7-Nights Hidden Gems of New England - Land Journey

Bretton Woods

Bretton Woods lies within the town of Carroll, New Hampshire. Historically, Bretton Woods was the location of the UN Monetary and Financial Conference in 1944, leading to the establishment of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in 1945. Today, Bretton Woods is known as New Hampshire’s largest ski area, boasting over 464 acres of pristine snowboarding and skiing fun for all levels. A favorite New England holiday retreat for presidents, celebrities and poets, Breton Woods is known for its luxury resorts in the enchanting mountains. With the beautiful Ammonoosuc River flowing through Bretton Woods, outdoor adventure opportunities abound. Visitors can enjoy river tubing, fly fishing, canopy tours, moose tours, rock climbing, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding and more.

Manchester, VT

Manchester, a pretty town about 95 mi/155 km south of Burlington, has been a summer resort since the 19th century and becomes the cultural capital of Vermont in the summer, with world-class performing acts scheduled throughout the season. Manchester is also a retail capital—there are more than 50 outlet stores and 50 more galleries and specialty shops.

Located in the heart of Manchester Village, the posh Equinox Resort dates to the 1700s and offers two unusual activities: a Land Rover 4x4 driving school and the British School of Falconry, which teaches you to handle your own birds of prey—hunting hawks and falcons. Among the town's other attractions is the American Museum of Fly Fishing, which includes a display of celebrity tackle once owned by the likes of Ernest Hemingway, Dwight D. Eisenhower and Bing Crosby.

The historic Georgian Revival mansion Hildene, the summer residence of Abraham Lincoln's son, Robert Todd Lincoln, has appealing formal gardens and excellent mountain views; it plays host to concerts by the Vermont Symphony Orchestra. Theater performances take place at the Dorset Theater and the Weston Playhouse.

The Northshire Bookstore is one of the state's largest and finest independent bookstores, and it frequently sponsors readings by well-known authors, some of whom live in the area.

After you've seen Manchester, drive the winding toll road up Mount Equinox (be sure your car's brakes are in good shape) for spectacular views of four states and a bit of Quebec. For more high-altitude fun, hit the slopes at Stratton Mountain Resort, which offers more than 90 trails suited to a variety of skill levels. The 12-passenger high-speed gondola known as Starship 12 whisks skiers and snowboarders to the summit in less than eight minutes. It has helped alleviate some of the long lift lines created by the large number of skiers, many of them vacationing New Yorkers.

At the base of the mountain is an alpine-style village with shops, restaurants and lodges.

Bromley Mountain Resort is also located in the Manchester area. South-facing Bromley Mountain claims to be a good deal warmer than Stratton Mountain, and it's popular with families (children younger than age 5 ski for free). During the summer or fall, try Bromley's alpine slide. The curved course has as many thrills as you desire—you control the speed of your sled, from pokey to terrifying.

For some genuine Americana, drive southwest of Manchester to Arlington, home of the Norman Rockwell Exhibition. An 1800s church displays hundreds of the artist's works, including many of his cover illustrations for the Saturday Evening Post. The artist lived there for nearly 25 years, until he moved his family to Massachusetts in the 1950s.

Ogunquit

About as picturesque as they come, Ogunquit has a slightly more frivolous spirit than its Kennebunk neighbors, and it is a very popular gay resort spot 60 mi/95 km southwest of Portland. Once a fishing village, the town is now something of an art center with lots of galleries and shops lining the streets. The Ogunquit Museum of American Art is highly regarded and well worth a visit (http://www.ogunquitmuseum.org). The Ogunquit Playhouse has maintained a reputation for high-quality performances since it first offered summer theatrical productions in the 1930s (http://www.ogunquitplayhouse.org).

You shouldn't miss Bald Head Cliff—you reach it by walking the Marginal Way, a winding, paved route that follows a cliff edge along the waterfront (the waves crashing against the cliff add to the drama of the scenery). Open-sided trolleys run through the center of town and as far as Footbridge Beach between July and Labor Day. Pay a visit to Perkins Cove, where you can see a drawbridge that's used exclusively by pedestrians (the only one of its kind in New England).

In nearby Wells, the Wells Auto Museum displays more than 70 antique cars, as well as vintage arcade games and other relics (http://www.wellsautomuseum.com). We found the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve at Laudholm Farm an excellent place to spend an afternoon. This 1,600-acre/650-hectare parcel of wetland provides many hiking paths, and you can see an exceptional variety of birds—herons, egrets, kingfishers, glossy ibis and Canada geese. Take along binoculars (http://www.wellsreserve.org). Nearby, the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge is a 1-mi/1.6-km loop through a white-pine forest and a salt marsh (http://www.fws.gov/northeast/rachelcarson).

Pittsfield

Ironically, Col. Jacob Wendell, the man credited with initiating and guiding the original settlement of Pittsfield, never lived here and may have never even visited. In 1738, the wealthy Bostonian bought 24,000 acres of lands known originally as Pontoosuck, a Mohican Indian word meaning “a field or haven for winter deer,” as a speculative investment, which he planned to subdivide and resell to others who would settle here.

Boston

The history and bricklaid beauty of Boston is easy to enjoy. Follow the Freedom Trail past Old North Church, Paul Revere Park, Fanieul Hall, the Commons, Old Ironsides and more landmarks of America's birth. Across the Charles River is Cambridge and Harvard. Venture to Marblehead and Salem to the south, or Lexington and Concord to the north. Back in town, have clam chowder at the warf or great Italian food in North End.