Credit card perks like trip delay reimbursement and trip cancellation insurance can be invaluable when something goes wrong. So can perks like delayed and lost luggage reimbursement.
03.02.2025 - 08:33 / lonelyplanet.com
Feb 2, 2025 • 8 min read
Wondering when is the best time to visit New England? That all depends on what you’re hoping to do. If you’re trying to escape the summer heat, the beaches of Martha’s Vineyard and Block Island offer cool and scenic respite by the Atlantic Ocean. During winter, mountain towns like Stowe welcome skiers and snowboarders craving epic adventures on the open snow. And though certain areas get busy during peak autumn leaf-peeping season, you can otherwise take advantage of smaller crowds during the spring and fall transitional periods.
For a better idea of what to expect when, here’s our guide to determine when is your best time to visit New England.
Best for skiing, snowboarding and snowy winter scenery
First, if you want a bargain, plan your trip for winter in seaside towns like Bar Harbor. Hotels often slash their prices in winter by 50% or more. Keep in mind that some businesses can close during the low season, and you’ll have to be prepared for frigid temperatures. Be prepared for a potential Nor’easter: occurring between September and April, these storms bring strong winds, large waves and often heavy precipitation that can damage coastlines and cause flooding.
However, when ski season is in full swing (December through February), rates skyrocket at mountain resorts. In particular, mountain towns like Stowe and Manchester (in Vermont) draw major tourist crowds with their famed ski slopes and posh hotels and resorts. For fewer crowds and a more rustic skiing experience, try areas like Cannon Mountain and Waterville Valley in New Hampshire’s White Mountains.
Best for bargain hunting and (relative) lack of crowds
While spring officially begins in March, some of New England’s ski resorts stay open until April and May, and even destinations at lower elevations can still experience some icy weather early on. You will need to prepare for the occasional snow showers in March, and for rain showers later in the season. But if you don’t mind the potential for wet weather, you can score lower prices on hotels and flights during the spring shoulder season.
And if you’re hoping to do some sightseeing in and around Boston, you might be able to score some deals during spring, but be aware that the city gets busy during Patriots Day and the Boston Marathon in April.
Best for beach trips and festival fun
After months of cold, wintery skies and a sometimes way-too-brief spring, summer arrives in epic fashion in New England. From late June through August, beaches, nature reserves and lakeside resorts are the places to be, followed by evenings spent outdoors dining, drinking and catching open-air entertainment from concerts at Tanglewood to Fourth-of-July fireworks. Not surprisingly, this is the
Credit card perks like trip delay reimbursement and trip cancellation insurance can be invaluable when something goes wrong. So can perks like delayed and lost luggage reimbursement.
The best time to visit Alaska will hardly be a surprise—it’s when you can get good weather and a lot of sunlight to see and explore everything that the largest state in the United States has to offer. Alaska is one of the Best Places to Go in 2025, as many of the area's signature sites and events like the Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve and the 1000-mile-long Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race celebrate their 100th birthdays this year. But beyond these milestones, Alaska is still an exciting destination in any year. It’s the matter of what time of year to visit that can help turn your trip from a good one into a fabulous one.
In 2024, approximately 1 billion passengers departed from U.S. airports. Nearly a quarter of those travelers, about 236 million, experienced a flight delay or cancellation, according to a recent report from AirHelp, an air passenger rights company.
Feb 5, 2025 • 5 min read
Feb 5, 2025 • 6 min read
Feb 5, 2025 • 8 min read
Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow on Sunday, so legend has it we're in store for six more weeks of winter.
With over 30 years of experience in hotels from Abu Dhabi to Napa Valley, Michelin-starred chef Massimo Falsini has encountered every kind of guest.
Feb 2, 2025 • 8 min read
Chances are you’ve heard about the Real ID — maybe you already have one. The gist is that starting May 7, 2025, every U.S. citizen who is 18 years and older will need a Real ID or approved alternative to fly domestically. If you don't have one, you’ll be denied entry at TSA checkpoints.
Jan 31, 2025 • 10 min read
The best time to visit Barbados is a worthy topic: From long sunny afternoons on idyllic beaches to aimless strolls around the UNESCO Heritage Site capital, Bridgetown, there are umpteen reasons to visit this dazzling Caribbean island of Barbados. However, timing is everything, and the best time to visit Barbados depends on what you seek from a tropical island escape. Whenever you visit Barbados, there are plenty of things to do in Barbados, as well as to experience: toes-in-the-sand bliss; cooling off in the crystal-clear Caribbean Sea; popping on a snorkel and mask to see a technicolor world in the ocean. While choosing the right places to stay is key, there’s plenty to do besides downtime in the best hotels in Barbados, from sampling authentic Barbadian food and meeting locals in beach shacks to exploring Mount Gay, the world's longest-running rum distillery. Excited? This is the best time to visit Barbados.