I have never been to any of the New England states, but I have heard people over the years talk about driving to New England for vacation.

I don't understand this. If you drove around the state I live in (Ohio) you wouldn't find a heck of a lot to see and do and I really have never been in a state where you could fill day after day with things to do. So what is the draw for the New England states? Aren't they just full of typical American cities with groceries and drug stores, etc., one pretty much like another? How can you turn this into a whole vacation?

European cities are full of ancient buildings, etc. and one CAN spend days just in one city exploring. But I don't understand how you can do this in a relatively new American city.

Can someone please explain what you do on a New England driving vacation?

It's obvious you have never been to New England!! I am not actually sure you have even been out of your house as I have been to Ohio and have found lots to see and do.
As a native New Englander, let me fill you in on what there is to do here - beaches and mountains, lighthouses, mansions, museums, aquariums, foliage and skiing (seasonal of course.) Not to mention the historical sites. You have, no doubt heard of the Mayflower, Plimouth Plantation (correct spelling, by the way), Paul Revere and the Old North Church, Lexington and Concord, the American Revolution? It all started here!! Let's not forget shipbuilding and whaling, both important industries here at one time. And the textile mills of Manchester, New Hampshire. And Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth, MIT, and so many other great universities full of great art and architecture. Of course, there are the New England Patriots, you have heard of them, right? They play here.
I could go on and on, but instead, I will say "Thank you." You helped me decide that my summer vacation will be spent right here in New England.

There are two wonderful things about the New England states:

You can drive along the coast and see wonderful ocean views and some beautiful lighthouses.

There is a lot of great history in New England. Plymouth, MA where the Pilgrims landed, Boston MA with its Freedom Trail and Revolutionary War aspects, etc.

So much to see, so little time!!

Uh, that would be Plimoth, by the way.

Good answer JB!!! If I might add, the rugged coast of Maine, the dunes of the lower Cape Cod, the lakes of New Hampshire, the hills and mountains of Vermont, cheese and Ben and Jerry's. Sturbridge Village, Acadia National Park...Block Ilsand,Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, Newport mansions with the famous steps the servents met to keep up with word from theirhomecountry...the list will continue with other posters...it is an unending list. I've lived in New England my whole life and still have much to see. The biggest problem is where to decide to spend your vacation time....take a shot at seeing a great part of America Mary...

I would like to add the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, MA. It had so many of his famous paintings. I actually wept when I saw the originals of the "Four Freedoms" If you have any interest in Rockwell at all, you would love it. You can visit his studio also.

From just about anywhere you find yourself in New England, you are probably an hour or so from mountains, lakes, or ocean depending on the direction you want to take. And everywhere you go, there is a history lesson, if you want. And there's an old saying, that once you come here--whether to visit or live--you will always find a way to come back.

I prefer to vacation in the majestic mountains of the west... however THE reason to do the New England states is SEAFOOD! (beasts the damn canned crab in the midwest!)

Mary, there's a lot going on in your own back yard, so I'm afraid you've told us more about yourself than you probably would have liked. But on the other hand, I suspect this is yet another troll -- I mean, what a bit of baiting: "what's so great about New England?" Like, you've never seen a movie set in New England? Never read a book set in New England? Never had any early American history? Never been to a city that looked different from Columbus or Cleveland or Cincinnati? Unbelievable!

If you had an ounce of real interest in this, you'd have already opened a Fodors guidebook (or one of the others). Just looking at the pages for Boston, alone, should tell you about the wealth of stuff there. Then look at a map and imagine that there is ACTUALLY an ocean where all that blue is, next to the states!

Something else: outside of Ohio, people in some areas -- notably New England -- take pride in resisting the Gap-ification of their area, preferring small stores run by locals over chains. Unfortunately, you can't run from McD's or WalMart or Malls, but they get pretty sparse in some parts of New England.

Or does your taste run to Las Vegas? Orlando? What?

Mary, thank you for bursting that particular bubble of sentimentality about New England. There's nothing you want to see there. You just drive and drive, and the roads wind up and down and you get carsick, just so you can see a bunch of trees with colored leaves, or some snowy mountains in the mist, or some cliffs over the ocean, or a stupid, dumb old lighthouse. I mean, really! All that time in a car just to see things you could just as easily see on a calendar or a greeting card, it's silly! Take my advice, buy a picture book with landscapes, open a can of clam chowder, and stay on your own couch watching reruns of the Ghost and Mrs. Muir. It's exactly the same.

cyndi, you're a sick deluded woman...I think. Stay in your small world and let the people of this forum explore the world...that's why they've come here

To JB, Philip, Lou and others, thank you so much for describing in such beautiful detail what you find so desirable about driving around in New England. As for those of you filled with hostility towards me, well, I feel sorry for you.

Yes, there are places to see in Ohio, but they are few and far between. A typical drive through my State and those around mine (excluding Michigan)is just miles and miles of open grassy land or corn fields, small towns with pretty much the same stores, gas stations, fast food outlets, etc.

As I said, I for years I have heard people go on and on about how wonderful Maine is, or Vermont, etc., and how they just love to drive around there on vacation. I figure it must be something pretty special and some of you have let me know just how special it is. Thank you. Now I know I will go there someday.

I live in New England and have lived here all my life. I've also have travelled a lot throughout Europe, Latin America, and Polynesia. I've been through Canada many times as well. New England is well, home. I appreciate it but its not all that! Maybe Im just jaded with everything that I have seen in my lifetime. New England is quaint and it does have a lot of charm but its not dramatic except maybe in the fall! Actually, Ohio is probably not a heck of a lot different than Massachusetts. Go to New Mexico if you want to see soemthing really unique. Now thats dramatic!

New England is not dramatic? Granted, there's no Grand Canyon, but the coast of Maine is not dramatic? Franconia Notch is not dramatic? The Green Mountains, the White Mountains--not dramatic? The Berkshires? Cape Cod? Mt. Washington? Queechee Gorge? Sailing the coasts of RI, Mass., NH, and Maine--not dramatic? Peak foliage from the top of Mt. Monadnock, the most climbed mountain?

When I first read her post, before anybody answered..I figured she was a Troll...and I waited for you all to answer in the geautify and love of N.E. that we all have. Mary, there are so many colleges in Boston which keeps the city alive that when they graduate...from all over the country and world they come... they don't want to go home. I can remember my sister from Atlanta staying overnight in Boston and saying..."do you know there is a lot of traffic at 1:00 a.m. in Boston"... so...we maynot be NYC. but come to New England..fight the traffic, eat the fried clams and scallops and if you dare lobster and steamers.. You'lll find plenty to do.. and if you want a start..just tell us what state your starting in and everybody will give you their favorite restaurants and things to do.. just start..

Aside from some spectacular historical sights and attractions, there's the SCENERY! The gorgeous coast of Maine, beautiful Lake Winnepesaukee in NH, the White Mountains of NH (with spectacular notches), the Green Mountains of Vermont. And, that's just upper New England. There's plenty to see and do in MA, CT, & RI as well. Driving all over is the best way to experience New England. "Best Loved Driving Tours of New England" is a good resource - full of photos, too.

I take a drive almost every weekend from Central Massachusetts.
There are 4 states with great coasts- all within 2 hours drive from me. I can see the White Mountains, the Green mountains, and the Bershires. I can watch the fisherman bring in their catch or the farmers tapping off at maple sugar time.
I can weekend on Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, Block Island or North Haven.
I can see the Jazzfest in Newport from a catamaran and fresh oysters on the half shell delivered by a floating oyster bar and spend a day at the mansions the next day.
I can stay in a remote lighthouse on a Maine island and then take the mail boat back to the mainland for some of the best antiquing anywhere and have a fresh loster lunch.
Stroll around Providence, RI - Brown and RISD are there- great shopping and incredible dining- and catch Waterfire- when dozens of bonfires are lit in the river that runs thru town listening to music and sipping wine from the vendors.
I can drive to VT to get some fresh eggs and cheeses from a local farm, find a hidden water hole beneath a waterfall (there dozens of them!) and then hit a brewpub for dinner and a pint.
How about the surfing in RI, skiing, ice skating at the frog pond in Boston. sailing, or the dozens of great trails to ride your bike, ridew a horse or snowmobile. Racing at Louden, Music at Tanglewood, the Boston Marathon.
History, beaches, the arts, mountains, lakes, farms, fishing, sailing.

"Bop" you took me seriously! Someone was right when they said sarcasm doesn't translate. I just couldn't believe Mary wanted someone to convince her that driving somewhere in New England was worth it.

Try this: Oh, THANK you, Mary, for feeling sorry for me. I just have craved your wise pity.

But I just feel so SORRY for YOU that you have to be convinced that another place is more interesting than Ohio and worth driving around. Your post sounded terribly hostile, for no particular reason, toward people who have said they loved driving around New England, as if they must be idiots. Logic would tell you to hold your tongue 'til you figured it out yourself, but no -- you challenge people to convince you.

So my attitude is, if you don't think it's worth doing, then for you it's probably not.

I have to admit that I've always wondered what the draw is, too. I live in the midwest and while there is plenty to see, I can't imagine anyone wanting to take a week to just drive around here. But after reading many of the replies here, I'm actually talking to my husband about taking our next vacation in New England and just driving around. So I would like to thank you for taking the time to take us on a virtual tour.

By the way, what's the matter with Cyndi? Is she a regular here? Weird. She needs to chill.

cyndi - your attempts at sarcasm are lame at best. there was nothing hostile in Mary's original post. get a life.