Sign up for Scenic Six
Navigate the endless possibilities of New England travel with Boston.com.
Add these New England spots to your holiday plans
Plus: Newburyport's Holiday Invitation, restaurant lunch deals, and Zipcar's golden ticket.
You’re reading Scenic Six, Boston.com’s guide to New England travel. Sign up to get hidden gems, travel tips, and must-visit spots in your inbox every week.
Welcome back to Scenic Six.
I would argue that New England does holiday cheer like no other. This past weekend, I visited the Newport mansions decked out for the holidays and walked into a Norman Rockwell painting — literally — in Stockbridge. I’ll drop a pic of the stunning 15-foot tall poinsettia tree at The Breakers below and share more about my Norman Rockwell experience next week. In the meantime, check out more holiday destinations worth oohing and aahing over.
December destinations with holiday charm
Christmas markets? Check. Holiday strolls? Check. Holiday lights? Check and check. New England is brimming with festive fun this month, making it the perfect time for a weekend excursion. Some of the best places for celebrating the season in New England are Snowport in Boston, Bright Nights at Forest Park in Springfield, and Glow Hartford in Connecticut.
Two of the best Christmas trips are in New England
When it comes to dream holiday vacations, it doesn’t get much better than the Berkshires and Woodstock, Vermont, according to Conde Nast Traveler. In Stockbridge, The Red Lion Inn is a historic property famously featured in the Norman Rockwell painting “Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas (Home for Christmas).” I was there over the weekend and the holiday spirit was off the charts. Meanwhile, the Woodstock Inn & Resort “resembles a postcard of a Vermont holiday,” wrote CNT.
These New England towns are straight out of a holiday movie
There’s a reason why so many Christmas movies have been filmed in New England, John Stimpson of H9 Films in Worcester told me.
Advertisement:
“The authenticity of New England is what has made our movies successful,” Stimpson said. “It’s quintessential Christmas … the architecture, the feel of the smaller towns, the gazebos, the Christmas tree farms. You don’t have to fake it. It’s the real deal.”
The camera crews may be gone, but check out regional towns where you can step into a former Christmas movie set this season, the most recent of which is Princeton.
Travel tips
- Looking for February getaway ideas? Lumina 2025: “Play!” will take over downtown Providence from Feb. 1-17, with performances by local artists and Ice Dance International and interactive installations such as larger-than-life glowing instruments and stationary bikes that light up and play music.
- Shop for holiday gifts while enjoying complimentary treats and live entertainment in beautiful downtown Newburyport during the city’s Holiday Invitation nights on Dec. 13 and 20.
- Tap Air Portugal is launching seasonal nonstop flights from Boston to Porto in May, making it easier to sip port wine in the city famous for it.
Deals and Steals
- Attention, Zipcar members: Look for a golden ticket in Boston vehicles Dec. 9-15 to win $500 in driving credit. Winners can redeem the holiday giveaway instantly by adding the golden ticket code to their wallet in their account. The giveaway is happening in six U.S. cities, including Boston.
- Greater Boston restaurants are spreading holiday cheer with deals on lunch this month. For example, eat at Rochambeau for $20 per person; Bistro du Midi and The Banks Seafood & Steak for $49 per person; and Harvest for $55 per person.
- “Harry Potter: The Exhibition” at CambridgeSide has been extended and guests can take advantage of a new deal that includes four flex tickets, four audio guides, and four commemorative posters for $175 (a $250 value). The exhibition will now close April 27, 2025.
I’ll leave you with this photo I took of the 15-foot poinsettia tree currently on display at The Breakers in Newport.
Advertisement:
Where have you traveled lately? Please share your photos by sending them to [email protected] and they may be featured in an upcoming Scenic Six newsletter.
Whether you’re traveling this week or planning your next escape, enjoy the journey.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com