14 of the Best Quaint New England Coastal Towns

New England has a gorgeous coastline, and along the way, you’ll also find some quaint small towns filled with historic sites, beaches, local shops, art galleries, and museums. Whether you are taking a road trip visiting multiple towns or want to choose just one or two, there’s so much to see and do along the New England coast.

Keep in mind that summer is generally the best time to visit, although there will be more crowds and prices will be higher. In the off-peak season, however, you’ll find that some attractions and restaurants are only open seasonally and may be closed. Here are some of the best New England coastal towns for your next family vacation.

Disclosure: We’ve received complimentary stays and attraction tickets over the years in some of these places throughout the New England states. All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links, and a purchase or click through one of these links may result in a commission paid to us at no additional cost to you.

The Best New England Coastal Towns For Families

Portsmouth New Hampshire

Portsmouth, New Hampshire (not to be confused with the one in Rhode Island), is a seaside town located in a small coastal area of New Hampshire between Maine and Massachusetts. Attractions in Portsmouth include Water Country Water Park, Strawbery Banke Living History Museum, and several outdoor parks. There are also waterfront shops and restaurants in a nice downtown area.

Portsmouth is located about an hour outside of Boston, and the nearest airports are Boston Logan Airport or Manchester Airport. Popular hotels include the Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside Hotel, the Hampton Inn and Suites, and the Residence Inn Portsmouth Downtown/Waterfront.

We love visiting Portsmouth as a day trip from our home outside of Boston. It’s a great spot to get a nice lunch and shop.

Kennebunkport, ME

This coastal Southern Maine town is known as the summer home of the Bush family. It offers art galleries, quaint shops, restaurants, beaches, sailing trips, and more.

Kennebunkport is about an hour and a half to two hours from Boston. You can also access it on the Amtrak Downeaster train. If you are flying in, it’s closest to Portland Airport or Boston Logan Airport.

Highly-rated hotels include the Tides Beach Club, the Boathouse Waterfront Hotel, and the Nonantum Resort.

Rockport, MA

The first time I visited Rockport Massachusetts, I was so surprised that such a quaint coastal town was close to my home. I love visiting there and try to go at least once per summer season.

The most popular thing in Rockport is to visit Bearskin Neck, a pedestrian area with art galleries, fresh seafood restaurants, shops, and ice cream shops. You can grab lobster rolls from Roy Hook and eat them outside, facing the water.

Don’t forget to take a photo of Motif No. 1, a replica fishing shack. Rockport also has several beaches, and you can visit Gloucester nearby to visit one of their beautiful beaches.

Rockport is located in Cape Ann, on the North Shore of Massachusetts. Boston Logan is the most convenient airport. It’s about an hour North of Boston. It’s much easier to access than Cape Cod and has much of the same coastal charm.

There aren’t many hotels in Rockport, but two options are the the Bearskin Neck Motor Lodge and the Cove At Rockport.

Ogunquit Maine

Ogunquit is a small coastal Maine beach town in southern Maine. It’s not too far from Boston, making it an ideal location for your New England summer vacation.

While there, you can visit the various art galleries, gift shops, and restaurants located in Perkins Cove, right on the waterfront. There’s also Marginal Way, a beautiful path running along the waterfront that is fun to walk. Of course, you can’t miss Ogunquit Beach.

Ogunquit is also known for its art community, and the Ogunquit Playhouse offers musicals, shows, and other performances. Because parking can be challenging in the area, guests can take a seasonal shuttle to get around.

During our trip to Ogunquit, we enjoyed staying at the Meadowmere Resort, a short walk from the action.

I love Ogunquit in the summer. It is the quintessential beach town, with restaurants, shops, galleries, and more. It’s one of the best coastal towns in the area.

Provincetown, MA

At the very tip of Cape Cod is Provincetown, a vibrant community especially popular in the summer months. Provincetown offers some of the best beaches in Massachusetts (including the Cape Cod National Seashore), museums, shops, theater, boat tours, and so much more. Commercial Street is where much of the action is, so it’s best to find parking and walk around.

In the summer, ferries from Boston can take you to Provincetown for a day trip. Otherwise, the drive from Boston can be a little long for a day trip. There’s an airport in Provincetown served by Cape Air and Jetblue.

During our overnight trip to Provincetown, we stayed at the Harbor Hotel. It’s a modern motel on the quieter side of Provincetown. I’d recommend staying at least one night because just a day isn’t enough, especially with the long drive.

Nantucket, MA

Nantucket Island, located off the coast of Cape Cod, almost feels like a different country. This small island is accessible via ferry or plane and offers beaches, restaurants, shops, museums, and more. Don’t miss a trip to the Nantucket Whaling Museum, which showcases the history of whaling in the area.

Several hotels, resorts, and vacation home options are available in the area. During one of our stays, we enjoyed a weekend at the White Elephant Hotel in the center of town. You could spend a week relaxing in Nantucket, but a long weekend would be perfect.

Hyannis, MA

Located on Cape Cod, Hyannis is a village in Barnstable. It’s more of a city than a village and is where you’ll find many chain stores on the Cape, like Target, Home Depot, and Kohl.

However, beyond those chains is a beautiful harbor where you can take ferries to the islands, charter a fishing boat, or board a whale-watching cruise. Along the waterfront, there are artist shanties with handicrafts from local crafters. I love walking along the harbor in Hyannis in the summer.

Hyannis also has a small airport called Barnstable Municipal Airport. JetBlue, Cape Air, and Nantucket Airlines service it. Local hotels include Cape Codder Resort and Spa, The Hyannis Harbor Hotel, and The Anchor In.

Mystic, CT

The fishing village of Mystic, CT, home of Mystic Pizza, is located over the Rhode Island border. It’s a little less than two hours from Boston, although Providence Airport is the closest airport.

Attractions in Mystic include Mystic Seaport, the largest maritime museum in the United States, the Mystic Aquarium, and Olde Mistick Village. Most of these attractions are outdoors, so it’s best to visit when the weather is nice.

When we stayed in Mystic, we enjoyed an overnight stay at the Hilton Mystic. It’s located across from the aquarium and Old Mistick Village and has an indoor pool.

Mystic Aquarium is my favorite aquarium in the area. With both indoor and outdoor exhibits, it has a lot to offer. Young kids especially love it.

Chatham, MA

This elegant coastal New England town is located on the “elbow” of Cape Cod. In addition to a fun main street area with shops and restaurants, Chatham offers other attractions.

These include the Chatham Lighthouse, beaches, and the Fish Pier where you can watch seals play in the water right before you. If you are considering staying overnight, the Chatham Bars Inn is a luxury resort located right on the waterfront in Chatham.

When we shop on Cape Cod, we typically go to Chatham. There is such a nice selection of independent and small chain shops.

Gloucester, MA

The town of Gloucester made popular by the TV show Wicked Tuna and the movie The Perfect Storm, is located adjacent to Rockport in Cape Ann. It offers beaches, whale-watching cruises, delicious restaurants, parks, fishing charters, and more.

We like to stay in a vacation home in Gloucester, but there are also some well-reviewed hotels. These include The Ocean House Hotel, the Beauport Hotel, and the Atlantis Oceanfront Inn.

Newport RI

Growing up in Rhode Island, I always loved to visit Newport. This gorgeous town on Aquidneck Island is less than a two-hour drive from Boston and was once the summer vacation destination for affluent American families like the Vanderbilts. Their gilded-age summer homes are now open seasonally to touring guests.

Beyond the historic homes, other activities in Newport include sailboat rides, the International Tennis Hall of Fame, Fort Adams State Park, the 3 1/2-mile-long Cliff Walk, beaches, and shopping. Newport is also host to several popular summer live music festivals, including the Newport Jazz Festival and the Newport Folk Festival. When visiting the area, take a scenic drive on Ocean Drive through the historic district.

We recommend staying at the Hotel Viking, which is located within walking distance of the shops and restaurants on Thames Street.

Newport is one of my favorite places to visit in the summer.

Kittery, ME

Kittery, Maine, is located right past Portsmouth, NH, over the New Hampshire border. It’s popular due to its outlet shops, which are all located on Route 1. Other activities include Take Flight Adventures and Fort McClary State Park. Be sure to stop at Yummies, a candy shop filled with all sorts of sweet treats.

Our favorite restaurants are Robert’s Maine Grill and Raw Bar and Bob’s Clam Hut. Bob’s especially gets very busy in the summer, so visit early.

The Hampton Inn and Suites is a new hotel located near the outlets. Alternatively, travelers can stay in nearby Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Bar Harbor, ME

Want to visit Acadia National Park? Bar Harbor Maine is the best town to stay in for your Acadia trip. Families can also do boat tours, water sports, shopping, and more.

Acadia offers a variety of activities, including hiking, biking, birdwatching, swimming, boating, and more. It’s an extremely popular destination in the summer.

Bar Harbor is almost five hours from Boston. A small airport, the Hancock County–Bar Harbor Airport, is nearby. JetBlue and Cape Air service it.

Portland, ME

If you are looking for a New England coastal destination with ocean views, museums, restaurants, shops, boat rides, baseball, and more, Portland may be the perfect place to visit. This Maine city is most popular in the summer, but we usually visit in the winter and love it.

Popular activities include the Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine, the Portland Museum of Art, the Portland Head Light, and the Casco Bay Lines. In the spring and summer, you can also see the Portland Sea Dogs, a minor league Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox.

We have stayed in several hotels in Portland – here are our favorites.