New England - Scenic Roads of the South

The capital city of Massachusetts, Boston is a happy mixture of present and past: the wide avenues of the modern part of the city blend into the narrow, snakelike lanes of the old colonial town; futuristic skyscrapers rise next to historic buildings. Boston was built in 1630 around the Boston Common – a pasture then used to graze local livestock – and, during the following century, became the core of the American Revolutionary War against Great Britain. After independence was declared, Boston kept on thriving as a trading and culture centre. Boston's many firsts include the United States' first public school (1635). Today the city houses several major education and research facilities, such as Harvard and MIT.,

The Mohawk Trail, America’s first ‘scenic highway’ was designated back in 1914 and stretches for 63 miles. It follows a centuries-old trail used by Native Americans, who are commemorated by the Hail to the Sunrise statue. Highlights include the notable art museums in Williamstown (Williams College) and North Adams (Mass MOCA), and the Bridge of Flowers at Shelburne Falls. In the fall/autumn, when the leaves change color, views of the rolling hills and valleys are spectacular.,

Route 7 follows the Housatonic River through one of the most beautiful parts of western Connecticut. From New Milford to Canaan (some 35 miles), you can drive through a 160-year-old covered bridge (Bulls Bridge) and see the 250-foot Kent Falls, meet hikers on the 2,000-mile long Appalachian Trail at Cornwall Bridge and watch fly fishermen casting for trout. Fans of motor racing visit Lime Rock Park, history buffs head for Lakeville’s two intriguing museums and railroad enthusiasts stop at Canaan’s Victorian station.,

Not to be missed the Mark Twain House and Museum in Hartford, home of Samuel Langhorne Clemens (Mark Twain) and his family from 1874 to 1891. The house was designed by Edward Tuckerman Potter and built in the American High Gothic style. Clemens biographer Justin Kaplan has called it "part steamboat, part medieval fortress and part cuckoo clock." Clemens wrote many of his best-known works while living there, including The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Prince and the Pauper, Life on the Mississippi, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, A Tramp Abroad, and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.,

The gentle countryside of northeastern Connecticut is known as the Quiet Corner. This 40-mile drive past stonewalled fields and through unspoiled villages follows the centuries old Norwich to Woodstock Turnpike. History is everywhere: in Canterbury, Prudence Crandall dared to teach young black women in the 1830s; Revolutionary War hero, Israel Putnam, ran a tavern in Brooklyn Green; and Roseland Cottage in Woodstock illustrates the gracious living of 1846. From Westerly to Narragansett, this 25-mile route passes sandy beaches and communities with Indian names such as Misquamicut and Weekapaug. Jerusalem is across from Galilee, where ferries leave for Block Island. Take the side roads down to the beaches and to Watch Hill, on a point. This charming little resort boasts the country's oldest carousel, The Flying Horse Carousel, going round and round since 1879. Standing at the very tip of Aquidneck Island, Newport has always been the harbor of East Coast tycoons. The flotilla of luxury yachts moored at the docks speaks for itself, as well as the opulent, fin-de-siècle summer houses belonging to New York magnates like the Astors and the Vanderbilts.,

The seaside towns of Cape Cod could entertain visitors for weeks on end. Before you go, do some research to choose the town that best suits your style: from the chaos and fun of Falmouth in the Lower Cape, to the flower-adorned cottages of Orleans, to the beaches surrounded by dunes in Eastham and Truro on the Outer Cape. The lively Provincetown, a gay-friendly town at the tip of the Outer Cape, offers shops, galleries, and diverse restaurants, as well as natural beaches and a fantastic whale-watching spot. The scenic outer islands, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, can be reached by ferry or small planes. Cape Cod is in high season during the summer, while spring and autumn ensure a more relaxed experience. After visiting Cape Cod, drive to Plymouth, the "birthplace of America," where in 1620 the Pilgrims landed in search of a new home and religious freedom. Plimoth Plantation is a must-see: a fascinating and interactive glimpse into the lives of the early settlers in a hostile land. Leave Plymouth and continue on to Boston, the final stop of your trip.,