The New England Summer Bucket List I'm Checking Off This Year

Written By Vanessa Gatlin

Every summer, I find myself craving the same things. Long walks by the ocean before the beaches fill up. Fresh flowers from the farmers market. Lobster rolls eaten outside. Hydrangeas blooming in neighborhoods that somehow look like they've stepped out of a Nancy Meyers film. Living in New England means summer arrives with its own rhythm, and every year I look forward to slipping back into it.

Now that I'm a mom, I find myself paying even more attention to the little moments. Morning walks before it gets too hot. Ice cream after (or for) dinner. Fresh peaches from the farm stand. Watching sailboats drift across the harbor while my baby naps in the stroller.

This isn't a list of things to rush through. It's a collection of places worth lingering a little longer. Some are iconic. Some are wonderfully local. All of them remind me why I love calling New England home…

A sunset yoga session on Nahant Beach.

Coastal Days

  • Wake up before sunrise and watch the city wake up from Nahant Beach.

  • Eat a lobster roll overlooking the water in Essex.

  • Walk Bearskin Neck with an iced coffee in hand.

  • Spend an afternoon at Singing Beach in Manchester-by-the-Sea.

  • Watch the sunset from Stage Fort Park in Gloucester.

  • Visit Crane Beach on a weekday morning before the crowds arrive.

  • Grab fried clams from Woodman's of Essex.

  • Wander the boutiques in Marblehead.

  • Take the ferry. Anywhere.

  • Spend an evening listening to live music at Salem Willows.

Team Cold Lobster Roll all the way. With a side of onion rings, of course.

Charming Small Towns

  • Browse every bookstore in Newburyport.

  • Spend a morning in Concord exploring independent shops and cafés.

  • Visit Woodstock, Vermont for a weekend.

  • Wander through downtown Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

  • Spend an afternoon in Mystic, Connecticut.

  • Have lunch outside in Stockbridge.

  • Visit Bristol, Rhode Island for coastal charm without the crowds.

The quintessential New England vantage point.

Farmers Markets Worth Waking Up Early For

  • Copley Square Farmers Market (Boston)

  • Newburyport Farmers Market

  • Salem Farmers Market

  • Portsmouth Farmers Market

  • Lexington Farmers Market

Bring a canvas tote. Buy flowers you didn't plan on buying. Pick up a gift someone isn’t expecting.

A farmer’s market bounty.

Pick-Your-Own Everything

  • Blueberries

  • Strawberries

  • Lavender

  • Sunflowers

  • Wildflowers

  • Peaches (late summer)

One of my favorite parts of summer is bringing home whatever's in season and figuring out a meal around it.

Freshly picked just hits different.

The Local Secrets

These are the things visitors don't always know about.

  • Eat roast beef three-way sandwiches on the North Shore.

  • Stop at Richardson's Ice Cream after dinner.

  • Watch boats pass through the Essex River while eating seafood.

  • Kayak the Ipswich River.

  • Visit Halibut Point just before sunset.

  • Take Route 127 instead of the highway.

  • Spend an afternoon exploring Castle Hill at Crane Estate.

  • Find a quiet beach access point instead of the busiest public beaches.

  • Buy flowers from an honor-system roadside stand.

It’s the cotton candy sky over a coastal New England town for me.

Summer Food Worth Planning Around

  • Hot buttered lobster rolls

  • Fried whole belly clams

  • Blueberry pie

  • Fresh oysters

  • Homemade strawberry shortcake

  • Corn on the cob from a roadside stand

  • Whoopie pies in Maine

  • Maple creemees in Vermont

  • Apple cider donuts (late August)

The Homeport on Martha’s Vineyard is a summer foodie’s dream spot.

Summer Evenings

These are my favorite.

  • Outdoor concerts on the town common

  • Watching sailboats at golden hour

  • Walking after dinner without a destination

  • Reading on the porch

  • Eating watermelon outside

  • Fireflies

  • Hydrangea walks through old neighborhoods

  • Sunset picnics

  • Ice cream with no particular occasion

I will choose to be from New England every single time.

If You Only Do Ten Things...

If someone asked me how to experience a New England summer, I'd tell them to:

  • Watch the sunrise over the Atlantic.

  • Eat a lobster roll by the water.

  • Wander Newburyport without a plan.

  • Spend a day on Martha's Vineyard.

  • Visit a farmers market.

  • Pick your own blueberries.

  • Stay in a coastal inn for one night.

  • Take a harbor cruise at sunset.

  • Eat Richardson's Ice Cream after dinner.

  • End the day sitting outside just a little longer than usual.

Because maybe that's the secret. New England summers were never meant to be rushed. They're meant to be noticed.

Vanessa Gatlin
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