Festive New England Destinations

I know I’ve been obsessing over the beauty of Newport at Christmastime, but I can’t help it! It is such a festive place to be during the Christmas season. It may become a new holiday tradition for us. And while I love including international traditions into our own Christmas celebration, you don’t have to go far to find the Christmas spirit as New England is full of charm at the holidays. Here are a few festive New England Destinations to add to your bucketlist. 

Newport, RI

As I said, I cannot get over how beautiful Newport is at Christmas. I’ll keep this short since you can check out more on Christmas at the Newport Mansions and Christmas in Newport. But let me reiterate that this little seaside city is Christmas decor goals, especially on Bannister and Bowen’s Wharves and on Spring and Thames Streets. 

Concord, MA

Concord is just one of those quintessential New England cities. Sure, it has a lot to do with its colonial history, and it is an affluent town. But the little shops seem to embrace the legacy of its days of old, especially during the holiday season. Decorations are made of real greens and tinsel. And one of the only places I found to have my favorite eggnog latte this season was the Main Streets Market & Cafe where they also have a delicious gingerbread person (not man). You can check out more on Concord with my travel guide. 

Portsmouth, NH

Portsmouth is another one of those picture-perfect seaside cities that just screams New England. And in recent years, it has embraced the world of Dickens as if it was it’s own with restaurants like Fezziwig’s Food & Fountain which is all dressed up for Christmas, and Pickwick’s Mercantile. The historical homes of Strawberry Banke are decked for the holidays in the traditional style. There is also a rink where you can lace up your skates for an afternoon filled with festive fun! For more on Portsmouth, I’ve shared my must dos here.

What are some of your favorite festive destinations that just do the holidays up right?