Top 10 Summer Activities to do in New England

June 22, 2021

With a year and a half of quarantining behind us and businesses finally back open at 100% capacity, it’s time to take full advantage of the summer months with some cheap and free activities surrounding the Boston & New England area! Check out this list of our top 10 summer activities near you!

1. Throw a Backyard Beer Olympics Tournament

Gather your friends and family together for a full day of drinking and fun. Set up the cornhole boards, beer pong tables, horseshoes, frolf, ladder golf and more for a healthy competition.

Split your crew into designated teams, fashioned with some custom team t-shirts and compete for the gold. Either one winner takes all. If you have enough teams, tier three winning teams with gold, silver, and bronze prizes.

Feed your guests with a backyard BBQ or a seafood bake or make it a potluck where each guest brings their own delicious dish!

Do not have a big enough backyard? Check with your public recreation authorities and claim an open spot at a public park or beach. Be sure to abide by open container or public drinking laws in your region if this is the option you choose!

If this is an event you are interested in hosting, make sure to check out our new cornhole boards and custom tees online make your backyard games most professional!

However which way you choose to host, remember to have fun and hydrate, Kehd!

2. Take a Hike!

Cadillac Mountain

Living in New England makes it easy to embrace the great outdoors with drivable day hikes or weekend hiking trips all along the east coast. Check out these recommended hikes located across New England:

Cutler Coast, ME
Monadnock. NH
Bash Bish Falls, MA
West Rattlesnake, NH
Mansfield, VT
Greylock, MA
Washington, NH
Cadillac Mountain, ME
Arethusa Falls, NH
Halibut Point, MA

3. Go on a Customized Picnic Tour

Boston Picnic Company

Schedule a customized picnic tour in your area with Boston Picnic Company. Boston Picnic Co. creates a picnic adventure for small and large groups across New England equipped with stops at local vendors for you to sample food and collect snacks along the way towards your final picnic destination. The cost is dependent on the size of your group and location of your tour, and you will be required you to come equipped with your own alcoholic beverages (if desired) and picnic gear. It is recommended to book your tours at least 3 weeks in advance as spots fill quickly. So go ahead and plan this picnic tour for your next birthday, wedding/baby shower, corporate event, or just for you and a group of your friends to get together for a day packed full of fun! Visit Boston Picnic Company online to schedule your tour and to learn more details about the tour.

4. Go to a Free Blues Concert at the Boston Harbor Hotel

Look out onto the picturesque Boston Harbor and enjoy a drink while listening to blues music for Blues Barge at the Boston Harbor Hotel. Blues Barge features a floating stage on Rowes Wharf where the hottest local Blues artists come to play. The Boston Harbor Hotel has been hosting Blues Barge every Thursday from 6pm – 10pm during the summer months and attracting tourists and locals alike. Not only is Blues Barge perfect for a date night on the town, but to sit and enjoy the music is completely free! Support Blues Barge and buy a few drinks from the friendly staff at the hotel and make sure to throw some tips to the musicians!

5. Hit the Beach

Crane Beach

New England really has it all: cities, mountains, forests, lakes and yes, beautiful beaches all along the coast! No matter where in New England you are, you are bound to find a beach within a drivable day-trip distance. With so many beautiful coastal beaches to choose from in New England, we had to narrow it down to our top 10 below (in no particular order):

Mohegan Bluffs Beach – New Shoreham, Rhode Island
Crane Beach - Ipswich, Massachusetts
Ogunquit Beach – Ogunquit, Maine
Singing Beach - Manchester, Massachusetts
Hampton Beach, Hampton, New Hampshire
Ocean Beach Park. Lighthouse - New London, Connecticut.
Spectacle Island – Boston, Massachusetts
Easton's Beach/First Beach – Newport, Rhode Island
Kennebunk Beach – Kennebunk, Maine
Hammonasset Beach State Park - Madison Connecticut

6. Sample a Flight at a Local New England Brewery

There is nothing like visiting a craft brewery in the summer and getting and New England is full of them! Gather a group of your friends (21+ only!) and sample craft beer at one of these favorited local breweries listed by state:

Connecticut

Connecticut Valley Brewing Company located in South Windsor, Connecticut
Stargazer Brewing Company in North Haven, Connecticut
Alvarium Beer Co. located in New Britain, Connecticut

Rhode Island

Foolproof Brewing Company in Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Buttonwoods Brewery in Cranston, Rhode Island
Proclamation Ale Company in Warwick, Rhode Island

Massachusetts

Harpoon Brewery in the Seaport District, Boston
Lord Hobo Brewing Company in Woburn, Massachusetts
Sam Adams Brewery in Boston, Massachusetts

New Hampshire

White Birch Brewing Company in Nashua, New
Tuckerman Brewing Company in North Conway, New Hampshire
Frogg Brewing in Marlborough, New Hampshire

Maine

Xota Brewing Company in Waterboro, Maine
Maine Beer Company in Freeport, Maine.
Allagash Brewing Company in Portland, Maine

Vermont

The Alchemist Brewery in Stowe, Vermont
Foam Brewers in Burlington, Vermont
Beer Naked Brewery in Marlboro, Vermont

7. Go on a New England Booze Cruise

Tiki Hut Harbor Cruise

Enjoy the scenic harbor views of the new England coastline and book yourself a sunset cruise equipped with drinks and an enthusiastic tour guide. Check out these recommended booze cruise locations along the east coast:

Boston Harbor Cruise – Boston, MA
Tiki Hut Harbor Cruise – Salem, MA
Classic Cruises of Newport – Newport, RI
Lady Katharine Cruises – Hartford, CT
Acadian Boat Tours – Bar Harbor, ME
Portsmouth Harbor Cruises – Portsmouth, NH
Casablanca Cruises – Portland, ME
Maine Music & Dinner Cruises – Boothbay Harbor, ME

8. Go On A New England Whitewater Rafting Adventure

Looking to get the adrenaline pumping this summer? If so, New England happens to be home to plenty of whitewater rafting adventure spots sprinkled all up the coast. What are you waiting for? get on your life jacket and make your way to one of these drivable white water rafting locations!

Crab Apple Whitewater Inc – Charlemont, MA
Berkshire Whitewater, Charlemont, MA
NEOC Whitewater Rafting Base – Millinocket, ME
North Country Rivers Kennebec White Water Rafting – Bingham, ME
Zoar Outdoor Adventure Resort – Westforks, ME
Raft NH – Gorham, NH
Northeast Whitewater – Shirley Mills, ME
Three Rivers Whitewater – West Forks, ME
Penobscot Adventures - Millinocket, ME
Outdoor New England – Franklin, NH

9. Rent a Cabin by the Lake

Not only do we have great beaches in New England with the Atlantic Ocean just a hop, skip, and a jump away, but we also have beautiful lakes that run up the east coast. If you are looking for a laid-back getaway look no further than these famous New England lakes:

Lake Winnipesaukee in Laconia, NH is at the foothills of the white mountains and covers 69 square miles in total. It has plenty of hotels and campsites in the surrounding area and many outdoor recreations you and your family can enjoy such as: Kayaking, Fishing, Hiking, Swimming, and Tubing. Check out the A-framed cabin at the Oliver Lodge and rent your own island in the center of the lake!
Lake Champlain is the 6^th largest lake in the US and it borders the states of New York, Vermont and Quebec Canada on the other side. The lake is a total of 514 square miles. The lake has a total of 80 island, is surrounded by parks, and has 6 lighthouse sites to visit. Outdoor recreation consists of: Boating, Fishing, Hiking, Kayaking, Canoeing, and much more!
Lake Willoughby in Westmore, Vermont is a great place to camp, fish, swim, and kayak. It covers 4.971 miles and is known for its pristine, litter-free environment. Lake Willoughby is perfect for water sports & beach recreation.
Lake Sunapee in western New Hampshire is 6.5 square miles and is a Sizable natural lake for fishing & boating, with multiple sandy beaches, parks & lighthouses.
Sebago lake is the deepest and second largest lake in Maine covering 45 square miles. Sebago lake is a great place to take your paddle board, boat, kayak, canoe, and enjoy a great time with family and friends. Pets are welcome too!
Moosehead Lake in Northwestern Maine and is the second largest lake in New England. This lake is beautiful. The mountains and islands add to the beauty of the lake. It is a great place to kick-back, relax, and enjoy the beauty of nature.
Newfound lake in Grafton County, New Hampshire and is home to many fish species, this lake in Wellington State Park offers a boat launch & swimming beach. The water is clear and beautiful.

10. Go Ziplining

New Hampshire Ziplining

New England terrain makes it a perfect place for ziplining. Scale the mountains and forests on a perfect zipline adventure day trip. Check out these local spots below: