the far distance. Third time’s a charm! This two hour boat tour took us off the coast of Cape Ann where we first spotted a mom and her calf, followed by a few amazing feeding encounters with a large humpback whale named Spoon. She did not disappoint and gave us a mouth full. Pun intended.

Rockport, Massachusetts. Rockport is cute. It’s the quintessential small fishing town where everything looks like a picture-perfect postcard. Cute restaurants, fresh seafood, lots of art. I considered leaving it all behind and becoming a lobster catcher. Would that be considered a fisherman? Snap out of it Luis.

Good Harbor Beach. I never pictured myself lying on a beach in Massachusetts but when you have a free afternoon and there’s a beach nearby, why not? The beach was beautiful, a little too packed for my liking, but nice nonetheless and surrounded by beautiful quaint homes!

Day 4: Boston

Highlights

Boston Public Library. This library surpassed my expectations and anyone planning a trip to Boston must add this to the list. This beautiful, historic library is a piece of art in itself with each room displaying its own charm. The Bates Hall was by far my favourite room and resembled something straight out of a Harry Potter book. Absolutely stunning and what’s best? It’s free.

Tip: Don’t be afraid to use the public transportation. While it can seem a little daunting at first, there’s no better way to discover new places and get that true local experience.

Harvard University. No trip to Boston is complete without visiting this world renown Ivy League school. The campus itself is everything you would imagine it to be and more. While I’m not one for group tours, they have many free tours you can take part in. I preferred to roam around freely to take it all in.

Bancroft Castle: The next stop was a spur of the moment decision. “Hey Google, show me castles near me”. A few days before on the whale tour, I overheard a fellow passenger mentioning that there were many castles in Massachusetts. After a short search, I came across Bancroft Castle. An hour and a half later, I found myself surrounded by castle ruins in the middle of the countryside. It was completely empty and overlooked the countryside. I imagined I was a prince.

Target (yes, you read that right): No trip, and I mean NO TRIP to the U.S. is complete without a trip to my favourite store: Target. Or if i’m feeling classy, Targét. Emphasis on “jay”. I love this store. They had a short-lived stint in Canada but even still, the store was never quite the same in Canada. They’ve evolved throughout the years. Great quality products, clothes are on trend, the price is right. If you find yourself in the U.S., do yourself a favour and go. You’re welcome.

Dinner: La Victoria Taqueria. Similarly to “no trip to the US being complete without a visit to Target”, the same applies to authentic Mexican street food. “Hey Google, hit me up with some authentic Mexican food”. Answer: La Victoria Taqueria. Delicious $3 tacos of different meat varieties, corn tortillas, sprinkled with cilantro and fresh lime wedges. Perfection.

Day 5: Homeward bound

The drive took us through upstate New York (fourth state of the trip) and due to time commitments, it was mostly spent driving and blogging.

Overall, the trip was everything I wanted and more.

When I was taking the subway in Boston, heading to Harvard, I stumbled upon a New Hampshire travel advertisement that read: “Enter at your own reward”; a phrase we often hear that ends with risk.

As humans, we are often afraid of the unknown. Travel can be unsettling for some. There’s the risk of getting lost. There’s the risk of spending more than you had budgeted for. The risk of getting sick in another country. The risk of leaving other responsibilities behind with hopes that it will be ok. But there is reward in travel, and most often, the rewards far outweigh the risks. So enter at your own reward, and go ahead and get lost.

Until the next adventure,

LC