The TRAVELER'S JOURNAL: April third, exploring New England.

It's just 400 miles between Stamford, Connecticut in New England's southwest corner and Bangor, Maine in the northeast, an easy day's drive that crosses five of the six states that comprise the cradle of America. Together Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont are barely one fourth the size of Texas. But New England feels vast because it encompasses so much, cities and villages, endless mountains and coastline.

The roots of American culture run deep. New England is where the Pilgrims landed, independence flowered, and the industrial revolution took hold. Visitors can spend a night in many New England inns built two centuries before some US states were even territories.

There are the beaches of Cape Cod and a clutch of coastal islands, the tony mansions of Newport, the fine museums and urban pleasures of Boston to the serenity of mountain backwoods. In the warmer months, there's endless sailing, hiking and biking, and when the snow falls, skis of every size and shape sprout on people's feet.

This issue on National Geographic Traveler, a supporter of our program, takes a 15 page look at New England. It identifies the best beaches, places locals go to find good sand and avoid crowds. There are suggestions on the how and where of fine dining and world class antiquing. The wide-ranging tour visits a national historic park in Lowell, Mass and an old maple sugar operation in Fairfield, Vermont. There's a technicolor bike rides through some of fall's finest foliage, along with a long list of all that's new in New England this year.

Back to April 2003 Main

Look through the list of fascinating places and off-beat features we’ve covered. Search text versions of past episodes and articles in our archives.