NEW ENGLAND, A REGION WORTH DISCOVERING
By Helen Price in Essentially America magazine

It's not often that a virtual stranger offers you a lift in his six-seater plane, or not where I come from, at any rate. I was attending a tourism conference in Vermont on my first ever trip to New England and faced a long and complicated journey via Boston to reach Down East Maine where I was going to spend a few days visiting inns. What this chap was suggesting would take hours off my journey, and I couldn't believe my luck. Yet I've since discovered that kindness like this is not uncommon in New England, and for me the openness, genuine hospitality and trustfulness (Vermonters, in particular, rarely lock their car or house doors) of the people is part of the allure.

With its almost genteel air, New England is different to other parts of the US. The pace of life is slower - pleasantly so - and there is a great sense of tradition. (The British connection may not in itself be a reason for visiting, but it is certainly part of the New England experience.) Even the capital, Boston, is laid back, and people actually get around on foot, something that is virtually unheard of in other US cities. And although Americans from other states are far from being unfriendly, New Englanders are even more personable - I've lost count of the number of times that I've pulled over to ask for directions and been drawn into conversation.

It was after much research and (luckily for me) numerous visits that we decided on the areas that were to feature in the Inntravel programme. In Maine, which is larger than the other five New England states combined, the coastal region known as Down East Maine was the obvious choice. Just south of the Canadian border, this is much further north than many Americans venture, and I love it. It feels completely undiscovered and is not what you'd expect at all. In fact, I think the best way to describe it is as an old-fashioned Cornwall, characterised by a rocky coastline, traditional fishing villages, sturdy lighthouses, some 3,250 (mostly uninhabited) tiny islands and swathes of pine forest criss-crossed with rushing rivers and dotted with literally thousands of lakes and ponds. One of my two very favourite New England inns is located here: the intimate Ullikana Bed & Breakfast. Tucked away on the edge of the bustling port of Bar Harbor, it has charmed not just me but all our customers too. The rooms are beautiful, and the breakfasts fabulous (and very filling), but it is innkeepers Hélène (a French Canadian) and Roy that really make the place. Just like the other innkeepers we work with, they are a mine of information about the local area, and nothing is too much trouble for them, whether it's helping you join a whale-watching trip, planning an excursion in the marvellous Acadia National Park, or picking a seafood restaurant where you can sample the delicious clams (great steamed or in a chowder) and lobster, with perhaps a slice of local blueberry pie to finish off.

The other coastal region that we feature is Cape Cod in Massachusetts. Chatham, our chosen base on the Cape, is full of character, and just how you'd expect Cape Cod to be like, with lots of tempting small shops. The colourful resort of Provincetown, the departure point for more whale-watching trips, is close by, and from Chatham it is also possible to take a day trip to the wonderfully unspoiled island of Nantucket, thirty miles off the coast, where you can hire bikes and spend the day pottering about on two wheels past the numerous lighthouses and lovely beaches. (To preserve the island's charm, neon signs and fast food joints are banned, which is just fantastic.)

But there is much, much more to New England than its coastline, and the great variety of the landscapes is yet another reason why I love it. In New Hampshire, we decided to focus on the majestic White Mountains (so named because they are often capped with snow). There are 48 peaks over 4,000ft (the highest is Mount Washington at 6,288ft), and some 1,200 miles of paths for all levels, as well as many really scenic drives. In neighbouring Vermont, we again feature the mountains, though these aren't white but green. In fact, it's the Green Mountains that give the state its name - French explorer Samuel de Champlain called them the Monts Verts, hence Vermont. They're not as high as the White Mountains, and in fact Vermont, famous for its covered bridges, steepled white churches and forests of maple trees (which provide not only maple syrup but also the superb fall colours in late September and early October), feels much more open. My other favourite inn, the Blueberry Hill Inn, is here, right in the heart of the Green Mountain National Forest. Set at the end of a dirt road, it's not the easiest place to find, not least because very few signposts are allowed in the forest, but it's certainly worth it. The innkeeper, Tony Clark, grew up in Britain but settled in Vermont after falling in love with the place on a trip as a student. I must admit that my typical British reserve meant that initially I wasn't particularly keen on the idea of communal dining, but the atmosphere is so relaxed at the inn that everyone immediately feels at ease, and I actually really appreciated the opportunity to chat with fellow guests over the superb cuisine. (On the subject of food, I should also mention here that the Blueberry Hill's cookies are the best I've ever tasted.) If fishing is your thing, you can have a go at fly fishing on the inn's pond, or you may prefer to explore the 60 miles of trails that lead from the door.

In fact, Blueberry Hill Inn features on our walking holiday, the Green Mountain Trail. Putting together a walking holiday proved a far bigger challenge than finding inns of real character, partly because Americans are not that into walking, and find it hard to comprehend that there are people out there who like to walk all day. Nevertheless, the Green Mountain Trail, which follows part of the 225-mile-long Long Trail which dissects the state from north to south, has been very successful, with customers loving the excellent walking and the richness in wildlife - a wide variety of birds, and even the occasional close encounter with a docile moose, something they're not likely to forget in a hurry.

It's experiences like these, and leisurely days exploring the wonderfully varied landscapes and timeless towns that make a holiday to New England so rewarding, but the icing on the cake is being able, at the end of the day, to head to a charming, characterful and beautifully-located inn where you know you'll find the warmest hospitality in the US. That's why I love New England.