7 Of The Most Welcoming Towns In New England
There is no shortage of things to do in New England. Known for its natural beauty and history, New England attracts visitors from neighboring states and from international tourism. For festivals and other large multi-day events, big names such as the Newport Jazz Festival and The Eastern States Exposition often dominate tourists’ minds. But what are some of the most welcoming towns to visit, with community events, festivals, and fairs for locals and tourists alike? You don’t have to fight crowds or pay top dollar to see some wonderful local color to get a sense of community in New England.
Rockland, Maine
Rockland is what you picture when you’re thinking of a New England town on the coast. Located on Penobscot Bay and the Gulf of Maine, and beyond that, the Atlantic Ocean, Rockland is a historical seaport with a deep and rich maritime tradition. With its beginnings as a lumber camp, the area was first permanently settled by Europeans in 1769, and after a few name changes, the shipbuilding town of Rockland emerged in 1850. The Sail, Power, and Steam Museum, open seasonally in the Old Snow Shipyard, is a great place to learn about the region's maritime history and heritage.
With the sea comes seafood, and Rockland’s signature event is the Maine Lobster Festival. The annual event takes place in August, and it is free to attend. They feature the world’s largest lobster cooker, a parade, cooking contests, craft beer, live entertainment, and over 20,000 pounds of lobster consumed over the five-day event. Rockland also hosts the North Atlantic Blues Festival, a two-day annual event in July. The festival itself requires a paid ticket, but there are town-wide parallel events, especially on Main Street, which is closed to traffic for the NABF Club Crawl.
Laconia, New Hampshire
Laconia is beautifully set at the center of the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. Outdoor activities are a big part of Laconia's life and tourism. Downtown is friendly and walkable, and it is the center of commercial and social life. The town is perhaps best known for the annual Laconia Motorcycle Week, the oldest bike rally in the country and one of the largest in the world. Founded in 1916, the rally attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. The events include competitions, live entertainment, and the Peter Makris Memorial Ride, a collaboration between bikers and the New Hampshire State Police. A key goal of the rally is to dispel myths about bikers, and the week-long event remains popular with locals and tourists alike.
Other Laconia events include the annual Laconia Multicultural Festival, which takes place in September and features world music, arts and crafts, and international cuisines, and the New Hampshire Pumpkin Festival, which was moved from Keene, New Hampshire, to Laconia in 2014, and is celebrated every October, with the highlight being more than 10,000 lit jack-o'-lanterns.
Salisbury, Connecticut
Once known for producing high-quality iron for the railroad and arms industries, Salisbury's unique history and picturesque location have made tourism a key economic source in more modern times. Most notably, Salisbury acts as a gateway to the Appalachian Trail, which you can access via the Undermountain Trail just north of town, and the area's mountains are known for hiking and skiing. The rural small-town charm of Salisbury itself is also a significant draw, with scenic roads offering beautiful drives.
For a bit of history, check out the Scoville Memorial Library. Established in 1803, it was the first free public library in the United States. The biggest event in the town and surrounding area is the Salisbury Winter Sports Association Jumpfest, taking place the first weekend of February each year. In addition to hosting ski jumping’s Eastern Nationals competition, the festival offers jumping demos and performances, ice carving, a Human Dogsled Race, and a ski jumping camp for children.
Topsfield, Massachusetts
Topsfield is a small town, close enough to Boston to take advantage of urban amenities, but far enough away to avoid the crowds and chaos that come with larger cities. Topsfield is small and decidedly rural in feel. The surrounding countryside is farm country, and that is reflected in the town itself. For much of its history, Topsfield remained agrarian in focus, but its proximity to Boston and its friendly and safe community made it attractive as a suburban retreat.
The biggest draw and the central event in Topsfield community life is the Topsfield Fair, the oldest agricultural fair in the United States, dating back to 1818. In addition to the farm displays and competitions, there are rides, live entertainment, and the All New England Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off. Attendance regularly hovers around half a million for the 10-day event, a remarkable number for a town of 6,500. Fiesta Shows is a traveling amusement park that has partnered with the Topsfield Fair for over 50 years. Other annual events include the Memorial Day Parade and the Topsfield Historical Society's Strawberry Festival every June, where you'll find arts and crafts vendors, live music, family-friendly activities, and, of course, lots of fresh berry-themed food.
Hampton, New Hampshire
The coastal town of Hampton is home to the famed Hampton Beach, which has been a summer tourist destination for generations. With the arrival of the railroad by the middle of the 19th century, Hampton quickly gained popularity. Today, seasonal summer housing and beach-adjacent restaurants and shops ensure the town continues to thrive. As a family-friendly destination, Hampton offers many free events and activities, and the 1.34-mile beach is pristine and includes a boardwalk with tax-free shopping.
The town itself offers free entertainment at the Seashell Stage, open-air family movie screenings, weekly fireworks on Wednesdays throughout the summer, and other complimentary beach-focused activities. The Annual Hampton Beach Master Sand Sculpting Classic is another free event held in June, as is the Hampton Beach Children’s Festival, taking place every August. Meanwhile, the Hampton Beach Seafood Festival has been a premier event in Hampton since 1988, taking place in the central part of the beach on the weekend after Labor Day. The festival draws 100,000 people each year, with over 50 participating restaurants setting up on the beach, plus arts and crafts focusing on local products, plus other free events, such as live performances and children’s activities.
Quechee, Vermont
Quechee is a village, one of several that make up the town of Hartford, Vermont. Like much of small-town New England life, Quechee is a mix of rural and urban, and is renowned for its spectacular fall colors. The village was founded as the site of Quechee Mill on the Ottauquechee River, which flows through the beautiful Quechee Gorge. The mill itself still stands and is now the Simon Pearce restaurant and glass-blowing studio.
Quechee is home to the Quechee Balloon Festival, the longest-running hot-air balloon festival in Vermont. In addition to the balloon launches, live entertainment, arts and craft vendors, and family activities take part in and around the village every Father’s Day weekend in June. Quechee is also home to the Quechee Ski Area. The mountain features trails and lifts, catering to everyone from experienced skiers to beginners. Quechee is also home to the Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) Nature Center, a conservation center for birds and reptiles with indoor and outdoor exhibits, including the Forest Canopy Walk, and A Forest of Lights, which sees thousands of lights illuminate the surrounding forest and trails, as well as a campfire with hot chocolate, cider, and snacks.
Carver, Massachusetts
With a rich history and idyllic small-town life, Carver has two key attractions, making it a worthy destination for families and other tourists. Edaville Railroad was opened in 1947. Named for the initials of founder Ellis D. Atwood and located on his cranberry farm, Edaville was built around its narrow gauge railroad line, one of the oldest heritage railroad operations in the United States. In the 2000s, Edaville Railroad was rebranded as Edaville Family Theme Park with rides to complement the railroad. The park was once again rebranded in 2025 as Edaville Historic Train & Festival of Lights.
Also located on the Edaville grounds, King Richard's Faire is a Renaissance Faire that runs over eight consecutive weekends from the first weekend in September through the third weekend in October. The event features traditional games, rides, food, and drink, and is attended by more than 120,000 people each year. For a true taste of Carver, Flax Pond Farms honors the town's heritage on their 100-acre cranberry farm, where they offer tours of the farm and traditional screening house. They also sell products harvested and made on-site in their gift shop.
New England’s Friendliest Destinations
Whether you’re looking for family-friendly activities, fun on a budget, or you simply want to try something new, these towns in New England offer free or low-cost attractions. Like so much of New England, these towns have the charm and friendliness you come to expect from this region, with activities specific to this part of the United States. From seafood festivals to hot-air balloons and motorcycles, if you’re looking for excitement and a welcoming spirit, you can’t go wrong with these towns.
