Hidden Gems
18 places · Spots most visitors never find
Dennis, MA
Scargo Tower
Scargo Tower is a 30-foot stone observation tower atop Scargo Hill, the highest point in the mid-Cape area at 160 feet above sea level. The tower was built in 1901 and offers panoramic views of Cape Cod Bay, Scargo Lake, and on clear days, Provincetown's Pilgrim Monument. Scargo Lake below the tower is a kettle pond formed by glacial activity.
Lincoln, NH
Pemigewasset River at Lincoln
The East Branch of the Pemigewasset River flows through Lincoln with accessible stretches offering mountain views and clear water over rocky beds. Several pull-offs along the Kancamagus Highway near Lincoln provide access to the river. The river corridor is particularly scenic during fall foliage when the surrounding hillsides are reflected in calmer pools.
Lincoln, NH
Mount Pemigewasset (Indian Head)
Mount Pemigewasset, also known as Indian Head, rises to 2,557 feet and offers a cliff-edge viewpoint looking south down the Pemigewasset River valley. The 1.8-mile trail from the Flume Gorge parking area ascends through hardwood forest before emerging on open ledges. The cliff profile viewed from the valley resembles a human face in profile, giving the mountain its nickname.
Gorham, NH
Androscoggin River Overlook at Gorham
The Androscoggin River passes through Gorham with views of the northern Presidential Range rising to the south. Several accessible points along Route 2 and local roads provide vantage points where the river curves through farmland with mountain backdrops. Moose sightings along the river corridor are common at dawn and dusk.
Stowe, VT
Moss Glen Falls (Stowe)
A 125-foot cascading waterfall in C.C. Putnam State Forest that drops over a series of mossy rock ledges. The falls are surrounded by dense hardwood forest that provides vivid color in autumn. A short trail of about half a mile leads from the roadside parking area to the base of the falls.
Manchester, VT
Lye Brook Falls
One of the tallest waterfalls in Vermont at approximately 125 feet, located within the Lye Brook Wilderness of the Green Mountain National Forest. The falls cascade over a series of rock ledges surrounded by dense forest. The 4.6-mile round-trip trail passes through old-growth hardwoods and crosses several stream bridges.
Middlebury, VT
Pulp Mill Covered Bridge
The oldest surviving covered bridge in Vermont, built circa 1808-1820, spanning Otter Creek just north of Middlebury. The bridge is a two-span structure using a combination of Burr arch and Town lattice trusses. It is one of the few two-lane covered bridges remaining in the state.
Providence, RI
India Point Park
India Point Park sits at the confluence of the Seekonk and Providence rivers and offers views of the Providence skyline, the Hurricane Barrier, and Narragansett Bay. The park occupies a historic waterfront area that once served as Providence's commercial shipping district. The Fox Point Hurricane Barrier, a massive concrete flood control structure, is visible from the park.
Provincetown, MA
Provincetown Dune Shacks
The Peaked Hill Bars Historic District contains 19 rustic dune shacks scattered across the dunes between Provincetown and Race Point within the Cape Cod National Seashore. These simple structures have housed artists and writers since the early 1900s, including Eugene O'Neill, Jack Kerouac, and Norman Mailer. The surrounding landscape of windswept dunes, beach grass, and cranberry bogs is among the most pristine on Cape Cod.
Camden, ME
Curtis Island Light
A small lighthouse on Curtis Island marks the entrance to Camden Harbor. The island and its lighthouse are owned by the Town of Camden and are accessible only by boat. The lighthouse is a frequent subject photographed from the Camden waterfront, harbor cruise boats, or by kayak.
Plymouth, NH
Polar Caves Park Vicinity - Quincy Bog Natural Area
Quincy Bog Natural Area is a 40-acre peat bog with a 900-foot boardwalk through wetland habitat near Plymouth. The bog features carnivorous plants, orchids, and a variety of bird species. A floating boardwalk provides unique perspectives across the bog to surrounding forested hills.
Grafton, VT
Grafton Cheese Company
A historic cheddar cheese-making operation established in 1892, housed in a traditional Vermont creamery building. The facility offers viewing windows into the production area where cheese is made using methods similar to those used for over a century. The surrounding pastoral landscape of rolling hills and barns complements the artisan character.
Gloucester, MA
Dogtown Common
Dogtown Common is an abandoned colonial settlement in the interior of Cape Ann, now a 3,600-acre wilderness of glacial boulders and overgrown cellar holes. In the 1930s, financier Roger Babson commissioned motivational slogans to be carved into two dozen boulders scattered through the woods. The area has attracted artists and writers for centuries, including Marsden Hartley and Charles Olson.
Stonington, CT
Stonington Borough
Stonington Borough is a historic fishing village at the tip of a narrow peninsula jutting into Fishers Island Sound. The village retains its 18th- and 19th-century character with clapboard houses, stone walls, and a working harbor. It is one of the last remaining commercial fishing fleets in Connecticut.
Mystic, CT
Mystic River Bascule Bridge
The Mystic River Bascule Bridge is a historic drawbridge built in 1922 that spans the Mystic River in the center of Mystic village. The bridge opens on a regular schedule to allow boat traffic, creating a dynamic scene as vehicles wait and sailboats pass through. The bridge and surrounding waterfront buildings define the character of downtown Mystic.
Bar Harbor, ME
Schoodic Point
Located on the Schoodic Peninsula, this is the only mainland section of Acadia National Park. The broad, flat granite ledges meet the open Atlantic, producing spectacular wave action during storms. Dark diabase dikes cut through the pink granite, creating striking geological patterns.
Pemaquid, ME
Pemaquid Harbor
A quintessential Maine fishing harbor with lobster boats, weathered docks, and a small fleet of working vessels. The harbor is sheltered by Johns Bay and retains its character as an active fishing community. Colorful buoys, lobster traps, and weathered shacks line the waterfront.
Bar Harbor, ME
Somes Sound
Often described as the only fjord on the U.S. Atlantic coast, Somes Sound is a narrow glacially carved inlet that nearly bisects Mount Desert Island. Steep forested mountains rise on both sides of the deep, sheltered waterway. The sound extends approximately five miles inland from the ocean.