With unique brick facades reminiscent of another era, the quaint downtown of Newburyport makes it a perfect New England town to visit in any season. Newburyport is a historical seaport with many attractions. Whether you enjoy the restaurants or spend all your time shopping in the cute stores around downtown, you will feel pulled into the history of the place. For fascinating stories from Newburyport’s history be sure to check out the self-described nerds and New England historians Eric Getz and Alex Cain on their Untapped History blog=.

Either before or after you sit down at the pizzeria or shop at the kitschy stores, you can enjoy a beautiful coastal sunrise or sunset on the beach in Plum Island. On that particular morning, we walked on the beach and it felt like we were all by ourselves on the 11-mile long Plum Island.

Also, close by is the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge with more than 300 species of birds and animals. Walking along this refuge will transport you to another world.