Winter in New England can seem never-ending. March can be a long month, leaving most New Englanders itching for spring. As the buds on the trees come to life and the flowers start to bloom, many people are coming out of hibernation and looking for things to do. I have pulled together a list of 20 things to do this spring in New England.
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Boston’s Public Garden and the Swan Boats.
The Boston Public Garden was the first botanical garden in America. It contains 80 species of plants and is home to beautiful swan boats. Since the 1800s, the swan boats have sailed around the park’s lagoon and become a symbol of the city of Boston. Robert Paget invented this style of boat, and four generations later, the Paget family still owns and operates the Swan boats.
The boats open for the season on May 8th and will remain open through Labor Day. The cost is $4.50, an adult, $3.00 for children 2-15, and under two are free. It is one of my favorite things to do in the city.
Attend a Baseball Game or Tour Fenway Park
If you are a baseball fan, one can not come to Boston without visiting the oldest and most beloved ballpark in America. Pick up tickets to a game and experience firsthand why Red Sox Nation loves this ballpark and their Sox. Sox not in town while you are here? No fear, take an hour-long tour of the park. Feel the presence of Ted Williams, Yaz, Carlton Fisk, Jim Rice, Pedro Martinez, Jason Varitek, and Big Papi. Sit on top of the famous Green Monster. Tours are available year-round and depart every hour.
Boston Duck Tours
One of the best sighting seeing tours in Boston is the Duck Tours. It is a fully narrated historic tour of Boston that is seen by both land and sea! Well, the Charles River, but you get the point. These boats are a W.W.II style amphibious landing vehicle that travels on land and water. A conDUCKtor will be narrating your tour as you drive through the streets of the city, hitting many of its famous marks. Kids even get to drive the boat!
Attend one of New England’s Many Flower Festivals
Many festivals have been canceled, postponed, or are being held virtually for 2021. Please check with the event organizers before planning your trip.
A couple of years ago, we spent Mother’s Day at the Wicked Tulips Farm in Rhode Island. We explored the beautiful gardens and picked our own tulips. In doing my research, I have discovered New England has several flower festivals through the spring. According to Trip Savvy, these are the best Springtime Flower festivals in New England.
Daffodil Days at Blithewold
Blithewold Mansion is located in Bristol, Rhode Island, and its Gateway Event to Spring takes place every April. Fifty thousand daffodils are growing on 33 acres of gardens and woodland paths. In addition to the daffodils, in early May, flowering cherry trees, primroses, and star magnolias show their stuff, and by late May, the grounds come alive with columbine, forget-me-nots, and lupine.
Nantucket Daffodil Festival
Hop on board a ferry and head over to Nantucket, Massachusetts, for the annual Daffodil Festival.
Due to the pandemic, this year’s festival will be held virtually. It is quite the show with more than three million daffodils, complete with a seaside view and an iconic lighthouse.
Meriden Daffodil Festival
The Meriden Daffodil Festival is held in Meriden, Connecticut, each year at the end of April. It is called Connecticut’s most colorful April event. Usually, there are carnival rides, a food tent, games, and more.
However, due to the pandemic, this year’s festival is canceled. However,
Hubbard Park is still open to the public to drive through and enjoy the beautiful flowers.
Lilac Sunday
At Arnold Arboretum in Boston, Massachusetts, the grounds are home to 408 lilac plants representing 179 different varieties. For this reason, Lilac Sunday is one of North America’s most significant lilac-focused events. Embark on a self-guided tour after printing a tour brochure, and bring a picnic lunch to enjoy. The lilacs are in bloom for approximately four weeks, starting in late April to mid-May.
Maple Sugar Festival
On the last week of March, head on up to Maine and visit one of the 100 sugar shack participants in this annual event. See how maple syrup is made, sample some tasty treats, and bring home some of the country’s best maple syrup. You can find more information here.
Covered Bridge Tour
Jump in the car and head on up to either New Hampshire or Vermont and hunt for covered bridges. You can easily find a map online that lists all of the cover bridges. Why not make a weekend of it and spend the time exploring some of the most beautiful covered bridges on this side of the Mississippi.
Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park is one of the top 10 national parks in the United States to visit. There are twenty-seven miles of historic motor roads, 158 miles of hiking trails, and 45 miles of carriage roads to drive and hike throughout the park. It has earned its title Crown Jewel of the North Atlantic Coast. The park houses the highest mountains along the Atlantic seacoast.
Coastal Highway U.S. 1 in Maine
Take a drive up the Maine coastline and experience some breathtaking views. Along the way, stop for a lobster roll and steamers. Make sure to visit some of Maine’s iconic lighthouses. The route will take you from the New Hampshire and Maine border all along the coast of Maine, the St. Croix River, and then along the border of the U.S. and Canada. I suggest you take a few days to enjoy this adventure.
Race Point Beach, Provincetown, MA
At the tip of the National Seashore is Race Point Beach. This gorgeous beach is a great beach to watch wildlife (seals, dolphins, whales, and perhaps a great white) and see one of the most amazing sunsets.
If you are so inclined, you can walk the three-mile trail to see the Race Point lighthouse or bike the eight-mile Cape Cod Province Lands Bike Trail, which winds through towering dunes.
Baby Animal Day at Billings Farm
Head to Woodstock, Vermont, and attend Baby Animal Day at Billings Farm, an annual tradition to meet the baby animals. Surrounded by the Green Mountains, Woodstock is a great place to visit, from sampling Vermont’s famous cheeses to hiking to strolling the historic downtown.
Boston Food Tour
Boston has some fantastic food tours. One year my best friend and I, along with our husbands, took a Historic Pizza and Taverns Tour. It started in the North End, went to Charlestown, and back to the Faneuil Hall area. It was a lot of fun and yummy. There are so many to choose from. You can find a list of Boston’s best food tours here.
Whale Watching off the Maine coast.
Mid-April is when the humpbacks make their way to Kennebunkport’s waters and other coastal areas of Maine.
Dinosaur State Park, Rocky Hill, Connecticut
Dinosaur State Palk has one of the largest dinosaur track sites in North America. On display in the museum are early Jurassic fossil tracks that were made 200 million years ago. In addition to the exhibit center are two miles of nature trails and the Dinosaur Arboretum. The arboretum contains over 250 species and other living representatives of plant families around during the dinosaur’s age.
Mark Twain House
Designated National Historic Landmark, the Mark Twain House is located in Hartford, Connecticut, and showcases Mark Twain’s life and career. The museum chronicles his life and works, including The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, which he wrote while living there.
Mystic Seaport, Connecticut
Mystic Seaport: The Museum of America and the Sea is the most significant maritime museum in the United States. The museum is known for its collection of sailing ships and boats and the re-creation of the crafts and fabric of an entire 19th-century seafaring village. The maritime town consists of more than 60 historic buildings. There is also a fantastic aquarium, and make sure to grab some pizza from Mystic Pizza.
Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, NH
The Strawbery Banke Museum is an outdoor history museum that brings more than 300 years of American history to life. The museum spans 10 acres in downtown Portsmouth’s waterfront neighborhood and features 32 historic buildings and eight heritage gardens.
The Sandwich Boardwalk, Sandwich, MA
Named one of the top 10 boardwalks by National Geographic, the Sandwich boardwalk spans 1,350 ft over a marsh before it connects to Boardwalk beach. It an excellent place for birdwatching and watching ships enter the Cape Cod Canal.
Cape Cod Canal
The Cape Cod Canal is a man-made canal connecting Cape Cod Bay in the north to Buzzards Bay in the south and is part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. The canal is used extensively by recreational and commercial vessels. You will access fishing and trails for in-line skaters, bicyclists, and walkers on both sides of the canal. Several parking areas are maintained at access points. The Corps of Engineers lease bourne Scenic Park to the Town of Bourne Recreation Authority for use as a tent and R.V. campground adjacent to the canal.
Castle Island, South Boston, MA
Castle Island is a peninsula on the shores of the Boston Harbor. It a recreation site and home to Fort Independence. Attractions include a playground, beach and swimming access, and Sullivan’s restaurant. You can also take a tour of Fort Independence.
Explore a Massachusetts State Park
With 151 state parks to choose from, you could spend the entire season exploring the state parks. Some of our favorites include Halibut Point, Natural Bridge, and Bash Bish Falls.
So there you have it, 20 things to do this spring in New England. Which one would you do first?
Each year I struggle on what to get my husband for his birthday, Christmas and Father’s Day. I, on the other hand, have a running list. LOL! Last Spring was no different, as Father’s Day was coming and I was fresh out of ideas. Then an ad came across my Facebook page. It was from Rail Explorers of America. Their tag line is “Experience the magic of the railway”. I was intrigued. I clicked on the ad and immediately knew this was the perfect gift for Bill.
Rail Explorers is a scenic ride along Aquidneck Island and beautiful Narragansett Bay on custom built pedal-powered vehicles. This particular location offers a couple of different tours. There is the Northern Ramble and the Southern Circuit. The Northern Ramble is a six-mile trek along the bay leaving from Portsmouth, RI. It travels up the island, passing waterfront homes, golf courses, the Newport Preservation Society Topiary garden, and the Audubon Society nature preserve. It is a 2-hour tour. Please note, it is one way. A shuttle bus will bring you back to the station after your ride.
The second tour is the Southern Circuit. This is a six-mile round trip tour. It also starts at the Portsmouth Grove Station and travels south to Bayside Station. Bayside Station is a waterfront picnic area. The trip is 3 miles down and 3 miles back. This is one we chose to do.
So, how does one ride the rails? You ride our own rail explorer of course!
Rail Explorers are pedal-powered rail vehicles. Since 1850, these vehicles have been used by maintenance workers to transport crew and materials along the rails. The tour offers a quad explorer and a tandem explorer. Since we are a family of 4, we chose the quad. The vehicle runs smoothly down the rails. It does take a bit of effort to pedal, but nothing too strenuous. There is a basket to put your belongings. We were not sure what to expect, and it had been raining, so I left my SLR camera at home, nor did we choose to bring a picnic. Though, I was happy to see there was enough space to store these items.
As I said, the ride down was three miles. You are led by a guide and asked to keep 500 feet in between your vehicles. I believe there were ten vehciles in our group. This allows for more a leissurley ride. We were able to slow down, so I could snap some photos.
The weather was less than stellar. It had rained all day and it was a cloudy evening. The views would have been better, had the weather cooperated.
Once at Bayside Station, we exited our vehicles and spent about 20 mins or so enjoying the views. There were Adirondack chairs to use for our viewing pleasure, along with picnic tables to sit and enjoy a picnic dinner.
After about 20 mins, we got back in our vehicles and headed back.
Despite the weather, I highly recommend this adventure. It was a great way to see some of the Rhode Island coast. The price was decent. It was $135.00 for the 2 hours. The whole family agreed we would do it again. This summer we are going to try the Northern Ramble. The company also offers special events. There is Fireside Friday. This a lantern-lit trip, along the Southern Circuit, featuring a bonfire, s’mores and hot apple cider. The cost is $150. 00. Also, featured is a brunch tour with mimosas. Again, you make the trek down to Bayside Station, where you enjoy drinks and pastries. The cost of the brunch is $175.00 for 4 people or $180 to ride tandem.
After our ride, we drove around the corner and had dinner at a local seafood restaurant. It was a perfect way to cap off a great evening.
Not local to Rhode Island? Rail Explorers has locations in Las Vegas, Nevada and The Catskills, NY. I highly recommend checking these out.
Happy Exploring!
