125 curated places · New England
New England,
worth every
season.
Featured: Motif Number 1
Every place scored for
photographic potential.
NESights ranks 125 locations across New England by scenic value — lighting, composition, and seasonal variety. No ads, no paid placements. Just the places worth visiting.
across New England
parks to hidden gems
per location
Ranked by scenic score
Top Scenic Picks
Rockport, MA
Motif Number 1
Motif Number 1 is a red fishing shack on Bradley Wharf in Rockport Harbor, widely considered the most frequently painted building in America. The original structure was built in the 1840s and destroyed in the Blizzard of 1978, then faithfully reconstructed. It sits at the end of a granite wharf surrounded by lobster boats and colorful buoys.
Eastham, MA
Nauset Light Beach
Nauset Light is a red and white cast-iron lighthouse perched on the eroding clay cliffs of Cape Cod's outer shore within the Cape Cod National Seashore. The lighthouse was moved back from the cliff edge in 1996 to save it from erosion. The dramatic clay and sand bluffs drop 50-80 feet to a wide Atlantic beach below.
Bar Harbor, ME
Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse
Built in 1858, this lighthouse sits on the rocky cliffs at the southwestern tip of Mount Desert Island. It is one of the most photographed lighthouses in Maine, with dramatic granite ledges descending into the Atlantic. The light is an active U.S. Coast Guard navigational aid.
Portland, ME
Portland Head Light
Commissioned by George Washington in 1791, Portland Head Light is the oldest lighthouse in Maine. It stands 80 feet tall on a rocky promontory at the entrance to Portland Harbor in Fort Williams Park. The lighthouse and keeper's house together form one of the most recognized lighthouse compositions in America.
Pemaquid, ME
Pemaquid Point Lighthouse
Built in 1835, Pemaquid Point Lighthouse stands on dramatically layered metamorphic rock formations that slope into the Atlantic. The distinctive banded rock strata create strong leading lines toward the lighthouse. The image appears on the Maine state quarter.
Kennebunkport, ME
Cape Neddick Nubble Lighthouse
Built in 1879 on a small rocky island just offshore from Cape Neddick Point in York. The lighthouse and its red-roofed keeper's house are separated from the mainland by a narrow channel. It is one of the most photographed lighthouses in New England and was included on the Voyager spacecraft's golden record.
Jackson, NH
Arethusa Falls
At approximately 176 feet, Arethusa Falls is the tallest single-drop waterfall in New Hampshire. The falls are reached via a 1.5-mile trail in Crawford Notch State Park that passes through dense forest along Bemis Brook. Water volume varies significantly by season, with spring snowmelt producing the most impressive flow.
Truro, MA
Highland Light (Cape Cod Light)
Highland Light is the oldest and tallest lighthouse on Cape Cod, first established in 1797 on the high clay cliffs of Truro. The current 66-foot tower dates to 1857 and was moved 450 feet inland in 1996 due to cliff erosion. The light sits atop 120-foot bluffs, giving it a focal plane of 183 feet above sea level.
Mount Washington, MA
Bash Bish Falls
Bash Bish Falls is the highest single-drop waterfall in Massachusetts, cascading approximately 60 feet over a split rock face into a clear pool below. The falls are located in Bash Bish Falls State Park in the remote southwestern corner of the state near the New York border. The gorge is surrounded by old-growth hemlock forest and dramatic rock formations.
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Off the tourist trail
Hidden Gems
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.
Rocky shores, coves & sea stacks
Coastline
Burlington, VT
Burlington Waterfront and Lake Champlain
Burlington's waterfront park stretches along Lake Champlain with views of the Adirondack Mountains across the water. The boardwalk, marina, and fishing pier provide varied foreground elements for sunset photography. On clear evenings, the sun sets directly behind the Adirondack ridgeline.
Newport, RI
Cliff Walk
This 3.5-mile public walkway runs along the eastern shore of Newport, offering views of the Atlantic Ocean on one side and Gilded Age mansions on the other. The path follows rugged limestone cliffs and passes behind several historic estates. It is a National Recreation Trail and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Stonington, CT
Stonington Lighthouse Museum
The Old Lighthouse Museum occupies an 1823 granite lighthouse at the southern tip of Stonington Point. The tower provides 360-degree views encompassing Fishers Island Sound, Watch Hill, and the Connecticut coastline. The lighthouse is the southernmost point in Stonington Borough.
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