Best East Coast Destinations to Visit Before the Busy Summer Season

As today, March 20^th kicks off the official start of spring, we’ve rounded up some of the best east coast summer destinations to visit this spring with fewer crowds and off-peak season pricing. Ranging from Hampton Bays, Long Island, to Newport, Rhode Island, a trip along the coast is most serene in the spring when hotspots take on a new persona when its towns, restaurants, shops, wineries, and spas become all the more accessible.

Hampton Bays, Long Island – Canoe Place Inn & Cottages (pictured)

For those seeking accessibility, Hampton Bays offers a shorter commute and more approachable setting, without sacrificing proximity to tony Southampton and other popular beach towns. Opened in August 2022 in Hampton Bays, Canoe Place Inn & Cottages is a treasured Long Island landmark and the site of America’s oldest inn. The hotel offers 20 guest rooms, five guest cottages, and luxury residences, Good Ground Tavern, a Mediterranean inspired indoor and outdoor restaurant helmed by Executive Chef Ülfet Ralph, and a 300-seat private event space. As the ‘First Stop Out East’, Canoe Place’s unique location at the entryway to the Hamptons offers an entirely reimagined experience for travelers this spring and beyond.

Canoe Place blends the comforts and intimacy of a family home with the amenities of a boutique seaside resort, all meticulously designed as a gathering place for visitors and local residents. The property’s interiors, designed by acclaimed Brooklyn-based Workstead, are a homage to its storied past as a welcoming and dynamic waterside retreat. Art from local and internationally renowned painters and sculptors figure prominently in guest accommodations and public spaces inside and across the Canoe Place property.

The Berkshires, Massachusetts – The Red Lion Inn, Porches Inn at Mass MoCA

The Berkshires are buzzing in the spring offering historic small towns, charming accommodations from Main Street Hospitality (below), access to a booming arts & culture scene, and outdoor adventures throughout the surrounding mountains. Just a 3-hour drive from NYC, the Berkshires makes for a convenient and easy getaway this spring.

• Stockbridge MA: An idyllic town that was home to Norman Rockwell and set the scene for many of his classic American paintings, Stockbridge offers rich history and old-world flare. In the spring, arts and culture happenings abound at the Lion’s Den at Red Lion Inn, a speakeasy-esque pub off of Main Street that has hosted the likes of James Taylor, Joan Baez and Billy Joel. Travelers can stay at the The Red Lion Inn, iconic landmark in the heart of town has been known and loved for generations. High-res images HERE

• North Adams, MA: A growing destination for young creatives, North Adams is at the heart of the Berkshires’ creative movement, which began 20 years ago when a dilapidated town mill became a world class art museum, MASS MoCA. That same year, a series of run-down mill worker’s houses became a creative, quirky and luxurious boutique hotel – Porches Inn at MASS MoCA along with Hotel Downstreet, which is set to make its debut this spring, making North Adams the ideal home base for those passing through for music festivals, shows and outdoor activities. Also located on the hotel’s campus is Studio 9, a state-of-the-art performance venue and recording studio frequented by Debbie Harry and Wilco.  High-res images HERE

Newport, Rhode Island – Hammetts Hotel

Newport offers travelers the coastal bliss with added historic charm and exciting arts & culture happenings. Hammetts Hotel is located directly on the Wharf in the center of town in Newport. Modeled after a ship’s quarters, the hotel rooms feature nautical inspiration and modern amenities. The hotel’s unparalleled location makes it an ideal home base for travelers looking to immerse themselves in the destination, encouraging discovery of all the offerings just steps away downtown, which also eliminates the need for costly Ubers and taxis to get around.

Boston, Massachusetts – Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport

Embodying Boston of the 21st Century, Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport showcases a contemporary design that celebrates the city’s heritage in visual and performing arts, as well as its unrivaled traditions of academic excellence and technological innovation. Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport boasts 1,054 finely appointed guestrooms, including 52 suites, 100,000 square feet of flexible function space, several distinct dining experiences, a year-round scenic rooftop pool (the only in the Seaport) and full-service Breve Spa.

Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport, along with all Omni properties, is offering a ‘Take A Break’ Package for those looking for a quick escape.

• Book by April 11, 2023 and receive 20% off your stay from March 1 to September 5
• Does not apply to groups conventions or other packages and cannot be combined with other offers

Bretton Woods, New Hampshire – Omni Mount Washington Resort

Omni Mount Washington Resort - an all-season resort destination in New Hampshire located at the base of Mount Washington, surrounded by the White Mountain National Forest, and home to New Hampshire’s largest ski area, Bretton Woods - is the ideal Spring destination for those hoping for a weekend escape or a quick retreat from Boston, Providence, CT, NY and more. The resort offers New Hampshire’s only 8-passenger scenic gondola and a handful of recreational activities including après ski, slopeside climbing wall, fat tire biking, snowshoeing, snow tubing, a year-round canopy tour (celebrating its 15th anniversary this year) and more.

This Spring, Omni Mount Washington Resort is offering two packages:

• “Take a Break”
  • Book by April 11, 2023 and receive 20% off your stay from March 1 to September 5
  • Does not apply to groups conventions or other packages and cannot be combined with other offers
• “Stay Here, Ski Free”
  • For Sunday-Thursday nights during non-holiday periods, receive two complimentary ski lift tickets per room
  • Valid for Deluxe rooms and higher, not valid for European or Traditional rooms