USA: New England by RV

New England consists of six states: Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. This 18-day RV road trip from Boston combines historic cities with coastal scenery, small towns, forests, and mountains. In fall, the region is also known for its colorful foliage. The route allows you to spend two nights in several destinations along the way. If you want more time for hiking, exploring the coast, or enjoying the fall colors, consider adding a few extra days.

Days 1 and 2: Boston
Start with two days in Boston before picking up your RV. Walk the Freedom Trail, visit the Museum of Fine Arts, or cross the Charles River to Cambridge and Harvard University. Seasonal whale-watching trips also depart from Boston. 

Days 3 and 4: Boston – Cape Cod, approx. 70 mi – 1.5 hours
After picking up your RV, drive south to Cape Cod. Explore the beaches, dunes, and lighthouses of Cape Cod National Seashore and continue to Provincetown at the tip of the peninsula. Whale-watching tours also depart from several towns on Cape Cod.

Days 5 and 6: Cape Cod – Newport, approx. 80 mi – 1.5 hours
Leave Massachusetts behind and enter Rhode Island. Newport is known for its grand Gilded Age mansions, including The Breakers. You can also walk part of the Cliff Walk, with views of the Atlantic Ocean on one side and historic estates on the other.

Day 7: Newport – New Haven via Mystic, approx. 100 mi – 2 hours
Follow the coast toward Mystic, where you can learn about New England’s maritime history at the Mystic Seaport Museum. Continue to New Haven, home to Yale University. The city is also known for its distinctive local style of pizza, called apizza.

Day 8: New Haven – Springfield via Litchfield Hills, approx. 110 mi – 2.5 hours
Take a scenic detour through the Litchfield Hills before leaving Connecticut. Back in Massachusetts, you can stay near Springfield or continue into the Berkshires, with towns such as Stockbridge and Lenox. Fall is an especially attractive time to drive through this wooded part of western Massachusetts.

Days 9 and 10: Springfield – Montpelier, approx. 175 mi – 3 hours
Today you enter Vermont. From the small state capital of Montpelier, explore places such as Waterbury and Stowe or head into the Green Mountains. If you have enough time, consider a side trip to Burlington on the shores of Lake Champlain.

Days 11 and 12: Montpelier – White Mountains, approx. 105 mi – 2.5 hours
Cross from Vermont into the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Lincoln is a convenient base for hiking, waterfalls, and a visit to Flume Gorge. Make time for the Kancamagus Highway between Lincoln and Conway, one of New England’s best-known scenic drives and particularly popular during fall foliage season.

Days 13 and 14: White Mountains – Bar Harbor, approx. 235 mi – 4.5 hours
A longer drive takes you east to Bar Harbor on the Maine coast. From here, explore Acadia National Park, where mountains, forests, lakes, and rocky coastline are all within a relatively compact area. Drive part of Park Loop Road or choose one of the hiking trails around Jordan Pond.

If you plan to visit Cadillac Mountain, check the current regulations in advance. Vehicle reservations are required for Cadillac Summit Road during part of the year, and RVs, trailers, and vehicles longer than 21 feet are not permitted. Check the latest information from the National Park Service before your visit.

Day 15: Bar Harbor – Portland, approx. 175 mi – 3.5 hours
Drive southwest from Bar Harbor toward Portland. If time allows, follow sections of US Route 1 and stop at coastal towns and lighthouses along the way. In Portland, explore the historic Old Port district or visit Portland Head Light in nearby Cape Elizabeth.

Day 16: Portland – Boston, approx. 110 mi – 2 hours
Head back toward Boston, with possible stops in Kennebunkport and Salem, known for the Salem witch trials of 1692. Spend your final night near Boston so you can return the RV on time the following day.

Days 17 and 18: Boston – Home
Return your RV and travel home. Allow enough time for the drive to the rental location, vehicle return procedures, and transportation to the airport.

Exploring New England by RV

This round trip from Boston covers approximately 1,120 miles, excluding local drives and side trips. Campgrounds around Cape Cod, the White Mountains, and Acadia National Park can be popular during summer and fall foliage season, so booking ahead is recommended.

Ready to plan your own New England road trip? Explore RV rental in Boston or view all options for RV rental in the United States. You can easily adjust this example itinerary to your travel dates and the places where you would like to spend more time.