Hi guys, I am super excited to be taking you along on my fall trip to the New England region, which consists of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont (only state I didn’t visit was Rhode Island)!
I have been wanting to do this trip for years and I finally did it! Fall is my favorite season as you know with the colors, crisp air and tranquility of it all. The temperature was mostly in the high 50s to high 60s and there was a couple days in Boston where it got to the mid 70s!
The expenses for this trip were equivalent to going on an international trip, so as always, book months in advance so your trip is paid off before you leave!
Now let’s hop on a plane! 🙂
Day 1 – Thursday, September 29
I had a 10:20 a.m. flight out of LAX that was 5 hours to Boston. The weather was clear with some light bumps and I had a very smooth flight! After I landed at Boston Logan, I took a photo of these neon signs leaving the terminal because I have never seen any this big before!
I then headed to Budget to get my Mazda CX-5 (it gave me no problems during the trip, thank god!) and went to my hotel about 20 minutes north of Boston for the night. As I left the airport area, I went over the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Memorial Bridge, who was a civil rights activist. It was pretty to see it all lit up at night!
After I checked into my hotel about 20 minutes north of downtown Boston, I headed to Sam Walker’s American Tavern next door and had myself a Caesar Salad and a Shipyard Brewing Pumpkin Head Ale with a pumpkin sugar rim ($20). The salad was very creamy and the sugar rim on the beer – OMG, I have never had such a thing, it was so good! This beer also had a lot of nutmeg and cinnamon flavor to it!
Afterwards, I headed back to my hotel and went to bed. I had a long day ahead of me!
Day 2 – Friday, September 30
I woke up and took a shower before I headed on the road northwest to Salem, which is known for the witch trials during the late 1600s. Twenty people were later found guilty and hung for the crime.
There are two pieces of advice I am going to give about visiting Salem: get there early in the morning, not in the afternoon! I arrived at 9 a.m. and thank god I did, it was packed by 11 a.m. when I was leaving!
Before touring the town, I stopped at Odd Meter Coffee and bought myself a Vanilla Latte and Croissant ($10). This was very strong coffee but it was a must considering I was still tired from flying the day before!
Below were some random shots I got around town of churches, sculptures and buildings. I even saw a plaque on Lyceum Hall dedicated to telephone inventor Alexander Graham Bell for demonstrating the first long distance phone call between Salem and Boston.
My first stop was at the Bewitched television series sculpture featuring Samantha Stephens. I used to watch that show all the time when I was a kid!
Next I went to the Witch House (AKA the Judge Jonathan Corwin House) ($9), which hosted the witch trials. The house wasn’t open for tours yet but it was still neat to see!
Next I visited the Salem Witch Museum ($16.50) for a voice over narrated experience about the witch trials with wax character figures – basically it’s a huge presentation broken up into two parts. The whole thing lasts about an hour. I couldn’t take photos inside the demonstrations, but I was able to snap these photos prior to the experience.
So time for advice #2: you can only buy a day of ticket and they sell out fast! New batches are released at midnight the day of, so when I got my ticket at 12:10 a.m. (yup, you’re reading that correctly), I had been waiting in a que for 10 minutes – that’s how popular this thing is!
Down the street I visited the Salem Witch Trials Memorial. It has 4-foot granite walls with excerpts from the court trial such as “God knows I am innocent” along with names of the victims on sitting stones outside of the Charter Street Cemetery. Some visitors had left flowers on the stones as well.
Next I made my way north toward Portland and stopped in Kennebunkport at the Wedding Cake House, which is a carriage house that was gifted as a wedding present during the early 1800s. It looks just like a wedding cake!
Lighthouse time! BTW, all of these lighthouses I mention below are in south Portland and are minutes from one another, it is definitely worth it! You can also view my TikTok reel and Instagram pages to see all of the videos!
My first lighthouse I visited was the Portland Head Light at Fort Williams Park. The lighthouse was built in the late 1700s to warn citizens of incoming British attacks. It is the oldest lighthouse in Maine and it has a lot of fun scenic trials!
Not too far from there was the Spring Point Lighthouse, which was built in the late 1800s and is the only caisson-style lighthouse in the U.S.! I took me 20 minutes roundtrip to walk across the boulders. I would definitely recommend doing this but be cautious and wear good shoes!
The last lighthouse of the day was the Bug Lighthouse in south Portland from the mid-1800s. It used to be constructed out of wood and was later redone to have cast iron plates and have Corinthian columns. It is 25-feet tall and flashes white light every 4 seconds!
Afterwards, I finally headed to downtown Portland and stopped by Monument Square to view a statue that honored more than 5,000 Portland soldiers and sailors during the Civil War.
Next I went down and around the Congress Street area to view the historic architecture and sculptures.
My meal for the evening was at the Highroller Lobster Company for my first Lobster Roll on a Brioche Bun with warm butter and Old Bay seasoning. I also ordered a Blackberry Hard Seltzer ($45). OMG I loved this lobster roll, this is an absolute must stop when visiting Portland!
My final stop of the evening was at Shipyard Brewing – you remember the Pumpkin Head Ale I had the night before? I loved it so much that when I heard they were located in Portland, I decided to check them out! My sampler consisted of that flavor, the Smashed Pumpkin Imperial Ale, an Oktoberfest Märzen and their classic Pale Ale. The Pumpkin Head Ale was still my favorite!
I then made my way to my Airbnb (which was in the countryside BTW, it was very quaint and cute!) and went to bed. I had a very productive and fun day!
Day 3 – Saturday, October 1
I woke up and got a coffee at Aroma Joe’s not too far from where I was staying. OMG you guys, I cannot express enough to NOT buy this coffee! I got a Dirty Chai Tea Latte ($6) and it tasted so sour, bitter and almost like asparagus!
I then made my way north to Augusta, the capital of Maine. But first, I stopped at the Desert of Maine ($16), which is 40 acres of rolling sand dunes dating back to the 1800s. A lot of the artifacts from the Tuttle Family, who owned the farm, still remain. It was formed from a melted ice glacier more than 12,000 years ago! You can also view my TikTok reel and Instagram pages to see all of the videos!
Once in downtown Augusta, I saw the Maine State House, which dates back to the mid-1800s and it made out of granite. Unfortunately, it was closed on the weekends, but I got some shots from the outside!
Next I went to the First Amendment Museum (freedom of speech, religion, press, peacefully assemble and petition the government) and unfortunately, that was also closed, but I once again got some shots from the outside!
I then drove to the Kennebec River Rail Trail and took some photos of the river, Memorial and Kennebec Bridges and the scenery surrounding it (I also got shots from the top). It was very peaceful!
Across the other side of the bridge was Old Fort Western, which dates back to the mid-1700s during the French and Indian War as a trading post. The fort was also closed for the day! There was also a very pretty tree with red foliage.
Before I went south to Hallowell, Maine where my Airbnb was, I got some more shots around Augusta, including the Confederate Monument and the Olde Federal Building.
In Hallowell, I stopped to buy a magnet souvenir and then went to the Quarry Taproom for six Maine Oysters on the Shell and a Donut Cider ($23). I absolutely love East Coast oysters! They are just tastier than West Coast oysters IMO. The donut cider was very crisp tasting too!
Afterwards…honestly you guys, I just wanted to relax, LOL! I was lucky to find these colored lounge chairs along the Kennebec River and just take in the scenery. This really was the only day on the trip where I could chill a bit more compared to the other days! I was there for an hour before I went to my Airbnb.
After I took a shower, I went to dinner about 15 minutes south to a town called Gardiner, Maine to the Blind Pig Tavern. You guys, this place had 52 cocktails on their drink menu, LOL! I’ve never seen so many in my life! I actually had the bartender make me a Pumpkin Martini with pumpkin puree and vodka. I also ordered Boneless Buffalo Chicken Wings and a Side Salad with garlic olive oil ($41). The martini was amazing and the wings were very tangy. I was happy to have a protein and vegetable for dinner!
I then went back at my Airbnb and went to sleep. I had to get up early the next day to head to Acadia National Park!
Day 4 – Sunday, October 2
Acadia National Park has been one of my bucket list national parks and I was excited to see it! It was a 2 hour drive southwest from Augusta to Bar Harbor, Maine, so I had to be on the road by 6:30 a.m. (I had my $5 Dunkin’ Donuts coffee and donut to get me through the drive)!
Here are some fun facts about the park, aka the “Crown Jewel of the North Atlantic Coast:”
- It is one of the top 10 national parks visited each year with 4 million visitors.
- It has 27 miles of roads, 158 miles of hiking trails and 45 miles of carriage roads.
- It includes stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean and protects the rocky headlands.
BTW, you can also view my TikTok reel and Instagram pages to see all of the videos!
The park fee was for a private vehicle was $30 and I had to get a vehicle reservation ahead of time for $6 at 12 p.m. to go up Cadillac Mountain Road. My first stop was to get a picture with the sign, of course!
I then made my way to the southwest portion of the park to Bass Harbor Head Light Trail, which was 1/2 mile to see the Bass Harbor Lighthouse. It was built in the mid-1800s and is 37-feet high! I also went over more rocks to get another picture of it from the ledge. Definitely do it but be cautious!
Down the road I saw a massive Seawall that developed from previous ocean storms. At this point it was very chilly and windy!
I then went northeast to Carroll Homestead where settler John Carroll and his family lived between the 1700s – 1800s. You have to go down a small, rocky road but it’s not too far from the main road!
Back on the eastern side of the park, I finally made it to the loop! Below are photos I took at the overlooks or areas near Sand Beach (only beach in the park), Thunder Hole (I couldn’t view it down below due to a high tide), Fabbri and Otter Point.
On the southeast portion of the park, I finally headed up Cadillac Mountain Road, which is 1,506-ft above sea level and 3 1/2 miles upward. The views were breathtaking on the fall colors and the ocean, this is an absolute must if you visit!
Afterwards I was pretty hungry and the only place I could find open in Bar Harbor was at Bar Harbor Lobster Co., where I ordered a Cider Beer and a 1 1/2 pound Lobster with a side of Coleslaw ($41). I have never eaten a full lobster like this (usually I’ve had it in a roll or mac n cheese) but it was pretty tasty! A bit messy, but good!
My last stop before I headed back toward Hallowell was at the Penobscot Narrows Bridge, which is 2,120-ft long and the narrowest bridge in the U.S. It is also the only bridge to have the tallest observatory in the world at 45 stories high! It also overlooks the Penobscot River.
Back at the Airbnb I freshened up, did some laundry and packed my suitcase for my adventure to New Hampshire in the morning.
Day 5 – Monday, October 3
I had to wake up at 5:30 a.m. to be on the road by 6 a.m.: today was the day I was driving 2 1/2 hours to northern New Hampshire to go on the Mount Washington Cog Railway ($88.50). The diesel-fueled cog railway is the oldest in the U.S., 1869 to be exact!
But first, here are some shots once I entered New Hampshire! I also stopped at White Mountain Cafe and got a Vanilla Nut Latte and Pumpkin Muffin ($12.50) in Gorham and this was all that held me over until dinnertime. I had a lot to cover on this day!
Once I got to the Mount Washington Cog Railway, I sat down for a 45 minute trip (5 mph) up an incline that reaches an elevation of 6,228 ft. to Mount Washington State Park. It was the most expensive yet on of the best experience I had on my trip, the views were absolutely breathtaking! You are then allowed an hour at the park and the views were crystal clear that day, I could see all the way to Canada, Vermont and the Atlantic Ocean! Then another Cog picks you up and takes you back down the incline for another 45 minute trip.
It was funny because Mount Washington is also known for having “The Worst Weather in the World” due to having constant climate changes at such a high elevation, from fast record breaking winds to landmark snowfalls!
It was lunchtime when I got back in my car and I drove southeast to the Flume Gorge ($18) in Franconia Notch State Park near Lincoln, NH. The gorge is 800-feet at the base of Mount Liberty and is a 2 mile loop hike. It was tranquil and quite the workout, there were a lot of steps/inclines and many sights to see! You can also view my TikTok reel and Instagram pages to see all of the videos!
My final activity included driving scenic points of the White Mountain National Forest from Kancamagus Highway, which is 34 1/2 miles long! I only drove about a quarter of it on the western side to one overlook due to running out of time and construction, but it was such a pretty drive with the fall colors!
If I can say anything about New Hampshire it is that the fall colors are absolutely stunning, OMG, especially the oranges and reds! I highly suggest seeing this area, your mind will be blown!
Before dinner I wanted to check out the cider house called Rhythm Handcrafted Beverages in Lincoln. I ordered a flight sampler ($17.50) that consisted of an Original, Traditional, Blood Orange and Blueberry. You can tell the apple juice was freshly pressed, they were all amazing and tart!
The bartender had recommended I eat at a very popular restaurant in town called Common Man because they serve homemade New Hampshire style food. Boy was she right! I obviously only had my coffee and a small muffin from the morning, so I was starving at this point! I ordered a North Country Mule, New England Pot Roast and a Cheesecake topped with toffee crumbles ($37). I ate every single bite of that meal! The Pot Roast was very tender and juicy while the cheesecake was creamy and smooth.
Afterward I went to my Airbnb about 15 minutes down the road (I had a Murphy bed BTW!) and went to bed early. I was heading to Vermont the next day!
Day 6 – Tuesday, October 4
I woke up early yet again and was on the road by 7 a.m. for the 1 1/2 drive to Montpelier, Vermont, which is also the capital of the state. I grabbed a Dirty Chai Tea Latte and an Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich from Franconia Coffee House ($9) and off I went (BTW, the Dirty Chai was to die for!).
Once in town, my first stop was to Ben & Jerry’s Factory – yup, this is where the well-known ice cream is made! It is located north of Waterbury, VT and my tour ($6) lasted 30 minutes with a movie presentation, factory tour from the top and a tasting of the Half Baked flavor, which is also the #1 selling flavor. I even got to see the Flavor Graveyard of previously released flavors…RIP!
You can also view my TikTok reel and Instagram pages to see all of the videos!
Next I made my way slightly north to the Gold Brook Covered Bridge in Stowe, Vermont. It was built in 1844 and it is said to be haunted by a girl named Emily (I saw nothing unusual)!
I then headed toward the Cold Hollow Cider Mill for some warm cider ($2.50), a cider sampler ($10) and to buy some gifts. You can also learn about cider making!
On my way up to Stowe I came across the unique 9-foot eagle sculpture on the side of the road.
I then headed toward the Stowe Mountain Resort to go on the gondola ride ($37) and take in some scenery of Mount Mansfield. It was worth it!
After all of my outskirt destinations I wanted to see, I finally made my way to downtown Montpelier and visited the State House. It has been around since the mid-1800s and the exterior and interior designs were preserved well!
Afterwards I stopped around Montpelier and took some shots around the downtown area and the Winooski River.
Of course, I couldn’t stop in Vermont without having some maple syrup, so I went to Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks near Montpelier and also buy some more gifts! Inside was a tasting of their 4 maple syrup grades from light to dark (I like dark better because it tastes more robust). The farm also had a small replica of the State House and I also took some relaxing fall foliage shots.
My final stop was slightly north where I went to Bliss Pond to take in some more scenic views.
On my way to dinner, I stopped by the Largest Zipper in North America in Barre, Vermont. It is 74-feet long and made of granite. It was quite impressive!
For dinner my Airbnb host recommended a place called The Quarry. I decided to order a glass of Red Blend wine and the Spaghetti n Meatballs ($37). The wine was fantastic but the meal was so-so, I felt like there needed to be more flavor to the marinara sauce and meatballs. Nonetheless, I was starving after having maple syrup and cider all day, so I ate a majority of it!
Once I got to my Airbnb – which was my favorite place I stayed at on the whole trip BTW – I took some scenic shots out back, showered and headed to bed. I had a very, very long drive back to Boston the next day!
Day 7 – Wednesday, October 5
The next day I drove 3 hours to begin my journey along the Freedom Trail in downtown Boston, which is 2 1/2 miles of museums, churches, meeting houses, parks, ships, markets and burial grounds during the American Revolution. It was a very rainy (more light drizzle) and cloudy day when I did the tour so I apologize if its very gray in the background but it was so worth it!
I started on the northern end of the trail and my first stop was at the Bunker Hill Monument, where the Battle of Bunker Hill took place on June 17, 1775. Unfortunately, the climb to the top of the monument was closed Monday – Thursday (294 steps to be exact!) but I still got an awesome shot!
Next I headed toward the USS Constitution, which is the oldest commissioned ship in U.S. history from the late 1700s. Its nickname was “Old Ironsides” during the War of 1812. It was interesting climbing down a few flight of steep stairs holding onto ropes as rails!
Over the bridge was the Old North Church ($10), an Episcopal Church that was built in 1723 and the start of the American Revolution with the midnight ride by Paul Revere. I also had a tour to go check out the Crypt Tour, where more than 1,100 bodies are buried beneath the church. There’s also a place for present day urns.
Just down the road was the Paul Revere House ($6), which was built in the late 1600s and owned by Paul himself during the 1770 – 1800. I also saw the famous bell that he created and the statue of him on his horse at Paul Revere Mall.
On the way down to my next site I saw the Boston Stone, which was a historic stone from 1737.
On my way down the trail, I saw the Holocuast Memorial dedicated to million Jews that were killed during that period. There are six 54-foot towers to represent the death camps were steam coming out of the bottom.
I then went to Faneuil Hall or the “home of free speech,” which hosted meetings of liberty protests and debates for 275 years. The hall is also a marketplace!
Behind the hall was Quincy Market, which hosts the best local food vendors since the early 1800s. I ordered a cup of Clam Chowder ($7) from Boston Chowda. It was very creamy and filling!
On my way to the next location I had someone take a photo of me with the Boston sign. I also saw this cute and funny “Where’s Waldo?” sign (I felt that way the whole time walking the trail, LOL!).
Next I went to the Old State House ($10, also includes admission to the Old South Meeting House) which was built in 1713 and the oldest surviving public building in Boston. It was also the site of the Boston Massacre and the first reading of the Declaration of Independence.
Not too far down the road was King’s Chapel, which was built in the late 1600s as the first Anglican church. I didn’t have time to tour this but still got some exterior shots!
Down the road was the Boston’s Old City Hall/Latin School (free), which was home to the city’s first public school attended by Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Adams and John Hancock.
I then headed toward to Old Corner Bookstore (now a Chipotle), which was built in 1718 and contained many historic literature from that time period.
Across the street, I saw the Irish Famine Memorial dedicated to the worst famine in human history during the mid-1800s.
Not too far away was the Old South Meeting House ($10, also includes admission to the Old State House) where the Boston Tea Party began! Many sermons and tea tax hearings were held in this building.
Next I headed to Granary Burying Ground (free), where I viewed the graves of Samuel Adams, John Hancock and Paul Revere. This is also where Benjamin Franklin‘s parents Josiah Franklin and Abiah Folger are buried!
My final stop on the trail was Boston Common/Public Garden (free),which was established in 1634 and is America’s oldest park. It is 44 acres and I saw the statues and monuments such as the Boston Foundation Monument, Soldiers and Sailors Monument, George Washington Statue, Alexander Hamilton Statue, Wendell Phillips Statue, Tadeusz Kosciuszko Statue, and the Make Way for Ducklings Sculpture
On my way out of the parks, I snapped a photo of the Massachusetts State House.
I celebrated walking the trail by heading to the well-known Cheers bar from the television hit series, where I ordered yet another Shipyard Pumpkin Head Ale ($10). I’m telling you guys that beer is addicting!
I got an Uber back to my car and at my Airbnb I crashed very hard (you can tell by the steps picture below!). I also ordered sushi from a local restaurant to go and honestly you guys, it was so bad it’s not even worth mentioning, LOL!
Day 8 – Thursday, October 6
I woke up early yet again (shocking, right? LOL!) and got on the road by 7 a.m.: today I drove 2 hours south to Connecticut to tour some spots in Hartford and New Haven.
When I to Hartford, I got an Egg Breakfast Sandwich and a Dirty Chai ($12) at Blue State Coffee downtown. The chai was very spicy, I loved it! The sandwich, however, was a bit too bland and plain.
Directly across the street was the Old State House, which served between 1796 – 1878. Unfortunately, the tours didn’t start until noon and I wasn’t spending too much time in the city.
Next I headed toward the site of the First Public Payphone, which was invented by William Gray in 1889 at a bank in downtown Hartford.
I then went to Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch at Bushnell Park. Just down the path, I also visited the Connecticut State House, which was built in 1879 and had a beautiful gold dome!
I then made my way slightly east to the Mark Twain House ($24) for a 1 hour tour of the famous author’s residence from 1874 to 1891. I couldn’t take photos inside the house but I got some shots of the exterior and the museum!
I then drove an hour south to to visit New Haven and Yale University, which was founded in 1701 and is an Ivy League school. It ranks #3 in national universities. I got a lot of shots around campus, including the Harkness Tower, School of Law, Commons Dining Hall, Sterling Memorial Library and other beautiful buildings!
You can also view my TikTok reel and Instagram pages to see all of the videos!
I wanted to see the Collection of Musical Instruments but unfortunately it was closed for renovations, so I went to another museum called the Rare Book & Manuscript Library to see more than 1 million volumes of books, manuscripts, pictures, maps, posters and art stored in tall glass areas. It was very fascinating!
I was very hungry at this point, so I stopped at Frank Pepe’s Pizza for a world famous coal fired pizza. I got a small White Clam ($17.75) to go because I had to stop at one last destination. I am telling you guys, it was phenomenonal!
My last stop of the day was in Mystic, Connecticut to Mystic Seaport Museum ($27), which is the largest maritime museum in the U.S. and has a huge collection of more than 500 boats and sailing ships. It also has a cute village with a tavern, toy shop, grocery store and more buildings!
When I was done I drove 2 hours back to Boston to my Airbnb and once again, crashed. I was going to Plymouth Rock Park, Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard tomorrow!
Day 9 – Friday, October 7
This was the day I went to Plymouth Rock Park, Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard. The drive to Cape Cod was 1 1/2 hours south and I was super excited to see it!
My first stop along the way was at Plymouth Rock Park in Plymouth, MA where the Pilgrims arrived on the Mayflower ship in 1620. I also saw a replica of the original Mayflower ship called the Mayflower II.
My last stop was at the National Monument to the Forefathers honoring the Pilgrims.
There are many ferry’s that leave different locations to either Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket, so I decided on the 45 minute Steamship Authority ($19 roundtrip) that traveled from Woods Hole to Oaks Bluff. On the island. I also rented a car from Budget for $105 for the day. This was the cheapest route to go considering the fact that it was $230 to take my current rental car on the ferry or if I took a tour of the island, it was close to $300! The cheaper bus routes also didn’t go to all of the spots I wanted to see as well.
You can also view my TikTok reel and Instagram pages to see all of the videos!
Side note: The reason why I chose Martha’s Vineyard over Nantucket was because there was more I wanted to see there. I also didn’t have time to do both islands, so I was happy with my choice!
My first stop was at the well-known Back Door Donuts in Oaks Bluff, where I ordered an Apple Fritter and a Small Coffee ($10). It was very sweet, I couldn’t finish it all because it was so huge! But it was very flaky, soft and had the juiciest apples inside of it!
Next I headed down the street to the Flying Horses Carousel, which was built in 1884 and is America’s Oldest Carousel! It is not open for the public to ride but you can rent it out for events!
On the other side of town was the Gingerbread Houses, which has about 300 fairytale-like houses that look like…well…gingerbread! They were very charming and cute.
My last stop in the town was at the Overton House, which was owned by civil rights activist Joe Overton. Martin Luther King, Jr. even stayed here at one point! Just a few blocks away I walked the area of the small park gathering.
I then went south down the coast to Jaws Bridge where a shark attack scene from the movie “Jaws” was filmed.
On the the southwest corner I stopped at Moshup Beach in Aquinnah to take in more of the scenery. I also saw the Gay Head Light, a 51-foot high brick lighthouse from the late 1700s. I also saw a view of the cliffs.
My final stop was at Abel Hill Cemetery to view actor John Belushi’s Grave. Not a lot of people know he is buried here! He always found Martha’s Vineyard to be tranquil and peaceful so he requested his final resting place be here.
Back on the mainland (Cape Cod) I headed east to see the 1928 Kennedy House in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts where the Kennedy’s vacationed and was also the headquarters for John F. Kennedy winning 1960 presidential campaign.
Down the road from the house was also the JFK Memorial Garden overlooking the Cape Cod seashore.
For dinner, I went to downtown Hyannis to The Naked Oyster for some Oysters with a horseradish cocktail sauce, a Salad with gouda cheese and apple vinaigrette, and an Oyster Soup with oysters, cream and sherry. I also had a glass of Pinot Noir ($66). I was absolutely starving at this point! I highly suggest going to this restaurant, the oysters were fresh and slightly salty and the soup was so amazing and creamy!
I then drove 2 hours back to my Airbnb so I could rest up and finish my last day touring Boston.
Missed Sites
Something I didn’t have time to see was the Whydah Pirate Museum. This is a must stop in Cape Cod as it contains the largest collection of pirate artifacts in the world!
The other was Provincetown (P-Town), which is on the tip of Cape Cod, to see the Pilgrims First Landing Park, where the Pilgrims first landed in 1620, and the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum. This is also where they signed the Mayflower Compact in the Provincetown Harbor! Unfortunately, the monument was closed the day I wanted to go due to a special event, plus a lot of the locals told me that P-Town was in their “off season” and not a lot of restaurants or attractions were open during this time of the year.
Day 10 – Saturday, October 8
This was my last full day in Boston and I wanted to finish seeing some other touristy sites. But first, another Dirty Chai and Egg Breakfast Sandwich ($12) from Kickstand Cafe!
“Girls, I’m going to Harvard!” That was my first stop of the day and I did a self-guided tour of one of the top Ivy League schools in the U.S. It was founded in 1636 and ranks #3 in national universities.
You can check out my TikTok reel and other photos and videos on my Instagram page!
I also went to their Natural History Museum ($15) to view the Glass Flowers and Mineral Collection. There are more than 4,300 glass models that represent 780 plant species from Czech artists and rare minerals and gemstones in rough and cut specimens, including a 1,600-pound amethyst geode from Brazil! They were very sparkly and it was my favorite display in the museum.
Next I headed to the MIT Museum ($18) to see “collections of holography, technology-related artworks, artificial intelligence, architecture, robotics, maritime history, and the history of MIT.” The school also ranks #2 in national universities. The story of the genetic pink chicken was my favorite!
I then headed toward Fenway Park (“America’s Most Beloved Ballpark”), home of the Red Sox to tour ($25) the field and stands. It is the oldest ballpark in America and legendary players such as Babe Ruth once played here. It is also known for having the Green Monster with spectacular views of the games!
Just down the street was the Smallest Trader Joe’s in the world, which was built in 2001 and is 5,550-square-feet! It still holds all of its popular items even with the aisles being crammed. There is also only one checkout line but it moved fast!
I then headed toward the Boston Public Library to view the Renaissance Beaux-Arts Classicism architecture. It opened in the mid-1800s and has 4 million visitors per year! This is a must see when touring the area, it is absolutely amazing!
Just across the street was Trinity Church from the mid-1700s. The church was closed to the public that day. Next to it was also a fountain with a statue of a turtle and a statue of painter John Singleton Copley.
Across the street was another iconic church, the Old South Church from the mid-1600s. The architecture was stunning and I even witnessed an organ player!
Before I went to my next destination, I took a photo of the Boston Marathon Bombing Memorial that occurred in 2013.
I then drove slightly west and went to JFK’s Birthplace in Brookline, MA. Unfortunately, the house was closed to the public but I was able to snap a photo of the exterior.
Next I went to Sam Adams Brewery for a beer at their Germania Street location. I actually used to demo the beer at events in years past and I am such a fan! I had the Jack-O pumpkin ale beer with cinnamon and nutmeg. Compared to Shipyard Pumpkin Head Ale, it was a bit milder but still tasted delicious!
My last stop of the day was at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Museum ($18) on the west end of Boston at Columbia Point. JFK was president between 1961 until his assassination in Dallas, TX in 1963. I like visiting presidential museums to see how they were assembled and the artifacts!
Just outside the museum was a view of the Boston Harbor where the library is located was spectacular…OMG!
It is now time for the “last meal” of the blog! I wanted more oysters and clam chowder, so I decided to head to the Congress Street area to a seafood place called Row 34 ($76, I know, I went crazier on this day than the day before), where I ordered three different oysters from New England (two each), a cup of New England Clam Chowder, a Salad with vinaigrette and a Vermont Hard Cider. This was similar to what I had the day before in Cape Cod but I was still craving it! All of the oysters were very briny (which is good!) and the clam chowder tasted like a potato soup. The salad was also fresh and the pie was more like a tart but delicious!
Afterwards, I said goodbye to downtown Boston for good and went back to my Airbnb to pack for my trip home to LA.
Day 11 – Sunday, October 9
I had an early flight at 6 a.m. back to LA and I landed an hour early at 8:40 a.m. After that I went back to my apartment to do a ton of laundry and slept like a baby for 16 hours!
Overall Thoughts
I really had a fun and adventurous time in New England There was a TON to see and drive to but I am so happy I visited one of my bucket list places!
Best Fall Foliage – New Hampshire, hands down, followed by Vermont. The colors, were so vibrant and pretty!
Best Lobster Rolls – I would say Maine! I didn’t try them in Massachusetts but lobster is a Maine thing for sure!
Best Oysters – This is a toss-up between Maine and Massachusetts, I liked both!
Best New England Clam Chowder – Massachusetts for sure!
Have you visited New England and if so, what was your favorite part? I hope you enjoyed my trip! 🙂
