When you’re visiting the US from Italy and Europe in general, it’s always a really cool idea to go on an off-road experience to just enjoy the beauty of the East Coast. It’s the closest US region to Europe, and it’s widely known for its incredible beauty and look. Not only that, but the East Coast stands out with its memorable style and numerous things to do and places to see. Going on a road trip and exploring the coastline on the East Coast is very exciting and it’s also a lot of fun to explore everything that the region has to offer. 

The ideal way to travel and enjoy this East Coast experience

Being such a long road trip, we suggest that you travel with a comfortable and dependable vehicle. If you are thinking about camping, you can also think of traveling with a trailer, which will guarantee you a moving lodge, with a personal bed and a kitchen at your disposal. If you are adventurous, you would probably like to travel with a motorcycle. You are free to choose how to engage in this East Coast road trip, but ideally you want a comfortable and reliable vehicle that helps make the traveling process easier.

Exploring the New England coast to Maine

The New England experience is delightful and the drive from Boston to Bar Harbor Maine on the East Coast will usually take around 4 hours. However, you can go via the scenic route and thus explore the Vacationland coast along the way. A good starting point here would be Boston, but you can start from Portland if you want. We recommend going to Portland and immerse yourself into the exploration of the Old Port.

The city also has the Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth, where you can climb on the rocks. 

We also highly recommend visiting the desert of Maine. It’s also possible to spend the day shopping at the LL Bean Outlet. If you want to buy some outdoor equipment, there are some businesses like Oregon Mountain Community, Portland Outdoor Store or Foster Outdoor that you should check out.

From Portland the next New England destination would be Boothbay Harbor. What’s cool here is that you can go to the Popham beach, it’s a sandy stretch of sand. This is also where the Red Eats can be found, a wonderful restaurant with really good, incredible food that you should totally try out, especially lobster rolls. The region also has great kayaking rentals at Muscongus Bay. From the harbor you can also enter sightseeing cruises and see whales or puffins.

We also highly recommend visiting Rockland too. Rockland has the Contemporary Art Museum, and you can also enjoy the Farnsworth Art Museum. They also have great outdoor activities like walking along Rockland Breakwater, you can sail the Maine Windjammer or you can enjoy the Camden Hills State Park. Regardless of what you like, there’s definitely an option to choose from.

Another place to visit during the New England road trip is Bar Harbor. You have the Carriage Roads biking experience, you can also stay at the Terramor Outdoor Resort. On top of that, there’s the Cadillac Mountain drive, the Thunder Hole natural phenomenon, and you can also go to the Otter Cliffs for an incredible view. There’s definitely a lot to see here and enjoy, which is why it’s an unforgettable addition to any East Coast trip. It’s really cool to go from New England to Maine and there are definitely a whole lot of cool experiences to be had along the way, especially for an Italian explorer looking to immerse themselves into the beauty of this region.

From Massachusetts to New England

Ideally you want to go from Boston and enjoy some of the interesting places in the city. The swan boat tour in the Public Garden is a great thing to check out, and if you are in a more adventurous mood, then you do want to try out the Freedom Trail. The city is historic, so there are lots of things to see like the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum, and also you can go off-roading. 

From here you can go to Lincoln in New Hampshire which is a great home for offroading. The White Mountains are not that far from the coast, and here you have Loon Mountain hiking or zip lining. You also have the Flume Gorge hiking if you want, which we find really cool. If you’re with a van or off-road vehicle, you do want to try out rock climbing in the mountains, also the Kancamagus Highway, and also splash in the Diana’s Baths waterfalls. 

We also recommend Salem, because it’s close to Boston and here you can delve deep into the supernatural history of the region. Plus, Salem does have some cool hiking trails and here you have nice businesses like Hex Old World Witchery or Bewitched in Salem where you can find some cool gifts and trinkets for your loved ones. There’s no denying that every city has a whole lot of cool things to offer, and here you will be amazed with its uniqueness and rich History.

Boston to New York

Of course, these things are upwards of Boston towards New England. You can also go from Boston to New York. A good starting point for this particular trip would be Provincetown, which has sand dune tours, it also features whale watching tours or the Pirate Museum. It’s also possible to climb the lighthouse and search the tide pools. 

From there you can go to Falmouth, MA which is known for idyllic locations like Martha’s Vineyard. You can also enter the Cape Cod bike trail if you want, or enjoy the Woods Hole Science Aquarium. While here, it’s a good idea to visit Providence as well. Here there are Rhode Island food tours which give you an insight into what the local food is all about. The Waterfire is another thing to check out. Plus, there are East Bay bike paths in Providence, and they even have a river boat ride to immerse yourself into the region.

As you get closer to New York, you can take your van/jeep to Newport. This is said to be the yachting capital of the world, and so you can easily shop along the Thames and then rent a sail in the harbor if you want. Mystic would be the final destination before New York, here they have the Mystic Seaport and the Aquarium. It’s a particularly good place to visit with kids, and then you reach New York which is filled with all kinds of great things to do and places to see on its own.

A road trip you won’t forget

Exploring the East Coast is delightful and a lot of fun, not to mention it brings in some amazing ways to immerse yourself into this region. That’s why we recommend taking such a road trip, because the US East Coast is downright beautiful, and you have so many incredible cities, vistas and landmarks to see. Plus, this region is ideal for outdoor experiences, since you have mountains, but also plenty of cityscape and access to beaches as well!