My Husband and I plan a coastal New England trip in October.

Newport is more interesting than Providence. There's a really scenic, 3.5-mile Cliff Walk that takes you past some of the mansions, with views of the water.

There are probably hiking trails on Martha's Vineyard, too.

You should decide whether you want to see Boston or not. It's definitely worth visiting, but it depends on what you want to see/do.

Kennebunkport on the way to Portland is a pretty town (and very busy).

October is a very popular month to visit New England, because of the fall colors, so places may book up quickly. You should be able to find lobster being served pretty much anyplace along the coast.

There's also Cape Cod!

I hope this gets you started!

I would definitely include Newport RI the mansions are.so.worth the trip..

As already noted , Newport is hands down over Providence , Much more to see there

Thanks, Newport it is. We're not going to Cape Cod or Boston. Been there before

Another vote for Newport! Visit the White Horse Tavern. Go on the Cliff Walk. Visit the Gilded Age Mansons. Providence is a city but is not quaint, maybe artsy. Mystic might give the seaside flavor you are looking for. If you have New England Ancestry, Boston and Environs is still the place to start. If you like antiques, check for the Autunm shows in Vermont. The main routes north are famous for Outlet stores. You can still find quaint once you get off the main highways.

As other have noted, Portsmouth NH is a fun town to spend at least a few hours in. You may also enjoy Salem MA, which is much more than witches as it's very pretty and there are some great museums. The Maine coast gets better/more dramatic north of Portland, however in and around Portland itself don't miss Portland Head Light and walking around the Old Port section of Portland. I'm probably one of the few New Englanders who doesn't like seafood, but I can say that if you enjoy sweets not to miss out on something called whoopie pies, which is a Maine specialty.

I grew up in Providence, and it remains one of my favorite small cities in the country, but other than walking up and down Benefit Street and maybe visiting the RISD Museum if you like art, there isn't a whole lot for tourists to do there, as others have mentioned. Newport RI is an excellent place to spend at least one full day though.

Hi,

My husband and I grew up in MA and lived in southern Maine for 6 years. So we have spent a lot of time in Maine. How much time do you have for your trip? IMHO your time is best spent entirely in Maine. As someone mentioned, the prettiest, most picturesque (other than Ogunquit) part of Maine is the coast north of Freeport. Take 95 to Freeport and then take route one to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. Acadia National Park and Mt. Desert Island is our favorite part of the world. It will give you all the quaint New England vibes that you are looking for plus plenty of lobstah. The ride from Logan Airport will take about 6+ hours depending on how often you stop. There will be lots of traffic so that will slow you down especially in Wiscasset. Stop in Camden along the way for lunch at Camden Deli. You could break up the trip by staying a night in Camden. If you haven’t secured reservations yet, do so asap. This is peak leaf peeping season and hotels and car rentals especially will be snapped up if they aren’t already. People come from around the world to see New England in the fall. There is plenty of hiking and biking opportunities in Acadia and Mt. Desert Island. You can rent bikes in Bar Harbor and bike the 45 miles of car free carriage roads in the park. I highly recommend McKays in Bar Harbor for dinner. And of course, Jordan Pond House in the park. On the way back stay a night or two in Ogunquit. It will be decorated for Halloween. Walk Marginal Way and go to Perkins Cove. If you have time definitely go to Salem for more pre Halloween fun. I hope this helps.

We have been in New England & the Canadian Maritimes often. Lots of seafood restaurants everywhere - most are competent with $$ to $$$$ range. Many neat but touristy towns from Kittery north, e.g., York Harbor, Ogunquit, Boothbay, Pemaquid, Camden, Searsport, etc. We like "The Inn at St. John" in Portland - small, quirky, good location and great staff. The seafood restaurants in Portland, especially at the wharf, are good but crowded & $$ to $$$. We enjoy the trip along Hwy 1 with side trips on the many peninsulas. Our favorite lobster shacks are in Wiscasset (Red's Eats & Sprague's Lobster across from each other on Hwy 1). There are great places and adventures all over the area - you will want more time and more trips. And that is not even considering the Maritime Provinces!

You might consider flying into Providence as the airport is just south of the city and right off the highway (95), there are plenty of rental cars and it's an easy drive to Newport. Definitely do a mansion tour and the cliff walk.

I'm not the original poster, but since everyone is recommending Newport RI, and the OP asked about places to stay, does anyone have suggestions for accommodations that aren't in the $700-1000/night range for Newport in the fall.

If you do go to Newport and are a tennis fan, the International Tennis Hall of Fame is in Newport and it’s a must see.

I agree with spending time in Downeast Maine taking Rt 1 at Brunswick to Rt 3 in Ellsworth which will take you over the bridge to Bar Harbor in Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park. On Rt 1 after you drive past Camden, I encourage you to drive to the top of Mount Battie for the great view of Camden harbor and all of the brilliant foliage below.

At Acadia National Park, I encourage you to visit Bass Harbor Light & the Seawall, drive on Sargeant Dr for phenomenal views of Somes Sound the only fjord on the east coast, visit Thunder Hole at high tide, & go to the top of Mt Cadillac.

Hotels and B&Bs are going to be expensive so plan now.

anyone have suggestions for accommodations that aren't in the $700-1000/night range for Newport in the fall.

Given the season , prices in the area ( let's just say about a 60 mile radius } Prices are going to be higher than most travelers are counting on , .Downtown Newport is always very high , but even north of town , like Middletown , Portsmouth ,and Bristol , RI or Seekonk , MA , it will also be pricey . With travel demand this season way up , Boston , NYC , Washington ,DC and many other locations ,are similarly socked in

Been to Martha's Vineyard and it was good, but loved Bar Harbor, Maine.

Newport is the place to go instead of Providence.

Portsmouth, NH is nice.

Just a note regarding the Newport Cliffwalk. Currently you cannot walk the entire walk as a 30 foot section collapsed in March 2022 and still has not been repaired. There is a detour around this section. No ETA as to when repairs will be completed as I believe they are still trying to obtain funding. But Newport is beautiful and at least one of the mansions is a must.

I grew up and have always lived in RI along with a few years outside of Boston. Much history and beautiful coastal places to visit. Research what you're passionate about.
Perfect new England trip should include Mystic and Stonington Borough CT, then a stop in Watch Hill and Westerly.
On to Narragansett, RI and over the bridges to Jamestown and Newport. History from the 1600's on in both places. The international tennis hall of fame, the great 10 Mike ride, Vanderbilt and other "summer cottages" rivaling the Biltmore. Then on to Cape COD, Hyannis to Nantucket if only time for one island on the high speed ferry, I love Martha's vineyard but "the gray lady" is the one to see.
On to Maine, so many great places, bar harbor fabulous through September.
Write me if you want

As you want to start in Providence, RI and end up in Portland, ME I suggest you include Cape Ann in your itinerary. Don't confuse Cape Ann with Cape Cod. We are the other, much better cape, but I never liked Cape Cod so I might be prejudice, but I don't think so. Having grown up in RI and MA and having attended college in Maine and spent much other time there, I find the Cape Ann coastline to be a wonderful combination and it is relatively on the way to Portland. Include Gloucester and Rockport, but also Ipswich in your visit. There are many short hiking trails in the area, study Green Belt locations, Trustees of the Reservations, and state parks (Halibut Point comes to mind here). For long hikes, certainly not strenuous though, Appleton Farms has many trails through fields and woods. If you are here in the summer on a weekend, you can get an interesting pizza at Appleton farms from local, fresh produce, meet, etc.

Portsmouth, NH: Strawberry Bank is very interesting and then there are some nice little restaurants in town, which is surrounding SB.

Newport, RI has already been suggested and is one of my favorite places. It has revolutionary. history, guilded age mansions and a beautiful coastline along with cute shops and eateries.

I have to say that I have never been to Martha's Vineyard. We were just discussing going there because it seems I should, but I'm not, personally, feeling it. LOL. If you need an island, I live on the island in Gloucester and all of Rockport is on the island. If you want a ferry, I suggest riding the ferry around Casco Bay. It's a gorgeous harbor. (MV seems out of the way of your route, IMO.)

Any suggestions for the best mansion to visit in Newport?

Are the tours in Newport worth it?

If you need to choose among The Bellevue Avenue Gilded Age " Cottages " , The Breakers and Marble House should be at the very top of your list . If you have time , add Rosecliff and The Issac Bell House . By doing some reading anf preparation , you will do much better than taking a tour . There is a great deal of history involved in Newport , and the better informed you are , the more you will benefit . There are numerous videos on Youtube , sift through them and watch a few

The “Servant Life” tour at the Elms is excellent, and there is a similar behind-the-scenes tour at The Breakers. I really enjoyed seeing what it was like to keep house without modern conveniences.

If you are interested in seeing the best leaf colors, head inland to VT and NH.

In Newport we toured only the Breakers and Marble House both awesome esp. Breakers. We also took a trolley tour and would definitely highly recommend it as you see so much you might miss on your own. We did not stay there due to the prices I think we were about 15 miles away for half the price last September.