DESTINATIONS SECOND-TIME STATES THE US


heaven, but there are plenty of scenic drives too, with the Conway Scenic Railroad and the Mount Washington Observatory Weather Discovery Center catering for those not gleefully in hiking boots. Up-and-coming: Portsmouth, on the coast, claims to be the third-oldest city in the US, but has gone young and hip in recent years. Steamship tours of the harbour are a good introduction. Getting there: Boston Logan airport, which has several direct flights from the UK, acts as the major gateway to the whole New England region. Book it: Grand American Adventures sells an eight-day Appalachian Trail In-Depth walking holiday, with six days of backcountry hikes, meals and naturalist talks in the White Mountains, starting at £1,402. grandamericanadventures.com


w MAINE Highlights: Maine’s strengths lie on its coast, where handsome seaside towns such as Kennebunkport and gay-friendly Ogunquit get as many tourists as fishing boats. Portland has the Museum of Art, which pulls in plenty of top American artists, a huge variety of boat cruises and a plethora of brewpubs. Up-and-coming: Acadia National


Looming cliffs, deserted beaches, rock climbing and mountain bike trails provide the appeal


RIGHT:


Acadia National Park, Maine


Park in the north of the state offers decidedly unkitsch wilderness. Looming cliffs, deserted beaches, rock-climbing hotspots and mountain bike trails provide much of the appeal. Getting there: Again, Boston is the major hub. Book it: Tauck runs a 12-day Grand New England group tour, with four nights in Maine, including a private schooner cruise at Bar Harbor and a lobster boat experience in Portland, from £3,650. tauck.co.uk


w DELAWARE Highlights: The second-smallest state in the Union is best known for its tax-free shopping, which makes the Christiana Mall in


the north of Delaware and the Tanger Outlets nearer the coast very popular. Otherwise, the Brandywine Valley in the north is well known for its lavish gardens, and the Winterthur Estate houses a gigantic arts and antiques collection. Up-and-coming: Rehoboth Beach – the closest beach to Washington DC – does a nice line in amusements, upscale dining and water sports alongside its mile-long boardwalk. Getting there: BA flies direct to Philadelphia airport, just 22 miles away from northern Delaware city Wilmington, from Heathrow. Book it: Viator sells several kayaking and stand-up paddleboard rentals and tours in Rehoboth Beach. viator.com


LEFT: Civil Rights Memorial Center, Alabama


54 travelweekly.co.uk 5 July 2018


w SOUTH CAROLINA Highlights: Charleston is one of the grand old dames of the south, surrounded by gorgeous plantation homes. For sobering balance, the Old Slave Mart Museum tells the dark history of the people who worked on these plantations, while Aiken-Rhett House and Joseph Manigault House are two of the most attractive historical showpieces to visit. Up-and-coming: Myrtle Beach is the major hub for sunbathing, amusement parks and slightly gaudy entertainment, while Hilton Head is more reserved and golf-centric.


Getting there: The western part of the state is a short drive from Atlanta, where Delta, Virgin Atlantic and BA fly direct. Book it: Trafalgar’s eight-day Tales of the Old South tour spends two nights in Savannah, two in Hilton Head, including a day at leisure, plus three nights in Charleston, from £2,395 with departures in September and October. trafalgar.com


w ALABAMA Highlights: Selma, Montgomery and Birmingham all played huge parts in the civil rights struggle. Capital Montgomery, where Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat in 1955, is home to the Rosa Parks Museum and Civil Rights Memorial Center. The turning-point march in Selma’s story is told at the National Voting Rights Museum. Up-and-coming: Birmingham is the civil rights hotspot that offers more than just history. The Civil Rights Memorial Trail spreads over seven blocks. However, with plenty of students in the city there’s a lively bar scene, especially in the Five Points area. Getting there: Montgomery is around 150 miles’ drive from Atlanta airport. Book it: America As You Like It has a seven-day Alabama Civil Rights Trail self-drive trip, costing from £1,084. americaasyoulikeit.com


PICTURES: ALABAMA TOURISM DEPARTMENT/ART MERIPOL; JOCELYN PRIDE; CHRIS WITZKE; GREATER PORTSMOUTH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE; C FARR-WEINFELD


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