15 Spectacular Places in the Northeast
Disclaimer: We are not paid to promote any restaurant, hotel, activity, product, or attraction. All opinions are subjective and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
6. Duquesne Incline
Pittsburgh is an underrated city which often gets overlooked in favor of more popular tourist destinations. However, the city has much to offer, including incredible museums, interesting neighborhoods, lively sports teams, and above all, an amazing skyline. I really enjoyed my time living here and was truly surprised by the wonderful museums, park system, and annual events. You can check out my full visitor guide for more details.
First and foremost, the city is home to probably the 2nd best skyline after Chicago (in my opinion). You will want to make some time to check it out, either via a cruise or better yet, a trip of the historic Duquesne Incline. This historic red cable car (built in the 19th century) will take you on a scenic ride up to Mt. Washington. here you can enjoy one of the best cityscapes in the US. I recommend a visit both day and night as each viewpoint is equally stunning.
The historic incline, which opened in 1877, takes you on a quick, yet scenic ride up to Mt Washington; here you will be greeted with amazing panoramic views of Pittsburgh’s tremendous skyline, bridges, and stadiums. It’s an absolute must-see while visiting the city. In fact, it’s so great that you should consider both a daytime and nighttime visit in order to see the skyline in 2 completely different, yet equally stunning settings.
7. Camden Hills State Park
Camden, located on the central coast of Maine, is one of the most charming coastal towns you will ever come across. I had never even heard of the town before moving to Islesboro, but it quickly became one of my favorite summer escapes. It’s so quaint with gorgeous green rolling hills in the background and the downtown is so charming with many local businesses to support (I love Camden Deli).
The scenery is gorgeous; the diverse variety of trees, gorgeous rolling hills, quaint water views, and historic buildings combine to perform the picture-perfect coastal getaway. The town’s fitting slogan is “Where the mountains meet the sea.” There is plenty of natural fun to be had in the area, most notably the beautiful Camden Hills State Park, home to miles and miles of serene hiking trails.
The must-do trail here is is the slightly strenuous Mt. Battie hike, where after a challenging climb, you will be rewarded with panoramic views of Penobscot Bay and the mountains. It’s also a great park for birdwatching and one of the trails will take you past wild blueberry fields which is pretty cool.
8. New Hampshire’s White Mountains
New Hampshire’s incredible White Mountain region is one of the premier New England destinations for recreational fun. Whether you are into hiking and biking or skiing and snowboarding, this area will please all fitness buffs. Summer is a great time to get out into the fresh air: explore the trails, observe wildlife, and take some great pictures of waterfalls.
Fall is an excellent time to take a scenic drive and do some leaf peeping. The Kancamagus Highway is one of the most popular routes. The 34 mile drive, which is known to be one of the best places in the country for fall foliage, takes you past rivers, mountains, gorges, and streams. The Mt. Cog Railroad is another great attraction to check out during the fall season. A 3 mile mountain train ride will take you up to the summit of Mt. Washington, which is the highest peak in the Northeast. By driving up the road, you can get the famous “this car climbed mt. Washington” sticker which I see on a very high percentage of cars in this region.
Winter is perhaps the best season of all, a quiet time filled with plentiful snow and opportunities for winter sports. Everything from secluded cabins in the woods to rustic lodges to luxury ski resorts are available depending on your interest. I recommend the Bretton Woods Nordic Center, a cross country skiing dream destination sure to please both newbie and advanced skiers. It would be difficult for anyone to to deny the beauty of skiing in such a pristine, beautiful setting. Personally, I love the snow and winter in general, so skiing somewhere this gorgeous was a wonderful experience.
I also highly recommend a visit to Nestlenook Farms if you like ice skating and snow. This charming winter oasis offers a plethora of fun winter activities. From cozy sleigh rides, to skating on a Victorian ice rink, to snowshoeing with the gorgeous White Mountains in the background, it’s a dream destination for snow lovers and Hallmark Christmas movie fanatics. As a complete Christmas buff, I felt like I was on set of a Hallmark movie.
9. Empire State Building
I always dreamed of the perfect romantic date upon the Empire State building ever since seeing the Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan classic Sleepless in Seattle. I am a big 80’s and 90’s movie buff (especially romantic comedies) and this is one of my all time favorites!
After multiple visits to New York, I finally made my way up the 86th floor to take in the incredible cityscapes. Although NYC receives much negative press regarding its’ high crime and grittiness factor, the city truly looks peaceful and beautiful from 1050 feet up in the air. For a one-of-a-kind urban view like no other, I recommend time for this one (it’s not a tourist trap – I promise!).
And afterwards, definitely grab a slice at NY Pizza Suprema, where I enjoyed one of the best slices of pizza ever.
10. The beaches of Cape Cod
The beautiful Cape Cod region, which includes 15 charming towns in Massachusetts, is a wonderful, peaceful escape from busy cities like Boston. It’s long been a popular getaway for city dwellers. If you are looking for a laid-back escape, packed with relaxing leisure activities like hiking and biking, combined with long days relaxing at picturesque beaches, then Cape Cod should definitely top your list of possible New England coastal getaways. The beaches here are often regarded as the most scenic in the world. Coast Guard Beach was referred to as “The Great Beach” by Henry David Thoreau.
Provincetown, located at the tip of Cape Cod, is home to 2 well regarded beaches: Race Point and Herring Cove. The best way to end your day in Provincetown is by watching a gorgeous sunset. Interestingly, Race Point is the only Eastern point where you can see the sun set over the water.
In addition, there lies a grand, secluded, undeveloped beach along Cape Cod’s amazing Great Island Trail. This beach is only accessible via a hike, therefore, it is completely desolate. This hike was one of my best experiences thus far since living in this region. I highly recommend checking it out if you are up for an adventure.
And last but not least, this region is known for its’ fabulous bike paths. Both the Cape Cod Canal Path and the Cape Cod Rail Trail (this path even features a rotary!) are highly worth looking into. If you are seeking a great workout + fabulous views, it doesn’t get much better! Massachusetts really is home to some of the most scenic trails in the country.
