Maine

These New England hotels, restaurants, and more are ‘must visit spots’ in 2025, according to USA Today readers

They are in Maine, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.

Hotel bar Five of Clubs at the Longfellow Hotel in Portland, Maine. Longfellow Hotel

January 7, 2025

1 minute to read

Some of America’s best new hotels, restaurants, and attractions in 2025 are in New England, according to USA Today readers.

New England has 3 brewery hotels that ‘every beer lover needs to visit,’ according to USA Today

The publication released a list of must-visit spots for 2025, part of its 2024 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, and several regional destinations made cut.

Two local hotels were named among the 10 best new hotels in 2025: The Abner Hotel in Litchfield, Conn. ranked No. 5 and Longfellow Hotel in Portland, Maine ranked No. 8 (the No. 1 ranked hotel is Madison Resort Wildwood Crest in Wildwood Crest, N.J).

Connecticut’s Abner Hotel, a 20-room boutique hotel, offers travelers “a world of serene elegance,” according to USA Today, while Maine’s Longfellow Hotel, located in the heart of downtown Portland, is “the perfect choice for guests seeking a cozy retreat in a vibrant community.”

Hungry travelers should stop at Irregardless Biscuit in Providence, R.I., which ranked No. 7 on the publication’s list of 10 best new restaurants in 2025 (the No. 1 ranked new restaurant is Tootles & French in Astoria, N.Y.).

Biscuits from Irregardless Biscuit in Providence, R.I. – J. Nguyen/GoProvidence

“Originally a cult-favorite pop-up, this new brick-and-mortar restaurant combines award-winning biscuits with a fun, eclectic vibe, perfect for brunch enthusiasts,” wrote USA Today.

Finally, those seeking thrills should experience Whispering Pines Haunted Hotel at Funtown Splashtown USA in Saco, Maine, which ranked No. 8 on the publication’s list of 10 best new theme park attractions to experience in 2025 (the No. 1 ranked new theme park attraction is Good Gravy! at Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana).

“This spooky interactive attraction draws guests into its story with strobe lights, eerie music, fog machines, lasers, and suspenseful periods of complete and utter darkness,” wrote USA Today.

For the 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards lists, USA Today travel experts select 20 nominees in topics from food to lodging, destinations to things to do. Then the publication asks readers to cast votes to determine the top 10.

Check out USA Today’s lists of must-visit spots of 2025.

Kristi Palma

Travel writer

Kristi Palma is the travel writer for Boston.com, focusing on the six New England states. She covers airlines, hotels, and things to do across Boston and New England. She is the author of the award-winning Scenic Six, a weekly travel newsletter.